Those three words flash across a TV screen:
TO BE CONTINUED
And I’m taken back to a couple of moments in my life.
Memorial Day, 1980: The Northpoint theatre in San Francisco, to see the second ever Star Wars movie, The Empire Strikes Back.
Like my Mom had said later, it was like seeing old friends again, on the big screen. I was enjoying the movie, and then had a weird feeling: the movie had run for close to a couple of hours, and then Boba Fett flew off with Han Solo in carbonite. I wasn’t sure they had enough time to rescue him by the end of the movie.
And then the wild ending, from the lightsaber duel, the escape from Cloud City and the jump to hyperspace.
I fully expected the next scene to by Luke, Lando, Leia and Chewie rescuing Han from Boba Fett.
Instead, Luke got a new hand, Lando and Chewie flew off in the Falcon, and then…
THE CREDITS STARTED.
What?
What’s happening?
WHAT ABOUT HAN?!?!?!
3 years later, the cliffhanger was resolved.
—
June 18, 1990: Star Trek: The Next Generation season finale.
“The Best of Both Worlds”, in which the Borg invade Federation space, the Enterprise intercepts, and Picard is taken and turned into Locutus of Borg.
I still remember how chilling it was when Picard first spoke as Locutus.
I am Locutus of Borg. Resistance is futile. Your life, as it has been, is over. From this time forward, you will service… us.
Then three words were spoken by Riker:
Mr. Worf, fire.
Those three words mentioned above appear on screen.
3 months later, the cliffhanger was resolved.
—
I’m glad this latest cliffhanger will be resolved next week. Or so I hope.
