That's right, it's that ship that nobody likes to use in Star Wars: Rogue Squadron 'cause its shields suck and its weapons are weak. Its one saving grace is that it's faster than the other ships, but who needs speed in a game where the goal is to blow space shit up? Essentially, if the A-wings were in a gym class, they'd get picked last. They're small and weak and can't do much damage. What chance do these things have against the Imperial armada, especially when they have the Super Star Destroyer, dubbed the Executor?
Oh wait, in the final movie Return of the Jedi, the Executor got taken down by one of those little fuckers. The rebels had destroyed the Executor's bridge deflector shield, pretty much painting a big fat red target on the ship's control bridge. Admiral Piett orders all power be directed to the star destroyer's firepower. Caught in the guns' crossfire is a random A-wing, who, in his final moments, steers his damaged fighter towards the Executor's shieldless control bridge and rams it head on. The bridge explodes and the Executor nosedives into the side of the Death Star and explodes.
Holy shit, that was awesome! What a spectacular and brave final act by...that A-wing pilot. Huh? What? You don't remember his name? Everybody remembers Lando's name and he didn't do shit. Well, thanks to Wikipedia, I've learned that this random A-wing pilot's name was Arvel Crynyd, and his one line of screaming battlecry was portrayed by actor Hilton McRae, who you might recognize from nothing. Now going by traditional means, you would think they would've had the Executor taken out by a more significant hero, like Lando or Wedge. Or hell, why not an Ewok? But it was an unknown pilot keeping his shitty little A-wing afloat just long enough to help turn the tide of the battle. And you know what? I could give a shit about Luke or his sister-with-benefits. This man was my hero of the films.
It's something like that that just goes to show how little, seemingly insignificant things can make a huge difference. They can be so small, one has to really look back in order to see where the seed was first planted. Take the sitcom Friends, for example. Monica and Chandler hooking up in London and eventually marrying was awesome and seemed to come out of nowhere. Yeah, it really seemed like they were just talking in one scene and when it cut to the next, they were in bed together. How did that happen? Well, you may recall a minor event that led to Monica seeking out Joey for comfort sex but finding Chandler instead (it's a complex show). At Ross's wedding rehearsal dinner, Monica was feeling bummed out that her brother was getting married while she was still single, when suddenly a man IMDB credits as Older Guest approaches her and, after telling her how wonderful Ross is, then says, "My god, you must've been a teenager when you had him." Monica is Ross's younger sister, in case you're just that uncultured. And with that, Monica finally snaps and turns to Chandler, thus beginning their beautiful and, frankly, show-killing romance. Seriously, the show started to suck right around that point. Meanwhile, Older Guest can be credited as jumpstarting the eventual marriage of Monica and Chandler, and actor Heathcote Williams (good LORD, what a name) can forever claim to his friends that he was responsible for one of the series' biggest plotlines, to which his friends would presumably reply, "Shut the fuck up, Heathcote!"
Now, did the writers of Star Wars or Friends intend for their audience to look back at Arvel Crynyd and Older Guest and ponder the fate of their respective mediums without their minor acts of heroism? Probably not, but people like me (probably just me) have noticed and will never forget these important nobodies. Tiny acts like those can have huge effects later on, just like when that kid in high school quit the track team 'cause everyone was calling him slow. Ah, there's the moral he was getting at.
We say things to people we know everyday that mean nothing to us, but to their ears it could be lifechanging. Little insults or sarcastic remarks can slowly tear down a person's self-esteem. Not holding a door open for somebody one day could just be the final straw that was keeping that person's cynicism from leaking out, and now they hate humanity. Good job. Blowing somebody off when you were supposed to go to the movies could give that person the idea that nobody wants to be around them, if it happens enough times. Picking fun at any little thing about a person, such as their weight or their athleticism or the fact that they're wearing jorts, could lead to them giving up on socializing or quitting school or worse. Don't even get me started on the bullying crisis in America's schools and what results that produces.
During my middle school years, I was not a bully. I was too skinny. I was something worse, though. I was the bully's friend. You know, that skinny asshole who hides behind his giant bruiser buddy and flings insults at you. I was that, and I regret everything from that time. I stood by as my friends bullied the "losers" and just let it happen, all the while saying things to make it worse. I once told a kid that he should run away from home because it would be doing us and his family a favor. Christ, I said that? I don't know what that kid's doing now or where he is. He didn't actually run away from home, in case you were wondering, but I don't know what's become of him since we graduated. I'm very glad I stopped being that person once I got to high school, otherwise I could've evolved into full-on bully. And you know what they say, "No one's gonna cry on the very day you die, you're a bully." Ok, maybe only Shinedown says that.
But yeah, think about your actions and how, down the road, they could change a person's life. Maybe you tell someone in your creative writing class that you liked their story. Someday they might be a published author. Tell someone you like their jokes, they might turn into a renowned stand up comedian. Tell someone they have a good singing voice, then they may go on to embarrass themselves in an audition for The Voice. Everything goes a long ways. Just smile at somebody walking down the street and they might not kill themselves that day. And be mindful of the little things you say to bring people down, like when I rub it in my sister's face how I dominated our "A Year in the Life" Christmas card that year. Maybe she really gets jealous when it appears I did more than her that year. I'm not immune to the actions of others, either. Maybe somebody made fun of my music tastes years ago and now I'm embarrassed when people hear what I listen to. Maybe that same person also tried to tell me I couldn't act or sing even though he'd never come to any of my shows to see if I could or not. Maybe I don't draw anymore because he told me my drawings were shit. Think about it, then shut the fuck up, you moron. Who made you king of trends? Nobody likes you and you're gonna die angry, you fucking douchnozzle. Go drink detergent. Seriously. I won't care, and neither will anyone else.
So in conclusion, remember, one small and random act can alter the course of everything. Whether it be an A-wing taking out a Star Destroyer or you calling a kid fat and him dropping out of school and joining the Navy, our current fates can always be traced back to one tiny seed planted in just the right spot, and my god did that come off sounding more sexual than I thought it would. But hey, I started out talking about Star Wars and ended with a pretty good life lesson. You see, that's writing.
Goodbybe,
Tyler
P.S. Still no word on my RENT audition. Is no news usually good news?
Best News of 2013 So Far:
New David Bowie album out in March!!!
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