Actually, Star Wars doesn’t owe you anything

Star Wars is a rapidly-growing, indefinite franchise that could go on for another 50 years or end tomorrow. As fans, we spend much of our free time picking apart each story Star Wars offers us because they’re interesting to us. It’s what we do, and we all have the right to do it.

But how often do we stop to consider that we spend countless hours taking all this for granted? It’s not that being critical of Star Wars is wrong, or that wanting certain aspects of it to be different is selfish. We have to remember, though, that just because entertainment is created for us to consume does not mean it has to cater to every need and desire every single time. It will never meet everyone’s skyrocketing expectations. It can’t. Because the majority of the people consuming Star Wars are not the ones making it.

It does not matter how long you’ve been a fan, how much detailed knowledge you have of the franchise or how deep of an impact it has had on your life and who you are as a person. You are not entitled to any of this. None of us are. While there are certain real-world things Star Wars has a responsibility to reflect in its content as a mega-franchise in the entertainment space — representation of marginalized groups in its stories, for example — it does not have to serve every fan all the time. It does not have to give you everything you want. It won’t. Because the fandom is large and ever-growing, and everyone wants and likes different things.

If you are disappointed by something that did or did not happen in a movie, TV show, book, or comic, it is not the fault of the creator for not giving you what you were expecting from a story. They never promised you anything. It’s your disappointment. You have to sit with it. If a story caused you no real-world danger or harm, you are responsible for your own feelings. Not the writer, artist, actors, or directors.

Star Wars could have ended in 2014. It could have ended in 2005, or 1983, or 1977. It could have never happened at all. The fact that we’re still getting regular Star Wars content is a privilege — the quantity we’re getting is a blessing.

Instead of complaining about every new piece of Star Wars storytelling you get, you could take a moment to be grateful it exists. Or you could treat Star Wars like the buffet it’s becoming, taking what you enjoy and ignoring the rest. You don’t walk into a buffet in search of mashed potatoes and start yelling at full volume because they have hash browns. Why would you do that?

Star Wars is made for everyone; not everyone will enjoy all of it. That’s OK. But throwing a fit because Vader didn’t kill an opponent with his lightsaber isn’t.

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