“Star Wars” is life. But when someone tries to tarnish that life force, George Lucas included, it’s our responsibility to hold such Sith responsible, declare them enemies to the rebel scum we all seek to become.

Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Luke (Mark Hamill) return in the new blockbuster film, “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” (photo courtesy of Lucasfilm/Disney)

Rest easy resistance fighters, despite the weird mixed responses to “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” this is the droid you’re looking for. That is to say, episode eight of the greatest science-fiction and fantasy saga on the big screen is a triumph, a legend living today. Like “The Empire Strikes Back,” it fractures what we know about “Star Wars” in amazing ways.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” borrowed quite a bit from “A New Hope.” We’re talking shameless replication of a Death Star weapon, a Force-sensitive orphan – this time Rey (Daisy Ridley) – residing on a dessert planet, Han Solo hanging in a shady bar and a masked villain – Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) – answering to an even stronger villain. This all prompts a simple question: is “The Last Jedi” this trilogy’s “The Empire Strikes Back?” Yes, but that comparison doesn’t “go the way you think,” to use Luke Skywalker’s (Mark Hamill) warning.

Sequels, blockbusters, franchise movies – “Empire” is the gold standard. If a film transcends its predecessor, takes ideas from the original and molds them into something more mature, complex and challenging, we crown it an “Empire” sequel (i.e., “The Dark Knight” is the “Empire” of Batman films). So “The Last Jedi” sets out to fulfill an impossible task, but director Rian Johnson (“Brick,” “Looper”) doesn’t really care about fan theories, anticipation or audience expectations. The result is “raw, untamed power and beyond that, something truly special,” as Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) says.

Comparing “Last Jedi” to “Empire” is problematic, so let me clarify. “Empire” was a game-changer. If we create a checklist, the two films match relatively well: a ragtag group of rebels facing even more impossible odds, an evil force scattering the rebellion who must regroup, and a Jedi passing on his ancient wisdom to the next generation (and both Jedi Masters are hesitant to train the next gen). Most notable, “Empire” evolved beyond an action adventure, pausing to explore the galaxy, develop characters and blow that world wide open with an unexpected reveal and ambiguous conclusion. Shocking to imagine, but that didn’t sit well with some audiences and critics in 1980 who wanted “Empire” to copy the original in style, tone and plot – jokes and action over gloom.

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” is not a perfect film. An entire subplot with Finn (John Boyega) and newcomer Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) has a profound conceptual point but makes the film a bit bloated. Sure, “The Force Awakens” has a polished script and brisk pacing, but this sequel has heart and contributes something original to the mighty “Star Wars” canon. Rather than rehash old ideas, Johnson, who wrote the screenplay as well, understands the real lessons of “Empire” – add layers to characters, expand the narrative world, drop a bomb on audience expectations.

So, when we meet Luke, he’s different from the previous trilogy, something broke his spirit and sent him into hiding. Meanwhile, General Leia (the late Carrie Fisher) must keep on fighting, even with stubborn flyboy Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) refusing to follow orders. Faces, old and new, like Vice Admiral Holdo (Laura Dern) and DJ (Benicio Del Toro), grace us, but the stakes have never felt higher in a story where anything can happen.

Now, for anyone who’s been online lately, you might notice a peculiar query. Critics love “The Last Jedi” and some fans are conflicted. While I normally approach such differences of opinion diplomatically, I cannot do so here, for no rational approach to this subject would suffer any exaggerated disapproval of the film. In particular, critic aggregation sites like Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes declare the film loved by critics and hated by fans. That’s not true. First, those sites are hardly universal; exit polls and box-office figures tell a more positive story. Second, a few angry fans and hackers actually spammed those online review sites with thousands of negative comments, multiple sources say.

Any internet troll declaring “The Last Jedi” an affront to “Star Wars” should be met with suspicion. And if you come across a colleague who truly loathes the film, keep in mind fans can be thin skinned, angered when someone presents a classic story with a fresh approach, which is the point of “The Empire Strikes Back.” And believe no one who says the prequel trilogy was better. That’s madness, an absurd claim best left in a galaxy far, far away.