20 Star Wars

Story by Allison Alben, Graphics by Timothy Kang

It is a dark time for “Star Wars” fans everywhere. Whether you’re a Rebel fighter or a First Order fanatic, the Skywalker saga has ended, and the future of one of our favorite franchises remains unknown. Our thousands of questions can be narrowed down to one: What now? After 40 years, nine films, countless spin-offs and millions of fans and critics alike, we’ve reached the end of the Skywalkers’ journey with the Dec. 2019 premier of “The Rise of Skywalker.” Regardless of your thoughts regarding the film, it is indisputable that this ending is bittersweet. For some of us, this franchise has always been a part of our lives. And now, the future of one of our favorite franchises is somewhat uncertain, which is scary to think about. Not Emperor Palpatine-scary, but scary nonetheless. From what we can tell so far, it looks like “Star Wars” will live on in our hearts -- and on Disney+. While Disney’s new streaming service offers nearly every show and movie in the “Star Wars” universe, the most popular by far is the brand new show “The Mandalorian.” Jon Favreau’s hit series has already begun production on its second season, which will drop sometime later this year. “The Mandalorian” is quite different from anything we’ve seen in “Star Wars” so far, perfectly blending nostalgia, new content and plenty of action in a show that’s pleasing to both die-hard fans and casual viewers. Also, two words: Baby Yoda. This little whatever-he-is has captured the hearts of millions around the world, spawning hundreds of memes and causing outrage that plush figures can’t be in our arms any sooner. Both Mando and The Child have caused quite the uproar, but they aren’t the only additions to the “Star Wars” franchise. Ewan McGregor will be reprising his role as ObiWan Kenobi in another new live action series that will take place post-”Revenge of the Sith,” sometime after Luke and Leia have been safely placed in with their respective caregivers. From there, who knows where it will go? We do have one interesting tidbit of information, however; it has been reported that Anakin Skywalker actor Hayden Christensen will be making a cameo at some point throughout the show. How exciting! Disney+ isn’t only focusing on live action shows. We will also be getting a new season of the animated series “The Clone Wars” six years after its sixth season was released. Although this will be the show’s final season, many fans are excited to have their favorite

storylines resolved. Don’t have Disney+? At best, we recommend just borrowing a friend’s account, but fear not: There will likely be more “Star Wars” content in theaters, too. Allegedly, there will be a new trilogy unrelated to the Skywalkers that will hit theaters in 2022. While we aren’t sure who’s spearheading this project, all reports regarding the film’s release remain unaltered, so it is likely still in pre-production. Rian Johnson, the director of “Star Wars’”’ controversial Episode VIII “The Last Jedi,” is also reported to have begun a trilogy for Lucasfilm, “although it isn’t expected to be the one released in 2022,” according to reports from CNBC. Several sources also report that Marvel’s Kevin Feige has also begun production on a “Star Wars” film, although not much more information has been reported. The Hollywood Reporter has said that another Marvel director, Taika Waititi, has also been approached about a “Star Wars” film. Not much more is known beyond that, however. They stated that, “It is unclear where things stand in those talks. It is also unclear whether the project is separate from the one being developed by Kevin Feige, with whom he closely worked on ‘Ragnarok,’ or a separate ‘Star Wars’ project.” No matter what, we’re excited to see what this potential partnership may bring. It is likely that we can expect more “Star Wars” video games, too. 2019’s “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order” has been hugely successful among a generally hard-toplease fanbase, so it’s safe to say that sequels can be expected. Some are speculating that this new game will actually be a reboot of another popular “Star Wars” game, “Knights of the Old Republic.” Only time will tell, but we’ll be waiting with our money in hand. And of course, we can’t forget about the new “Star Wars” content in our own backyard. As of Jan. 17, Rise of the Resistance has officially opened at Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland. While not featuring anything new about the franchise, it has overwhelmingly positive reviews and is even being hailed as “the best theme park ride ever.” Updates have also come to the fanfavorite Star Tours, with new locations like Endor’s ocean planet Kef Bir and the mysterious Exogal. Clearly, there is no reason to fear for the future of “Star Wars”. There is an abundance of content planned that is sure to keep our “Star Wars” fan base overflowing with fan theories, conspiracies and excitement. Until then, may the force be with you!

My friend and I looked at each other with a look of mingled confusion, dare and disappointment. We then directed our attention towards what had incited these emotions in the first place: sitting directly in front of us was a box, all but empty except for three fat chocolate cupcakes, each with a heap of frosting on top. See, it was someone’s birthday, and they had brought these cupcakes for the rest of the class to celebrate. But they couldn’t guarantee that the cakes didn’t have nuts, so, my friend and I, both deathly allergic, stared at the other kids in envy and contemplated whether we should take the chance and eat a cupcake. “Well!” my friend suddenly exclaimed, breaking the silence. “I’m going to eat it! Can’t be afraid of everything, and I should take the chance!” I nodded after listening to her sage wisdom, and watched as she picked one up, hesitated a little, and then promptly swallowed half of it in one bite. I never ate the cupcake. My elementary school experience was marked by instances similar to this one. From being one of the only kids who couldn’t eat whatever the birthday kid brought to class or having kids throw nut granola bars at me (thankfully still in their wrappers) during lunch time, my food allergies always seemed to cause more problems than they needed to. Another memorable incident was in fourth grade. The teacher had brought packets of Oreo-like cookies for the class, but again, there was no guarantee that they didn’t have nuts. Everyone else ate the cookies, savoring it. “Oh my gosh,” the boy in front of me exclaimed. “These are so good!” “Yup!” the girl next to him agreed. “But these definitely have Story and Graphics by Iman Baber

nuts.” I know it might seem like a really childish thing to get upset about, but, as a kid, it really bothered me. It’s not my choice to be allergic to nuts. Furthermore, I can’t help it that I will have a potentially fatal reaction from eating one. And I’m not the only kid who has experiences like these. According to Food Allergy Research and Education, approximately 32 million Americans have food allergies. This number includes the 5.6 million children who have food allergies. The eight common food allergens are fish, tree nuts, milk, eggs, peanuts, wheat, crustacean shellfish and soy, and they are responsible for the majority of serious allergic reactions. An allergic reaction can range in severity — the most mild reactions will have symptoms such as a rash, watery eyes or an itchy throat. However, the more severe reactions — the types of reactions that I have — can have many more painful symptoms. Allow me to describe. First, my tongue starts itching — a lot. This is immediately followed by my throat going painfully dry and itchy. My lips feel really warm and start swelling. By this point, panic sets in — I know I’m having an allergic reaction but am trying my best to remain calm about it, so I take a Benadryl pill hoping it will work its magic. Soon, I start itching all over my body and hives break out, followed later by wrenching stomach pain. At this point I’m probably lying on a bed or couch, trying to wait it out. About an hour in, my blood pressure drops, causing me to go pale and start shivering. It’s now getting harder to swallow and breathe, and I’m probably muttering under my breath, annoyed that I have to go through this yet again. The last few stages are the worst. With all of the stated symptoms culminating in a head, I start feeling a strong fluttering feeling in my chest —

seemingly trivial: food allergies

almost like I’m dying — and a sense of hopelessness so strong that I start drafting my will. Hopefully then, I throw up and get whatever was causing the reaction out of my system. The reaction that I experience is called an anaphylactic reaction — a severe form of allergic reaction. Others who also experience anaphylaxis may exhibit additional symptoms such as vertigo. It can cause unconsciousness or be potentially fatal; in fact, according to the Mayo Clinic, anaphylaxis can result in death in under half an hour in extreme cases. In emergencies such as these, an epinephrine shot — also known simply as an Epipen - must be administered in order to stop the reaction. Thankfully, in my case, we’ve never had to use an Epipen and have only had to take me to the ER once. Unfortunately, not everyone’s symptoms will get better like mine do. According to CBS News, 200 people die annually in the United States from food allergies. As Food Allergy Research and Education reports, about 200,000 people must receive emergency care as a result of allergic reactions. Despite the dangers surrounding food allergies, there is a lack of awareness about how food allergies can affect a person’s life. A survey conducted in 2015 and cited by the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology found that 49 percent of the participants had little to no knowledge about food allergies, and 82 percent expressed that there should be education surrounding food allergies. The data well reflects my own experiences — I have met many people who weren’t aware of how dangerous an allergic reaction can actually be. The lack of awareness may seem harmless, but it can be an unwanted stresser for those with allergies. My worst nightmare includes menus or ingredient labels that fail to mention if an item has nuts, and I have gotten quite a few reactions because of this. There was that time when I ate a bread roll I got as a party favor from a friend’s birthday. The box held no indication that there were any allergens in the bread, yet I ended up in the ER. We later learned from the bakery that it was made using a powder of all the major nuts. Another time, a family friend brought ice-cream which the creator ensured had no nuts. A few bites in, and I started to feel symptoms of a reaction. Turns out the bits that we thought were chocolate chips were actually bits of hazelnut — the nut that I am most allergic to. I was dangerously sick for four hours after that. Mistakes such as these are not only disastrous, but can potentially be fatal. As NBC News reports, 18-year old Owen Carey died after eating a burger to celebrate his birthday. His family notified the restaurant that he was allergic to dairy, and he was brought a burger that the restaurant assured was safe for him to eat. Unfortunately, the chicken within the burger had been battered with buttermilk, and Carey tragically died soon after eating the meal. Many more stories like these have made headlines in the past few years, and they show that mistakes and unawareness are not harmless, but they can take lives and break families. However, mistakes like these can be avoided, and awareness can be spread. We all can take steps in order to help those around who have food allergies. Simply asking what they cannot eat and offering alternatives can make a big difference - I cannot tell you how amazing it is when the people around you take great care to make sure that what you are eating is safe. Learning about the symptoms of allergic reactions can also be an important way to help. If we all take steps to increase our awareness about the dangers of food allergies, we can all help to make the world a little less stressful for those of us who do have them. And maybe someday, everyone will be able to eat whatever the birthday kid brought.

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