Somewhere in a galaxy far, far away, well O'Connell Street to be precise, the menacing Boba Fett, a character in the new movie Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, was, well, attacked by an unknown assailant.
"He tried to take his head off," explained a clearly perturbed stormtrooper who had been posing happily with his colleague outside the Savoy cinema in Dublin just minutes earlier. "Boba Fett had to run into the cinema to get away from this middle-aged man."
You couldn't be sure but it looked like the space warrior was shaking under his white plastic armour.
In the absence of real stars, onlookers at last night's premiere of George Lucas's latest cinematic offering had to make do with the costumed variety.
Maxi, Jack L and even US actor Aidan Quinn don't have quite the pulling power of Ewan McGregor, who plays Jedi knight Obi Wan Kenobi, or Natalie Portman, who smoulders as the former Queen of Naboo.
Even so, the event, in aid of UNICEF, was bursting with glamorous cinemagoers clambering to be among the first to decide if the Star Wars phenomenon is a spent force or still a force to be reckoned with. The movie could be seen by the public from midnight last night.
If the critics are to be believed, the new movie, which hints at Anakin Skywalker's imminent transformation into the heavy breathing Darth Vader, is light sabre rattlingly good.
In truth, what the critics say has never really mattered to the fans. They have seen off accusations of bad acting, worse dialogue and really dodgy haircuts, sticking with the Star Wars legend to make its creator a multi-billionaire.
Attack of the Clones is the second in a three part series of prequels. The Star Wars cycle began in 1977 with A New Hope, continued in 1980 with The Empire Strikes Back and then Return of the Jedi in 1983. There was a 15-year gap between it and Phantom Menace, which, despite a drubbing from the critics, broke box office records around the world.
Fans say the secret of Star Wars lies in the fact that at its core is a simple morality tale of good versus evil. It is that, combined with Lucas's technological know-how and ability to create the most sumptuous landscapes and heart-stopping space races, that makes it unique in cinematic cults.
The series of films has not just existed in a celluloid vacuum but elements have crept into the lexicon of life. Type Chewbacca or Yoda, two of the more well-known characters, into a Microsoft Word document and the programme makes no attempt to correct your spelling.
Ronald Reagan borrowed from Lucas for his Strategic Defence Initiative, Star Wars, and "May the Force be With You" was as ubiquitous as Joey Tribiani's "how you doin?" at one point.
"It's a bit like an old fashioned fairytale, and I really like the hysteria that surrounds it," says Star Wars fan Pat Nugent (24). He saw the first prequel Phantom Menace in America when the audience were dressed up in galactic costumes, swinging light sabres and cheering as the credits went up.
"I think that is quite cool," he said. "The only people who give out about it are those who became fans when they were children. They expect to feel the way as adults as they did when they were young which is impossible."
Perhaps buoyed by the desires of thirtysomethings anxious to be teenagers again, a spokeswoman for the Savoy described advanced sales as "very good".
"We don't want to reveal the exact figures but we are very pleased and would advise people to pre-book if they don't want to be disappointed," she said.
No self-respecting Star Wars fan (warning: don't ever confuse them with Trekkies) will go through this week without also purchasing at least one new piece of merchandise.
Malachy Coney of Forbidden Planet, a shop selling sci-fi comics and memorablia in Belfast, says each new release of Star Wars figures is greeted "like a royal visit".
"The merchandise is coveted by a lot of people, we carried the stuff when it wasn't as popular but now it is massive, from duvet covers to limited edition statues".
Coney doesn't just sell Star Wars, he totally buys into the legend.
"It taps into something really primal, an ancient way of storytelling," he says. "It is like sitting around a fire and watching the best storyteller in the world weaving a tale using the fire and shadows to play tricks on the listener. Lucas is the same except he uses the most advanced technology in the world to throw that shadow on the wall".