I know I'm about 27 years late

to this debate, but I'm going to try to put it in a different framework.

Star Trek and Star Wars aren't or shouldn't be polarized fanbases that chant "Either Mine or Thine" endlessly.

They're actually kind of symbiotic.

1. First connection. Whether Lucas *intended* it or not, in 1977 when the first film aired the most organized, committed group of fans for TV or film fantasy were the Trek fans. They wanted new Trek, and while this wasn't Trek it was surely "new," enough to warrant their interest.

I believe that without Trek, there would have been much less interest in Star Wars, and the series could have died on the vine after the first film.

2. Once Star Wars became the first summer mega-hit, the money to be made from it convinced Paramount that a new Trek film, far from being an albatross around their necks, might bring home some amazing amounts of bacon. Problem was they tried to use the "OOHHHH AHHH" factor in the opening sequence of "Star Wars," to disastrous results. Star Wars is, as a columnist friend of mine wrote, visually stunning. But Star Trek, to succeed, has to be more about characters and their inner conflicts, than about the awesome size of an Imperial Star Destroyer. Lucas himself learned what fleshed out characters and some angst could do for his franchise with 'The Empire Strikes Back.' Star Wars, the original film is sheer fun with template characters, The Boy Hero, The Rascal, and the best Villan to come along in a long time. Star Trek makes you *think.*

Thankfully, Paramount for whatever reasons felt gambling on a second Trek film was worth it. 'Wrath of Khan' did Empire one better. It didn't freeze a beloved character. It killed him. 'Khan' had important links to the franchise's TV past, and made the mover of the story Kirk's big mistake: at the end of 'Space Seed' he left Khan alive.

The committed Star Wars fan and surely some rejuvinated Trekkers combined to make 'Return of the Jedi' a success.

Then for Star Wars fans: The Long Wait, similar to (and longer than!) the filmed Trek drought of the mid Seventies. Detailed novels fleshed out Lucas' vision, but *where* was that new film?

During the 14 year Star Wars wait: Trek flourished with TNG, its *best* incarnation, DS 9, and the less beloved Voyager. Enterprise somehow went backwards, as the Star Wars franchise revved up its latest and last film.

Lucas made great use of the leaps ahead in SFX technology that he himself had started, and the two newest Star Wars films are things of beauty, with a satisfactory tinge of dread. Because they are the story of the triumph of anger over compassion, power over pluralism, and young Vader randomly using his abilities *just because he can.*

I also find it oddly interesting that these two great fantasy franchises will go down together (at least on film) in the same month.

I'll be watching *both* with interest, thank you.