(CNN Spanish) — “No. I am your father.” What did you think when you read that phrase? It is not necessary that you have thought of a specific character. But we are almost sure that the first thing that came to your mind was Star Wars.
If you are one of the people who first thought of Darth Vader and then of Star Wars, you are surely a geek from “Star Wars” or just a pop culture connoisseur. It doesn’t matter. For all of them, a very special date arrives: Star Wars Day (or Star Wars Day).
This day has been gaining popularity over the years, to the point that events are held in various parts of the world to celebrate the world created by George Lucas.
How did Star Wars Day come about?
There was no better day than May 4 for the celebration, since the commemoration slogan is a play on words that unites both the date and one of the classic Star Wars phrases:
- “May the force be with you” (iconic phrase of the Jedis from the first film of the saga, called Star Wars IV: A New Hope, 1977; in Spanish it means “May the force be with you”)
- “May the fourth be with you” (which in Spanish says “May the 4th of May be with you”)
How did these two phrases come together to arrive at what is now the Star Wars Day? In reality, the story has certain gaps (as every legend does), but we can say that its origin was in the United Kingdom.
According to the date’s origin story (which is acknowledged by Lucasfilm), the phrase was first used on May 4, 1979, the day Margaret Thatcher was sworn in as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
The Conservative party reportedly ran an advertisement in the London Evening News that read: “May the Fourth Be With You, Maggie. Congratulations.”
Events around the world
Much later, the date gained momentum in the era of social media (where it became a big event every year) and finally expanded into real life with events in Toronto. Now, there are events celebrating the day all over the world.
There are deals online and in stores on Star Wars merchandise and games; saga food galore and events where fans are encouraged to dress up or play trivia, or simply enjoy their favorite film franchise.
