Eleanor Grosvenor, 12

In a galaxy far, far away in Marquette people are going crazy for “Star Wars.” My love for “Star Wars” has always been epic. When I was little I thought that the Rebels blew up the Death Star on accident and then the Empire got mad and then the Rebels blew up the next one on purpose. I think when people watched the first one when it was released in 1977 they were pretty confused because they didn’t know what was going on. In the first one, Yoda looks so computerized, but in the Empire Strikes Back he doesn’t look at all like he was. The Empire Strikes back was released in 1980. The Phantom Menace was released in 1999. The story line order is: the Phantom Menace 1999, Attack of the Clones 2002, Revenge of the Sith 2005, Rogue One 2016, A New Hope 1977, Empire Strikes Back 1980, Return of the Jedi 1983, the Force Awakens 2015.

Everyone is arguing about which is better: the new movies or the old ones. I like the old ones because the new ones don’t stay true to the original plot of “Star Wars.” There is only one light saber fight! In the old ones there was more action, but Rogue One was just a sappy story about a girl and her dad helping the Rebels (at least the girl did, while the dad was forced to help the Empire.) I’m not going against the new “Star Wars”; I just don’t like the story line to it.

My favorite character is Princess Leia because she totally fights for what she believes in. Literally, she fights! If you want to argue and say Rey has more girl power — well, that is just your opinion. On the day Carrie Fisher, the actress who played Princess Leia, passed away I went to see Rogue One. I learned after I saw the movie that she had passed and I nearly burst into tears. I will now always cherish the last scene when she has the plans to the Death Star and says “A new hope.” I love that scene. The start of the New Hope is linked to the end of that movie and I think that is awesome.

I think “Star Wars” is popular because it has everything: it has the action, it has drama, it has romance, it has mystery — it has everything. Darth Vader is mysterious and weird, but he started all that drama. It’s sad that he killed Padme, thinking she brought Obi-Wan to fight him. Then he force chokes her, then she secretly gives birth to Luke and Leia. “Star Wars” is kind of like Julius Caesar — how he first was a humble guy, and then made a pact to get him elected into the Senate. He then became dictator, and then the Senate voted him too much power and things changed. Like Emperor Palpatine he had too much power. He then made himself a god, and then was killed by the people closest to him. For the Emperor it was Darth Vader, and for Caesar it was Brutus. Like the famous saying “Et tu Brute?” My teacher always says it with great drama when she says it. All in all, “Star Wars” is awesome in my opinion.

Editor’s note: Eleanor Grosvenor is 12 and is in sixth grade at Father Marquette Middle School. Eleanor is a Star Wars fanatic and loves to ski and swim.