Firstly, it’s good to recognize that there would be no Star Wars without Lucas. That said, the idea that Lucas birthed has taken a life of it’s own, branching off franchises worth billions of dollars in gaming, memorabilia, TV shows, and many other areas of life. From Star Wars bedding to Star Wars t-shirts, the influence of the artwork that his mind created has inspired a generation.

Some may argue, to such a point that it is the generation who have now taken possession of the true idea of what is “Star Wars”. When Lucas decided to start directing the prequels, many fans rejoiced, only to later flee in horror at what was to take place.

First, it is worth nothing that Lucas did not direct much of the original Star Wars series. One might dare say he was relegated to the role of a screenplay writer with little much else. The producers had the ultimate say, and had definitely helped to take Star Wars in a much different direction than what Lucas had intended.

Not so, the second time around, and perhaps with devastating results. Star Wars had become Lucas’ playground for his imagination and whatever desires he wanted. His little daughter liked boy band N’sync, so Lucas thought he had the right to allow N’sync members to become Jedi in the film. Despite the often bad image given to executive producers as being “corporate fat cats”, had producers been still in charge of the Star Wars series’ direction, this type of insanity would have never come to pass.

So outraged were the fans that tens of thousands signed petitions to stop him. They succeeded in preventing what they viewed as an assault on the series by the creator himself. At the very least Justin Timberlake was not seen waving light sabers. But fans were in for a surprise of a different sort.

Whatever anyone may think of Jar Jar, even George Lucas himself conceded the massive damage done to the series by the two eyed and perhaps even mentally ill creature, by removing him from the next parts of the series after protests against his inclusion had swelled in size. A cut of the film without Jar Jar has been released by fans, and it seems notably improved from the original cut. The decision by Lucas may have had more to do with his family and his own desires than anything else. The presence of Jar Jar was severely reduced, to some fans relief, but for many the series had died the moment Jar Jar set foot on the screen.

Perhaps George Lucas has lost all touch with the fanbase. George once said at a luncheon that the Empire Strikes Back was the worst Star Wars, despite the fact that many if not most Star Wars fans consider it to be the greatest.