Star Wars and the Mayan Apocalypse

No, the world’s isn’t ending on December 21 and we’re still going to have to get up in the morning the next day, deal with our families on Christmas and then go back to our jobs. So don’t put anything on hold, quit your current gig, spent all your money, or run down the street naked covered in blue paint because it’s on your bucket list.

Interestingly, there’s apparently a Star Wars connection with the apocalypse, but don’t get this confused with story about George Lucas retiring because he believed the world will end this year. As Cinema Blend reported, this story got started by Seth Rogen, and he told the radio station WENN that when he met Lucas, he pontificated about the end of the world for half an hour. 

As Rogen recalled, “He’s going on about the tectonic plates and all the time Spielberg is, like, rolling his eyes, like, ‘My nerdy friend won’t shut up, I’m sorry…’ I first thought he (Lucas) was joking…and then I totally realized he was serious.” (According to Wired, Lucas claimed he was indeed kiddin). 

So now as Reuters reports, in Guatemala, in the area where the rebel base was located in Star Wars on Yavin 4, people are gathering for the upcoming end of the world. This is in the Guatemalan rainforest, in the city of Tikal, where the ruins of the Mayan temples are located.

As one Star Wars fan told Reuters, “It if is the end of the world, hopefully Luke will come and blow up that Death Star. I see why they shot here. It doesn’t look real. It looks like an alien planet.”

Star Wars fans come out here to see where part of the film was shot, as well as historians who are fascinated with the ways of the Mayans. Another local fan quoted Darth Vader, “The force is strong here,” and he also believes, “The world as we know it is coming to an end. We are being propelled to a new age of light, synchronicity and simple wonderment with life.”

It’s doubtful Lucas filmed part of Star Wars here because of the Mayan prophecy, it was probably for budget reasons. This report says Lucas saw a poster for Tikal when he was at a travel agency in England, and much of Star Wars was shot in England because the union crews were cheaper. (In Tikal, they also paid a local with a six pack of beer to guard the camera equipment for several days). 

So for any Star Wars fans who are terrified about what could come this Friday, have no fear. The fact there’s going to be three more Star Wars films should be the only proof you need that the world will keep turning for a long time to come.