Myisha Nawar
Star Wars and its link to Feminism: From a feminist point of view, Star Wars is either pictured as awful and kind of embarrassing or actually terrific and inspiring. The Force Awakens strikes a strong blow for sex equality. Rey is the unambiguous hero and she gets to kick some Dark Side butt! *drum roll* THE NEW LUKE! By contrast, the original trilogy and its prequels are easily taken as male fantasies about both men and women.
When you feel The Force, you get stronger and you get to shoot or kill them, preferably with a lightsaber. Lightsabers which look more than a little philliac-THE LONGER THE BETTER *smirks*. There is, however, another viewpoint. Leia is the leader of the rebellion. She knows what she is doing. She is brave, tough and great with a gun, in a skimpy costume. Thomas Jefferson, Jedi Knight: The series could easily be pictured as profoundly political, meant to limelight how republics turn into empires and to emphasize the craving for rebellion. In aspects of this view, the need for political freedom is the central message of Star Wars. The whole tale poses a conflict between an authoritarian Empire and the rebels seeking to restore a Republic.