#ATTACK OF THE FANS

Delvin Nelson, email As a lifelong Star Wars fan and rejuvenated by Disney’s recent take on the franchise I was disappointed with The Last Jedi – but having experienced the prequels, Star Wars and disappointment come hand in hand. After everything is said and done however, The Last Jedi is just a film. As passionate as I get about my favourite movies, there is never an excuse for misogyny and social media terrorism. I am absolutely appalled to hear about the contemptible treatment actors like Daisy Ridley and Kelly Marie Tran, and – let’s not forget – producer Kathleen Kennedy have received. I would just like to say that nobody I know who enjoys Star Wars shares these alarming attitudes and that the bigots behind this abuse, despite what they may think or tweet, are a minority. If they have deep issues with strong female action heroes perhaps it’s counselling they need and not cinema access. Comparing Kathleen Kennedy to a “Nazi” while cruelly hounding female actors off Facebook and Instagram is disgraceful and the behaviour of “fanatics” not “fans”. SFX Yeah, we need to remember this is a minority, however loud. Fandom at its best is an inclusive, encouraging place, and certainly gave me a sense of community when I was growing up. Social media’s amplified the ructions but I reckon the spirit’s the same as it’s ever been. Ultimately it’s the stuff we love, the common ground, that defines us. But of course that’s not the side of fandom that grabs the headlines…