May 4th is Star Wars Day and that means it's all about the fans. Whether those fans are celebrated through special deals on video games or special artwork from the Pokémon art director featuring Darth Pikachu, it's all about how lovers of Star Wars around the world can enjoy the day to the fullest. Disney Plus seems to agree, and it's focusing that idea on the wonderful world of fan art.
Disney's streaming service is collaborating with Lucasfilm to commission artists from all over to create new pieces that will not only be promoted by the company, but will actually be featured on the main pages for the main Star Wars movies and series on Disney Plus itself from May 4th through May 9th. This means that, when clicking on something like The Mandalorian to enjoy a nice little binge session, users will be greeted by some truly breathtaking and creative Star Wars fan art rather than a simple screenshot from the series itself.
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The week long event has already kicked off with a wonderful mural from artist Zi Xu, who created a sprawling piece featuring the heroes and baddies from the main Star Wars series (as well as a few popular side characters like Ahsoka Tano and even Asajj Ventress). This artwork is currently featured on the main Star Wars page on Disney Plus, adorned with an appropriate "May the 4th Be With You" stylized tagline. It's a nice little gesture, even from a multibillion-dollar media giant.
Zi Xu's beautiful piece is only the beginning of what is sure to be an exciting week for fans of the series. Even aside from the multitude of Star Wars video game deals (which is always a nice byproduct of this not-quite-federal holiday), Disney Plus also chose May 4th as the premiere for its new spinoff series Star Wars: The Bad Batch, which focuses on squad of misfit clone troopers in the time following the events of Revenge of the Sith, having presumably avoided Emperor Palpatine's Order 66 activation due to their "defective" nature compared to their brethren.
Fans are always excited for Star Wars Day, whether it be due to new releases to new announcements, or even simply for a good excuse to celebrate the galaxy spanning stories they've loved for years. Sure, it's true that this particular fandom has gained a reputation for toxicity over the years, particularly when it comes to bashing efforts at inclusivity and representation in the series. But there's something inherently pure about Star Wars Day, as commercialized as it is. Plus, Zi Xu's inclusion of Kelly Marie Tran's character Rose Tico in their fan art is a wholesome addition, especially considering the deluge of hate both the character and actress have endured for largely petty reasons.
So sit back and enjoy the week. Maybe celebrate Star Wars Day with a marathon of movies and series or a new game. But above all, remember that this day, this week, and this entire franchise is always the most enjoyable when more people can enjoy it.
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Source: StarWars.com