By Christopher Gates on Dec 20, 2017 11:11 am
Paying tribute
The Last Jedi might push Star Wars in a bold new direction, but it doesn't ignore the series' past. While fans will be uncovering the Easter eggs, throwbacks, and homages in the latest Star Wars adventure for years to come, here are the coolest things that we've found so far. Warning: spoilers ahead!
1. Hardware Wars
Remember that shot of a spaceship that turns out to be an iron in the First Order's laundry room? That's not just a silly joke. It's a tribute to Ernie Fosselius' 1978 short film Hardware Wars, one of the earliest Star Wars parodies. Hardware Wars opens with a space duel between a toaster and an iron, before going on to tell a brief story about heroes Fluke Starbucker, Ham Salad, and Princess Ann-Droid.
2. Luke's Compass
Luke didn't bring much with him to Ahch-To, but among the knick-knacks scattered on his shelf is a compass that might look familiar to video game fans. Luke stole that device from an Imperial stronghold in Star Wars Battlefront II, and it's implied that the compass helped him locate the original Jedi temple.
3. Carrie Fisher's Dog
Before her passing, Carrie Fisher didn't go anywhere without her French bulldog, Gary. In tribute to Fisher, director Rian Johnson gave Gary a cameo in The Last Jedi, where he's been reimagined as a companion for one of Canto Bight's well-off aliens. See that pointy-eared creature over on the left? That's him (and don't worry: according to first-hand accounts, Gary loved the movie).
4. Poe's Necklace
It's hard to see, but in The Last Jedi Poe Dameron wears a chain around his neck that holds his mother's wedding ring. Poe's parents, Shara Bey and Kes Dameron, appeared in Greg Rucka and Marco Checchetto's Shattered Empire comic series. They were part of the team that beat the Empire at Endor, and helped Han Solo, Leia, and Luke found the New Republic.
5. Other Accessories
Poe isn't the only Last Jedi character rocking some stylish space jewelry. According to The Last Jedi: The Visual Dictionary, Luke wears a fragment of a Sith lightsaber crystal around his neck, while Supreme Leader Snoke's ring is decked out with obsidian taken from Darth Vader's castle on Mustafar.
6. Colored Milk
While in exile, Luke survives on a diet of fish and green milk, which he gets fresh-squeezed from Ahch-To's grotesque thala-sirens. The drink is a callback to the blue milk served at the Skywalker moisture farm on Tatooine, although that beverage was harvested from yak-like banthas and not busty sea mammals.
7. Justin Theroux
Mulholland Drive and The Leftovers star Justin Theroux appears in The Last Jedi as the stylish Master Codebreaker, but don't panic if you didn't recognize him. He's only on screen for a couple of seconds, and he's practically unrecognizable under that thin, suave moustache.
8. Mouse Droid
While infiltrating Snoke's flagship, the Supremacy, BB-8 goes undercover by hiding under a box. As he rolls through the Supremacy's hallways, he makes the same chirps and warbles as one of the Empire's famous MSE-6, or "mouse," droids, even though he's about four times bigger.
9. Gold Dice
The gold dice that Luke finds in the Millennium Falcon (and later hands to Leia) are more than just kitschy decorations. According to The Force Awakens: The Visual Dictionary, those are the dice that Han used to win the Falcon from Lando in a game of Corellian Spike, a variant of the popular card game sabaac. The dice also appeared in A New Hope and The Force Awakens, and should feature prominently in Solo, too.
10. Twin Suns
As Luke succumbs to fatigue after his battle with Kylo Ren and right before he ascends into the Force, he looks out to sea, where two suns hang in the sky, recalling Luke's introduction way back in the first Star Wars film.
11. Gareth Edwards
The Rogue One director returns to the Star Wars universe in The Last Jedi, playing one of the last remaining Resistance fighters during the battle on Crait. You can see him in the trenches standing next to Resistance Trench Sergeant "Salty" (i.e. the "It's salt" guy).
12. Leia's Message
It's hardly an Easter egg, but it's still a reference. When R2-D2 convinces Luke to help train Rey (and maybe save the Resistance in the process), he replays Leia's iconic cry for help from Episode IV. That's the same recording that got Luke involved in these Star Wars all the way back in 1977. His life has never been the same.
13. Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Joseph Gordon-Levitt has appeared in all of director Rian Johnson's films, and The Last Jedi is no exception. In the latest Star Wars outing, Gordon-Levitt voices Slowen Lo, one of the guests at Canto Bight. His character's name is an Easter egg, too: it's a reference to the Beastie Boys song "Slow and Low," following in the tradition of The Force Awakens' Ello Asty ("Hello Nasty") and Ilco Munica ("Ill Communication").
14. Lifting Rocks
While training Rey in the ways of the Jedi, Luke sarcastically mentions that the Force is about more than lifting rocks. Clearly, Luke still harbors some resentment towards Master Yoda, who made Luke stack rocks with the Force while they trained on Dagobah. Of course, Rey ends up lifting a pile of stones during The Last Jedi's final moments, making boulder-levitation an unofficial Jedi rite of passage--whether Luke likes it or not.
15. Luke's X-Wing
Not only is Luke's X-Wing submerged under the water at Ahch-To, recalling how his ship sunk in Yoda's swamp during The Empire Strikes Back, but the metallic door that guards Luke's hut on his island getaway is made out of one of the starfighter's wings--or at least it was, until Chewbacca decided to knock it in.
16. The Throne Room
The stand-off between Rey, Kylo Ren, and Supreme Leader Snoke has The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi's fingerprints all over it. The scene in which Snoke uses the Force to taunt Rey right before his apprentice strikes him down is very similar to the climactic showdown in Episode VI, while Kylo's attempts to recruit Rey during the aftermath echo Vader's pleas to Luke at the end of Episode V.
17. Don't Join
Benicio del Toro's shifty hacker isn't named during The Last Jedi, but the end credits and promotional materials refer to him as DJ. That's short for the character's mantra, "Don't join." In case that's not clear enough, DJ also has "don't join" engraved on a metal plate attached to his cap, although you might have trouble reading the inscription: the slogan is written in Aurebesh, Star Wars' fictional alphabet.
18. Rebel Scum
Finn's proud declaration of allegiance after beating Captain Phasma is a throwback to Return of the Jedi, when Han Solo takes offense at being called "Rebel scum" by an Imperial officer. Since then, the epithet has become a Star Wars catchphrase, showing up in spin-off media like Dark Forces and Battlefront II.
19. Double Duty
In The Last Jedi, Mark Hamill didn't just steal the show as Luke Skywalker. The veteran voice actor also donned a motion capture suit to play Dobbu Scay, who Lucasfilm's Pablo Hidalgo confirmed is the gremlin-like creature who mistakes BB-8 for a slot machine.
20. Never Tell Me The Odds
When the few remaining Resistance fighters decide to delve into Crait's cave system in order to escape the First Order's army, C-3PO tells them the exact odds of the plan working--and they're not good. That's one of C-3PO's most annoying habits throughout the Star Wars saga, and in the Last Jedi, Poe Dameron appreciates it about as much as Han Solo did when the droid made a similar observation in The Empire Strikes Back (which is to say, not at all).
21. Kylo Ren's Helmet
In The Last Jedi, Kylo Ren rejects his grandfather's legacy and decides to follow his own path. To mark the occasion, he smashes his helmet to pieces. The end result recalls Darth Vader's mangled headpiece in The Force Awakens, where it's one of Kylo Ren's most prized possessions.
22. A Threat Decades In The Making
It's impossible to track ships through hyperspace in the Star Wars universe--until now. While the hyperspace tracking tech that drives The Last Jedi's plot is brand new technology, the bad guys have been working on it for a while. While searching for the Death Star plans in Rogue One, Jyn Erso finds something called "Hyperspace Tracking" in the Empire's files, meaning that the project's been in development for at least 34 years.
By Mat Elfring on Dec 20, 2017 06:30 am
Since 1977, the Star Wars movies have given people across the world iconic characters, stories, and a world to fall in love with. However, not everything to come out of that franchise is gold. There are quite a few questionable, and frankly dumb, moments from the series, including the prequels, the special editions, and the dreaded Star Wars Holiday Special. Sifting through everything Star Wars, we pieced together 18 things from all the movies, TV series, and books that we can't help but cringe at from decades of content that have to be discussed. Here are the worst moments from Star Wars. Note: If you haven't seen The Last Jedi, don't worry. There's no mention of anything from the new movie. If you're looking for more on Star Wars, check our review of TLJ or some of the Easter eggs you may have missed from the newest movie.
Jar Jar Binks
Introduced in 1999's The Phantom Menace, Jar Jar Binks was the supposed comedic relief of the prequels. He was silly, bumbling, and annoying. Binks, whose amphibious species lived in the waters of Naboo, eventually rose to serve as a representative of Naboo on the Galactic Senate. Luckily, for viewers, the baby-talking Gungan's screentime was drastically reduced for Episodes II and III, but there are interesting theories on the internet that Binks was actually a Sith Lord, influencing the decisions of the Jedi and Padme. It may sound crazy, but there are a few videos that give this theory some credibility.
Anakin Created C-3PO
The prequels had this strange obsession for trying to give origin stories to characters from the original trilogy. None of which were more dumbfounding then when it was revealed that Anakin Skywalker created C-3PO on Tattoine. It messes a bit with continuity, as Vader--in the original trilogy--doesn't know or recognize the droid, but that is forgivable. What's really bizarre is that this child had been building a protocol droid from scraps on a desert planet while living life as a slave to junk dealer Watto. How did Anakin smuggle all these parts out without Watto knowing? Also, how does a kid build a protocol droid capable of communicating in over 7 million languages?
Anakin's Dialogue
Many folks who dislike The Phantom Menace tend pin a lot of the film's lack of quality on Jacob Lloyd, who played a young Anakin Skywalker, among a laundry list of other complaints. While I'm not going sit here and tell you that young Lloyd is a master thespian, I will say that most of the fault lays on the shoulders of Phantom Menace writer George Lucas, who has no idea how children, people in love, or most humans in general communicate with each other. In their first meeting, Anakin awkwardly discusses angels--which apparently exist in this galaxy. Later, Anakin explains Jedis and podracing, all while putting together plan to free himself and his mother from slavery. The conversation jumps, with no real flow, and it's all centered around Anakin's dialogue, which was seemingly written for someone much older.
Midichlorians
For those who have forgotten (I envy you), midichlorians were introduced in the Phantom Menace. They are microscopic, intelligent beings that live in your blood stream and allow some people, depending on their midichlorian level, to access the Force. When I think about midichlorians, I always think back to a Patton Oswalt bit about the Star Wars prequels, where the comedian says, "I don't give a s*** where the stuff I love comes from. I just love the stuff I love." Why can't the Force can't be a mystical thing that needs no explanation?
Everything About Anakin And Padme's Relationship, Especially The Dialogue
As previously mentioned, George Lucas had a bit of trouble writing dialogue for a young Anakin Skywalker, and it didn't get any better when he got older, especially when it came to his relationship with Padme. During Attack of the Clones, Anakin and Padme shared an afternoon in a field on Naboo and had the weirdest conversation about politics and creating a dictatorship, which sounds like the worst first date ever. While first dates and new relationships are full of awkwardness, this relationship takes it to a whole new level, which is a total bummer because you can tell Natalie Portman is doing the best she can with some really rough dialogue and direction.
Boba Fett Fanservice
Don't get me wrong, I love Boba Fett, especially after reading Tales of the Bounty Hunters as a kid, but the character's inclusion in Attack of the Clones felt forced and unnecessary. The film also tried to jam pack a whole origin story for the character while surrounded by a story of a clone army being built, along with the previously mentioned "believable" budding romance between Anakin and Padme, which I can't stop talking about for some reason. While young Boba Fett is the worst, it did pave way for the character's appearance on the animated series The Clone Wars, and he's pretty awesome on that series, so at least there's a silver lining.
The Death Of Mace Windu
Samuel Jackson made Mace Windu his character. The Jedi master was tough, didn't take any guff from anyone, and one of the more entertaining aspects of the prequels, even when he was just sitting in a chair, discussing politics. He was one bad dude. However, he met his fate by way of force lightning from the hands of Darth Sidious, who shocked then threw him out a window. This totally tough character was killed off in a pretty humiliating way, which came out of left field. This wasn't an epic battle, it was a decrepit man, laying down, shocking him.
Anakin's Turn To The Dark Side
While discussing moments that irked us with other GameSpot employees, Anakin's turn to the dark side came up a lot. To become a Sith Lord and Palpatine's right-hand, Darth Vader must have gone through a traumatic and terrifying childhood, right? Not so much. Yes, Anakin was a slave on Tattooine. Yes, his mother was murdered by Tuskens. However, in the grand scheme of things, which includes being involved in a relationship, on the verge of fatherhood all while training to be a Jedi master, Anakin's turn doesn't make sense. He's a spoiled kid who decides to not only turn to the Dark Side when things do not go his way, but his final act before going bad is killing a whole room of children. That feels like a giant leap.
The First Canonical Appearance Of Darth Vader
At the end of Revenge of the Sith, we caught our first glimpse of Darth Vader, and it was unintentionally hilarious. Understandably, we all know there are a lot of parallels between Vader and Frankenstein's monster, but that doesn't mean Vader has to completely embody the Universal character while freeing himself from his shackles. Then, there's Vader's "iconic" scream of "No," which is ironic because that's what the vast majority of us said after we saw that scene.
Greedo Shoots First
Back in 1997, the original Star Wars trilogy was rereleased in theaters, with a few changes. New special effects were added, as well as a bunch of things that fans weren't too pleased with, including Greedo shooting first in A New Hope. Originally, Han shot Greedo while sitting at the table, and it established the character as quite the renegade, being able to read into a situation as well as someone who doesn't take guff from anyone else. The change is pointless. Yes, Greedo now shoots first, but Han still kills him. More importantly, why does he have such bad aim from three feet away?
Han Steps On Jabba's Tail
One of the newly added scenes in A New Hope has Han talking to Jabba the Hutt. The scene itself is fine and helps add to the story of Jabba wanting Han Solo as a prize for his palace. However, because of where Han is walking, Lucasfilm added a little "movie magic" and had everyone's favorite scoundrel stepping on Jabba's tail, while the Hutt made a silly face. It feels completely out of place and the audience's suspension of disbelief would still be in tact if Han had never stepped on his tail.
Weird CGI Additions To The Special Editions
Some of the weirdest additions to the special editions were things like random CG rocks being added to scenes; things that added nothing to the film. Why does R2D2 need that extra rock? Normally, this would be something we'd completely ignore or something we never would have noticed, but once it's pointed out, it's impossible to unsee it.
Chewbacca Doesn't Get A Medal
When the Special Edition of A New Hope was released, there was one change most fans wanted to see: Chewbacca getting his well-deserved medal during the ceremony at the end of the film. Alas, that change didn't happen, possibly because the budget ran dry after all those CGI rocks and dewbacks. Where's the justice for Chewie? He's just as important to the battle as either Han or Luke.
The First 10 Minutes Of The Holiday Special
In 1978, the Star Wars Holiday Special hit television screens across the country, cashing in on the popularity of A New Hope. If you've ever watched it or tried to watch it, then you know the opening Life Day segment is near impossible to get through. It follows a household where the audience gets to experience a day in the life of a Wookie. The family chats with eachother in their native tongue, without any subtitles, and a young Wookie watches a weird holographic circus in his living room. The whole section is a travesty.
The Rest Of The Holiday Special
Then, there's rest of the Holiday Special, and while it does introduce the world to everyone's favorite bounty hunter, Boba Fett, this TV movie feels far more disconnected from the Star Wars Universe than connected. It features singing. In fact, there's a lot of singing, including a song from Jefferson Starship and Golden Girls's Bea Arthur. As previously mentioned, there's also so much of the little Wookie, who watches way too much TV. There's a reason this only aired once.
"Jedi Rock's" Replacing "Lapti Nek"
In Jabba's palace, during Return of the Jedi, there was a song called "Lapti Nek," but in the special edition of the film, it was replaced with the CG-heavy "Jedi Rock's." The two-minute performance mixed original footage with brand new stuff, like a backup band playing the song, while the lead singer got way too close to the camera. The song doesn't fit in this universe, and the whole scene is incredibly cringe-worthy.
Hayden Christensen Replaces Sebastian Shaw
At the end of Return of the Jedi, Luke Skywalker--celebrating winning the war while on the moon of Endor--looked off an saw the Force ghosts of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, and Anakin Skywalker--who was played by Sebastian Shaw in the scene. However, the Special Edition version of the film did something absurd. It replaced Shaw with Hayden Christensen, who played Anakin in Episodes II and III. The change made no sense.
Expanded Universe No Longer Canonical
Finally, one of the worst things about Star Wars is a double-edged sword. When Disney bought Lucasfilm, the expanded universe was no longer considered canon. That means Knights of the Old Republic, all of Timothy Zahn's books, and the comics from Dark Horse were no longer part of the larger Star Wars story. However, because of that decision, this means Lucasfilm can tell all new stories without the restrictions of decades of other SW-related properties. In addition, Marvel Comics began publishing some great Star Wars books. But it's still a bummer to think that Shadows of the Empire or Han Solo and Leia's twins were wiped from continuity.
By Mat Elfring on Dec 20, 2017 12:57 am
While there's a lot to love about the Star Wars Universe, there's one thing that comes to mind when you think about the Empire: Stormtroopers. The one constant thing throughout these movies is this memorable military force, and they've evolved quite a bit throughout the series, from the Galactic Republic's Clone Troopers to the Empire's Stormtroopers to the First Order's Stormtoopers. We're going through the history of Star Wars and taking a look at all the troopers from the nine films and two television series.
Clone Trooper: Phase 1
Appearances: Attack of the Clones, Clone Wars
Advanced Recon Commando (ARC Troopers)
Appearances: Clone Wars
Clone Trooper Pilot
Appearances: Attack of the Clones, Clone Wars, Revenge of the Sith
Flame Trooper
Appearances: Clone Wars
Biker Advanced Recon Commando
Appearances: Clone Wars
Clone Cold Assault Trooper
Appearances: Clone Wars
Clone Republic Commandos
Appearances: Clone Wars
Clone Gunner
Appearances: Clone Wars
Clone Ordnance Specialist
Appearances: Clone Wars
Clone SCUBA Trooper
Appearances: Clone Wars
Riot Clone Trooper
Appearances: Clone Wars
Special Operations Trooper
Appearances: Clone Wars
Clone Trooper: Phase 2
Appearances: Clone Wars, Revenge of the Sith
Advanced Recon Force Trooper (Scout Trooper)
Appearances: Clone Wars, Revenge of the Sith
Shock Trooper
Appearances: Clone Wars, Revenge of the Sith
Galactic Marine
Appearance: Revenge of the Sith
Clone Paratrooper
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith
Stormtrooper
Appearances: Rogue One, A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Rebels
Death Squad
Appearances: Rogue One
Hover Tank Trooper
Appearances: Rogue One
Shoretrooper
Appearances: Rogue One
Spacetrooper
Appearances: A New Hope
Sandtrooper
Appearances: A New Hope
Tie Fighter Pilot
Appearances: A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi
Imperial Combat Driver
Appearances: Rebels, Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi
AT-AT Pilot
Appearances: Rebels, Empire Strikes Back
Snowtrooper
Appearances: Empire Strikes Back
Scout Trooper
Appearances: Rebels, Return of the Jedi
First Order Stormtrooper
Appearances: The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi
First Order Riot Control Stormtrooper
Appearances: The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi
First Order Tie Fighter Pilot
Appearances: The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi
First Order Snowtrooper
Appearances: The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi
First Order Flametrooper
Appearances: The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi
First Order Megablaster Heavy Assault Trooper
Appearances: The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi
First Order Executioner Stormtrooper
Appearances: The Last Jedi
Honorable Mention: Captain Phasma
Appearances: The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi
Honorable Mention: Emperor's Royal Guard
Appearances: Clone Wars, Revenge of the Sith, Rebels, Rogue One, Return of the Jedi
Honorable Mention: Elite Praetorian Guard
Appearances: The Last Jedi
Recent Articles:
| 
No comments:
Post a Comment