It is May 4, 2025, and today’s article is a love letter to Star Wars, a story that has shaped my life, my values, and my approach to storytelling.
A Stable Story in a Chaotic Childhood
I had a tumultuous childhood: divorced parents, school suspensions, lots of trouble.
But through it all, Star Wars was a constant.
It wasn’t just entertainment.
It was stability.
It was hope.
And in an era before VHS or Disney+, that hope wasn’t always on screen.
Instead, it was in the toys, in backyard play, and in our imaginations.
Those little plastic action figures helped me write stories long before I ever picked up a pen.
“What Would Luke Skywalker Do?”
I’m not religious.
Never have been.
But Luke Skywalker was my moral compass.
When other kids were asking “What would Jesus do?”, I was asking, “What would Luke do?”
I didn’t just dress up as Luke for Halloween.
Instead, I became him.
My mom would have to call me “Luke” to get me out of the car after daycare.
That’s how seriously I took it.
Star Wars wasn’t just fantasy.
It was formative.
From VHS to The Phantom Menace
When I finally got a taped copy of the original Star Wars off TV, it felt like I had found the holy grail.
That tape became my comfort food.
I’d watch it anytime I was home sick from school.
While other kids sipped ginger ale and watched The Price is Right, I was travelling to Tatooine.
And then came the ’90s.
Special Editions in theaters.
The anticipation of Episode I.
All the hype.
Sure, the prequels were divisive, but skipping school to see The Phantom Menace and getting called to the principal’s office the next day?
Unforgettable.
My friends and I even hung a banner across our lockers that said: “Gone to Star Wars.”
That’s the kind of passion this story inspired.
Falling Out and Coming Back
As I moved into adulthood, Star Wars faded into the background. I got older. Studied literature and cinema. Thought I was too “serious” for space wizards and laser swords.
But then, life got really serious.
Jobs. Kids. Bills.
You know what it’s like.
I needed a hobby. Something joyful. Something grounding.
So I returned to Star Wars, and brought my kids with me.
We dusted off old action figures and watched the films together.
It was a reconnection not just to a story, but to who I was and what I loved.
The Rise… and Fall… of the Franchise
The Force Awakens was thrilling. Rogue One was powerful.
But The Last Jedi? That one broke something.
I call it a noble failure. Ambitious, yes. But flawed in every way.
Killing off Luke Skywalker felt like killing off my childhood.
That wasn’t just a fictional character.
It was my hero.
My moral foundation.
Then came The Rise of Skywalker… and let’s just say it barely qualifies as a story.
The Mandalorian Gave Me Hope
The first two seasons of The Mandalorian, on the other hand, was glorious, nostalgic, perfectly balanced.
It brought back the feeling of playing Star Wars in the backyard.
And when they brought back Luke—my Luke—I cried.
During the pandemic, with all its fear and isolation, that one moment gave me hope.
It felt like a part of me had come back to life.
Collecting Joy During a Dark Time
In 2020, I went full collector mode.
I bought every Episode I action figure I could find on eBay: characters, vehicles, and playsets.
It gave me something to look forward to during a time that often felt hopeless.
It was a reminder that joy can be found in the stories we love.
That is what art is really all about.
A Story That’s Bigger Than the Brand
Sadly, Disney seems to have lost the plot.
From The Book of Boba Fett to Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mando Season 3 to Ahsoka, and The Acolyte, it’s been disappointment after disappointment.
At this point, being a Star Wars fan feels like cheering for a struggling sports team. You keep showing up, but your heart’s not in it like it used to be.
Still… I remind myself: Star Wars didn’t start as a brand.
It started as a story.
A story scribbled on a yellow legal notepad by a young filmmaker named George Lucas.
Why Writers Matter (Now More Than Ever)
That’s the magic I try to pass on to the writers I work with as a writing coach:
Stories matter. They shape us. They guide us. They can even help us survive hard times. (Hello 2025!)
Star Wars helped me become who I am.
It gave me my first taste of storytelling. It taught me about heroes, imagination, failure, and redemption.
And it’s why I believe in what I do.
As a writing coach, I want to help you tell the kind of story that changes someone’s life.
Maybe even your own.
May the Fourth be with you today.
And may your stories shine like twin suns over Tatooine.
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Kevin T. Johns is one of Canada’s top writing coaches. At 45 years old, he still finds himself asking, “What would Luke Skywalker do?” Get his checklist for turning ordinary scenes into literary gold: Download the FREE Scene Alchemy Essentials Checklist Now!
