As you might recall, Charlotte’s most recent pop culture obsession is “Star Wars”. She convinced her grandmother to go take her to see the new “Clone Wars” animated film while she was in Maine, then she dragged me to go see it with her again last week. (Brief review: Meh.)
My mother gave me some cash for my birthday, so last week I went out to shop for my own birthday present, but there really wasn’t anything I was all that enthusiastic about. So, I wandered into the DVD section at the local Barnes & Noble and they had a box set of the original three Star Wars films on sale for 30% off (40% off for people with their loyalty card, which I have). For almost half off, I figured it was worth the buy, and we spent Labor Day weekend watching Luke and Leia and Han and friends save the galaxy. The kid LOVED it.
But, she kept confusing Luke with Anakin and Leia with Amidala, so I took her to the B&N and we bought the three newer movies. No box set, and no sale price, but they were only $19.99 each, so I figure over the six movies together, I am still doing okay.
Monday night we made dinner early so Charlotte could watch the movie and still get to bed at her school-year bedtime, then cozied in to watch “The Phantom Menace”. It didn’t help Charlotte’s confusion that Anakin was a little boy about her age in the film, but the continuity of having Obi-Wan and the droids helped tie it together.
But now I must confess my deep, deep geek shame. After the movie was over, Charlotte asked me who my favorite character was. I told her I liked Obi-Wan the best, and then she told me who her favorite character was: JarJar Binks. Only the single most reviled character in the entire endless pantheon of Star Wars characters. Death threats have been made to George Lucas by disgruntled fanboys because of the mere existence of JarJar, and now my daughter, who I am trying to teach the most important elements of geekhood, is a JarJar fan.
I half expect Solonor to show up at my house to rip my U.S.S. Enterprise arrowhead patch off my Star Fleet uniform and break my plastic lightsaber over his knee, then spit on me in utter contempt and disgrace. Even the Ewoks would be a better choice, but NO! The power of the dark side is more seductive than anyone can imagine.
I have absolutely no issues with a six year old girl finding a favorite character in JarJar Binks…that’s the demographic he was designed for…now if Charlotte still loves him best when she’s 16…then I might come up there with Lester and help him out.