Since its debut in 1977,Star Warshas become one of the most popular sci-fi movie franchises to ever exist. It began with the story of a young man named Luke Skywalker who sought to escape his mundane life, but his search for adventure led him on a perilous journey across a vast galaxy.
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Countless spin-offs and sequels regarding the fate of theStar Warsuniverse have been released since its creation, with each telling a different story to the last. It seems that every minute detail has been expanded upon, with many entries attempting to retcon some of the franchise’s more major plot points.Some of these changesdismantle the once solid plot while others successfully enhance the overall story.
7C-3PO’s Creation
C-3PO’s purpose in the originalStar Warstrilogy is to act as a translator for his owners. He is first seen wandering around the Tantive 4 spacecraft alongside his friend, R2-D2, before being forced to flee tothe desert planet of Tatooineto avoid being captured by the Empire. As a protocol droid, it was assumed that C-3PO came from a long line of similarly designed droids, butThe Phantom Menacechose to give him one of the most surprising backstories in the franchise.
After being stranded on Tatooine, Qui-Gon and his companions decide to scavenge Mos Espa in search of the necessary parts to repair their spacecraft. They eventually happen upon the Skywalker family, an encounter that leads to some strange reveals. It turns out that C-3PO was designed by Anakin Skywalker as a young boy toassist him and his mother while they worked for Watto. This reveal gave the droid a much-needed compelling backstory and also paved the way for him to appear more frequently in futureStar Warstitles.
6Boba Fett’s Origins
Boba Fett is introduced inStar Warsduring a brief scene inA New Hopewhere he is seen acting as a bodyguard for Jabba the Hutt. He is a bounty hunter of few words, but this minor detail permitted him to become one of the most iconic characters in the franchise. Before the unveiling of the prequel trilogy, however, Boba Fett’s origins wereentirely different from what is now considered canon.
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The Last One Standing: The Tale of Boba Fettreleased in 1996 sought to add some depth to this mysterious bounty hunter by unveiling his past. He was a Mandalorian who worked as a Journeyman Protector, a group of law enforcers. His original name was Jaster Mereel, butAttack of the Cloneschose to make “Boba Fett” his birth-given title and reshape his origins into something more relevant to the movie’s plot.
5Rey’s Lineage
The sequel trilogy follows the story of Rey, a young scavenger who is fixated on uncovering who she really is. Having been abandoned by her parents and left on the desert planet of Jakku, her purpose in life became blurred, but her encounter with an unlikely First Order Stormtrooper leads her to discover her origins.
Kylo Ren reveals to Rey inThe Last Jedithat her parents were “filthy junk traders,” a fact she always knew but chose to suppress. It is an underwhelming reveal that rendered her less important in comparison to her peers, butThe Rise of Skywalkertried to remedy it. It informed the viewer that, though Rey’s parents were nobodies,her grandfather was Emperor Palpatine, a revelation that made her outbursts of anger feel more believable.
4The Death Star’s Flaw
In the hope of preventing the Death Star from destroying another planet, Luke and his companions mount an attack on the Empire. They are severely outmatched but, thanks to a group of dedicated rebels who risked their lives to obtain information, they learn of a critical flaw in the space station’s design.
It was hard to believe that the Death Star was this poorly protected, but the release ofRogue Onerevealed the reasoning behind it. Galen Erso was the chief designer of the space station, but he did not share in the Empire’s cruel ideals. To ensure the eventual destruction of the Death Star, he designed it to include a weak spot that, when shot at directly, would destroy the entire station in one fell swoop.
3Darth Maul’s Survival
The climactic finale ofThe Phantom Menacesees Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Maul locked in combat. Without his master to assist him, Obi-Wan struggles greatly against his elusive foe, but his quick thinking gives him the upper hand.
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Obi-Wan distracts Maul before severing him in half with his lightsaber and watching his body plummet down a frighteningly deep space shaft. Though his time was short, many regarded Maul to be one of the best additions toStar Warsthat the prequels had to offer, so George Lucas decided torewrite the Sith Lord’s death and resurrect himinThe Clone Wars.
2Luke And Leia’s Relationship
When Luke uncoversLeia’s hidden message in R2-D2, his first reaction sees him complimenting her beauty. While the two attempt to escape the Death Star’s confines, she subtly reciprocates his feelings by kissing him on the cheek. The pair later go on to become somewhat romantically invested in each other, butReturn of the Jedirevealed a crucial detail regarding their relationship.
Luke and Leia are biological siblings. They were separated at birth in an attempt to protect them from their father, but their reunion saw them developing what they thought were appropriate feelings for each other. Leia and Han’s relationship was always more convincing, so revealing that Luke and Leia were twins served to reshape their somewhat uncomfortable bond.
1Darth Vader’s Identity
Prior to the events ofThe Empire Strikes Back, Darth Vader was presented as a cold and ruthless being whose sole goal was to ensure the Rebellion’s destruction. According to Obi-Wan, he was once a Jedi who betrayed Luke’s father during the Clone Wars, but this is only partially correct.
When confronted by Luke with this story, Vader denies it and insists that Obi-Wan was lying. Luke, shocked by this revelation, asks what he means to which Vader responds with"I am your father.“This retcon bewildered all those who witnessed it and is often regarded as one of the best plot twists in cinematic history.
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