Don’t Boycott Episode VII: An Open Letter to all the Prequel/Saga Fans

With the release of Star Wars Episode VII, the media is all ablaze about how it would fix the preceived problems of the Prequels.  This is even as some Saga fans vow to boycott this movie under the belief that Disney has done them a disservice.  But what is this disservice? 

For one there is the marketing, biased solely torwards O-OT fans and not Saga fans, with jabs thrown at the Prequels everywhere.  For another there is concern about throwing George Lucas’ treatments out the window in favor of a “rehash” of the Original Trilogy.  As a result, many are willing to boycott Star Wars: The Force Awakens due to this perceived lack of respect offered to one half of the Saga.  Admittly, I have got no beef in this debate about the quality of the Originals vs. the Prequels, but I feel that this is bad idea.  That is because boycotting the films will not legitimatize the Prequels, nor will it legitimaitze Saga fans in the eyes of a ever-derisive media.  Of course some may want to boycott because they want to “vote with their wallets”.  But even if every single Saga fan boycotted, Disney can make enough from the casual moviegoer and the extreme trilogy fans to stay afloat.  Not to mention that with filming of Episode VIII already begun, Disney has put too much to cancel the new trilogy due to certain fans being a “no show”.  

The reason that boycotting the film is not a good idea is because the stigma directed torwards Prequel fans is one based on perception, this perception is generated through the use of sterotypes.  The mainstream media has constantly viewed Prequel or Saga fans as “irrational;”, or as a “separate identity” from “normal” fans that solely like the Original Trilogy.  Some of these stereotypes are that they view the Prequels as the best movies ever made or only watch Star Wars for the lightsaber fights without any regard for “good writing” or anyone else who was involved in Star Wars.  If Saga Fans do not show up for the premiere then it will only perpetuate these stereotypes as the media claims that Saga Fans “have no life” outside a “cultish” worship of George Lucas.  That is because the media, Disney, and Geek Culture will use this inaction to perpetuate certain stereotypes about Prequel fans “not seeing the light” represented by the Plinkett Reviews. Call me a conspiracy theorist, but I feel that Saga fans electing to boycott the new movie are walking into a trap.  The majority of Saga fans I feel will watch it to see if it is a valid continuation of the Saga.  But if there is significant identifiable backlash by Prequel fans, then they will play into the trap and be subject to further persecution by the media. 

The negative publicity torwards Saga fans has been rampant.  Nostalgia and Practical effects are what are emphasized in the new trilogy.  JJ Abrams, in a recent interview dodged questions regarding the Prequels and their fans.  Simon Pegg claims to have no respect for Prequel fans, yet lands a minor role in the movie and is involved in promoting the Force Awakens despite his behaviour.  I feel that Prequel and Saga fans were deliberately pulled away by this marketing.  It was always made to distance them from the new movies if for the fact that they are perceived not to be Star Wars fans but this “irrational fringe group”.  If a vast number Prequel fans elect to boycott the movie considering already negative media publicity, what happens now?  By coming to the movies with an open mind Saga fans can demonstrate that they are Star Wars fans even when the media and extreme aspects of geek culture call them irrational or solely “loyal” to Lucas, and are willing to assess the movie on its own terms and as a continuation of the Saga.  But if Saga fans do not come out, the trap would succeed, because the marketing drove Saga fans away from the movie to the point where they are not willing to exercise fair judgement just because the marketing was extremely hostile.  Driving Saga fans away would be the ultimate victory of the negative publicity because it would succeed in perpetuating the image that Saga fans were not part of Star Wars.  Furthermore, the infamous “true fan” argument has been stereotyped as coming from Saga fans over coming from the extremes of both sides.  If all Saga Fans boycott the film en masse, what will happen to that stereotype now?

Lastly, it could be possible, we have to consider, that this negative marketing is a temporary measure.  Maybe because of the dominance of extreme trilogy fans over the media and the popularity of the Plinkett review among that “base”, Disney simply wanted to market it to that base to avoid bad publicity.  Maybe Disney has no beef on the issue, but they want to first lure back diehard trilogy fans.  Who knows, maybe Episode VIII and Episode IX will treat the Saga better.  JJ Abrams is only in for one movie and then he’s out.  The Director of Episode VIII, Rian Johnson, is somewhat of a Prequel Fan.  What’s more is that Rian Johnson is using Michael Arndt’s script. This was the same script Lucas originally used.  So perhaps Lucas’ story treatments may not be totally rejected, but elements of it may show up from time to time.  Even through Adam Driver may have claimed Episode VII will be better than the Prequels, John Boyega has shown appreciation for the saga.  Dave Filoni is still doing Rebels, and the Marvel Comics altogether have not been too unkind to the Prequels, incorporating elements whenever they see fit.  In fact, there is a Prequel-era comic about Obi-Wan and Anakin coming out in the near future.  Thus, while Episode VII, or at least its marketing is solely detailed to re-interpreting A New Hope, it may only be a temporary measure. The seeds I feel are set to the point where even if Episode VII is solely to draw back the trilogy fans, Episode VIII and Episode IX would be more even handed.  George Lucas himself has viewed Episode VII as a valid continuation to his saga, so I ask, what prevents Saga fans from viewing the same?  

So what should Saga fans do if not boycott? How do they get their message across? I feel that it would be important for Saga fans to watch the movie with an open mind, and ignore the negative stigmatizing of the marketing.  The onus falls to Saga fans to analyze the movie as a continuation of the saga while respecting those that liked the movie.  It is up to Saga fans to analyze what went right, what went wrong, and what could be carried over to the next trilogy; as well as what could be carried over from the Prequels and the Originals in the future.  Emphasis could also be given to the themes of the movies themselves and how they tie to the Prequels, and how themes of the Prequels may have covertly made their way to The Force Awakens.

Furthermore, Saga fans have to be more outspoken.  If Simon Pegg says that he does not respect the fans of the Prequels, than it falls onto Prequel fans to take their opportunity to express themselves in conventions, in fan gatherings.  Let’s see what happens if a large chunk of Episode VII’s audience, due to constant self-expression, identifies themselves as Saga fans.  If more Prequel fans got out, than Simon Pegg would be more of a liability to Disney and could be replaced by someone more even-minded at the very least.  And having Prequel fans come out and express themselves more in support of the Prequels would make Disney think twice about getting Mike Strolakasa to promote Episode VIII or IX.  Episodes VIII and IX, as well as Marvel Comics all show hope and better opportunities for Prequel fans at every step.  But if no opportunity is taken on the end of Prequel fans to explore these opportunities simply because of Episode VII’s marketing, the haters would fill that void and demand Star Wars to cater to them and only them.  JJ Abrams is only in it to do one movie, but if Saga fans do not express themselves than he is given the opportunity to do all three.   

Overall, because the mistreatment of Prequel fans is based on a certain set of stereotypes and certain worldviews that Saga fans have sought to prove wrong, boycotting Episode VII due to the sheer negativity of the marketing would exasperate tensions.  That is because they have fed off the image of Saga fans as an irrational cult and would continue doing so if Saga fans en masse boycott Episode VII, or don’t but are most vocal in boycotting it.  In a sense, the negativity publicity is a trap, a carefully planned ambush no different than Episode VI’s battle of Endor, to keep Saga fans out while further perpetuating negative stereotypes for every one that takes the bait.  The Star Wars fandom, despite my neutral stance, stands at a crossroads.  Either Saga fans take the media’s bait and stay out of the Sequel Trilogy, and Disney media as a whole, which would lead to even further stereotyping and alienation as they fall into the Emperor’s Trap, or they constantly engage with the Sequel trilogy while getting their points across.  The choice is clear, so what are Saga fans waiting for?