May the force be with you.
If you aren’t familiar with that phrase, you must have been living under a moon rock all these years.
The expression, aligned with the popular Star Wars movie franchise that swept theaters for decades, has become a worldwide pop culture phenomenon.
And the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley isn’t alone, cashing in by capturing the attention of museum-goers with a play on words, “May the fourth be with you” meaning Saturday, May 4th.
Library officials are emphasizing the theme in its ongoing special exhibit, “Defending America and the Galaxy: Star Wars and SDI,” that zeroes in on President Reagan’s famed televised address to the nation on March 23, 1983 in which he announced his intention to embark on groundbreaking research into a national defense system that could make nuclear weapons obsolete.
The system was dubbed the Strategic Defense Initiative and the heart of the initiative focused on developing a missile defense program based far out in space to protect the country from a large-scale nuclear attack.
People make their way through the ‘Defending America and the Galaxy: Star Wars and SDI’ at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Media outlets began calling the initiative “Star Wars,” based on movie director George Lucas’ 1977 blockbuster franchise.
This weekend, the Reagan Library will capture Reagan’s efforts — and the lexicon “May the Fourth Be with You” — but with a twist.
Guests dressed in their favorite Star Wars characters will receive a discount on their admission to the museum through May 5. Authentic props and costumes from the Lucas films are on display along with original items from the Strategic Defense Initiative.
Rich and Anita Miller of Oxnard visited the exhibit on Thursday, May 2. The couple, who have seen all of the related movies in theaters and at home, have passed down their passion to their children and grandchildren who are now also avid fans of the Star Wars franchise.
“It’s a classic good and evil story,” said Rich, a Jet Propulsion Laboratory retiree. “We are big fans. We saw the first episode in a theater in Westwood, which was filled with UCLA students. They must have seen it before because they were cheering and booing. We were hooked.”
Star Wars fan Rich Miller of Oxnard walks through the ‘Defending America and the Galaxy: Star Wars and SDI’ at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Millers were unaware of the library’s promotion to reward visitors who wore Star Wars costumes to the museum. But if they had known, Anita Miller would have chosen to be Princess Leia.
“It’s a feel-good story — and good wins,” Anita said. “Good over evil.”
And Rich had the right answer when asked what character he would choose to be.
“I’d be Hans Solo to her Princess Leia, but I would look more like Obi-wan Kenobi” he quipped.
Also on May 4, the Ronald Reagan Pub will feature a curated Star Wars-themed food menu including Ronto Wrap named after the dinosaur-like, four-legged lizard beast a Jawa rode through Mos Eisley in the Star Wars: Special Edition released in 1997 and Jedi BBQ Sandwich representing the mystical knightly order of the Star Wars films.
The Star Wars franchises included many films, television series, video games, novels, comic books of the fictional universe and was one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time.
