History of Sorts

No movie buff could ignore this day’May the 4th’ or better known as “May the 4th be with you”. The day that is now widely accepted as Star Wars day.

But why is that:

The original movie “Star Wars -A New hope” opened on May 25th 1977.

It would forever change the way movies were made, and left a footprint so deep in the culture that sometimes “culture” feels synonymous with “Star Wars.”

So why not have he 25th of May as “Star Wars” day. For a time it actually was the 25th.

The phrase ‘May the 4th be with you’ originates from something from a galaxy far far away from Star Wars. It actually comes from British politics.

The reference was first used on May 4, 1979, the day Margaret Thatcher took office as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.Britain’s Conservative Party celebrated the election of British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, by taking out a full-page ad in the London Evening News. The ad read, “May the Fourth Be With You, Maggie. Congratulations.” This was for Thatcher’s inauguration date as Prime Minister: May 4, 1979. In only two years, Star Wars‘ Jedi catchphrase was recognizable and influential enough even to be used in the soap opera that is British politics.

The date was chosen for the pun on the catchphrase “May the Force be with you” as “May the Fourth be with you”. Even though the holiday was not actually created or declared by Lucas film, many Star Wars fans across the world have chosen to celebrate the holiday. It has since been embraced by Lucas film as an annual celebration of Star Wars.

I will not go into whether May the 5th or May the 6th should be known as Revenge of the fifth/sixth as a pun on ‘Revenge of the Sith’ that would bring me to close to the dark side. To be honest this is not the Sith fan you are looking for.

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Sources

CBR

Starwars.com