The C-man Awakens

T, C, and I went to see the new Star Wars movie this afternoon.  Several times over the past month, I've tried to get C to watch the original Star Wars movies (as preparatory background, of course), but he was consistently uninterested.  And I doubt he would have asked us to see The Force Awakens; we told him that we were taking him.  As a treat for him, of course. 

So he sat quietly through the ads, the previews, and the beginning of the movie, until...he loudly blurts out "The Millennium Falcon!" at the sight of the classic space craft.  He was on the edge of his seat for a while, making comments, and asking questions now and then.  After the theater and until we got home, it was a constant barrage of questions as he tried to wrap his head around what had happened.  I think I recall subjecting my parents to a similar barrage of questions after screening the original Star Wars.  In that case, I think most of the answers had to wait until I had seen it a few more times so I could explain what a Wookie was to them.  (Yes, Mom, it's all impossible...)  Many of C's questions were on issues that were unaddressed in the movie, though the answers to some were implied and others are likely to be addressed in future episodes.  Other questions involved trying to keep track of the complex lineages of the characters going back to the original movies and connecting them to the current characters. 

On the dry-erase wall in E's room tonight, his drawings had a distinctly Star Wars theme. He started with two very well-drawn light sabres.  Then a battalion of tie-fighters. He had me draw an X-wing fighter and then had the X-wing and tie-fighters shoot at one another.  He then added the BB droid, after drawing sections of the wall for T (nursing), M (gymnastics), E's owl, and a tribute to Harry Potter's quidditch skills.  He gave me the high honor of the "Jedi" section of the wall.

C has two major upcoming projects for school, one on hurricanes, the other is a President's Day assignment.  Each student was assigned a different president.  C got none other than Abraham Lincoln.  T keeps not so subtly hinting to him about who he should ask for help.  Yesterday, when T asked "I wonder who might know something about President Lincoln?", M helpfully chimed in, "Dad's reading a book about him."  C retorted that he's afraid I'll get an answer wrong and he'll get the blame for it.  Come on!  It's not like we're answering questions on Millard Fillmore!  Now that he's inspired by movies, maybe I can get him to watch Spielberg's Lincoln movie.  Or failing that, 6 Star Wars movies (ok, let's settle for the original trilogy.)  In the meantime, may the Force be with you.  Always.