In the weeks leading up to the release of The Last Jedi, Star Wars fans were united in excitement. The second movie in the newest Star Wars trilogy was coming soon. The trailers looked really good, and there was word from those involved that this was going to be right up there with The Empire Strikes Back on our lists of favorite Star Wars movies.
Then the movie hit theaters . . .
Never has a Star Wars movie been so polarizing. While a large number of fans don't like the Prequels, at least with those movies there are plenty of “middle of the road” fans who don't love them but don't hate them either. With The Last Jedi, it seems the vast majority of fans either completely love or hate the movie. The middle ground isn't there, or possibly their voices are being drowned out by the other two larger more vocal groups.
It is perfectly fine to hate The Last Jedi. It is also perfectly fine to love The Last Jedi. Why we as fans can't accept that we won't all have the same opinion, and can't respect those who have differing opinions is disappointing. Any fandom that has been around for 40+ years is bound to have drawn in people from all different walks of life. Some have been fans since 1977, others were first introduced to Star Wars through the Special Editions, the Prequels, or even the most recent movies. With that wide a variety of people, differing opinions are bound to happen.
A core problem with the constant back and forth arguing between those for and against The Last Jedi has been the use of the term “true fan”. Both sides have been equally guilty. Telling someone they aren't a true fan if they like/dislike The Last Jedi is ridiculous. None of us have the right to tell anyone else they aren't a “true” fan of something. I don't know of anyone who likes 100% of the Star Wars material put out over the past four decades. Who decides what makes a “true fan”? Do we include the Star Wars: Holiday Special and the two Ewok movies in the list of things you are required to enjoy in order to get your “true fan” membership card?
We all need to take a step back. While Star Wars is a major love for many of us, we need to set boundaries on how far that passion goes. Trying to make yourself feel superior to another fan who has a differing opinion to you does nothing to further constructive discussion or work towards finding a common ground.
Being a fan of Star Wars isn't a competition. Being a fan of Star Wars means being part of a worldwide family. Families don't always get along, but they usually respect each other enough to work out their differences in a constructive manner. If you absolutely cannot find common ground with someone with a differing opinion of The Last Jedi than you then take the high road, agree to disagree, and find a different Star Wars topic you can both share your love for. With over 40 years of Star Wars to talk about you are bound to find plenty of things you can agree on.
Fans are fans. Whether you like all the movies, only some, or even only one, you are still a fan. Respect each other, find common ground where you can, and peacefully agree to disagree when you can't. It's a big universe and there is plenty of room for everyone.