One of the celebrations that has become relevant within pop culture, without a doubt, is the International Day of Star Wars (Star Wars), which is celebrated every May 4, when the creation of George Lucas is remembered.
The franchise, which marked science fiction and the world of cinema, delves into the fight between good and evil. This story, which spans literature, film and video games, has created a cultural phenomenon.
Known internationally as Star Wars Daythis celebration has a curious origin, since it arises from a play on words. Portals such as Infobae highlight that May 4 was set by the expression “May the Fourth be with you”, derived from the phrase “May the Force be with you”, that is, the iconic “May the Force be with you”.
This play on words became popular among fans, who promoted the celebration. According to the official site of Star Warsthis date does not have a single origin.
“It has no official start year or formal dedication. It is a popular phenomenon that now transcends the English pun that inspired it. Around the world, ‘May the Force be with you’ is more commonly known as ‘Star Wars Day,'” the official site explains.
The first records of the use of the phrase “May the Force be with you” date back to 1978, a year after the premiere of Star Wars: A New Hopeas compiled by the site.
It is explained that in the summer of 1978 journalists used the phrase in English as part of a creative resource to commemorate the independence of July 4.
The first known use of the expression to refer to the date was recorded on May 4, 1979, when a British journalist used it to wish luck to the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Margaret Thatcher.
Records from the official site of Star Wars They highlight another coincidence in 1982, at the Lucasfilm studios, when Randy Thom began to popularize the phrase “May the 4th Be With You” to commemorate that date within the company.
Over time, the expression became popular among followers of the saga until it became established as an unofficial holiday. In 2011, the first organized celebration was held in Toronto, with contests, trivia and film screenings.
Why is it celebrated on May 4?
The origin of this date is due to the phonetic game between words fourth (fourth) and strength (strength), which gave rise to the expression “May the Fourth be with you”, adopted by fans of the saga.
Movies by release date
- Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)
- Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
- Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983)
- Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (1999)
- Star Wars: Attack of the Clones (2002)
- Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)
- Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
- Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
*With information from the official Star Wars site and Diario AS-