There was a republic that did everything for good, more or less, for the people, but tightened the screws in some places to maintain order. The trade federation did not like these nuts, and gradually this commercial association increased its influence, because there were many who disagreed, as elsewhere. The interests of the Republic were represented by valiant Jedi, and the interests of the Federation were led by the surreptitiously evil Sith, whom the Jedi thought they had defeated a long time ago (the Jedi and the Sith have long-standing ideological and magical graters). In the process of strengthening its influence, the federation becomes more and more impudent and declares its interests in ways that are non-trivial for the republic (blockade of the planet, etc.), and the republic tries to peacefully resolve everything, but fails. Adding fuel to the fire is the fact that the most evil Sith has settled in the political elite of the republic, who weaves all sorts of intrigues, and using the situation wants to glorify the ideas of the Sith. Gradually, the trade federation turns into a separatist movement - an independent confederation of planets, the republic cannot peacefully resolve the conflict and resorts to the help of an army of clones. The same Sith intercepts power and, in the midst of battles, makes a move with a horse - he blames the Jedi for all the troubles and gives an order, as a result of which they are methodically cut out, remakes the republic into an empire, and makes a budding Jedi from good to evil - his student. So that no one would show off anymore, and to consolidate success, he builds a death star + clones swore allegiance to the Sith without further questions. After a while, the remnants of the Jedi, who were not satisfied with this alignment, begin a counter-operation to return the Republican order. They find a new budding Jedi for this and defeat everyone in a semi-guerrilla war.

In short, 3 conflicts can be distinguished - political (between the republic and autocracy), ideological (between freedom and order) and imbalance of the fantasy element - strength (light / dark).

She is the princess of the planet Alderaan, because she was adopted by influential people, Kenobi's connections and origins helped in this - she is the daughter of Queen Amidala (later Naboo's representative in the Senate) and Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader). There were analogues of monarchies on the planets, and the senate was the body in the republic. Representatives of the royal families in this senate were included, both under the empire and under the republic, including Leia, until the emperor dissolved it.

1/2/3 episodes - the republic (good) fights the separatists (evil), then - the Sith seize power and the republic becomes an empire and the empire (evil) is already fighting the rebels (good).

Reply

She was the princess of the planet Alderaan, as she was adopted by Senator Bail Organa and Queen Breha Organa of Alderaan. The political system on the planets and the interracial general galactic system could differ. Simply, the kings or their representatives participated in the Senate of the Republic.

"- the next blockbuster of the next film franchise - is accompanied by such an unprecedented hype. Here are some groundbreaking facts that will help those who are not Star Wars fans to, if not feel, then at least understand the greatness of the moment and keep the conversation going with fans of this epic space saga.

I. Where did Star Wars come from and what is so special about them

Poster for the first film in the Star Wars saga - Episode IV: A New Hope

original trilogy tells the adventures of Luke Skywalker. He is an orphan from the provincial planet Tatooine, who, by the will of fate, becomes involved in an uprising against the Empire. Along the way, he destroys the Death Star - the Empire's superweapon capable of destroying entire planets, becomes an adept of the mystical Force and a student of Yoda, the master of the ancient Jedi order, finds out that his father is Darth Vader, the right hand of the Emperor and the main villain of the Original Trilogy, and, finally , contributes to the overthrow of the Empire and the triumph of good over evil.

Poster for the first film in the second Star Wars trilogy, The Phantom Menace

In 1999, The Phantom Menace was released, followed by Attack of the Clones (2002) and Revenge of the Sith (2005). These were episodes I, II, III - prequel to the original trilogy, the story of Anakin Skywalker's transformation into Darth Vader. The prequel trilogy mirrors the original in many ways: its main character Anakin, also an orphan from Tatooine, becomes an adept of the Force, gets involved in political intrigues, goes over to the Dark Side and eventually turns into that same Darth Vader.

In short, the Prequel Trilogy is the story of the triumph of the Dark Side and the rise of the Old Republic into an Empire, while the Original Trilogy is the story of the Light Side's revenge and the rebirth of the Republic.

You can consolidate what you have read or quickly remind yourself of the plot of the entire movie saga with the help of this video by a British video artist who fits the key moments of the cult epic movie into 3 minutes:

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IV. Yoda, Jabba, Obi-Wan: Who's Who in Star Wars

Luke Skywalker(Mark Hamill) is a dreamy orphan from Tatooine who, over the course of the Original Trilogy, becomes a hero, a Jedi, gains friends, mentors, a sister, and even a father. Although the relationship with his father somehow did not work out right away ...

Anakin Skywalker(as a child - Jake Lloyd, in his youth - Hayden Christensen) - a dreamy orphan from Tatooine. First, he becomes a Jedi, finds friends, mentors, a lover, and after the death of the latter, he finally switches to the Dark Side. Receives terrible injuries in a battle with his former mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi, after which he cannot live without a frightening suit with a respirator. So he turns into Darth Vader. Father of Luke and Leia.

Obi-Wan Kenobi(in the Prequel trilogy - Ewan McGregor, in the Original trilogy - Alex Guinness) - a Jedi, Anakin's mentor, who failed to save him from the Dark Side, but managed to cripple him. In the Original Trilogy, he lives as a hermit on Tatooine, keeping an eye on Luke from afar. Instructs Luke on the true path, dies at the hands of Darth Vader.

Princess Leia(Carrie Fisher) is the leader of the Rebel Alliance. Alderan considers his homeland - the planet that Darth Vader destroys with the help of the Death Star. In the course of the Original Trilogy, he finds his brother Luke, father Darth and lover in the person of the charming scoundrel Han Solo.

Han Solo(Harrison Ford) is a smuggler and captain of the Millennium Falcon, the fastest starship in the world. Luke and Obi-Wan hire him to fly off Tatooine, and at first he's only interested in money in the whole story. But gradually he is imbued with revolutionary ideas, and also falls in love with Leia and eventually becomes an Alliance fighter. His best friend and constant companion is a huge Chewbacca, most similar to the Yeti.

Yoda(in the original trilogy - a doll, in the prequel - a visual effect) - a green shorty, who builds his speech in an unusual way. The most powerful Jedi in the world. In the Prequel trilogy, he is the leader of the order. Being unable to prevent the death of the Republic, he goes into exile on a swampy planet. There he is found by Luke, who becomes his apprentice.

Palpatine(Ian McDiarmid) - Member of the Galactic Senate, representing the planet Naboo. The secret head of the Sith Order - adepts of the Dark Side of the Force, sworn enemies of the Jedi. With the help of complex intrigues, he becomes the Chancellor of the Republic, and then the Emperor. Anakin/Darth Vader's mentor on the dark side. In the finale, he dies at the hands of a student who will return to the Light Side.

Queen Amidala(Natalie Portman) - in the Prequel trilogy, the ruler of the planet Naboo, trusting Palpatine for too long. Lover of Anakin, mother of Luke and Leia. Dies, after which Anakin finally passes to the Dark Side.

Jar Jar Binks(visual effect) - a silly gungan, a representative of the indigenous race of the planet Naboo. The Gungans feud with the people living on Naboo, but Amidala manages to build a relationship with them. After that, Jar-Jar becomes a politician of galactic importance. But he doesn't stop being a jerk.

Jabba the Hutt(doll) - a giant slug, Tatooine's biggest crime boss. Han Solo owes him money, and the story of their confrontation is perhaps the best secondary line in the entire franchise. At the end of the episode "The Empire Strikes Back", Solo is frozen alive and sent to Jabba as a souvenir. Leia tries to rescue him, but she herself falls into slavery with Jabba. In the end, Luke saves everyone.

Boba Fett(in the Original trilogy - Jeremy Bullock, the child in the Prequel trilogy - Daniel Logan) is a taciturn bounty hunter. The character is purely auxiliary - he is on the order of Jabba to hunt down Solo. But the romantic image of the masked, restless space tramp has made him one of the most popular Star Wars characters.

Ray- another orphan (though not from Tatooine, but from Jakku) in the Star Wars universe, which is a surprise! - becomes the main character of the new trilogy. The seemingly unremarkable girl suddenly discovers the Force in herself, deftly controls the Millennium Falcon, and in the finale of the seventh episode, she even wields a lightsaber like a real Jedi. Among other things, the authors strongly hint at Rey's special connection with Luke Skywalker, whom she, quite aged, discovers on the planet Ahch-to, where he lives in exile.

Kylo Ren- the main villain of the new Star Wars trilogy. The son of Han Solo and Princess Leia, in character, went more like his grandfather, Darth Vader, and therefore puffs and frightens everyone with sudden outbursts of anger no worse than his famous relative. He is the commander of the "First Order" - an organization generated by the fallen Empire and hatching plans to capture all the planets.

V. Star Wars Quotes You Should Learn

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...

Luke, I am your father!

Come to the Dark Side!

Do or don't. Don't try.

Hi all!

I propose a geeky conversation on the topic of Star Wars (Star Wars). First, a small q&a, what am I talking about.

What's this?

A few fan theories about Star Wars (besides the obvious)... At a certain angle, you can get rid of some plot inconsistencies, losses, transition from episode to episode, ridiculous coincidences, etc.

Why should I read this?

If you don't like Star Wars, there's no need. Otherwise, you may see new storylines in a familiar story. Perhaps, like me, this will make it more interesting to watch the film, or maybe you already noticed all this, but you had no one to talk about it with.

What is this fanfiction?

No, I'm not making up a story, just interpreting and guessing. Such theories can be found on Reddit. I used some of them to fill in the gaps where I didn't think of it myself.

Spoilers?

Yes, there is no way without them, but only from the original and new trilogy, the Force Unleashed game and a little from the animated series The Clone Wars and Rebels. The seventh episode, as much as I would not like it, will not be included, not everyone has watched it yet.

Expanded universe?

Unfortunately, after the release of the seventh part, the expanded universe is no longer considered canon. Now it's just a set of legends, perhaps true, rather not. But, since some information has not yet been refuted by the new expanded universe, you can take this as at least some source of information.

A little boring

It seems to me that the attribution of Star Wars to science fiction is fundamentally wrong. We know nothing about the laws of physics in a "galaxy far, far away" and everything we have seen shows that they are very different from ours. That's why films like Star Wars Science are interesting from the point of view of popularizing science, but not refuting physics in the Star Wars universe. By and large, we cannot even be sure that the outer space of the Star Wars has a similar density to ours, and that sound does not propagate in it.

easter egg

Once, during an argument on this topic, it was pointed out to me that the SG refers, at a minimum, to our universe, since in the "hidden threat" we see the delegation of E.T., and in E.T. seeing Yoda, the alien yelled "home, home!" Bad argument, but a good Easter egg.

Among other things, the basis of everything in the world of Star Wars is the Force: an intelligent deity (or at least very close to that), pursuing the goal of maintaining balance in the Universe at any cost. There are many ridiculous coincidences in the plot of the film (especially in the new trilogy), thanks to which the plot moves. And, although, in the screenwriting art, the “piano in the bushes” is a base technique that speaks of the laziness of the screenwriters, in the case of Star Wars, the whole idea is based on this piano. It's either accepted or not. The Force can take heroes anywhere and keep them from dying, if that suits its purposes.

In fact, the theories themselves.

Theory: the empire made scapegoats out of droids

What do you remember from the new trilogy? Beautiful cities, political squabbles, Master Yoda with a lightsaber, a lot of holograms and ... droids, a lot of droids.

In A New Hope, and in the original trilogy in general, droids are also present, but there are significantly fewer of them. At the same time, these are mainly droids that were produced back in the Republic. Not to mention they look like scrap metal (not counting the imperial ones, of course)

The question is why a civilization that has solved the issue of artificial intelligence and where droids are central to life, suddenly stopped using them.

From the Rebels animated series and the Force Unleashed games, we can understand that the transformation of the republic into an empire did not go so smoothly. And yet, at the beginning of episode 4, we learn that Darth Sidious dissolved Parliament (it took him 19 years), this is the last reminder of the Republic.

Initially, Palpatine became Supreme Chancellor due to the threat of the Sith and a confederation of independent systems. Having come to power, he resolved these issues, on the one hand, taking control of the Trade Federation (the main sponsor of the separatists), on the other hand, declaring all rumors about the Sith as a conspiracy against the Republic, and the Jedi as traitors. But, despite the fact that the crisis was (formally) resolved, Palpatine's power increased over the next 19 years so much that he was able to dissolve the Senate without consequences. It can be assumed that he used the well-known technique of the "external enemy" to intimidate the galaxy and strengthen its positions. My version: he used droids. At that time, the rebels did not yet exist, and over the following years they offered sluggish resistance. Their positions strengthened closer to the events of A New Hope, when the droids remained in the galaxy only as a necessary measure.

Why not Jedi?

Most of them were destroyed by order 66; those who remained could be chosen as terrorists, but it can be assumed that the emperor went the other way. At the beginning of A New Hope, Admiral Motti brazenly states that the teachings of strength are an outdated religion. Han Solo also states to Obi Wan that, having circled the galaxy, he did not meet evidence of the existence of power, although by age he should have caught the events of the Clone Wars. Also Chewie helped Yoda escape from Kashik and could have told Han about it.

It seems to me that the empire denied the existence of the Jedi and the force, declaring them to be magicians and charlatans. Nineteen years is not long enough for people to forget the events they witnessed, but with massive propaganda (and also given the great rarity of the Jedi), it was possible to convince most that they did not see what they thought, and the Jedi are like sorcerers we have: smart, skillful magicians (who kidnap children and teach them how to play with a lightsaber).

offtopic about Khan who shot first

Not the most popular topic for holivar with us. All information can be found on the request "Han shot first", but here I will just briefly describe it. The Cantina on Tatooine has an iconic scene where Han kills Greedo for extortion. Initially, it was Khan who fired first, but many fans looked in the haze for signs that Khan was defending himself. Later, Lucas ordered Greedo's shot to be added to the scene, which caused outrage among those fans who liked the idea of ​​a cold-blooded Han Solo. After all, in the latest re-release, the scene was recut so that it looks like both are shooting at the same time.

Which of the versions is correct - the dispute does not subside (although Khan fired first).

Suppose Palpatine has chosen a new "outside threat" for government propaganda. For example, droids. It is quite understandable that people fell for it easily. Droids caused a lot of trouble during the Clone Wars. They ravaged planet after planet, often used for espionage and assassination. In A New Hope in the cantina, the owner refuses to service the droids. His reaction seems a bit exaggerated. How could non-drinking civilian droids interfere with the operation of a bar where assassins and smugglers gathered? Perhaps people were afraid of droids and considered them a threat in any form.

There was another reason for cultivating hatred for droids. The empire, like any militarized dictatorship, had to rapidly increase production in order to maintain stability. Widespread employment of the population and a focus on the military industry would help keep people under control. At the same time, the widespread use of droids in industry left no room for manual labor. On the one hand, the purchasing power of the population was falling, which threatened to collapse the economy, on the other hand, low employment and the benefits of “free labor of machines” would lead to the fact that most of the population would have too much free time. As a result, dissatisfaction with the regime would grow and there would be an opportunity to create organized resistance.

If you still don't feel sorry for droids

There is a scene in Return of the Jedi where a droid is being tortured in the Hutt's hideout.

It begs the question why would anyone program a droid for pain. Even so, why make him scream. Explanation: the widespread hatred of droids could make such an “upgrade” quite popular, because when torturing the enemy, you need to understand that it hurts.

Theory: Empire is not the best economic model

Not quite a theory, more like an observation.

In addition to the lack of droids, after the transition from Revenge of the Sith to A New Hope, the obvious technological backlog of the Empire is striking. Virtually nothing of what the clone army used survived in the empire. This technique may have been destroyed by the rebels in the last years before A New Hope, but then why is all the new production of the Empire so lagging behind.

On the one hand, the reason may be the exclusion of droids from production. Without working 24/7 slaves, simpler designs were needed to rapidly build up military power. It can also be assumed that the technology in the Republic was produced on the basis of a competitive market, while the Empire could not afford to loosen its grip. Most likely, all the main production was "nationalized", which could not but affect the quality of the products.

We know examples

I don't want to draw parallels, but we can compare this with the USSR of pre-NEP times, when the main ideology was "war communism". At the same time, many enterprises were nationalized, including the first energy company, previously owned by the Siemens brothers. I'm not making any judgment, just pointing out that the NEP was a necessity because of similar issues.

Obviously, in the galactic empire - the concept of private property is not in the price. In "The Empire Strikes Back", Lando Calrisian says that their colony does not fall under Imperial jurisdiction because it is too small. But still, they lived in constant fear until they made a deal with the Empire (the terms of which Vader easily violated).

In total, the entire private sector plows for the Empire, while the Empire itself is mainly engaged in the military industry. For example, the construction of the Death Star took about 20 years, which is quite good, given the scale of production and the level of secrecy. Moreover, it is hard to believe that the second death star was built in such a short time after the destruction of the first. It can be assumed that the construction proceeded in parallel.

For comparison, you can look at the Floating Nuclear Power Plant project, which took about 10 years to build.

About the fatal vulnerability of the Death Star

By the way, that same heat sink on the Death Star is not that Vulnerable. There have been many jokes about this topic, from robot chicken to the US government, but let's look at the facts:

1) The Death Star is perhaps one of the most energy-rich autonomous stations in the universe. It's scary to think how much heat it generated while running at full power. A heat sink was needed.

2) The shaft was as narrow as possible and guarded by heavy Turrets.

3) The rebels used the Red Squadron to attack. An elite fighter flight that was almost completely destroyed during the attack.

4) None of the pilots of the red squadron was able to complete the mission, even a direct hit, according to computer calculations, could not provide the necessary conditions for a chain reaction in the core.

5) The only one who was able to cope with the task was Luke, who part-time used the Force (read magic), was the best pilot in the galaxy and was assisted by his dead teacher in the form of a ghost.

In a sense, it is unlikely that risk planning during construction could take into account such a turn. After all, the rest of the Empire's vehicles are vulnerable to direct hits from a large fleet.

Theory: Darth Vader is not such a villain, more like a coward

Here you have to go far. In addition, this theory is based on another fan idea that Anakin died in revenge on the Sith.

So, in order. At the end of the third episode, we see Anakin and Obi Wan's mind-blowing fight, which lasts about 8 minutes of screen time.

This is one of the longest fights in the history of cinema. Location changes, the use of force, chokeholds, various Jedi techniques, senseless sword spinning (1:40) and miracles of choreography. To many, this fight seemed, to put it mildly, unrealistic. Especially considering that 20 years later, the fight between Darth Vader and Ben Kenobi looks like this:

Let's assume that the fight in the third episode has an explanation. Anakin and Obi-Wan fought side by side for many years. Surely sparring was a common thing for them, everyone knew what the other would do, and therefore their movements are so synchronized. But why, 20 years later, is Vader's revenge so sluggish?

I stand above you

At the end of the fight, Obi-Wan is on a raised platform and Anakin is on a platform in a lava river. "It's over, Anakin, I'm above you," Obi-Wan says, adding that it's not even worth trying.

Considering that Obi-Wan himself defeated Darth Maul from below, this is at least a strange statement. It can be assumed that Anakin was well aware of exactly how his teacher won in that battle. Perhaps Obi-Wan is telling him that he himself is an expert in such a technique and Anakin will not be able to catch him by surprise, to which Anakin replies: "You underestimate my strength." As it turned out, this is not so.

According to one fan theory, Anakin died at the end of the third episode and was resurrected by the Emperor. One version of this theory suggests that in order to resurrect, the Emperor drained the life force from Padmé. In support of this, they show the final scene of Return of the Jedi after the re-release, where instead of Darth Vader we see a young Anakin, although Obi-Wan looks exactly the same as before his death:

Among other things, this fits into the general reference to Christianity: "Anakin was conceived immaculately, traveled the world, he had students, he was betrayed by a friend and resurrected after death).

My version is that the Emperor not only resurrected Darth Vader, but also kept him alive. That is why Vader did not dare to oppose the Emperor, but did everything so that someone would do it for him.

In Force Unleashed, we saw how Vader, with the help of a secret apprentice, started a rebellion against Palpatine from scratch. At the same time, Vader did not take the opportunity to betray the emperor, but he did not kill Glen Marek either. If we assume that all this was in the plans of Darth Vader, then all the resistance appeared only thanks to him.

Later in A New Hope, we see a fight between Obi-Wan and Darth Vader. Obi-Wan has aged, he hasn't practiced swordsmanship for decades, but Darth Vader has had more practice, and yet, it's clear from their fight that Vader doesn't really want to kill his former master. Perhaps he was playing for time on purpose, or perhaps he was trying to capture Obi-Wan alive.

If you watch their fight carefully, you can see that they cross swords at the beginning as if for the sake of formality. Towards the end, it's more like a fight, but only with Obi-Wan's encouragement, Vader is more likely to defend himself. Notably, he later shows himself to be a more active swordsman.

And more about the fight

I don't have any confirmation, but I always view this fight in this way: Obi taught Darth Vader the basics of lightsaber wielding. Perhaps the fighting style (essentially Kendo, of course) is the basic style for all students. Obi-Wan, by imposing this particular fighting style on Vader, seems to be trying to arouse the necessary feelings in him. Vader plays along with a former teacher. This way he doesn't fall under Sidious' suspicions, while at the same time having a silent conversation with Obi-Wan.

As Luke runs up to the fight, Obi-Wan looks at him and then, smiling, at Vader. Vader understands that Luke is his chance, he also understands what Obi-Wan's plan is and, when the latter is preparing to connect with the force, Vader kills him, although at that moment there was no need (he also removed the sword).

In general, during the course of the film, Vader is not so eager to kill. For example, here is a selection of all his kills, for the most part - pilots of the red squadron:

about the capsule without signs of life

At the beginning of A New Hope, the Imperials do not destroy the escape pod, effectively setting the story in motion. This fits perfectly into the story of the oppression of droids. By that time, most of the "sentient" droids had been destroyed, so the imperials, confident in their superiority, could not imagine that some droids could cause them trouble.

In The Empire Strikes Back, just as Han Solo is about to be frozen, Chewbacca breaks out and starts to scatter the stormtroopers. Boba Fett aims at Chewbacca, but Vader stops him from firing. A rather strange act, it’s clear why he needs Leia, but leaving Chewbacca alive didn’t make any sense.

In fact, Vader is leading Luke to the Emperor by any means, preparing him for this meeting along the way. At the end of Return of the Jedi, Vader hesitates, not because the light side and the dark side fight within him, but because he knows that with the death of the Emperor, he himself will die. Perhaps that is why he did not let Luke kill Sidious by stopping his lightsaber, and Sidious, already doubting Vader, was calm and knew that Vader would protect him. We also saw in Force Unleashed that Vader's armor can take more than just a force lightning strike, but still, after the death of the Emperor, he says that he can no longer be saved.

Another drawn confirmation of Vader's "lordship". In "New Hope" - stormtroopers "smear". They are so obviously off target that the phrase stormtroopers aim has become a household word. Perhaps they were instructed to "not kill", because earlier Obi-Wan, examining the corpses of Jawas, says that stormtroopers are excellent shooters. Also, later on the Hoth, they easily overwhelm the resistance defenses.

Although probably not

In fact, it doesn't seem to me that the stormtroopers missed on purpose. I think there is another explanation. Blasters may not be the best weapon in terms of accuracy, but their use is due to versatility. The armies in the Star Wars universe operate on different planets, with different gravity and atmospheres. The use of bullets could often be impossible. If you add to this that the Empire was not as good at production as the Republic, you can understand why stormtroopers shoot much worse than clones. However, under certain conditions, when they are dealing with familiar conditions (Tatooine, Hoth), they can shoot much better. After all, the Death Star was only recently introduced into the OPE, and the stormtroopers haven't gotten around to it yet.

If I liked the record, I can continue to do such “kind of film analysis”. If not... Well, then no. In any case, thanks for reading to the end.

It will soon be three years since the Star Wars Expanded Universe was declared "Legends" and replaced by a new unified canon. After these years, the author of The World of Fiction and a longtime Star Wars fan bitterly states that he does not like the new canon, to put it mildly.

He sent the expanded universe to the landfill

The same book

Maybe I'm the wrong Star Wars fan, but I (and I'm not the only one) fell in love with a galaxy far, far away not because of the movies, but because of the books. On a cold and gloomy day in April 2001, I bought a nice black volume in a bookstore with the promising title Han Solo at Stars' End. I had no idea who Han Solo was or what Stars End was, but the title promised adventure and space adventure, and I bought it. I bought one book, then three more, and another, and another ...

Then there were already cassettes with films that in the pre-Internet era had to be searched all over Moscow for about a year, the premiere of "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith" in cinemas, the game Star Wars Episode I on the PlayStation, the first purchased issue of "World of Fiction" with Darth Vader on the cover… But it all started with books.

I have never separated the Expanded Universe from the movies. For me, they were two parts of a single whole. Books, comics, and games kept my love of Star Wars alive for years after Revenge of the Sith, when the Star Wars movie story seemed to be over. Therefore, when, first in the Clone Wars series, and then in the new canon, the creators of my beloved universe began to frankly ignore that part of it, thanks to which I fell in love with Star Wars, I felt offended.

Once upon a time, the Expanded Universe was as canon to fans as the movies. And now half of the people in this picture, as it were, do not exist.

Intellectually, I understand that the "legendarization" of the Expanded Universe was inevitable. Hundreds of books and comics, thousands of developed plots significantly limited the creative potential of the creators of the new canon. In addition, no one formally forbids returning elements of the Expanded Universe to canon, as they did, for example, with Grand Admiral Thrawn ... Still, I'm not satisfied.

At one time, the Expanded Universe saved Star Wars by awakening people's interest in the saga again. She deserved more respect. And fans who have been buying Expanded Universe stories for thirty years deserve to know how the adventures of the heroes they love will end, what will happen next with Jaina Solo, Ben Skywalker and Allana Solo, what will be the last adventure of Han, Luke and Leia - and much, much more.

He ineptly uses the old canon

The old Expanded Universe is still not only a supplier of ideas and characters for the new canon, but also a "cash cow" for the owners. Books and comics of the old canon continue to be republished under the "Legends" die, some of their ideas are reflected in new books, comics and even films. Well, Grand Admiral Thrawn has become the biggest fan service in the history of the saga.

When Dave Filoni announced Thrawn's appearance in the third season of the Rebels animated series at the Star Wars Celebration in London, the audience erupted in applause. When fans mourned the loss of the Expanded Universe, the name of the blue-skinned admiral came up most often in conversation. By bringing him back into canon, Filoni in one fell swoop gained new credibility from the fans and got rid of the main source of their discontent.

That's just ... Thrawn is not the same!

Thrawn from the animated series is similar to Thrawn from the books only in that he is blue

Formally, in "Rebels" we see exactly the same character that Timothy Zahn described. Blue skin, red eyes, white uniform, title, love of art, is considered an unsurpassed tactical genius ... But in fact, for half of the third season, Thrawn did not show his genius. For a dozen episodes, he has been trying to cope with the elusive Ghost team, but there is no result. The "Rebels" writers simply cannot show Thrawn in all its glory - otherwise the series would have to end already in the first episode of the third season due to the death of the main characters. However, it would be a small loss.

He's just boring!

With the cancellation of the Expanded Universe, a galaxy far, far away lost thousands of years of history, hundreds of planets, races, heroes and events at once. Instead... nothing came. The old canon was also not built in a day, but it expanded the world, there were dozens of stories in it that had nothing to do with films or were only indirectly connected. These stories complemented the galaxy, made it alive and diverse, and most importantly - they were interesting!

Books and comics of the new canon, as a rule, do not expand the universe, but only serve as additions to the main product - films and series. In the Expanded Universe, there were adventure novels from the X-Wing series about brave fighter pilots, a detective thriller "Shadow Games", a noir trilogy "Nights of Coruscant", its own version of "Heart of Darkness" and "Apocalypse Now" - "Vulnerable Point", zombie- Horror Stormtroopers of Death...

These books started the Expanded Universe

The new canon cannot boast of anything like that. Here, all books are either prequels to something, or novelizations, or adaptations, and independent stories are mostly found only in comics. And then most of the comics are devoted to the gap between the fourth and fifth episodes - an era that has been referred to in the Expanded Universe once ... five hundred.

Timothy Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy laid the groundwork for the entire post-Endor period of the Expanded Universe, spoke about the state of affairs in the galaxy, introduced iconic characters, and introduced readers to one of Star Wars' greatest villains. Chuck Wendig's Aftermath, which was supposed to introduce fans to the post-Endor period in the new canon, falls short of Zahn's books on every count. There is no galactic scope, no interesting and well-developed characters, no logical explanation for why the Alliance won. Aftermath is boring and uninteresting, while Heir to an Empire is still considered one of the best Star Wars books.

He divided the fans

This icon now means "What you read may be cool, but it doesn't matter to the universe"

Some fans reacted calmly to the "legendarization" of the Expanded Universe, but the rest ... Some took the change in its status as a reason to declare jihad on the new canon. They are boycotting new productions, writing petitions online, and flooding the offices of Lucasfilm and Disney with demands to return RV to canon. The latter, on the contrary, extremely meticulously study every book and comic book in the store: what if this is not a new canon, but “Legends” and they accidentally buy “printed fan fiction”? For both of these categories, the canonicity of history has suddenly become more important than its quality, and they cannot agree among themselves.

He contradicts himself

The decision to "legendarize" the Lucasfilm Expanded Universe was explained by the desire to avoid contradictions between various works in the future. To keep track of contradictions, a special unit was created - the Story Group. But she didn't succeed.

Already in the first works of the new canon, Luke twice "for the first time" uses telekinesis - in the novel by Kevin Hearn "The Heir of the Jedi" and the comic book by Jason Aaron "Star Wars". In the same series of comics, Luke finds Obi-Wan Kenobi's diaries, where he describes Yoda's appearance in detail - how did Luke in the fifth episode not recognize the future teacher? In Claudia Gray's novel The Lost Stars, the first target of the Death Star is Alderaan. But by that time, Rogue One was already in development, and the story team should have known that the battle station would have other targets - Jed and Scarif. The novelization of Revenge of the Sith mentions that Depa Billaba turned to the dark side during the events of the novel "Vulnerable Point", and according to the Star Wars: Kanan comic book, Depa remained on the side of the light until the end of the war and died after Order 66.

He perverted the main characters of the saga

Han and Leia deserve the "Worst Parents in the Galaxy" award. And the prize must be in the shape of Kylo Ren

In the Expanded Universe, the characters in the original trilogy aren't perfect either. Leia and Han lost two of their three children, with the eldest son turning to the dark side and seizing power over part of the galaxy. And Luke repeatedly failed as a teacher - almost half of his students went over to the dark side. But in RV, the heroes continued to fight for their ideals and held on to each other. Yes, Khan had a period when he was very upset by the death of Chewbacca and left the family for six months. But in the end, he returned to Leah, and then this couple did not part.

What do we see in The Force Awakens? As soon as the smell of fried, Luke and Khan, like the last cowards, dumped to hell, leaving Leia alone to deal with the consequences. Real gentlemen.

It has Kylo Ren

The writers of The Force Awakens, in fact, molded Kylo Ren from three characters in the Expanded Universe. Fallen Jedi Jacen Solo named after Ben Skywalker and dressed as Darth Revan

I understand why the creators needed the image of Kylo Ren. If Dooku, Vader and Grievous were already formed villains, then Ren is still relatively young, he is confused in life, he wants to dissociate himself from the past, to prove to everyone, and first of all to himself, that he is a worthy grandson of his grandfather.

That's just such behavior is justified when the character is seventeen. Kylo Ren, for a second, thirty. At this age, men, as a rule, have already decided on life goals and are working to achieve them. And this one whines and whines like an emo teenager. Are we offered to sympathize with the snotty, eared slobber we see for the first time in our lives and who just before our eyes stabbed the best character in the history of Star Wars?

In part, this story is borrowed from the Expanded Universe, where we were shown the fall into darkness of Jacen Solo. Except we've known Jacen since birth. We literally followed his adventures from the cradle, saw how he grew up, matured, lost friends, gained experience and became a real hero. That is why his fall into darkness was an extremely painful blow. Fans have really become attached to this character. And Kylo Ren ... Kylo Ren, in principle, is not capable of evoking positive emotions.

We must pay tribute to Adam Driver: he treats his character with irony

* * *

If the "legendarization" of the Expanded Universe had been arranged differently, if not all elements of the old canon had been written off "in reserve", but only those that contradicted the new films, the new canon could be forgiven. If its creators offered more interesting, original and just good stories, there would be much less complaints about it. However, in this form, as it is now, it spoils my beloved universe.

The best of the new canon

Admittedly, even in the current Star Wars canon, there are some really worthwhile things that have preserved the spirit of a distant galaxy.

"Rogue One"

This is how a real Star Wars should be. Gareth Edwards perfectly conveyed the atmosphere of the original trilogy and masterfully wove his own story into the narrative. It was really a pity to lose the heroes of Rogue One. This is the first time we've seen a distant galaxy so dark, the war so brutal, and the rebels so ambiguous. And this is good.

Surprisingly, but written for a teenage audience, the novel turned out to be the most serious and adult in the entire new canon. There is a really interesting story here of two heroes whose principles have repeatedly prevented them from living and loving. There are real emotions here: love, resentment, hatred and the desire to serve the motherland. There is a real conflict here, here the heroes have something to lose, and they are forced to make ambiguous decisions. And Gray very accurately conveys the atmosphere of a distant galaxy and extremely successfully fits his novel into the plot of the original trilogy.

Kieron Gillen, Salvador Larocca "Star Wars: Darth Vader"

The gap between the fourth and fifth episodes was covered in great detail in the Expanded Universe. However, Marvel decided that, since the old RV is no longer canon, you can plunge into this period with renewed vigor. Of all the Marvel lines, it was Darth Vader that turned out to be the most interesting and intriguing addition to the canon. We're used to seeing Vader powerful, but in this comic, he's forced to reclaim his position after the destruction of the Death Star. And in this he is helped by several extremely colorful characters - the black archaeologist Dr. Aphra and a pair of battle droids, a kind of dark version of C-3PO and R2-D2.

Rogue One's backstory is written in the best tradition of James Luceno: it is a hard-hitting political thriller that tells about the youth of Galen Erso and Orson Krennic. There are many interesting details and details here, and most importantly, Luceno in between times returns entire layers of the Expanded Universe to the new canon.

In the name of Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker and the Millennium Falcon

Photo: frame from the film

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In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was "bankruptcy."

At the end of the seventh decade of the last century, the film company 20th Century Fox literally breathed its last.

But then came the savior - 33-year-old director and screenwriter George Lucas. And he showed the world a "new hope". And he announced to people what happened "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away ...". And he turned the film into crisp banknotes. And with three Star Wars, he fed hundreds of millions of sufferers.

What happened next is well known. Lucas did not stop at the canonical trinity, and from 1999 to 2005 he produced three more episodes of "wars", and before that - an animated series and a television film about the mi-mi-race of ewoks from the planet Endora. Then he launched an animated spin-off called The Clone Wars. There were also computer games, comics, books and other "star" surroundings.

In 2015, The Force Awakens was released - the seventh part of the epic saga, and a year ago the spin-off Rogue One. True, the film company is no longer the same (big-eared Disney was replaced by 20th Century Fox saved by George), and the authors are different (for the older “dad” of the LOST series, Jeffrey Jacob Abrams). However, the main architect of the Star Wars universe, the keeper of knowledge and a key consultant for the sequel, he is still Master Lucas.

In general, whatever one may say, today even those who have never seen the saga will nod understandingly at the first sounds of the "Imperial March". And Darth Vader and Master Yoda have become part of pop culture, like their Mickey Mouse or our Cheburashka.

Star Wars - Imperial March. Star Wars Imperial March Star Wars - Imperial march

What is there to say! We dare to say that Star Wars is not just a beautiful story, rich in visual effects, it is a real cult full of mystical and religious symbols. And we do not embellish reality. Just stating.

Proof first. From the world according to the myth, Lucas - "hope"

Let's get back to the basics. When George started his endless story, he did not begin to trust only the right brain, which, as they say, is responsible for our fantasy. He prepared. For six months he sat in his office with volumes in his hands.

To write the script for the debut episode of Star Wars, Lucas sifted through at least fifty books. He mainly leaned on the theory of mythology and spiritual literature.

I took it upon myself to look at all the religions - major world and various ancient cults - and find out what they have in common, George admitted in the USA Today newspaper.

In other words, Lucas originally planned to saturate the saga with religious meanings. And he certainly succeeded: "Star Wars" is simply crammed with allusions to the Bible, the Taoist treatise "Tao-Te Ching", the code of the samurai "Bushido" and, last but not least, to the "Hero with a Thousand Faces" by Joseph Campbell ( if you haven’t read it, we strongly recommend it: this is a unique guide for those who want to understand the fundamental principle of any plot).

These films are created on a solid mythological foundation, the director convinces us. - The archetypes present in them have existed for many thousands of years, and for the most part date back to the pre-Christian era. I realized that it would be better to bring my idea to life in such a way that the viewer of the film would not have associations with any specific religions ...

Someone George, of course, convinced. Proof of this is the officially recognized religious movement "Jediism" in some countries. But one does not have to be a devout believer to see obvious allusions to biblical motives in the saga. However, first things first.

The second proof. What is the strength in, brother?

You can treat Star Wars as you like, for example, consider that the only task of a fantastic saga is to entertain and kill time for viewers. But facts are stubborn things. The story invented by George Lucas has filled a void in the spiritual lives of millions of fans.

Just one example. According to the results of the latest census in the UK, the authorities found out that 390 thousand adherents of "Jediism" live and live in the Kingdom. And this, for a moment, is 0.7 percent of the total population of the country. There are even fewer Jews and Buddhists.

The Jedi worship a certain Force that does not even think of being measured in Newtons. What is it? Let's go to the original source:

The Force is what gives the Jedi his power, Obi-Wan Kenobi broadcasts to the newly converted Luke Skywalker. – This is an energy field created by all living beings. It surrounds us and penetrates us. This is the energy that holds the entire galaxy together.

It is not surprising that in the special register of the British Ministry of Justice, under the code 8968, the officially registered new religious movement Jedi Knight - "Jedi Knight" is now listed.

By the way, there are fewer Jedi in Australia - "only" 70 thousand. Perhaps that is why they are considered there as citizens who find it difficult to answer about their religion.

There are Jedi in Russia, according to some sources, about 5 thousand people. They are modest guys - they master esoteric techniques, fight with "lightsabers" and quietly and peacefully get along next to the elves, fans of the monster Cthulhu sleeping at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean and Pastafarians worshiping the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

Proof three. mask i know you

We ask forgiveness from all believers if further analogies seem doubtful to you. But, as they say - what is, what is: we only accurately broadcast discussions on fan sites and in public social networks.

Allusions to the content of the Bible in Star Wars are numerous. Even the key wish of the Jedi "May the Force be with you" closely echoes the Gospel of John (14:16-17k) - "May the Spirit be with you always."

Almost all the heroes of the saga are compared by fans with one or another significant figure in the main book of all times and peoples. And not without reason. Obi-Wan, the mentor of the future Dark Lord, appears as John the Baptist. Either Luke Skywalker or his father Anakin is credited with the features of the Savior. Emperor Palpatine, aka Darth Sidious is, of course, the devil. Even a couple of robots R2-D2 and C-3PO are drawn as prophets.

There are more than enough facts that directly hint that Lucas's ingenious plan to place anchors in Star Wars both for experts in world religions and for those who consider themselves a theologian, was more than enough. But we will not list everything. We will try to focus your attention on the brightest ones.

Now some specifics. Why is Obi-Wan John? First, a consonant name. Secondly, in A New Hope, we first hear his voice against the desert landscape of Tatooine. Here is a clear allusion to the Baptist: “It was about him that the prophet Isaiah spoke: “A voice is heard in the wilderness” (Gospel of Matthew 3:3c). Thirdly, fans saw in the moment where Obi-Wan brings the unconscious Luke back to life, an analogy with the rite of baptism. Fourth, Kenobi's lightsaber swings draw a clear cross - first from top to bottom, then from left to right. Well, among other things, the scenes with Skywalker Jr.'s mentor were filmed in the same places (Tunisia) and in the same 1976 as the episodes with John for the Jesus of Nazareth mini-series.

When Darth Vader is compared to the Savior, first of all they hint at the fact of birth, they say, according to his mother, he did not have a father. However, this is not an argument, and the further development of the plot says that the role of the Messiah is rather worthy of Skywalker Jr. - Luke. If you translate his name from Latin, you get Light. They immediately remember: “I am the light, and I came into the world.” (Gospel of John. 9:5), "I am the light of the world" (Gospel of Matthew. 4:16;17:1) and other similar allusions. And in the scene where young Skywalker hangs from a cruciform antenna in Cloud City, many fans of the saga saw a symbolic image of the crucifixion of Christ.

Han Solo and his shaggy partner Chewbacca got the images of the apostles. The smuggler, brilliantly performed by Ford, at first led, to put it mildly, not the most righteous way of life, but having learned the doctrine of the Force, he followed Luke, like a repentant sinner following the Savior. There is also a moment of betrayal in his story, which recalls the cowardice of the Apostle Andrew.

There is a Judas in Star Wars. True, unlike the biblical anti-hero, Lando Calrissian did not commit suicide, but changed his mind and joined the rebels. But the scene where the Cloud City administrator hugs Khan and smiles at him is painfully reminiscent of a biblical betrayal.

Some fans have gone even further and compare both owners of the "heavenly" surname - Anakin and Luke with the Father and the Son. And for some reason, Han Solo's ship, the Millennium Falcon, was recorded in the Holy Spirit. It turns out that if you transform the image of the vehicle, you get not a bird of prey at all, but quite a peaceful dove. In the image of which ... correctly, they often depict the third hypostasis of God.

In general, if you are going to re-watch Star Wars, pay attention to small details that unambiguously speak of a connection with religion.

Fourth proof. Yoda and the Void

Given that all spiritual literature is closely related to each other, has common roots and meanings, it is not surprising that representatives of different confessions and religions find references to their faith in the saga. And even theologians do not dispute this.

So, MD John M. Porter from Arizona, who builds life according to the canons of the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, even wrote the book "The Tao of Star Wars."

For the sake of truth, we note that Taoism is a universal teaching, and its roots are visible in many works of literature. Even in "Winnie the Pooh and all-all-all." Nevertheless, Porter quite reasonably finds in the dialogues of the characters a connection with the fundamental principles of the teachings of Lao Tzu.

For example, the Jedi Force is nothing more than a concept defined in Japanese by the word "Ki" and in Chinese by "Chi". And the confrontation of the multi-colored sides - Light and Dark - is nothing more than the fundamental opposite of Taoism - Yin and Yang.

Remember Qui-Gon's fight with Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace? So, in this confrontation, a summary of the concept of Tao is literally stated. Here and Acceptance, and Emptiness, and Humility, and all other dogmas.

According to the doctor, Star Wars could well call "Luke lacks patience." It is obvious that Skywalker Jr. did not read chapter 67 of the Tao Te Ching, devoted to this principle. Even Master Yoda is blunt about it: “I can't teach him. This boy has no patience."

Proof fifth. R2-D2 in Indiana Jones

Of course, no cult can live long and "gather souls" without regular references to it in other sources. Star Wars is no exception. Our favorite space opera is constantly parodied in The Simpsons, Family Guy and Futurama. Doctor Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory occasionally appears as Lord Vader. There are also mentions of the main characters of the saga in the series How I Met Your Mother, Clinic, Supernatural and many others.

What is there to say. Suffice it to recall Jay and Silent Bob from the comedies of Kevin Smith - perhaps the main movie fans of Star Wars.

Often, directors insert "Easter eggs" into their films with a hint of their favorite epic. For example, in Star Trek, during the explosion of a spaceship, the R2-D2 robot flickers among the debris. And in the film "Raiders of the Lost Ark", where Lucas was a producer and screenwriter, on the camps of the ancient temple "Well of Souls" you can see the image of the same R2-D2 and his mechanical comrade C-3PO.

Those who have eyes, let them see.

SPECIFICALLY

Just in case, we will remind you of the order and release dates of the episodes of the saga.

ALREADY OUT

original trilogy

1977 Star Wars. Episode IV: A New Hope / Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

1980 Star Wars. Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back / Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

1983 Star Wars. Episode VI: Return of the Jedi / Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi

Prequel trilogy

1999 Star Wars. Episode I: The Phantom Menace / Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

2002 Star Wars. Episode II: Attack of the Clones / Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones

2005 Star Wars. Episode III: Revenge of the Sith / Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

Sequel Trilogy

2015 Star Wars: The Force Awakens / Star Wars: The Force Awakens

MOREOVER

In December 2016, the first feature-length spin-off of the movie saga Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was released.

WE WAIT

2017 Star Wars. Episode VIII / Star Wars. Episode VIII

2019-2020 Star Wars. Episode IX / Star Wars. Episode IX

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailer (Official). Watch the official trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, coming to theaters December 18, 2015. Visit Star Wars at http://www.starwars.com Subscribe to Star Wars on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/ starwars Like Star Wars on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/starwars Follow Star Wars on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/starwars Follow Star Wars on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com /starwars Follow Star Wars on Tumblr at http://starwars.tumblr.com/

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Official Teaser #2. Get your first look at the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens teaser #2! Lucasfilm and visionary director J.J. Abrams join forces to take you back again to a galaxy far, far away as Star Wars returns to the big screen with Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Episode VII in the Star Wars Saga, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, opens in theaters December 18, 2015. Official Site: http://www.starwars.com/theforceawakens Subscribe to Star Wars on YouTube for more videos: http:/ /www.youtube.com/starwars Like Star Wars on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarWars Follow @StarWars on Twitter: https://twitter.com/starwars Follow @StarWars on Instagram: http:// instagram.com/starwars Follow Star Wars on Tumblr: http://starwars.tumblr.com/ Star Wars: The Force Awakens, directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan & Abrams, features a cast including actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong o, Gwendoline Christie, Crystal Clarke, Pip Andersen, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow. They will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker. The film is being produced by Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk, and John Williams returns as the composer.