It was on this day back in 1977 that the universe was changed forever when Star Wars first hit theaters. And really, it never truly went away. Sure, there was that dark period from after Return of the Jedi‘s release in 1983 to 1999 when Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace was unleashed upon an unsuspecting public (and really, don’t you wish it wasn’t?), but George Lucas‘ world-changing space saga was never far from the public’s consciousness in the 42 years since it first exploded upon the pop culture landscape like a planet being decimated by the Death Star.
With Memorial Day Weekend upon us, take some time out to enjoy some Star Warses, and feel free to discuss the enduring franchise in the comments below!
And remember, the Force will be with you, always.
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(An earlier version of this article originally ran last year, it has been revised and updated).