Star Wars Episode Eleven-teen: The Phantom-isms

Hello there. Now that Obi-Wan is out in the world, episodes deep, there are some things we need to discuss. First off, if there’s a new Star Wars property there are probably new characters, shifted canon, callbacks out the wazoo, and something…else. Something nefarious and deeply engrained. Something that has tarnished the once wholesome experience the Star Wars franchise was aglow with. For clarity, the “something” is racist and sexist fanboys with a chokehold on the fandom. The kind who want some change but not enough to like change voter suppression or abortion laws – because they remember how things used to be. From the casting of only two Black actors (three-named thespians James Earl Jones and Billy Dee Williams) in the OG trilogy main cast to a primarily POC main cast in the last three entries in the Skywalker Saga. From Carrie Fisher’s spunky and sharp Leia as the lone femme to Daisy Ridley and Kelly Marie Tran holding major screentime in several blockbuster films. Despite all of this perceived progress, Ahmed Best (Jar-Jar Binks) considered self-harm, Kelly Marie Tran removed themselves from social media, Daisy Ridley sought therapy, and John Boyega was boycotted. Now, Obi-Wan cast member Moses Ingram is catching death threats in their DMs. While Lucasfilm has stepped the social media support of cast members in recent weeks, they were spectacularly silent about the treatment of Best, Tran, Ridley, and Boyega.

How, in a world with Rodians, Twi’leks, Wookies, and …