Star Wars: the ageless archetypical story of good versus evil, weakness versus strength, right versus wrong.

It was the very first film I saw after moving to Virginia when I was eight. Yodic wisdom coursed through my veins as I stared at the stars after the show. Darth Vader’s breathing, which to this day sends chills down my spine, accompanied many a nightmare.

I attempted to ask my son what the characters stood for in his own nine-year-old mind. I didn’t get far as my daughter quickly pointed out that I was not to ‘interview them’ for another blog post. Left to my own devices, I dug through my recent memory, having watched the entire six-part series with my son over a course of several months.

Princess Leia ~ strong-willed and resilient royalty that quickly recovers from her need to be rescued

Hans Solo ~ should be called Duo by the second movie. He plays the lone wolf, but he isn’t really.

Luke Skywalker ~ bounces about the Universe with grand intentions and a furrowed brow. We enjoy watching him make mistakes, then remedy them, all in the name of justice.

R2D2 ~ a quizzical, pre-iPhone pinging gadgetron who embodies as much humility as his CP30 is lacking, that coward.

Yoda ~ now that’s easy. The dude rocks in his centuries’ old sage-like manner, but  I imagine he smells rather swampish.

But let us not forget one of my favorite characters of all: Chewbacca, that furry faithful friend of Hans Solo, who stands for fierce loyalty.  Besides. There might be nothing more satisfying in this galaxy than a good butt-kickin’ Wookie cry.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhunnnnnnggg!!!

In a Nuremberg department store I discovered a Lego display of my favorite Star Wars characters (as pictured here).

Embrace that inner Chewbacca, the one that lets you cry when you want to, yet stands tall  amidst airborne turbulence.

May the force be with you, gentle readers, wherever you roam.