Thursday marks the 40th (yes, 40th!) anniversary of the iconic Star Wars film franchise.
In honor of four decades of the Force, we compiled a list of 40 awesome things about the intergalactic world that has enraptured us for half of a lifetime.
Enjoy this list, you will. (We hope.) Don't see GIFs below? Go here.
1. Always good to watch the Star Wars films on sick days.
3. Lightsabers are awesome.
4. Simple Good vs. Evil story
5. Lots of fandom around background-characters
The guy carrying the ice cream maker. The Stormtrooper who bumps his head.
6. The crazy creatures and aliens
Maz Katana. Hammerhead. Admiral Akbar. Kit Fisto. Jawas. Sand People.
8. Ewoks
9. Spaceships
X-Wings, Y-Wings, U-Wings, Tie Fighters, Battle Cruisers. the Millennium Falcon. Star Destroyers, A-Wings
11. Awesome special effects
12. Cool Costumes
Princess Leia, Lando, Padme Amidala and many more.
16. It’s not always happy… like 'The Empire Strikes Back.'
17. We love to hate Jar Jar Binks.
18. Weapons
Rebels use them best. Blasters, the Starkiller Base, lightsabers and those rolling blue beach balls!
19. Blue Milk
And, other weird foods like the spongey bread Rey eats in 'The Force Awakens.'
20. Lots of arms getting cut off
Greedo, Wampa, Luke.
21. Gross scenes
Jabba’s tongue, the TaunTaun spilling open, the trash monster (Dianoga) and that Sarlacc eating Boba Feet
24. Minor characters with huge followings
Boba Fett, Chirrut Imwe, Baxe Malbus, Captain Phasma, Lando, Lama Su. Maybe not Lama Su.
28. The arguments
Who is the most powerful? What’s the best ship? Who has the best story? Is Jar Jar racist? We could argue ANYTHING Star Wars.
29. Pod Races
The best part of 'The Phantom Menace.'
30. Star Wars Cosplay
31. Star Wars Fans
Lining up for days. Going to conventions. Making their own movies. Speaking like Jar Jar. Never gets old.
33. Jedi, the ultimate controllers of the Force
34. The Empire
37. Ground vehicles
AT-ATs. Luke’s Landspeeder. The Turbo Tank.
39. Jek Porkins
The chubby X-Wing pilot that blew up over the surface of the Death Star. RIP, Porkins.
40. The Planets
Jakku, Endor, Hoth, Coruscant, Tattooine, Then, hold us, like you did on Naboo.
