Geek Girl in Hollywood: Pre-‘Star Wars’ jitters

Since the day the new “Star Wars” film was announced, I’ve been thinking about what story it might tell. I’ve debated friends who are afraid to get excited because of their disappointment in the prequels. I’ve spoken out online about how Rey was missing in the toy set at Target. I’ve waited in line at midnight to buy an insane amount of toys. I read all the new books. I chase my cats around the house with my little BB-8 droid. I’ve loved every second of the anticipation. And now — it’s almost here. Only a couple more days. It’s surreal and frankly, a bit worrisome.

“Star Wars” had a profound effect on my childhood. Millions of you could say the same. I wasn’t the only little girl who was delighted to see a female character who kicked ass. I wasn’t the only kid who desperately wished for a Millennium Falcon. I wasn’t the only person who bitched about George Lucas changing things in the new editions. (Han shot first!) I wasn’t the only one who stood in line for the prequels and left hoping I just “watched it wrong.”

So here we are, right before the beginning of a new hope (sorry, but there was no way to avoid that one) for the future of our beloved franchise. I’ll admit to being nervous. How can anything live up to this hype? Despite my words to the contrary, am I expecting too much?

In sitting here, thinking about it, I’ve come to the conclusion that, in the end, it doesn’t matter what story we see. I mean, I want it to be amazing. I want to be blown away. I want to use all the tissues I’m bringing to the theater just in case. I want it to be good.

What I mean by it doesn’t matter is this: the anticipation of a new Star Wars film has done something for the geek community. It’s done something for the world. Sitting at a concert at Comic-Con, with 8,000 people waving lightsabers is something I never thought would happen, but it did. My better half is in China, seeing posters for the same film I am. I tweet #StarWars and I’m tweeted back in a dozen languages.

Everything else in the world has gone crazy. Red-haired nutters saying horrible things about other religions, mass shootings, terrorist attacks — it’s hard to watch the news. Despite that, we have “Star Wars” to bring us together. In the end, whether it’s good or bad, we all have something to talk about. Something that unites us. I’m counting the hours. I’m buying more tissues. May the Force be with us all.

Follow Jenna Busch on Twitter @jennabusch and visit her site, Legion of Leia