Here at LRM, we’re always trying to give voice to the most passionate and most articulate fans in the world.

Here’s a submission from longtime reader/commenter UnBoxing Jon. Check it out, and let us know what you think:

Over the last few days, websites have been reporting on a European Union Intellectual Property Office filing dated August 12, 2016 for “Star Wars Forces of Destiny” for use on everything from lunch boxes to scrapers for skis.  Naturally the internet went wild with speculation that the new title for Star Wars: Episode VIII had been discovered.

Except Forces of Destiny doesn’t seem quite right, does it?  Let’s talk about why not.

Other than sounding like a Star Wars themed glam rock concept album, “Forces of Destiny” breaks the essential rule of Star Wars.  There is only one Force.  Singular.  In the first act of Star Wars: A New Hope, Obi Wan Kenobi describes the Force as an “energy field created by all livings things.”  Even though there is a dark and light side locked in a struggled for balance, at no point in the previous seven theatrical films has the Force been referred to as multiple forces.

While we’re on the subject of quotes, let’s examine the first part of the Obi Wan quote: “the Force is what gives a Jedi his power.” Do you remember when Yoda taught Luke that “my ally is the Force” or when Darth Vader had Luke in the cross hairs of his TIE Advanced x1 and found that “the Force is strong with this one?”  Did you catch the common element?  “The Force” is never called “a Force” or simply “Force.”  It is always referred to in the films as “the Force.” Even the title of Episode VII, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” doesn’t save time by leaving off this part of speech.  At the very least, they should match.

But, the most important reason that Forces of Destiny will not be the title of Star Wars VIII?   “Forces of Destiny” is a horrible title.  Sure, “Force” and “Destiny” are both words used in the series by many characters, but “Forces of Destiny” has no mystery to it.  For example, think about the question implied by “The Force Awakens.”  Has the Force been asleep since we last saw Luke?  Was the Force never truly awake until now?  Did someone awaken the Force?  We could go on like this for a while.

Now think about the questions implied by “Forces of Destiny.”  Well… okay then.  The title is somehow both vague and too specific at the same time, isn’t it?

And let’s be serious, Forces of Destiny is just a little too melodramatic. Search your feelings, you know it to be true.

This IP filing does bring to mind the 90s PC first person shooter Star Wars: Dark Forces. In that case, the title referred to soldiers and not the Jedi or Sith.  It wasn’t until Dark Forces II when the series shed it’s Doom-clone roots to incorporate a Jedi main character.

So then what is Star Wars Forces of Destiny? A video game?  A toy? Checking out the IP filing covers nearly everything you could stick a logo on and more, so anything’s fair game at this point.  Leave your thoughts below.

SOURCE: EUIPO

There may very well be a spot on the LRM team for Jon here. Let us know what you think of his submission, and- remember- he’ll be reading it too. So be constructive, and be respectful. 

If anyone else out there would like to submit a piece, which would get posted next Monday, send it to [email protected]