Fans of 'Star Wars' invited to speak out

By Derek Paiva
Advertiser Staff Writer

"Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones," comes to theaters May 16. In celebration, we're holding a readers' poll to match up characters, hairstyles and scenes from the first trilogy of "Star Wars" films with similar characters, embellishments and scenes from "Clones" and "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace."

Here's your chance to speak up for your fave, even if it's Jar Jar Binks.

Vote for whatever powers your light saber most, and let us know a little bit about why you feel the way you do.

To streamline the balloting process, we're asking that mail-in votes be sent by postcard only. Send them to Star Wars Readers Poll, The Honolulu Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Hono-lulu HI 96802. You can also register your opinion online by going to www.honoluluadvertiser.com. The deadline for receiving votes is Friday. Results will be published sometime before George Lucas sends in "The Clones."

• Best use of high-speed transportation: Imperial speeder bike chase ("Return of the Jedi"), or Podracer race ("The Phantom Menace")?

• Best unintelligible sidekick: Chewbacca ("A New Hope," "The Empire Strikes Back," "Return of the Jedi"), or Jar Jar Binks ("The Phantom Menace")?

• Best butt-kickin' royalty: Princess Leia Organa ("A New Hope," "The Empire Strikes Back," "Return of the Jedi"), or Queen Amidala of Naboo ("The Phantom Menace")?

• Best statement of personality with a hairstyle: Princess Leia Organa's tightly wound cinna-buns ("A New Hope"), or Anakin Skywalker's boy-band-with-a-death-wish rat tail ("Attack of the Clones")?

• Best "Ben" Obi-Wan Kenobi: Old Ben, played by Alec Guinness ("A New Hope," "The Empire Strikes Back," "Return of the Jedi"), or Young Ben, played by Ewan McGregor ("The Phantom Menace," "Attack of the Clones")?

• Best opening episode of a "Star Wars" trilogy: "Episode IV: A New Hope" (1977), or "Episode I: The Phantom Menace" (1999)?

• Most excruciating line in a "Star Wars" movie: "But I was going into Tosche Station to pick up some power converters!" — Luke Skywalker whining to his Aunt Beru in "A New Hope," or "Ex-squeeze me?" — Jar Jar Binks, requesting some clarification from Qui-Gon Jinn in "The Phantom Menace"?

• Best acting by an inanimate object: Billy Dee Williams' Exxon Valdez-slick '70s hairdo (Lando Calrissian in "The Empire Strikes Back"), or Jake Lloyd as Anakin Skywalker ("The Phantom Menace")?