Disillusioned Fan Assumes Darth Vader's Identity in Real Life, George Lucas Allegedly Outraged

San Rafael, CA May 31, 2004 -— Apparently, George Lucas is fuming mad and there's not much he can do about it. A disillusioned Star Wars fan has vowed to get revenge for the disappointment he has suffered from sitting through the first two installments of the new trilogy. How is Xiao En doing it? By taking on the identity of one of Star Wars' most central characters, none other than Darth Vader himself. He's published 'The Empire Menaced: the unauthorized autobiography of Dearth Nadir' and die-hard fans and book reviewers alike are shocked by what he says in the book.

"I had to change the name to ‘Dearth Nadir'", he says, "because otherwise Lucasfilm Ltd. would sue me. But the story is told from the perspective of Darth Vader in an effort to set the record straight. It challenges the ‘official' version of the Star Wars story." Clearly, this book is more than just fan fiction, which prides itself on being "faithful" to the original. It is extremely unfaithful, in fact, and that is what's making Lucas supposedly so furious. In spite of the name change, Lucas is reported to have recently met with his team of lawyers to submit a copyright infringement suit to the federal courts.

To make matters worse, copies of 'The Empire Menaced' have secretly made their way onto the set of Stars Wars Episode III, which is now in the last stages of shooting. "The book changed my understanding of Anakin Skywalker forever," Hayden Christianson is reported to have said. "It's very difficult now to take Lucas's version of the character seriously. We all just keep cracking up during takes." Some experts have speculated that the growing influence of the book on the actors, not to mention the millions of Star Wars fans, might drastically affect the response to Episode III, due for release in May of 2005.

"We have to stop this book," Lucas allegedly said to his lawyers in the tense meeting. "It's like a highly infectious disease—and it's ruining my movie!" But 'The Empire Menaced' is apparently protected by the US Copyright Law's parody exception, which states that a work may borrow from another work if it comments on, criticizes or ‘transforms' the original. Since it's a parody, Lucas can do little to stop 'The Empire Menaced' from being read. But sources say he's willing, nevertheless, to commit his considerable financial resources in trying.

'The Empire Menaced' is available at major bookstores or online at amazon.com and bn.com.



This article courtesy of http://www.all-science-fiction.com.
You may freely reprint this article on your website or in
your newsletter provided this courtesy notice and the author
name and URL remain intact.

Submit Your Article