Following 1999’s “The Phantom Menace” and 2002’s “Attack of the Clones,” fans and casual moviegoers alike had serious concerns about whether George Lucas, the special-effects-wizard-turned director who transformed American pop culture with tales from a galaxy far, far away, had lost his touch. Yet, last Wednesday night, as enthusiasts lined up to watch the 12 a.m. screening of “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith,” there was a sense of optimism.Visiting from East Lansing, Michigan State University senior Brendan Dennis had faith, predicting that “Episode III” would be “the best of (the prequels),” and that Lucas was “going to come out on top with this one.” Eastern Michigan University junior Andrew Renaud was willing to forgive the shortcomings of Episode I and Episode II. “This one is what it’s all about,” he said. Renaud, impersonating an imperial guard — the masked troops draped in red that stand vigil within the Emperor’s chambers in “Return of the Jedi” — came to see the movie with John Davis, a local clad as Chewbacca. For them, the concerns about Episodes I and II were of little importance. Recalling the original trilogy, Renaud mentioned that in fact, “The writing and acting were never really stellar.” Davis had faith that Hayden Christensen, who also starred in “Attack of the Clones,” would excel as a Sith lord. “The Dark Side fits him well, as an emotionless person,” quipped Davis.Dressed as a Jedi Knight, EMU junior Christopher Good hoped the film would “answer all the questions” and preserve the story’s continuity across six films. Pointing out that Lucas altered scenes and dialogue in the DVD versions of the original trilogy to reflect revelations made within the first two prequels, Good suggested that the movie hinged on its ability to maintain the storyline’s continuity. A small minority of those in attendance were not devoted fans. LSA senior Stephanie Fajuri, who hasn’t seen the original trilogy since she was young, was drawn to the premiere because of the hype. “(I’m) just along for the ride,” Fajuri said. Over two hours later, the credits rolled as the final chapter of Lucas’ six-film saga came to an end. LSA alum Jonathan Lee said he thought it was “just as good as the original ones,” and that “it provided everything that you needed to know, so everything makes sense … it filled in a lot of gaps.” Still, he complained about the dialogue. Citing a comment by Skywalker’s wife, Padme Amidala — “Hold me like you did by the lake on Naboo” — Lee said there were points in the film which were “really, really not good.” LSA junior Peter Troyan, who saw the film later on opening day, had similar sentiments. While he “didn’t think it was a particularly well-made movie,” he thought that it fit well within the greater story. “(The prequels were) just a build-up for Anakin’s transformation,” he said. As the “Star Wars” theme blared and Jedis streamed out of the theater, there was an aura of satisfaction. For the dedicated fans who came to witness the birth of Darth Vader and see the critical film connecting two halves of an epic tale, there was vindication.

Following 1999’s “The Phantom Menace” and 2002’s “Attack of the Clones,” fans and casual moviegoers alike had serious concerns about whether George Lucas, the special-effects-wizard-turned director who transformed American pop culture with tales from a galaxy far, far away, had lost his touch. Yet, last Wednesday night, as enthusiasts lined up to watch the 12 a.m. screening of “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith,” there was a sense of optimism.Visiting from East Lansing, Michigan State University senior Brendan Dennis had faith, predicting that “Episode III” would be “the best of (the prequels),” and that Lucas was “going to come out on top with this one.” Eastern Michigan University junior Andrew Renaud was willing to forgive the shortcomings of Episode I and Episode II. “This one is what it’s all about,” he said. Renaud, impersonating an imperial guard — the masked troops draped in red that stand vigil within the Emperor’s chambers in “Return of the Jedi” — came to see the movie with John Davis, a local clad as Chewbacca. For them, the concerns about Episodes I and II were of little importance. Recalling the original trilogy, Renaud mentioned that in fact, “The writing and acting were never really stellar.” Davis had faith that Hayden Christensen, who also starred in “Attack of the Clones,” would excel as a Sith lord. “The Dark Side fits him well, as an emotionless person,” quipped Davis.Dressed as a Jedi Knight, EMU junior Christopher Good hoped the film would “answer all the questions” and preserve the story’s continuity across six films. Pointing out that Lucas altered scenes and dialogue in the DVD versions of the original trilogy to reflect revelations made within the first two prequels, Good suggested that the movie hinged on its ability to maintain the storyline’s continuity. A small minority of those in attendance were not devoted fans. LSA senior Stephanie Fajuri, who hasn’t seen the original trilogy since she was young, was drawn to the premiere because of the hype. “(I’m) just along for the ride,” Fajuri said. Over two hours later, the credits rolled as the final chapter of Lucas’ six-film saga came to an end. LSA alum Jonathan Lee said he thought it was “just as good as the original ones,” and that “it provided everything that you needed to know, so everything makes sense … it filled in a lot of gaps.” Still, he complained about the dialogue. Citing a comment by Skywalker’s wife, Padme Amidala — “Hold me like you did by the lake on Naboo” — Lee said there were points in the film which were “really, really not good.” LSA junior Peter Troyan, who saw the film later on opening day, had similar sentiments. While he “didn’t think it was a particularly well-made movie,” he thought that it fit well within the greater story. “(The prequels were) just a build-up for Anakin’s transformation,” he said. As the “Star Wars” theme blared and Jedis streamed out of the theater, there was an aura of satisfaction. For the dedicated fans who came to witness the birth of Darth Vader and see the critical film connecting two halves of an epic tale, there was vindication.