Pull up a chair for another fandom pet peeve: “Star Wars Trilogy.”
If this was 1998, I wouldn’t object because there were at the time three completed Star Wars films in existence.
But it’s 20-freakin’-12. There are six, count ‘em, SIX Star Wars films, plus one Clone Wars feature-length pilot. The term “Star Wars trilogy” became irrelevant as of May 19, 1999. Now, many people at least acknowledge the existence of all of the films even as they make distinctions between the “original trilogy” or “classic trilogy” and the “prequel trilogy.” Those distinctions are imperfect and even though I run this site, I’d be very happy the day those distinctions break down and the saga is accepted as a whole.
Anyone using “Star Wars Trilogy” now is either an ignoramus or is flat out refusing to even acknowledge Episodes I-III exist. It’s more than saying, “I didn’t like the prequels.” It’s a boycott against reality. When Mondo did those posters a while back, I didn’t buy any of them. Not only was it because they just did posters for Eps IV-VI and blew off the rest of the series, but they billed it as posters from the “Star Wars Trilogy.” I’m sure Mondo didn’t spend the past 14 years in a cave in Tora Bora, so there’s no other explanation other than they are a bunch of prequel haters who won’t even acknowledge Eps I-III as part of the saga. It’s an insult to saga fans and to George Lucas.
Which gets to my next point…yesterday I saw a Tweet from the official Star Wars Twitter account about some GIFs based on Eps IV-VI:
“A #StarWars Trilogy gif? Can’t. Stop. Watching.”
Now if there’s anyone (anything?) that should NOT be using “Star Wars Trilogy” anymore it’s anything official out of Lucasfilm. Hello, THEY should know it’s a long-since outdated term. Just say “Star Wars gif” or “OT gif” and we’ll get the message to skip the link. But it once again emphasizes that despite whatever they tell us, they don’t treat the movies equally.
Tags: commentary, Saga
June 27, 2012 at 6:59 pm |
I’ve always referred to it as the “Star Wars SAGA” since , in the 80′s, we always knew that Lucas would return and expand on the existing three movies. My thing – and I know you’ve got a bit invested in this – is referring to the earlier era Star Wars saga as the PREQUEL Saga. It used to be that “prequel”, like “sequel”, had a bad connotation in movies as they were both considered cheap knock-offs of the original movie just to squeeze out more box office. I think this same bad connotation still feeds the undue criticism the earlier era Star Wars saga so often gets. I prefer “The Anakin Saga”‘ “The Republic Saga” and “The Empire Saga”, “The Rebellion Saga” or “Luke’s Saga” to distinguish between the two character or period sagas comprising the total “Star Wars Saga”.
June 27, 2012 at 9:52 pm |
Don’t let it get you down, LP, I’m beginning to see a nit-picky snobbiness in the SF community regarding any of the latest sci-fi films, from “Avatar” to the Star Wars Prequels to “Prometheus” to “Terra Nova” and even Spielberg’s “War of the Worlds”. One minute these films/tv shows are praised, the next they are bashed and trashed constantly for years as if they were uninspired and poorly made. It makes me ashamed of being a nerd. I long for the days when science fiction inspired wonder and fueled the imagination.
June 28, 2012 at 4:59 pm |
Yeah, remember that
?
July 13, 2012 at 6:16 am |
I blame the internet. I mean, it’s great that it allows us to come together with people all around the world and such, but it also gives the bad seeds out there more opportunities to spread their hatred and sully the collective mood of a community — then you’ve impressionable fools taking up their call and spreading the hate even more. It’s like a virus. :/
June 28, 2012 at 3:58 am |
I tend to involuntarily scream at people who say “Star Wars” and “Trilogy” in the same sentence. Especially in the (otherwise funny) “How I Met Your Mother” episode – I’m sure you know the one. I spent half the time screaming “SAGA” at the screen or trying my very best not to. My family looked at me like I was crazy.
June 28, 2012 at 5:02 pm |
Come on, we’re fans! We know this stuff!
June 28, 2012 at 4:22 am |
I’ts Saga to me. I never use the term OT or PT, their all “Classic”.
I can’t stand it when people use those. My remark is always “OT, PT what’s that? Oh you mean the the SW Saga” 
June 28, 2012 at 5:17 pm |
I agree it should be called The Star Wars Saga. I never use the term OT , PT it’s a saga to me always has been and always will be. Their is 6 films plus a clone wars film and tv series it should be considered a Saga all together. Nice writing as always LP.
June 28, 2012 at 10:32 pm |
Not to mention Tartakovsky’s t.v. series, novels, comic books and video games. I tend to refer to it as either the Star Wars franchise or just plain ‘ole Star Wars.
June 28, 2012 at 10:19 pm |
Isn’t this the prequel set?
http://furiousfanboys.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Mondo-Prequels-e1331266953215.jpg
June 29, 2012 at 5:04 pm |
I might be wrong, but I believe some fan did those in the same style as the Mondo Eps IV-VI posters.
July 5, 2012 at 1:24 am |
Considering I saw my first Star Wars film back in 2006 while in college (total latecomer), I’ve always referred to it as the saga because well, that’s what it is.
July 17, 2012 at 3:25 pm |
Saga, always Saga to me