Return of the Jedi, words cannot describe the experience

Now that the air is cleared about the “ET/Empire” we can continue to the religious experience that was watching Return of the Jedi in the theater in 1983. Since I managed to have a few more movie-going experiences in the early 80’s after ET without any further trauma, I was permitted to venture out to watch Jedi on its release date . I can remember my dad doing like 60 in the parking lot of the theater. We then had to wait in a ticket line that wrapped around the building, a movie first for me. The movie was like none other in its scope and grandeur, well at least at my young age. I cannot put into words in one post all of the feelings I had during this movie.  My memories of the greatness of Return of the Jedi will likely be spread out in details over different entries on specific toys and characters from the film. After  beholding the spectacle of ROTJ,  I can recall my brothers telling me how six more movies would come out, three to take place before the existing movies during the clone wars mentioned in A New Hope, and three to come set after the original trilogy. My brothers told me the next film would be in three years time, in the amazing future year 1986. I spent the intervening years acquiring and playing with a virtual plethora of action figures and playsets by Kenner.  By 1986 however it was clear we were going to enter a “Dark Time” for Star Wars fandom, as George Lucas reneged on his promise to the fans. The first film of the prequel trilogy as we know it now, was delayed by 13 years from 1986 to 1999. Star Wars toys went to the wayside (although I always knew where they were) as I moved on to more LEGO, then Transformers & G.I.Joe, and other toylines through the ‘80s into the 90’s.  (Insert Ewok celebration song)