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Star Wars sources and analogues

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Flash Gordon serials featured an opening 'crawl' like those used in Star Wars.

TheStar Warsspace fantasymedia franchise is acknowledged to have been inspired by many sources. These includeHinduism,Buddhism,Qigong,philosophy,classical mythology,Roman history,Gnosticism,Zoroastrianism, parts of the otherAbrahamic religions,Confucianism,Shintō andTaoism, and countless cinematic precursors. CreatorGeorge Lucas stated "Most of the spiritual reality in the movie[s] is based on a synthesis of all religions. A synthesis through history; the way man has perceived the unknown and the great mystery and tried to deal with that or dealing with it".[1][2][3][4]

Lucas has also said thatchivalry,knighthood,paladinism and related institutions infeudal societies inspired some concepts in theStar Wars films, most notably theJedi Knights. The work of the mythologistJoseph Campbell, especially his bookThe Hero with a Thousand Faces, directly influenced Lucas,[5] and is what drove him to create the "modern myth" ofStar Wars. The natural flow of energy known asthe Force is believed to have originated from the concept ofqi/chi/ki, "the all-pervading vital energy of the universe".

To celebrate the 30th anniversary ofStar Wars,The History Channel premiered a two-hour event covering the entireStar Wars saga entitledStar Wars: The Legacy Revealed. Featuring interviews from the likes ofStephen Colbert,Newt Gingrich,Nancy Pelosi,Tom Brokaw,Dan Rather,Peter Jackson, acclaimedscholars and others, the program delved further into theHeroic Epic concept and the influences of mythology and other motifs that were important in makingStar Wars. Subjects includesins of the father andredeeming the father,coming of age, exiting the ordinary world and others.

Fictional works similarities and inspirations

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Literature

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The legendaryKing Arthur (illustrated in the center) has a significant parallel to Luke Skywalker as a young orphaned hero embarking on a journey to restore peace and justice to his society. Arthur's use of his swordExcalibur as a tool of achieving objectives is reflected by Luke's use of hislightsaber in the same manner.[6]
  • Joseph Campbell'scomparative mythology bookThe Hero with a Thousand Faces, directly influenced Lucas, and is what drove him to create the "modern myth" ofStar Wars.[7][8]
  • E.E. 'Doc' Smith's writings contain elements central to theStar Wars universe.[9] These elements include:
    • Spherical, moon-sized spaceships.
    • Smaller, spherical, jet-less fighters with accumulators for beamed power.
    • Spacehounds of IPC includes light swords of slicing "blade of flame" and "planes of force" wielded by spherical ships, also attested in melee combat.
    • Smith'sLensmen have the telepathic powers of the Jedi derived from crystalline lenses mirroringKyber crystals inStar Wars.
    • InTriplanetary, a "tractor beam" from an artificial planetoid captures another vessel and a damsel in distress adventure ensues.
    • Space armor with a general focus on melee combat using space axes.
    • Norlaminian worship of "the all-controlling Force" along with general use of "force" powers throughout.
    • AGolden Meteor is the emblem and insignia of the galactic protectors.
    • A galactic trade in drugs which are used as currency: Thionite in Smith, Spice inStar Wars.
    • A galactic corps of heroes with telepathic powers. (Note:Lensman was written 10 years before the Silver Age edition ofGreen Lantern)
    • Benevolent guardians seeking to fight evil. (CalledArisians inLensman;Aquillian in the second draft script forStar Wars.)
    • A dark, unseen enemy seeking galactic domination. (CalledBoskone inLensman;Bogan in the second draft script forStar Wars.)
    • Special powers running down through family lines, with twins playing a significant role.
    • Epic space battles involving fleets of ships.
    • Large-scale weapons including a free-roaming planet-sized fortress[10] and thesunbeam[11] (capable of focusing the sun's rays, similar to Starkiller Base inThe Force Awakens).
    • Jettisoning a space lifeboat with a data spool containing secrets of the enemy's ultimate weapon, the 'Grand Base'.[12]
    • Training with a helmet with a blast shield, yet able to 'see' due to special powers.[12]
    • Passing a ship off as a chunk of loose metal.[12]
    • Numerous uses of the wordcoruscant, a term which had declined in use after the 19th century.[13]
  • The science fiction writerIsaac Asimov stated on several occasions that George Lucas's galaxy-wideEmpire bore a close resemblance to the galaxy depicted in Asimov'sFoundation Series. The greatest differences are that Asimov's Galaxy contains almost no robots and no non-human aliens. Asimov addressed both issues directly in the saga's later volumes, most notablyFoundation's Edge andFoundation and Earth. Since Asimov's death in 1992, theStar Wars cinematic universe has gained new Asimovesque elements:The Phantom Menace introduced the planetCoruscant, which bears a close resemblance to Asimov'sTrantor.[citation needed]
  • The earlyJournal of the Whills draft ofStar Wars from 1973 is based on the first chapter of the 1931John Carter novelA Fighting Man of Mars byEdgar Rice Burroughs.[14]
  • Star Wars borrows significantly fromArthurian mythology; especially with respect to plot and main character development. The life and character development ofLuke Skywalker resembles that of the legendaryKing Arthur. Both are orphans who later become heroes in their early adulthood. Both also have mentors who are much older and provide them with guidance and/or training. Arthur was mentored byMerlin; whereas Luke was mentored and trained byObi-Wan Kenobi prior to continuing his training and mentorship withYoda.[15][16][17] The role ofAnakin Skywalker as the father of the hero, Luke Skywalker, mirrors that ofUther Pendragon who is King Arthur's father.Qui Gon-Jinn, Master Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi's roles match that of Merlin during the era of Anakin Skywalker and Uther Pendragon respectively.[18]
  • Star Wars shares many similarities withFrank Herbert'sDune,[19] including thedesert planet setting with a moisture-based economy, spice smugglers, obese interstellar antagonists, and a mysticalmind control-using sect with great influence over galactic politics — Herbert himself once enumerated 37 similarities.[20] The influence was even more distinct in earlyStar Wars versions, with Princess Leia guarding a shipment of "aura spice" instead of the Death Star plans. The script forJodorowsky's Dune was circulating in Hollywood at the time of Lucas' early work onStar Wars.[21][22][23] The director of the2021 film adaptation ofDune,Denis Villeneuve, said the new film would attempt to beStar Wars for adults.[24]

Pulp heroes and comics

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The classic science fiction film serialFlash Gordon served as an inspiration forStar Wars.
  • Flash Gordon is the pulp hero whose original property George Lucas had sought to license before making the firstStar Wars film,A New Hope; the film includes many elements derived from the 1936 Universal serialFlash Gordon and its sequel,Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe. The basic plot involving the infiltration of a megalomaniacal outer-space Emperor's fortress by two heroes disguised in uniforms of soldiers of his army is drawn fromFlash Gordon Conquers the Universe, with Luke Skywalker and Han Solo filling the roles ofFlash Gordon andPrince Barin, respectively, andMing the Merciless the Emperor. The Emperor's deadly, hostile planet (theDeath Star/Mongo), a sometimes scantily-clad brunette space Princess whom the hero defends (Princess Leia/Princess Aura), a big, strong, hairy, animal-like ally (Chewbacca/Prince Thun of the Lion Men), a fearsome monster found underground and/or fought in an arena by the hero (the Rancor/the Gocko or Orangopoid), a city in the sky ruled by someone who originally works with the villains but later joins the heroes (Lando Calrissian of Cloud City), ray-guns, and dogfighting spaceships were all elements retained from the first Universal Flash Gordon serial. The opening text crawl ofStar Wars is in the same style as the text openings of each chapter of theFlash Gordon Conquers The Universe serial.[26] [From the 1940 series, not 1936, and the opening crawl is from the 1938 filmBoys' School].
  • DC Comics andJack Kirby. There has been a long debate among fans about the influence thatcomic book writerJack Kirby had on the originalStar Wars trilogy.[27] Kirby's time atDC Comics between1971 and 1975 was defined by his creation of theNew Gods saga. Thisintergalactic story involvedOrion of the planetNew Genesis being prophesied by theSource as the warrior to defeatDarkseid - the tyrannical ruler of the planetApokolips, and, by doing so, bring peace to the universe and end the conflict between the two planets. Parallels can thus be drawn between the nature of the relationships between Orion and Darkseid to Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, as well as between the mythical Source andthe Force. According to some accounts, Lucas met comic book writer and editorRoy Thomas at a dinner in 1972, during which Lucas described the plot ofStar Wars, to which Thomas noticed the similarity between this and Kirby's New Gods, which was then already a published series.[28]
  • Marvel Comics: Lucas original trilogy co-writerLawrence Kasdan noted that the spin-offs were expanding the franchise into more of ashared universe. Far beyond the previously linear saga, adding that one of the strengths of the franchise was how it all fell under the same continuity in comparison to other franchises. Kasdan also contrastedStar Wars to theMarvel Cinematic Universe, noting thatStar Wars features lesscomedy than the latter, and adding that he felt a more comedic approach like Marvel'sGuardians of the Galaxy would "not beStar Wars" to him.[29][30]

J. R. R. Tolkien'sThe Hobbit andThe Lord of the Rings

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Further information:Works inspired by J. R. R. Tolkien § Film,Themes of The Lord of the Rings, andThe Lord of the Rings: film versus book
Chris Taylor's comparison ofStar Wars withThe Lord of the Rings[32]
ElementStar Wars 1977The Lord of the Rings 1954–55
Wise old manObi-Wan Kenobi
sacrifices himself fighting Darth Vader,
then guidesLuke throughthe Force
Gandalf
dies saving Fellowship from theBalrog,
then guides Frodo telepathically
Innocent
protagonists
Artoo andThreepio,
carrying stolen data tapes,
supported by the team
Frodo andSam,
carrying theOne Ring,
supported by theFellowship
"Hellish war machine"Death StarMordor
Enemy troopsStormtroopersOrcs
Evil wizardGrand Moff TarkinSaruman
Dark LordDarth VaderSauron

J. R. R. Tolkien's 1937The Hobbit and 1954–55The Lord of the Rings novels inspired George Lucas's creation ofStar Wars in 1977. An early draft for the 1977Star Wars film is said to have included an exchange of dialogue betweenObi-Wan Kenobi andLuke Skywalker taken directly from the conversation between Gandalf and Bilbo in Chapter 1 ofThe Hobbit, where Bilbo/Luke says "Good morning!" and Gandalf/Kenobi replies asking whether he means he's having a good morning, or is wishing him one, or that all mornings are good. Bilbl/Luke answers "All of them at once".[32][33][34] The plagiarised dialogue was dropped, but the monk-like Kenobi was modelled on Gandalf; the film author Chris Taylor identifies several further elements ofStar Wars that in his view could have been modelled on Middle-earth.[32]

While doing aStar Wars animated series,Dave Filoni noted that Peter Jackson visited him and his mentor George Lucas to discuss Tolkien's works and to ask for advice. According to theStar Wars website, Darth Vader is compared by Filoni to the Balrog rather than Sauron, and thePrancing Pony bar may have inspired theMos Eisley cantina, with the introduction of Han Solo suggestively matching that of Strider (Aragorn). As for the prequel trilogy, it notes that Saruman influenced Count Dooku (both are portrayed byChristopher Lee in the respective films), and volcanic Mordor, whether Tolkien's or Jackson's, influenced the volcanic planet Mustafar.[34][35]

George R. R. Martin acknowledged Tolkien influenced hisGame of Thrones TV series and novels about medieval fantasy, while speaking about a film about Tolkien's life.[36][37] Jon Favreau mentionedGame of Thrones as an influence onThe Mandalorian's second season.[38] Martin'sA Song of Ice and Fire /Game of Thrones (1996 – present) has been compared toStar Wars. This is most commonly through the characters of Luke Skywalker and Jaime Lannister, due to both being sword-fighters who lose their hands in duels, while being knights sworn to celibacy, and also due to their incestuous relationships to their respective sisters, Leia and Cersei (though Luke and Leia were unaware of being siblings, and the Lannisters have children). Both feature mothers who died at child-birth (A Game of Thrones was written before the release ofRevenge of the Sith), and arguably evil fathers (though Luke and Leia weren't raised by him). Captain Phasma has also been compared as weaker than Brienne of Tharth, due to both sharing the same actress. Many people were in both franchises.[39] Both franchises feature important fights on throne rooms, with Emperor Palpatine's throne being compared to the Iron Throne, though Martin's works are far more violent.[40]

Opera

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Film and television

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  • Lucas has specifically cited the fact that he became acquainted with the termjidaigeki ("period drama", the Japanese genre of samurai films) while in Japan, and it is widely assumed that he took inspiration for the termJedi from this.[42][43][44]
  • The costume for Darth Vader was visually inspired by the character "The Lightning" in theRepublic PicturesserialThe Fighting Devil Dogs. The Lightning also had an army of white-armored stormtroopers and flew through the sky in a large triangular airship (the "flying wing").
  • Darth Vader's need to wear his helmet to breathe recalls the oxygen helmets of the underground-dwelling Muranians in the 1935 Mascot serialThe Phantom Empire, which are required by the caped Thunder Riders to be able to breathe on the surface.
  • The Phantom Menace features a pod racing action sequence. This entire sequence is inspired by the famous chariot race ofBen Hur. The climactic moment when Sebulba's Pod attaches itself to Anakin's Pod mimics, almost shot for shot, the climactic moment of the scene inBen Hur when Messala accidentally locks wheels with Ben Hur. Lines, scenes and themes from Ben-Hur had already previously influenced the Star Wars films. The conflict between the Rebel Alliance and the Empire is comparable to the earlier film's depiction of the historical Roman-Jewish conflict of the time, with an ascendant Roman Empire, represented by Messala, threatening to wipe out the Jewish rebels and send them extinct. The same Chariot sequence also inspired parts of the Endor speeder chase inReturn of the Jedi, which also includes a sequence where two speeders accidentally interlock. The film's famous early line "The Emperor is displeased, he wishes Judea be made into a more obedient province!" significantly influenced dialogue in all Original Trilogy Star Wars films, with the first four words, in particular, is frequently directly quoted in relation to Star Wars Emperor Palpatine character.
  • Lucas has also citedJohn Ford'sThe Searchers andDavid Lean'sLawrence of Arabia as references for the style—if not the story—used in the films. A more direct homage toLawrence of Arabia occurs inAttack of the Clones, as Padme and Anakin talk while walking around the Theed palace onNaboo. It was filmed at the Plaza de España inSeville, Spain, which inLawrence of Arabia was the site of the British Army headquarters in Cairo, and was shot in an exact manner as the scene inLawrence of Arabia where Allenby (Jack Hawkins) and Dryden (Claude Rains) discuss whether to give artillery to Lawrence's Arab troops. In the same film, Padme and Anakin also retreat to an estate called Varykino – the name of the Gromeko family estate inDoctor Zhivago. (Some[who?] also have consideredTom Courtenay's Pasha/Strelnikov character fromZhivago as an inspiration for Anakin/Darth Vader, but the similarities are likely coincidental.) Similarly, the chase sequence with Zam Wesell on Coruscant likely referencesBlade Runner; Lucas based many of the Coruscant cityscapes on Los Angeles in 2019. A reference toThe Searchers occurs inStar Wars, when Luke discovers the burning moisture farm, while the Tusken Raiders sequence inAttack of the Clones recalls the climax ofThe Searchers. Han's showdown with Greedo inStar Wars resembles a scene in another John Ford film,Cheyenne Autumn.
  • Lucas is also a fan ofSergio Leone's filmOnce Upon a Time in the West, and according to Leone's biographer,Christopher Frayling, he listened to the score from Leone's film while editingThe Empire Strikes Back. Many[who?] have considered Vader's first appearance inA New Hope as being an "homage" to the introduction ofHenry Fonda's villainous Frank in the Leone film.
  • The death scene ofYoda inReturn of the Jedi is taken almost shot-for-shot from the death scene of the similarly mystical High Lama inFrank Capra'sLost Horizon (Yoda and the High Lama also both share a diminutive form and odd cadence of speech).
  • The attack on theDeath Star in the climax of the filmA New Hope is similar in many respects to the strategy ofOperation Chastise from the 1954 British film,The Dam Busters. Rebel pilots have to fly through a trench while evading enemy fire and drop a single special weapon at a precise distance from the target to destroy the entire base with a single explosion; if one run fails another run must be made by a different pilot. Some scenes from theA New Hope climax are similar to those inThe Dam Busters and some of the dialogue is nearly identical in the two films. These scenes are also heavily influenced by the action scenes from the fictional wartime film633 Squadron. That film's finale shows the squadron's planes flying down a deepfjord while being fired at along the way by anti-aircraft guns lining its sides. George Lucas has stated in interviews that this sequence inspired the 'trench run' sequence inStar Wars.[45]
  • Francis Ford Coppola – Lucas based the friendship between Luke Skywalker and Han Solo on his own friendship with Francis Ford Coppola. InRevenge of the Sith, during Anakin's massacre on Mustafar, the slaughter of the Separatist Council and the declaration of the Galactic Empire are reminiscent of the montage of massacres during the christening scene ofThe Godfather, a film directed by Coppola. They are similar in that the christening of one (the baby and the Empire) with the death of a group of others (the other dons and the Separatists).[46] Post-Lucas director Rian Johnson inspired one of the final shots ofThe Last Jedi where the Millennium Falcon door closes, on the final scene ofThe Godfather where a door closes on Michael Corleone.[47] While, Lucas wanted the sequel trilogy Luke Skywalker inspired on the cynic Colonel Kurtz from Coppolla's "Apocalypse Now".[48]
  • TheMaschinenmensch – the robot inFritz Lang's 1927 filmMetropolis – inspired the look of C-3PO, although the Maschinenmensch is agynoid whereas C-3PO has masculine programming.[49]
  • Ray Harryhausen usedstop motion animation to create a mechanical owl, Bubo, inClash of the Titans (1981). Despite Bubo's similarities (Bubo is metallic and expresses by whistling and rotating its head) to thedroidR2-D2 of the 1977 filmStar Wars, Harryhausen claimed Bubo was created beforeStar Wars was released.[50]
  • Lucas used the termthe Force to "echo" its use by cinematographerRoman Kroitor in21-87 (1963), in which Kroitor says, "Many people feel that in the contemplation of nature and in communication with other living things, they become aware of some kind of force, or something, behind this apparent mask which we see in front of us, and they call it God".[51][52] Although Lucas had Kroitor's line in mind specifically, Lucas said the underlying sentiment is universal and that "similar phrases have been used extensively by many different people for the last 13,000 years".[53]

Akira Kurosawa

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Main article:Remakes of films by Akira Kurosawa

Akira Kurosawa films:

  • The Hidden Fortress (1958) –A New Hope features the exploits ofC-3PO andR2-D2, whereas the plot ofThe Hidden Fortress is told from the point of view of two bickering peasants. The two peasants, Tahei and Matashichi, are first shown escaping a battle, while C-3PO and R2-D2 are first shown fleeing an attack inA New Hope.[54] Additionally, both films feature a battle-tested General – Rokurota Makabe inThe Hidden Fortress andObi-Wan Kenobi inA New Hope – who assist a rebellion led by a princess and engage in a duel with a former rival whom they fought years earlier. Lucas also features many horizontalwipe scene transitions inStar Wars, a technique used thoroughly by Kurosawa in his films.[55] Similarly, the Princess trades places with a slave girl inThe Hidden Fortress, with the slave girl acting as a decoy for the real Princess. InThe Phantom Menace,Queen Amidala trades places with one of her handmaidens who acts as a decoy.
  • Yojimbo (1961) inspired the brawl scene in the Cantina. Its sequelSanjuro (1962) inspired the hiding-under-the-floor trick.[56]
    • "A Fistful of Dollars" which is Sergio Leone's first film inDollars trilogy, is an unofficial remake of the Kurosawa film "Yojimbo", that also inspired George Lucas. Clint Eastwood's cowboy character without a name, also inspired the post-Lucas created main character ofThe Mandalorian, and also the Lucas created characterCad Bane fromThe Clone Wars animated series.[57] (Though the episode "Hostage Crisis" that introducedCad Bane, has the character also inspired onHans Gruber, the villain ofDie Hard, with its plot also being a loose remake of the Bruce Willis film).[58]
  • Dersu Uzala (1975), just two years before the firstStar Wars film, there are two scenes that bear a striking resemblance to scenes inStar Wars. The first is the Captain and Dersu looking out over the horizon, seeing both the setting sun and the rising moon at the same time. This is much like when Luke Skywalker stares out on the sky with binary suns inA New Hope. The other scene is when Dersu and the Captain are suddenly caught in a blizzard, and they have to quickly build a shelter to spend the night, to survive the cold. The Captain collapses from the cold and Dersu has to drag and stuff him into the shelter. This is similar to the scene inThe Empire Strikes Back where Han Solo cuts a tauntaun open with Luke'slightsaber and stuffs the unconscious Luke into it, when they get caught in a blizzard on the snow planetHoth. A similar moment using a horse, happens inThe Revenant (2015 film), than won an Oscar to Leonardo DiCaprio for playing 1700s frontier manHugh Glass.
  • Rashomon (1950): OnThe Last Jedi (2017), from post-George Lucas directorRian Johnson. TheRashomon effect, is described on the part where Rey is told by Luke, a description of how he considered murdering his nephew Ben Solo in his sleep, due to feeling his inevitable fall to the dark side of The Force. Then Solo, who by that point had renamed himself as Kylo Ren, tells his perspective, which causes Luke to tell a third perspective of the event. All whom cause a reinterpretation of a similar event inReturn of the Jedi.[59]
  • Seven Samurai also inspired an episode ofThe Clone Wars animated series, and the firstStar Wars comic with an original plot, that wasn't adapted from the film.The Mandalorian released its "Chapter 4: Sanctuary" has also been compared toSeven Samurai.[60]

Star Trek

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Main article:Comparison of Star Trek and Star Wars

George Lucas claims he became a fan ofStar Trek whenthe original series broadcast in the late 1960s which played an influence on the development ofStar Wars in 1977.[clarification needed] Lucas claimed he also visitedStar Trek conventions.[61] The filmmaker amazedClint Howard by, during an audition, immediately citing his role 15 years earlier asBalok from "The Corbomite Maneuver". Howard said that he wanted to yell "Get a life" at the filmmaker.[62][63][64]

The original films' influence on the franchise after Disney buys Lucasfilm

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Following the sale of Lucasfilm toDisney, and the release of the 2015 filmStar Wars: The Force Awakens, a Whatculture.com writer noticed the film bore many parallels and similar plot beats toA New Hope.[65]McGill University computer science professor Derek Ruths ran an algorithm that found that, while it was not a one to one translation (for instance, Rey and Kylo Ren did not mirror Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader), the script mirroredA New Hope a lot in the way that each film's characters were grouped.[66]

Real world history

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See also:Star Wars and History andStar Wars: Evolution of the Lightsaber Duel
TheSamurai,nobility andofficercaste ofmedieval andearly-modernJapan are a strong influence on the concept of the Jedi as sword fighting martial artist warriors who served as guardians of society.

Ancient and medieval history

[edit]
This sectionis inlist format but may read better asprose. You can help byconverting this section, if appropriate.Editing help is available.(March 2025)
A depiction of a science fictional civilization living amedieval Earth-like existence; a concept thatStar Wars is a major example of.[67]
  • Ancient and medieval history play amongst the strongest and significant influences onStar Wars which reflects ancient Earth history in its settings, includingarchitectural, social and hierarchical structures (i.e. the existence of monarchies and empires) as well as story lines which reflect ancient and medieval history. The transformation of theOld Republic into theGalactic Empire parallels that of theRoman Republic which transformed into theRoman Empire in the same manner of conspiracy and manipulation. Lucas was quoted as saying: "I love history, so while the psychological basis ofStar Wars is mythological, the political and social bases are historical".[68]
  • Author Nick Jamilla explains that unlike mainstream futuristic stories, withStar Wars, George Lucas ties in science fiction with ancient history, comparing the Jedi to theSamurai and historical European swordsmanship. He also parallels the spiritual aspects of the Jedi to easternmonks and philosophy.[69][70]
  • Star Wars reflects ancient history in its planetary settings. For example, the planetCoruscant imitatesAncient Rome as the capital of the Old Republic and later the Galactic Empire; whereasTatooine (referring toTataouine - a province south of Tunis in Tunisia, roughly where Lucas filmed for the planet) imitates the ancientMiddle East (specifically theArabian Peninsula) andNorth Africa in ancient times as being barren desert and sparsely populated (which it still is today to a certain degree).[71] Coruscant andNaboo are also two of many planets in theStar Wars galaxy which exhibit architecture inspired by those ofancient Greece, Rome, and other ancient Mediterranean and southern/southeastern European societies.
  • In his bookThe Medieval Hero on Screen: Representations from Beowulf to Buffy, author Tom Henthorne argues that 1970s science fiction films such as theStar Wars films andE.T. bring back neo-medieval themes at young boys with a masculine tone in his view. He argues the knighthood-type plots give a sense of encouragement to young boys and give girls the image of being their prizes or captives waiting to be rescued.[72]
  • TheSamurai warriors ofJapan are somewhat parallel to the concept of the Jedi as an elite warrior class specialized in combat and swordsmanship techniques charged with protecting their respective societies.[73]
  • The aesthetic ofJedi uniforms is borrowed from the styles of clothing worn byNorth African Tribesmen and variousSufi brotherhoods. It has been argued by some that the name "Jedi" itself actually comes from theArabic "Al-Jeddi'" which means "master of the mystic-warrior way."[74]
  • In an interview with 'The Muslim Magazine,' Dhul-Nun Owen spoke aboutGeorge Lucas contacting members of the Habibiyyah Sufi Order in Berkeley, CA in order to do research for 'Star Wars.' However, there isn't a record of Lucas confirming this himself.[75]
  • Mahmoud Shelton ofStanford University wrote an article titled "Star Wars: A Tale of Spiritual Chivalry” wherein he explores the connection between the Order of the Jedi and the Orders ofFutuwwa (Mediaeval Sufi Chivalry).[76][75] Shelton maintains that the Skywalker story may be specifically compared to the Ancient Egyptian myth of Osiris and his son Horus, and that the word "Jedi" is related to theDjed through the imagery of the prequels.[77]

Modern and early modern history

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Thestormtroopers from the films share a name with theImperial Germanstormtroopers and theNazi GermanSturmabteilung (lit. Stormtrooper). Imperial officers' uniforms also resemble somehistorical German Army uniforms and the political and security officers of the Empire resemble the black cladSS down to the imitation silver death's head insignia on their officer's caps (although the uniforms technically had more basis with the GermanUhlans within the Prussian Empire[78]). World War II terms were used for names inStar Wars; examples include the planets Kessel (a term that refers to a group ofencircled forces) and Hoth (Hermann Hoth was a German general who served on the snow-ladenEastern Front).[68] Lucas himself has drawn parallels between Palpatine and his rise to power to historical dictators such asJulius Caesar,Napoleon Bonaparte, andAdolf Hitler, saying the films exist as an examination of how democracies allow themselves to become dictatorships.[79] The space battles inA New Hope were based on filmedWorld War I andWorld War IIdogfights.[5]

Continuing the use of Nazi inspiration for the Empire,J. J. Abrams, the director ofThe Force Awakens, has said that the First Order, an Imperial offshoot which serves as the main antagonist of thesequel trilogy, is also inspired by another aspect of the Nazi regime. Abrams spoke of how several Nazis fled toArgentina after the war and he claims that the concept for the First Order came from conversations between the scriptwriters about what would have happened if they had started working together again (The Boys from Brazil).[80]

In a 2005 interview, George Lucas was asked the origins of the name "Darth Vader", and replied: "Darth is a variation of dark. And Vader is a variation of father. So it's basically Dark Father." (Rolling Stone, June 2, 2005).Vader is theDutch word for "father" (the Dutch word is instead pronounced "fah-der"), and theGerman word for "father" (Vater) is similar. However, in the earliest scripts forStar Wars, the name "Darth Vader" was given to a human Imperial general with no apparent relationships.[81]

Commentators have noted the strong political analogies in theStar Wars universe to contemporary American politics. Major analogies include Lucas's opposition to theVietnam War being seen in the original trilogy.[82] Lucas even said in 2005 thatStar Wars "was really about the Vietnam War, and that was the period whereRichard Nixon was trying to run for a [second] term, which got me to thinking historically about how do democracies get turned into dictatorships. Because the democracies aren't overthrown; they're given away."[83] This claim was likewise backed up by the 1973 draft for the first film, then-calledThe Star Wars, where Lucas specifically mentioned that the theme involved an independent planet named Aquillae that was compared to North Vietnam, and that the Empire was "America 10 years from now",[84][85] and byWalter Murch, who claimed Lucas, after his failure withApocalypse Now, decided to doStar Wars as a way to channel the anti-war and pro-Vietcong ideology in a disguised form.[86]Ian McDiarmid, when recalling something Lucas told him during filming ofReturn of the Jedi, also implied that the Oval Office, and in particular, Nixon's presidency, played a role in the design of the Emperor's throne room.[87] Political themes inRogue One have also been noted.[88][89][further explanation needed]

The political and military conflict of the prequel films, especiallyAttack of the Clones andRevenge of the Sith, bears a strong similarity to elements of theAmerican Civil War (1861–1865): theGalactic Republic's Clone army (officially called the "Grand Army of the Republic") represents theUnion Army (whose veteran organization was namedGrand Army of the Republic), while theConfederacy of Independent Systems mimics theConfederate States of America (also abbreviated as "the Confederacy").[90][91] The character ofCount Dooku is directly based on Confederate GeneralRobert E. Lee.

See also

[edit]
  • George Lucas in Love, a parody short film linking severalStar Wars elements to the experiences of Lucas as a film student.

References

[edit]
  1. ^Science of Star Wars (2005 documentary)
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  3. ^SDG."Is Star Wars Gnostic?".Decent Films. RetrievedDecember 18, 2021.
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  7. ^Higgs, John (November 7, 2015)."The Hero's Journey: The idea you never knew had shapedStar Wars".Salon. RetrievedMay 24, 2016.
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  22. ^Kensler, Chris (March 25, 2015)."How 'Dune' almost prevented 'Star Wars' from ever being".Fox News.
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  33. ^Taylor, Chris (2015).How Star Wars Conquered the Universe: the past, present, and future of a multibillion dollar franchise. London: Head of Zeus.ISBN 978-1-78497-047-5.OCLC 951149431.
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  37. ^"15 Fantasy Movies and TV Shows That Owe Their Existence to the Lord of the Rings Films - IGN". December 19, 2016.
  38. ^"'The Mandalorian' exclusive: An inside look at season 2".Entertainment Weekly.
  39. ^"Here's Every Game of Thrones Actor in Star Wars".Screen Rant. July 31, 2020.
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  41. ^"Star Wars and Wagner's Ring". February 12, 2004. Archived fromthe original on February 12, 2004.
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  70. ^Nick Jamilla (2002).Shimmering Sword: Samurai, Western, and Star Wars Sword Fighting. NBK Pub.ISBN 978-0-9718796-0-7.
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  80. ^Dyer, James."JJ Abrams Spills Details On Kylo Ren".
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  86. ^Ondaatje, Michael (2005).The Conversations: Walter Murch and the Art of Editing Film. Knopf. p. 70.Originally George Lucas was going to direct ('Apocalypse Now'), so it was a project that George and John [Milius] developed for [American] Zoetrope. That was back in 1969. Then, when Warner Brothers cancelled the funding for Zoetrope, the project was abandoned for a while. After the success of 'American Graffiti' in 1973, George wanted to revive it, but it was still too hot a topic, the [Vietnam] war was still on, and nobody wanted to finance something like that. So George considered his options: What did he really want to say in 'Apocalypse Now?' The message boiled down to the ability of a small group of people to defeat a gigantic power simply by the force of their convictions. And he decided, All right, if it's politically too hot as a contemporary subject, I'll put the essence of the story in outer space and make it happen in a galaxy long ago and far away. The rebel group were the North Vietnamese, and the Empire was the United States. And if you have 'the force,' no matter how small you are, you can defeat the overwhelmingly big power. 'Star Wars' is George's transubstantiated version of 'Apocalypse Now.'
  87. ^Irvine, Lindesay (November 7, 2005)."Lindesay Irvine talks to Ian McDiarmid".The Guardian.
  88. ^Somin, Ilya (December 29, 2016)."Rogue One and the Politics of Star Wars".The Washington Post. RetrievedFebruary 15, 2017.
  89. ^Doescher, Ian (December 26, 2016)."The Empire Is Us: The Politics of 'Rogue One'".Politico Magazine. RetrievedFebruary 15, 2017.
  90. ^Jamilla, Nick (2014).Sword Fighting in the Star Wars Universe: Historical Origins, Style and Philosophy. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. p. 153.ISBN 9780786451791. RetrievedJune 12, 2020.
  91. ^Lancashire, Anne (2002)."Attack of the Clones and the Politics of Star Wars".The Dalhousie Review. RetrievedJune 30, 2016.
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