5 things about Star Wars - The Clone Wars

A bust of Jar Jar Binks' head

1. After resisting the gravitational pull of my generation's mythology for seven years now, my daughter is into Star Wars after one viewing of The Clone Wars.
2. She is particularly into the much maligned Jar Jar Binks which I wholeheartedly support. If one is going to interface with mythology, one should find mythic counterparts for one's own character. She, like Jar Jar, is boundlessly bouncy, joyous and true blue. They both have a penchant for talking funny. They are both reliably game for any adventure. I much prefer that to the dour prissy princess who thirsts to be a lousy diplomat in faux-Indian getups, or dullard Jedi's and their tedious rules. Like most men of principle, Obi-Wan was only interesting to talk to when he was past his prime (and a hologram)
3. My identifying character was always the nerd translator C-3PO, a background figure whose presence always seemed to be the linchpin to resolving whatever conflicts arose. Sure, he always needed rescuing, but he was quick with the bon mots in over six milion forms of communication and protocols.
4. The original came out when I was my daughter's age, and I told her that Star Wars was all my friends and I talked about. Because of some pissing match between my parents, I did not see the actual film until its last week in the original year-long run in the theaters, but I had the comic books and action figures and could talk the talk even if I'd never been on he actual sidewalk. I have to think that experience prepared me for a lifetime of being a quick study in subculture.
5. She made two prototypes of Jar-Jar figurines out of air-dry clay after being dismayed at the lack of Jar Jar action figures on the rack at Target. "He's the main guy in the movie!" We went to Borders last night and she got herself the novelization of The Clone Wars, and got mad when I called her "Jar Jarina Binks" on the way back to the car. We have The Phantom Menace on TiVo, and she is stoked to watch it, well-schooled in the lingo after perusing some episodes of The Clone Wars on Cartoon Network's website. Surely every parent thinks this when they recognize their own childhood in their child, even when seeing it through the screen of your own personal Darth Vader mask, but I sense The Force is strong in this one.