The Bothan Spy send us this essay to share with you on this, the eve to the North American release of The Phantom Menace. Courtesy TheForce.Net

Unconditional Love 

I know many of you have been disheartened and upset by the recent reviews, if you've read them. I just wanted to point out a few things, having seen the creative genius working from the inside of Lucasfilm. Firstly, you have to remember that every person who wrote a negative review is NOT a Star Wars 'fan'. 'Fan' is, I know, the wrong word. We are all followers, admirers... lovers of the Star Wars universe. But they are not. We belong to Star Wars and it belongs to us, we're not just fans. The reason I know this is because to us, we feel about Star Wars a bit like we do about our children, or other loved ones. Namely, in our eyes, they can do no wrong! They may not always do what we expect, but we will still always love them no matter what. And so it is with Star Wars also. 

'Unconditional love'. The reason this tells us that these negative reviews come from people who just don't understand what we do is simple; Star Wars *can* do wrong in their eyes. So let the 'critics' criticise. It's what they do for a living - it's their job title! We're on a different, be higher level than them. Maybe we've been blessed, cause I certainly pity those who say it's 'over-hyped' or 'not very good' - and especially those who get it confused with Star Trek! It means they can't, or haven't yet, reached a level of enjoyment and understanding that Star Wars *does* bring to us. Feel sorry for them. Feel very sorry, then feel happy that you DO understand. THEY are missing out BIG TIME. Just remember, this IS a new Star Wars film. And as long as it's written by George Lucas, the music is composed by John Williams, the CG is created by ILM, the SFX are recorded by Ben Burtt, then we WILL love it. It's in our nature to love it without condition. Remember too that Return of the Jedi is widely regarded as the weakest of the series, and we still love that all the same because it's Star Wars -- and TPM is supposedly *better* than ROTJ!! 

So, in summary, don't listen to people who just don't understand. Who are maybe too shallow to know what it is we have found in our home away from home. Leave them to try to watch Matrix 100 times and wait 20 years for a sequel to it, if they want. Leave them to their own opinions - they're entitled to them, but you just cannot expect them to appreciate it in the same way we do. So when they don't, you can't be surprised! They are looking at it as a film. The 'true' believers, however, know it's like going back home to your friends, family and children, after a long, painful 20 year stay in another galaxy... the Milky Way. These critics believe their home is on Earth. But if you feel like your second home is on Tatooine, or another Star Wars planet, then you will love this 'film', because it will take you back there, no matter what. That's a fact. That's what brings tears to your eyes when you see the logo and hear the fanfare again - going back home. They are analysing things like script and direction. But to us this isn't a film, so its script or direction don't exist when we watch it. Our family's conversations are hardly scripted - nor well directed, but we love them in the same way we love Star Wars. It's a universe we've grown up in. A home away from home. And no matter how much it's changed when we go back home, we will still always love it just the same. See you all back home soon.