An outstanding essay, full of great points.

I'm a first-generation Star Wars fan, and cannot even begin to describe the excitement in the school playground when Return of the Jedi was released. The original trilogy are considered classics for a reason, even if the third instalment made some compromises to appeal to younger viewers. I didn't personally feel I needed anything beyond that original trilogy (I was disappointed by the prequels). The Force Awakens was fun, albeit not necessarily essential.

Then I saw The Last Jedi: The Star Wars film I didn't realise I needed. I'm not surprised it divided fans, but I thought it was superb. More on why here, if you're interested.

https://medium.com/cinemania/the-real-reason-some-star-wars-fans-hated-the-last-jedi-f4c142b85cfc

Your broader point about mythology and the plurarity of Star Wars, and how it can mean many things to many people, is excellent, by the way.

Eric Pierce, you need to read this one (ie Joshua’s article, not mine). :)