The founders believed that by allowing trade to flourish across the continent, the EU would foster deep political, commercial and social links, making future wars unthinkable.
Maybe it will work for long enough to justify the expense, making the Star Wars series into a newfangled James Bond-type series where we just get another fantastic adventure every time out.
When news broke that Disney had acquired Lucasfilm and would be making new Star Wars movies, a part of my brain lit up with the excitement I felt in 1977 and has been sparking every since.