WATCH: Etihad Airways marks 'May the 4th' Star Wars Day

It's not everyday when you see stormtroopers on an Etihad aircraft.

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By Curated by Yousuf Saifuddin Kapadia

Published: Wed 4 May 2016, 3:05 PM

Last updated: Fri 20 Oct 2023, 7:32 AM

UAE's national carrier, Etihad Airways, marked 'Star Wars Day: May the 4th' in a unique way.

The Abu Dhabi-based airline posted a clip of two stormtroopers making their way through a futuristic looking Etihad aircraft, followed by two airstewardesses.

With a menacing track playing in the background, it seems the stormtroopers are up to no good but the two stormtroopers are just making a stop at the juice bar to celebrate May the 4th.

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It is noteworthy that the recent blockbuster sequel of the movie franchise, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, was partly shot in Abu Dhabi.

Here is a video from when a stormtrooper took up Etihad's flight simulator challenge:

One of the earliest known records of "May the 4th" used in popular culture is in 1979, as described here by author Alan Arnold while he was chronicling the making of The Empire Strikes Back for Lucasfilm:

"Margaret Thatcher has won the election and become Britain's first woman prime minister. To celebrate their victory her party took a half page of advertising space in the London Evening News. This message, referring to the day of victory, was 'May the Fourth Be With You, Maggie. Congratulations,' further proof of the extent to which Star Wars has influenced us all."

Once the Internet allowed Star Wars fans around the world to connect with one another, May the 4th soon became a grassroots tradition each year, with fans online and offline proclaiming it "Star Wars Day." (source: starwars.com)

Watch the trailer of the The Force Awakens:

Here's the trailer of an off shoot of the franchise, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story:

Curated by Yousuf Saifuddin Kapadia

Published: Wed 4 May 2016, 3:05 PM

Last updated: Fri 20 Oct 2023, 7:32 AM

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