Star Wars Day: May the Fourth Be With You

Today is an unofficial holiday celebrating the George Lucas blockbusters.

ByABC News
May 4, 2010, 10:57 AM

May 4, 2010— -- Help me, Google, you're my only hope ... to figure out why everyone on the web is wishing each other a Happy Star Wars Day.

It turns out today is an unofficial holiday celebrating the George Lucas blockbusters, twisting the famous quote, "May the Force be with you" into "May the 4th be with you."

German news TV channel N24 mistranslated George Lucas in an 2005 interview, interpreting his famous line, "May the Force be with you," as "Am 4. Mai sind wir bei Ihnen" (We are with you on May 4). Thus a holiday was born.

And a popular one, too. Star Wars Day is a top-trending topic on Twitter and fans are searching the web for quotes from the movies.

"It's nice that this particular date seems to observe and celebrate the power of the Force, and we're thrilled that 'Star Wars' fans continue to find new ways to connect with a galaxy far, far away," a spokesman for Lucas Films told the New York Daily News.

"Of course, regardless of the date, the Force will be with us ... always."

In related news, the Force was with an Australian comic book store owner Saturday who -- dressed as Spider Man and aided by customers dressed as Jedi Knights -- foiled and apprehended a thief trying to steal an X-Men book worth $160.

Expect May 25, the anniversary of the 1977 premier of the first movie in the "Star Wars" trilogy, to also inspire light-sabre themed celebrations. This time, I will be prepared. When I left you, internet "Star Wars" fans, I was but the learner; now I am the master.