More than two decades later, during which time fan culture has become bigger, stronger, and far more contentious, those words seem prophetic, not just for Star Wars but for other franchises with epic fandoms such as DC, Marvel, and Harry Potter. Discord and division have become a problem for nearly every major studio. Social media is partly, if not entirely, to blame. It took a notoriously dark turn over the past half dozen years, and a new breed of fans evolved known as stans, a more relentless, excessive kind of admirer. Now every franchise deals with a subset of “fans” who see their devotion as a license to make threats, use racist and sexist language, and engage in Twitter dogpiles. Sometimes the negativity is fomented by influencers and media figures who want clout or clicks. But some admirers can also go radioactive if they don’t like the direction a story goes, or if an onscreen romance they’re hoping for never happens.

Event planners, publicists, and marketing experts have become like exasperated day care teachers, focused on encouraging sharing, reducing conflict, and isolating (if not expelling) the incorrigible troublemakers. Star Wars actors John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran, who endured years of hatred hurled at them merely for doing their part to expand representation in the galaxy, have openly pushed back on the haters. (As Boyega has tweeted, “I don’t fuck with you no more.”) Fan coordinators—who used to build hype by organizing events and sending out newsletters—now find themselves sparring with rowdy hordes online. What’s a franchise to do? “The loss of some of the movement is not as important as getting rid of the bad apples,” says a source who helps stage pop culture events. “Most of the big players would rather stay out of it, but they’re starting not to be so idle.”