Formerly Stranded Far Far Away, Star Wars Finally Accepts Female Fans
I remember becoming a pop culture nerd. As a child, I eagerly devoured entire series on VHS in a log cabin in southwest Virginia. Long before IMDB, my sister and I maintained a list of the names of Sailor Moon episodes and the order in which they aired. The internet and streaming services later caught up with my (and many others’) obsession with seeing every episode and knowing the tiny details that made one a super fan.
I admired the way my dad could explain why Captain Christopher Pike was replaced by Captain Kirk and list intricate details of James Bond plot lines without faltering. I studiously dedicated myself to obtaining my own obscure knowledge of film and television and used these factoids to impress my peers, not that my peers cared.
Star Wars held a special place in our household. For years, we devoured the original trilogy repeatedly, enjoying the x-wing battles, light saber fights, and Princess Leia’s notorious hair-dos. When the second trilogy was released in the early 2000s, I was the perfect age to consume the new films. Toys and costumes were marketed to my age group, but the stories failed to speak to my gender. My twin brother got Star Wars Legos and action figures, but the token female character Padme Amidala failed to be enough to capture my interest. Instead, I turned to other fandoms like Harry Potter to fill my days.
I owned all the Legos and action figures accompanying the Potter series. While this series still had a male lead, it offered a female character I wanted to be. Hermione was intelligent, kind, and the real hero of the series.
Star Wars continued to hold a place in my fangirl heart. I eagerly headed out to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens when it premiered in December 2015. I was a bit skeptical, but was immediately captivated by the new film. While not entirely original, it was one hundred percent feminist. Having watched very few previews and read zero spoilers prior to attending, I was shocked and excited to see a female lead. I watched the film at least twice in theaters and bought the DVD immediately upon release because Rey is my kind of bad ass, female Jedi.
I thought it was a one-off accident. I seriously wondered if Disney knew that film had a female lead. Were they convinced that Finn was there to save the day? Because he was useless in the grand scheme of things. Clearly, they were surprised Rey was such a hit, with the merchandising focused on Kylo Ren. Did Disney realize he was the villain? He wears all black and a helmet and carries a red lightsaber, ring any alarm bells Disney execs?
After the major merchandising snafu, I was sure I would not see another female lead until the return of Rey. Clearly, I was mistaken. Let’s be clear, I was very disappointed by Rogue One. I did not particularly like the film or feel the story really needed to be told. But, when I walked out of the theater, I had to say “f*** yea, feminism.” Yet again, Star Wars gave me a female lead. I’m not going to say “thank you” because I don’t think they should be congratulated for showing a more diverse cast. I will say: KEEP IT UP. In a universe, full of aliens and Jedi and fish people, I’m glad there’s room for women to be heroes.
After years of dedication to the fandom, metal bikini and all, it feels like Star Wars has finally accepted me into the group. I’m no longer an outsider considering a galaxy far far away.
Legendary Women is hosting our third annual literary contest! Details here!
Love what you read? Want to follow us closer to get all the latest Legendary Women news? Then sign up for our monthly newsletter and also our Medium collection. And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr.
