The importance of creating a safe space for new Star Wars fans

I am the second of four kids in the family, and while we're all geeks about something, one sister has given me a very special role in her family: I'm the cool aunt who introduces the kids to the great franchises. This tracks with my convincing one nephew to keep reading about Bilbo Baggins and telling my nieces that I'm a proud Slytherin when they wanted to read Harry Potter.

It's also a special occasion when we get to see Star Wars together for the first time. We hole up in front of the big-screen TV with popcorn and snacks, and I wear my TIE fighter t-shirt or Princess Leia sweatshirt. Most importantly, I'm there to answer any questions they have and talk to them about what they thought afterward.

When the D23 Expo honored John Williams with a medley of his music set to clips of movies, my dad latched on to an unfamiliar theme that he really enjoyed. One day later, I discovered that he had never seen the sequel trilogy and encouraged him to give it a try.

Then, I got a call from my dad. He cried when he talked about the ending of The Last Jedi, and we talked for almost half an hour about Ben Solo's redemption arc. We disagreed on which character we liked best. Since this is the guy who saw Star Wars in 1977 and made sure people knew to follow in his footsteps, it was something really special to bring my dad on board for loving new Star Wars content.

Nothing quite inspires me as much as expanding a fandom's family. No matter where we come from or who we are, we deserve to find something in a franchise that inspires us and makes us think about the world differently. It is easy to find negativity online about any piece of media, but I'm constantly inspired by the ability of people to not take that route. I admit to being part of the Luke Skywalker Addicts on Facebook, but I also love watching the in-depth commentary on YouTube that comes from fans who love catching Easter eggs along the way.

There is, of course, always a space for dissenting opinions. As much as I have enjoyed getting more excited by the week with TV series such as The Mandalorian and The Acolyte, differing perspectives have helped me understand things I hadn't considered. Talking to people about what they wished we had more of in Obi-Wan Kenobi didn't diminish my enjoyment of explaining why Leia trusts Ben Kenobi.

I'm not saying that we only need Kai Brightstar levels of enthusiasm for everything that rolls out from the galaxy far, far away. However, there is power in inclusion in the Star Wars universe, and that should extend to the fandom.

If nothing else, let's let the Force be with us, which will happen when we "are calm, at peace." With those wise words of Master Yoda in mind, let us work hard to give all fans, old and young, new and long-time, space to find their own way of seeing the wider world.