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{{Otheruses}}
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[[Image:Star wars dvd cover.jpg|thumbnail|250px|right|The cover of the 2004 DVD widescreen release of the [[List of changes in Star Wars re-releases|modified]] original ''Star Wars'' Trilogy.]]
<tr><td><center>'''Current Statistics'''</td></tr>
{{Star Wars Portal}}
<tr><td>{{Wikipedia:WikiProject_Space/Projects}}</td></tr>
'''''Star Wars''''' is an influential [[science fantasy]] [[saga]] and [[fictional universe]] created by [[screenwriter|writer]]/[[film producer|producer]]/[[film director|director]] [[George Lucas]] during the early 1970s. The saga began with the film ''Star Wars'', which was released on [[May 25]], [[1977]]. The film, later retitled ''[[Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope]]'', became a [[pop culture]] phenomenon, and spawned five more feature films and an extensive collection of licensed [[List of Star Wars books|books]], [[List of Star Wars comic books|comics]], [[Star Wars computer and video games|video games]], [[:Category:Star Wars spin-off films|spin-off films]], [[:Category:Star Wars television series|television series]], [[Toy|toys]], and other products — all of which are set within a fictional "[[Star Wars galaxy|galaxy far, far away]]."
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We currently have at least 17 space-related WikiProjects, which are starting to overlap and become unmanagable. I am therefore proposing that they be restructured and reorganised in order to improve productivity and reduce duplication of work.
==Current Structure==
An example of the [[space opera]] genre, the ''Star Wars'' story employs [[archetype|archetypal]] motifs common to both modern [[science fiction]] and ancient [[mythology]], as well as the [[romantic music]] motifs of those genres. In 2005, [[Forbes|''Forbes'' Magazine]] estimated the overall revenue generated by the entire ''Star Wars'' franchise (over the course of its 28-year history) at nearly US $20 billion, making it one of the most successful film franchises of all time.
*WikiProject Space
**WikiProject Space Colonisation
**WikiProject Martian Geography
**WikiProject Space Exploration
***WikiProject Timeline of spaceflight
***WikiProject Space travellers
***WikiProject Space missions
***WikiProjcet Unmanned space missions
****WikiProject Mars Spacecraft
**WikiProject Human Spaceflight
**WikiProject Launch vehicles
*WikiProject Astronomy
**WikiProject Astronomical objects
***Astronomy Collaboration of the Week
**<s>WikiProject Constellations</s>
*WikiProject Spacecraft
*WikiProject Solar System
*WikiProject Moon
(based on categorisation and/or information on project pages)
== Feature films ==
{{Main articles|[[Prequel trilogy (Star Wars)]] and [[Original trilogy (Star Wars)]]}}
==Initial proposal==
The ''Star Wars'' film series is made up of a total of six feature films. These six films, which technically make up a hexology, are generally split into two trilogies: The "original trilogy" of Episodes IV–VI (released between 1977 and 1983) and the "prequel trilogy" of Episodes I–III (released between 1999 and 2005). The ''Star Wars'' film series was shot in an original [[aspect ratio]] of 2.35:1. The "original trilogy" was shot with anamorphic lenses, while Episode I was shot in Arriscope film format, and Episodes II and III were shot with high-definition digital lenses.
===Changes===
#[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Space|WikiProject Space]] is retained as the common parent project, and continues operating as before.
#[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Astronomy|WikiProject Astronomy]] continues operating as before, as a child project of WikiProject Space.
#[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Solar System|WikiProject Solar System]] continues as before, as a child project of WikiProject Astronomy
#[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Astronomical objects|WikiProject Astronomical objects]] becomes the Astronomical objects task force, run jointly between WikiProject Astronomy and WikiProject Solar System.
#<s>[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Constellations|Wikiproject Constellations]] becomes the Constellations task force, operating as part of WikiProject Astronomy.</s>
#[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Martian Geography|WikiProject Martian Geography]] becomes the Mars task force, operating as part of WikiProject Solar System, expanding its scope to cover all aspects of Mars.
#[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Moon|WikiProject Moon]] becomes the Lunar task force, operating as part of WikiProject Solar System.
#[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Space exploration|WikiProject Space exploration]] continues as before, as a child project of WikiProject Space.
#<s>WikiProject Spacecraft</s> is depricated.
#[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Unmanned space missions|WikiProject Unmanned space missions]] is merged into WikiProject Space Exploration.
#[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Human Spaceflight|WikiProject Human Spaceflight]] continues as before, as a child project of WikiProject Space Exploration
#[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Space missions|WikiProject Space missions]] merges into WikiProject Human Spaceflight.
#[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Space travellers|WikiProject Space travellers]] becomes the Astronaut task force, operating as part of WikiProject Human spaceflight.
#[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Launch vehicles|WikiProject Launch vehicles]] becomes WikiProject Rocketry, a child project of WikiProject Space Exploration, and expanding its scope to cover all types of rocket, and other aspects of rocketry.
#[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Mars Spacecraft|WikiProject Mars spacecraft]] is depricated. Its duties are split between the Mars task force, and WikiProject Space Exploration.
#[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Timeline of spaceflight|WikiProject Timeline of spaceflight]] becomes the Timeline task force, operating as part of WikiProject Space Exploration.
#[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Space Colonization|WikiProject Space Colonization]] is merged into WikiProject Human Spaceflight.
#In Addition:
##[[Wikipedia:WikiProject Astronomical objects/Collaboration|Astronomy Collaboration of the Week]] is moved from WikiProject Astronomical Objects to WikiProject Astronomy
##A Spaceflight Collaboration of the Week is created, as part of WikiProject Space Exploration.
This proposal reduces 17 projects to just 6
[[Image:DVD Set.JPG|thumb|right|200px|The DVDs of the films.]]
{| class="wikitable" width="400px"
|-
!Episode
!Release date
|-
| width="50%"|I. ''[[Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace|The Phantom Menace]]''
| width="50%"|[[May 19]], [[1999]]
|-
|II. ''[[Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones|Attack of the Clones]]''
|[[May 16]], [[2002]]
|-
|III. ''[[Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith|Revenge of the Sith]]''
|[[May 19]], [[2005]]
|-
|IV. ''[[Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope|A New Hope]]''
|[[May 25]], [[1977]]
|-
|V. ''[[Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back|The Empire Strikes Back]]''
|[[May 21]], [[1980]]
|-
|VI. ''[[Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi|Return of the Jedi]]''
|[[May 25]], [[1983]]
|}
===Revised Influences structure===
*'''WikiProject Space'''
{{Seealso|Star Wars sources and analogues}}
**'''WikiProject Astronomy'''
***Astronomy Collaboration of the Week
***Astronomical objects task force
***<s>Constellations task force</s>
***'''WikiProject Solar System'''
****Lunar task force
****Mars task force
**'''WikiProject Space exploration'''
***Timeline task force
***'''WikiProject Human Spaceflight'''
****Astronaut task force
***'''WikiProject Rocketry'''
***Spaceflight Collaboration of the Week
==Discussion==
Many different influences have been suggested for the ''Star Wars'' films by fans, critics, and George Lucas himself. For example, Lucas acknowledges that the plot and characters in the 1958 Japanese film ''[[The Hidden Fortress]],'' directed by [[Akira Kurosawa]], were a major inspiration. Lucas has said in an interview, which is included on the DVD edition of ''The Hidden Fortress'', that the movie influenced him to tell the story of ''Star Wars'' from the viewpoint of the humble [[droid]]s, rather than a major player. It also played a role in the conception of [[Darth Vader]], whose trademark black helmet intentionally resembles a [[kabuto]]. More particularly, the arch-villain in Kurosawa's ''[[The Seven Samurai]]'' wears a black samurai helmet to which Vader's helmet bears a remarkable resemblance. The [[Jedi]], nearly extinct futuristic [[knight]]s of the former Republic also have a high influence from the [[Samurai]] as spiritual warriors and duelists with a strong sense of honor and devotion to their duty. Their traditional clothing even resembles [[kimono]]s.
This is just an inital proposal, please discuss changes and improvements here. --<font color="#116655">'''GW_Simulations'''<sub>[[User:GW Simulations|<font color="#000000">User Page</font>]] | [[User talk:GW_Simulations|<font color="#000000">Talk</font>]]</sub></font> 15:28, 24 February 2007 (UTC)
:Could you explain what you mean by "operating as part of...", "sub-topic of " and "child project". I don't understand how this will be implemented in practice. Will to main topic and sub topic still act as independent project? or will the main project have multiple talk pages? [[User:Lunokhod|Lunokhod]] 16:08, 24 February 2007 (UTC)
: Why not do one project, space, and then have the sub project be "task forces"? I personally think that Space exploration and astronomy should possibly be the only two sub-projects. Wikiprojects work better once a critical mass of people is reached. Having everyone in one spot would help that. -[[User:Ravedave|Ravedave]] <small><sup>([[User:Ravedave/Adopt a State|Adopt a State]])</sup></small> 16:59, 24 February 2007 (UTC)
: What practical differences (both in the short and long term) would having task forces rather than wikiprojects make? Would it not be better to merge wikiprojects and centralise their discussion, to get more people joining in with each discussion? How would the portals fit into this proposed structure? [[User:Mike Peel|Mike Peel]] 22:47, 24 February 2007 (UTC)
: I'm generally happy with the above proposals. My only problems are (1) I don't think it is a good idea to use words like "task force." I think that we should leave the project names as is; if we have an "organigram" like above, the relationship between the projects will be obvious. (2) I think that constellations should be merged into one of the astronomy projects; this project appears to be near the end of its life. (3) I still think that astronomy and astronomical objects should be merged. The creation of Solar system will lighten the load on the merged project. [[User:Lunokhod|Lunokhod]] 23:10, 24 February 2007 (UTC)
:I generally agree that "task force" does not seem to mean anything. At the moment, these WikiProjects serve as discussion forums. It would be better to merge projects together so that the discussions all take place in one ___location. I see no reason to have multiple subprojects or task forces or whatever. I would suggest having two projects: one for astronomy, and one for spaceflight. [[User:Dr. Submillimeter|Dr. Submillimeter]] 23:56, 24 February 2007 (UTC)
[[Image:Star Wars fan.jpg|150px|thumb|left|Star Wars]]
:: I agree that it is probably best to start by merging the smallest and inactive projects into the bigger ones. The projects will work if they have achieved a critical mass, and if they don't, we can merge these into the parent projects. I think if we go slowly over the next month or two, picking off one project per week, that things will self-organize. I suggest by starting with constellations and timeline. [[User:Lunokhod|Lunokhod]] 10:33, 25 February 2007 (UTC)
::: I also agree with Dr. Submm and Lunokhod. I gave notice a while back on the WP Constellations talk page about my intention to merge it into WP Astronomical Objects. As noone has objected, I have now carried out that merger. [[User:Mike Peel|Mike Peel]] 19:05, 25 February 2007 (UTC)
Perhaps someone could make an infobox that shows the hierachical relationship of these projects? [[User:Lunokhod|Lunokhod]] 22:17, 25 February 2007 (UTC)
Prior to writing the script for ''Star Wars'', George Lucas originally wanted to make a film of ''[[Flash Gordon]]''. The rights for ''Flash Gordon'', however, were held by [[Dino De Laurentiis]], and Lucas decided to work on his own science fiction project instead.
: I've taken a copy of the current list (above), and have indented and rearranged things to show a rough hierarchical interproject list; see [[User:Mike Peel/Astronomy projects]]. I'm sadly constrained to 2D, though, so I can't show the relationships between (e.g.) Martian Geography and Mars Spacecraft. [[User:Mike Peel|Mike Peel]] 23:46, 25 February 2007 (UTC)
===Rocketry===
Another influence in Lucas's creation of ''Star Wars'' were the writings of [[Joseph Campbell]]. Campbell's work explored the common meanings, structures, and purposes of the world's mythologies. Lucas has stated that his intention was to create in ''Star Wars'' a modern mythology based on Campbell's work. The original ''Star Wars'' film, for example, closely followed the archetypal "hero's journey", as described in Campbell's ''[[The Hero with a Thousand Faces]]''. This influence was discussed by [[Bill Moyers]] and Campbell in the [[PBS]] mini-series, ''[[The Power of Myth]]'' and by Lucas and Moyers in the 1999 program,[http://www.films.com/id/11017/The_Mythology_of_Star_Wars_with_George_Lucas_and_Bill_Moyers.htm ''The mythology of Star Wars with George Lucas amd Bill Moyers'']. In addition, the ''[[National Air and Space Museum]] of the [[Smithsonian Institution]]'' sponsored an exhibit during the late [[1990]]s called ''Star Wars: The Magic of Myth'' which discussed the ways in which Campbell's work shaped the ''Star Wars'' films [http://www.nasm.si.edu/exhibitions/StarWars/sw-unit1.htm]. A companion guide of the same name was published in 1997.
While "launch vehicles" was somewhat restrictive, I'm concerned that rocketry, generally speaking, is not a proper subset of Space at all. (Many missiles are rockets. Many other rockets do not reach or attempt to reach space.) And in theory, not all launches are by means of rocketry. (E.g.: elevator contraptions.) Perhaps "launch vehicles" could be replaced with "spacecraft propulsion"? That would include launch, station-keeping, interplanetary propulsion. [[User:Sdsds|Sdsds]] 20:53, 24 February 2007 (UTC)
=== Space missions ===
It is also thought that the setting for the ''Star Wars'' universe came from [[Isaac Asimov]]'s ''[[The Foundation Series|Foundation Trilogy]]'', published in the early 1950s. This saga also involves a galaxy teeming with inhabited worlds held together by a collapsing [[galactic empire]] using [[hyperdrive]]s (for long-distance transportation). It also features the planet [[Trantor]], which is entirely covered by the galaxy's capital, similar to [[Coruscant]], and the protagonist of ''[[Foundation and Empire]]'' is Lathan Devers, a character resembling [[Han Solo]]. Even lightsabers have precursors in the ''The Foundation Trilogy'' as force field penknives. Also the planet Korrell is thought to be the basis of the planet [[Corellia]].
I think that Space missions should be kept as a task force under Human Spaceflight. There are over 100 [[Space Shuttle]] missions alone, most of which are poorly formatted. Add to that the [[Project Apollo|Apollo]], [[Project Gemini|Gemini]], [[Project Mercury|Mercury]] and [[Project Constellation|Constellation]] missions, plus all the [[Soyuz programme|Russian]] missions, and all the [[Shenzhou spacecraft|Chinese]] missions that are going to start going up sometime soon, and I think we need to have something to give them a uniform structure. --[[User:Thomas Connor|Miguel Cervantes]] 23:00, 24 February 2007 (UTC)
:I'm not clear on what the distinction between "Space missions" and "Human spaceflight" would be? any human spaceflight has occurred as a "Space mission", as far as i know.. but perhaps there would be demand for an Apollo task force, or Space Shuttle task force? [[User:Mlm42|Mlm42]] 10:23, 26 February 2007 (UTC)
It is also often argued that ''Star Wars'' was greatly influenced by [[Frank Herbert]]'s classic science fiction book ''[[Dune (novel)|Dune]]''. Many elements of ''Star Wars'' are also evident in ''Dune''. There are so many similarities, in fact, some ''Dune'' devotees consider ''Star Wars'' little more than a campy film adaptation of Herbert's work. While this is likely an exaggeration, many of the similarities are striking. For example, both ''Dune'' and ''Star Wars'' are set on desert planets. Both stories feature a mystical knighthood of sorts — the Jedi in ''Star Wars'' and the Bene Gesserit of ''Dune''. In both stories the hero is a [[messiah]]-like character, uses mystical powers, exhibits mind control (Jedi mind trick/the Voice), and duels opponents with sword-like weapons. Finally, both stories describe a corrupt empire and the hero's efforts to overcome it.
===Mars===
Some comic book fans have also drawn parallels between ''Star Wars'' and [[Jack Kirby]]’s epic Fourth World series, published by [[DC Comics]]. The cosmos-spanning series of titles was never completed, as DC canceled it, citing low sales. At the heart of the series was the battle between Orion of the New Gods and his villainous father, [[Darkseid]] (pronounced “dark side.”) [[Orion]] called upon the mystical force known as "the source" to aid him in this struggle. The Death Star is somewhat reminiscent of Apokolips, Darkseid’s home planet. It is also worth noting that Darth Vader shares some visual similarities with Kirby’s armored uber-villain [[Dr. Doom]], co-created with editor/scripter [[Stan Lee]] at [[Marvel Comics]].
Currently [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Martian Geography]] starts with "The purpose of this WikiProject is to create, expand, improve and standardize articles about '''geographical features, such as craters, mountains, and canyons''', on the planet Mars. This is very much a work in progress." - if it's going to be a general Mars Wikiproject this sentence should be changed so that people know the purpose of the page. Also it then makes sence to change the name to [[WikiPedia:WikiProject Mars]]. Then, later, if people want a separate WikiProject Martian Geography they can create a new one. An alternative strategy is just to start a new Mars project - but the consensus here seems to be against more projects - there has already been some discussion [[Wikipedia_talk:WikiProject_Martian_Geography#Rename project to just Mars? |here]] - do please comment..., regards [[User:Sbandrews|sbandrews]] 10:56, 25 February 2007 (UTC)
:I've notified the members of this project about the proposed rename. I suggest that we wait a few days, and if there is not objection, just rename it to "Mars" or merge it with "Mars". At this point we could rewrite the intro, and modify the banners. [[User:Lunokhod|Lunokhod]] 22:13, 25 February 2007 (UTC)
::Good work, meanwhile I notice the Mars article has been [[Talk:Mars|nominated]] for FA - if you know of any areas that need working on post them on mars talk or wikiproject mars geography, regards [[User:Sbandrews|sbandrews]] 22:35, 25 February 2007 (UTC)
:I support a generalized Mars project, though I apologize for not being active in it as much as I'd like to. -- [[User:Riffsyphon1024|Riffsyphon1024]] 03:16, 26 February 2007 (UTC)
:I also support the idea.. Although ive always thought that we shouldnt be using the term 'geology'.. Seeing as geology is an Earth based word (geology coming from the greek word <b>ge-</b>, which means 'earth', or 'the land'), i think we should be using Areology (from <b>Ares</b>, a greek god, called Mars by the Romans). I've heard it used in a few books (mostly in the [[Red Mars|Red_Mars]] series of books) and i think it would set apart Martian geology from Terran Geology as a completely seperate field of study.. Just throwing it out there, realise most people wouldn't get it. It would be nice to start a trend :P In conclusion though im all for a generalized Mars project :) -- [[User:Atura|Atura]] 17:03, 26 February 2007 (AEST)
::I'm also in favour of a general Mars project. As for the "Are-" prefixes, i remember having a lengthy [[Talk:Geography_of_Mars#Areography_as_a_Term|discussion]] regarding this.. after a while i became convinced that it wasn't widely used, and was better to go with an understandable term. also, it seemed the word ''areography'' was used for something completely different in biology, i believe.. [[User:Mlm42|Mlm42]] 10:30, 26 February 2007 (UTC)
===mars spacecraft===
I notified members of this project that were not also members of Wikiproject Martian geography about the proposed merger into wikiproject mars and wikiproject space exploration - put any comments here, regards [[User:Sbandrews|sbandrews]] 18:38, 26 February 2007 (UTC)
== update ==
The ''Star Wars'' saga has also been influenced by historical events, as George Lucas claims to have drawn on [[World War II]] and the [[Vietnam War]] for inspiration. Lucas also based the space battles in ''A New Hope'' on [[World War I]]-era aerial [[Dog fight|dog fights]].
I updated the counts in the member list box. I also moved constellations out from under solar system in the proposed table above.--[[User:Mu301|mikeu]] 17:19, 25 February 2007 (UTC)
=== Scripts ===
== redirection of talk pages ==
[[Image:George_lucas03.jpg|thumb|right|250px|George Lucas shooting the original ''Star Wars'' film in 1976.]]
The ''Star Wars'' saga began with a 13-page treatment for a space adventure movie that [[George Lucas]] drafted in 1973, inspired by multiple myths and classic stories. According to one source, Lucas initially wrote summaries for fifteen stories that would make up the ''Star Wars'' saga. Out of these fifteen stories, Lucas originally planned to film only one of them as a feature film. Then, in 1978, following the success of the first released ''Star Wars'' film, he publicly announced that he would create a total of twelve films to chronicle the adventures of Luke Skywalker (in the original scripts, the character’s name was Luke Starkiller). In 1979, Lucas retracted his former statement, saying that he would instead make nine films.[http://scifi.about.com/library/starwars/bl-sixornine.htm] Four years later, having completed ''Return of the Jedi'', Lucas announced that he was finished with ''Star Wars'' and no additional films would be made. Finally, in 1995, Lucas suddenly announced that he would produce a trilogy of prequels (Episodes I, II, and III), for a total of six films. He also claimed at the time that he had always envisioned "the whole thing as a series of six films".
I've been thinking about how to combine the Moon and Mars projects with the parent Solar System project, and have come up with the following idea: What if we just leave the projects as they are, but redirect the talk pages to the Solar System talk page? (I assume that this is technically possible.) I think the Moon and Mars subprojects are useful, as they track only the related articles, and have done article assessments. If we were to combine all solar system subjects under one banner and assessment scheme, it would be much harder for those who are interested in only improving the lunar and martian pages to do so. As an example, there are about 150 Moon related topics. [[User:Lunokhod|Lunokhod]] 10:33, 26 February 2007 (UTC)
Other sources, including publicly available draft scripts of ''Star Wars'', show that Lucas had an incomplete and quickly-changing conception of the ''Star Wars'' story up until the release of the first film in 1977. Story elements such as the [[Kaiburr crystal]] present in early scripts are missing entirely in the films, while names were freely exchanged between different planets and characters — "Organa Major" being the original name for [[Alderaan]], for instance (Organa later became [[Princess Leia]]'s surname). Even as late as the production of ''The Empire Strikes Back'' and ''Return of the Jedi'', there were significant differences from the films which emerged — for example, [[Lando Calrissian]] being a clone from the [[Clone Wars]] and the climactic battle of ''Return of the Jedi'' taking place against two Death Stars orbiting the Imperial capital planet, then known as Had Abbadon. [http://www.starwarz.com/starkiller/scripts.htm] Another version of the ''Return of the Jedi'' script had Luke turning to the dark side after killing Darth Vader. Leia would then become the next [[Jedi]] to fight the dark side. This did not happen, however, because Lucas felt that the ending would be too dark, especially for children, who were a major part of the audience. Also, George Lucas had the script of ''The Empire Strikes Back'' saying that "Obi-Wan killed your father," all the while having the "I am your father" line in mind. When shooting was about to begin for that scene, Lucas made it known. In addition, the story released as the novel ''[[Splinter of the Mind's Eye]]'' was intended as a possible direction for a low-budget ''Star Wars'' sequel — however, the success of ''A New Hope'' allowed Lucas to pursue the more ambitious ''The Empire Strikes Back'' instead.
Lucas has been criticized from time to time for allegedly deviating from his original conception of the universe that was introduced in the original 1977 film. It has been theorized by some that developments in the later films, including (but not limited to) the revelation of [[Darth Vader]] as the father of [[Luke Skywalker]], the revelation of [[Princess Leia Organa|Princess Leia]] as Luke's sister, and the progression of Darth Vader from a powerful lackey serving under [[Grand Moff Tarkin]] to a much-feared military leader answerable only to [[Palpatine|the Emperor]] (as well as the overall Star Wars Saga's shift in focus from Luke to Vader as the main character) go completely against the history/characters/relationships that were established in the original 1977 film. The Star Wars [[Prequel trilogy (Star Wars)|prequel trilogy]] has also been accused of similar retroactive changes that were allegedly not part of Lucas' original concept for Star Wars.
For his part, Lucas claimed in a segment filmed for the [[THX]]-[[Remaster|remastered]] VHS release of the original trilogy that the original ''Star Wars'' story was intended as a single film, but was later split into three because the story was too long to be told in a single film. In the DVD commentaries for the original trilogy, Lucas claims that many story elements were changed within the production of the films—for instance, the attack on the Death Star in ''A New Hope'' was moved from the end of the trilogy in order to strengthen ''A New Hope'' on its own merits, while the character of Chewbacca established the Wookiees as a technologically advanced race, necessitating their replacement with Ewoks in ''Return of the Jedi''. Other changes, including the death of Obi-Wan in ''A New Hope'', were made during the filming. Lucas also stated in the commentaries that the prequel stories existed only as "notes" explaining the backstories of characters such as Obi-Wan. In an interview with ''Wired'' prior to the release of ''The Phantom Menace'', Lucas remarked that he had allowed the publication of novels written as sequels to the films (see [[Expanded Universe (Star Wars)|Expanded Universe]]) because he would never make the sequels himself.
Lucas's history of different statements regarding his future and past plans for the ''Star Wars'' saga have caused a great deal of popular confusion, while drawing criticism from some. For example, some still believe that Lucas's original plan was for a "trilogy of trilogies," based on early statements made by Lucasfilm regarding sequels. For more information on the supposed sequel trilogy, see [[Sequel trilogy (Star Wars)]].
It has been reported that Lucas's original script was almost 500 pages long. The title, originally ''The Adventures of Luke Starkiller'', was changed several times before becoming ''Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope''.
=== Production and release ===
[[Image:SWcastphoto.jpg|thumb|right|400px|A 2005 photo of the majority of the cast from all six films, along with ''Star Wars'' creator, George Lucas.]]
There were countless problems during the production of ''Episode IV'', and few critics expected the film to achieve the measure of success it did. Many problems with effects, editing, funding, and shooting caused the film to be pushed back from its expected release date of December of 1976. The production company, not to mention many involved in the actual production, had little faith in the movie. According to reports, it was a daily struggle merely to complete the film on time. Despite these difficulties, the first film was released on [[May 25]], [[1977]] and became a surprise hit. Though its [[novelization]] had hit the shelves a year earlier, the book had not seen nearly the amount of interest that the film would draw.
Episodes IV, V, and VI were shot at, among other locations, [[Elstree Studios]], in [[Hertfordshire]], [[England]]. The outdoor scenes from the ice planet [[Hoth]] in ''Episode V'' were shot at [[Finse]], [[Norway]]. Also, one shot of the Rebel Base on [[Yavin IV]] in Episode IV was of [[Mayan]] temples in [[Tikal]], [[Guatemala]]. ''The Phantom Menace'' was filmed at [[Leavesden Film Studios]] and the subsequent prequels were filmed in [[Sydney]], [[Australia]]. [[Tunisia]], and the sand dunes of Yuma, Arizona, have served as the ___location for filming scenes set on the desert planet [[Tatooine]] in ''A New Hope'', ''Return of the Jedi'', ''The Phantom Menace'', ''Attack of the Clones'', and ''Revenge of the Sith''. Italy's [[Caserta Palace]] was used to create the [[Theed]] palace on Queen Amidala's home planet, [[Naboo]], and some scenes were also shot at Italy's Lake Como.
Both the "original trilogy" and the "prequel trilogy" were released over a period of six years (1977–1983 and 1999–2005, respectively), each movie taking three years to produce.
=== Musical score ===
{{Main|Star Wars music}}
[[Image:John Williams 2.JPG|thumb|right|150px|[[John Williams]] [[conducting]] the [[London Symphony Orchestra]] during the<br>recording of the score for ''[[Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace|The Phantom Menace]]''.]]
The scores for all six ''Star Wars'' films were composed by [[John Williams]]. Lucas's intentions for ''Star Wars'' involved a grand musical sound, with [[leitmotif]]s for different characters and important objects; an approach used to great effect, for instance, in the operas of [[Richard Wagner]]. Toward this end, Lucas put together a collection of classical and romantic pieces for composer Williams to review, as an idea of what effects Lucas desired for the films. The music Williams composed was often distinctly reminiscent of the original pieces. Williams' score for ''Star Wars'' in 1977 set a new standard for science fiction films by drawing its inspiration primarily from a palette of romantic symphonies, rather than creating completely new music (in choosing this classical approach, Williams was following the lead of ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey (film)|2001: A Space Odyssey]]'' and a mix-tape of [[Richard Wagner|Wagnerian]] opera and other selections compiled by George Lucas.) Although Williams had already established himself as a film composer with scores for blockbusters such as ''[[The Towering Inferno]]'', ''[[The Poseidon Adventure]]'', and ''[[Jaws (film)|Jaws]]'', the ''Star Wars'' score catapulted him to super-stardom.
Williams' scores for the original trilogy were primarily motif-based: individual characters and settings were each given their own, unique musical theme which would identify their presence in the film, whether physically or figuratively. By combining and varying these motifs, Williams could create a score possessed of a rich, interwoven fabric.
By the time of the prequel trilogy, however, Williams had grown and changed as a composer. His new scores de-emphasized motifs, tending to weave them subtly into a broader and more dynamic musical composition. He had also expanded his use of thematic motifs, using the technique to highlight the emotional or archetypal structure of the film, rather than the more literal associations to character and setting used in the earlier scores.
Williams continued to create music for many popular films, including the scores from ''[[Superman music|Superman]]'', ''[[Jaws (film)|Jaws]]'', ''[[E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial]]'', the [[Indiana Jones]] films, ''[[Jurassic Park]]'', and the first three ''[[Harry Potter music|Harry Potter]]'' movies.
=== Setting ===
Unlike the traditional [[science fiction]] films preceding it, the ''Star Wars'' world was initially portrayed as dirty and grimy, rather than sleek and futuristic. In interviews, Lucas tells of rubbing the new props with dirt to make them look weather-worn, a concept he refers to as "a used future." He may have been inspired by [[Sergio Leone]], whose 1960s films performed a similar function for the [[Western movie|Western]] genre.
Each ''Star Wars'' film opens with the text, [[Star Wars galaxy|"A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away..."]] Lucas intended this as an allusion to the classic [[fairy tale]] opening of, "Once upon a time, in a faraway land..." To some, Lucas's allusion suggests that the films are to be interpreted as myths of the future, rather than literal events of the past. Lucas himself has intentionally left the details open to interpretation.
Although the film series itself spans the events of only two generations, other stories set in the ''Star Wars'' universe (those from the so-called "[[Expanded Universe (Star Wars)|Expanded Universe]]") cover events that [[Dates in Star Wars|span millennia]].
=== Plot ===
{{Spoiler}}
:''For more detailed storylines, see the individual articles for each film.''
[[Image:StarWarsOpeningLogo.JPG|thumb|right|250px|Opening logo to the ''Star Wars'' films.]]
Episodes I, II, and III chronicle the downfall of the [[Galactic Republic (Star Wars)|Old Republic]] and the rise of the [[Galactic Empire (Star Wars)|Galactic Empire]]. It is also the story of [[Anakin Skywalker]]'s rise as a gifted young [[Jedi]] and his eventual fall to the Dark Side of the [[Force (Star Wars)|Force]]. In the films, [[Darth Sidious]] manipulates the [[Trade Federation]] into invading and occupying the planet [[Naboo]]. Sidious concurrently maintains his public identity as [[Palpatine]], a senator in the Republic, and uses the crisis to convince the Senate to elect him Chancellor of the Galactic Republic. He then further manipulates the Senate into granting him emergency powers, and orchestrates the [[Clone Wars]], a conflict between the Republic (which he controls as Chancellor Palpatine) and a [[Confederacy of Independent Systems|Separatist]] movement (which he controls as Darth Sidious). Meanwhile, Anakin Skywalker is discovered by the Jedi and is trained by [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]], but falls in love with [[Padmé Amidala]], queen and later senator of Naboo. The two hold a secret wedding at the end of Episode II. During the later parts of the Clone Wars, Anakin's wife Padmé Amidala becomes pregnant with twins, [[Luke Skywalker|Luke]] and Leia. As the Clone Wars come to an end, Sidious turns Anakin Skywalker to the Dark Side. Anakin, now known as [[Darth Vader]], helps Sidious to wipe out the Jedi. Sidious (as Palpatine) declares himself Emperor and turns the Old Republic into the Galactic Empire. Padmé gives birth to Luke and Leia, but dies during childbirth. Two of the surviving Jedi, Kenobi and [[Yoda]] (the head of the Jedi Council) survive the attacks and choose to go into exile. Obi-Wan takes Luke to [[Tatooine]] with the intent to watch over him from afar, while Senator [[Bail Organa]] takes Leia to Alderaan and raises her. Yoda goes to [[Dagobah]] to await the arrival of Luke.
Episodes IV, V, and VI pick up approximately nineteen years after the events of ''Episode III'', during the [[Galactic Civil War]], which leads to the downfall of the Galactic Empire at the hands of the [[Rebel Alliance (Star Wars)|Rebel Alliance]]. These films follow the story of [[Luke Skywalker]], the son of Anakin Skywalker, and his rise in the Rebel movement against the Empire. Leia, now a Princess and a member of the [[Imperial Senate]], sends a plea for help to Obi-Wan Kenobi. Luke inadvertently intercepts the message and meets Kenobi. After the murder of his aunt and uncle by Imperial Stormtroopers, Luke joins the ragtag Rebel Alliance — traveling with Kenobi, [[Chewbacca]], and smuggler [[Han Solo]]. He trains with Kenobi and subsequently Yoda to become a Jedi like his father, whom he believes was betrayed and murdered by Darth Vader. When Luke learns the truth — that his father is Darth Vader — he is profoundly shaken. Despite this, Luke successfully resists the efforts of Vader and the Emperor to turn him to the Dark Side, instead turning his father back to the Light Side of the Force. A mortally wounded Vader then kills the Emperor, while the Rebel fleet scores a decisive victory against the Empire, by destroying the second [[Death Star]]. The Rebel Alliance's victory eventually leads to the end of the Galactic Civil War, the downfall of the Empire, and the formation of the [[New Republic (Star Wars)|New Republic]], as described in the [[Expanded Universe (Star Wars)|Expanded Universe]] (see below).
=== Opening crawls ===
{{Main|Opening crawl (Star Wars)}}
[[Image:ESBOpeningCrawl.JPG|thumb|right|250px|Opening crawl for ''The Empire Strikes Back''.]]
The ''Star Wars'' films use an opening text to provide the audience with the background to the story. Lucas emulated the ''Flash Gordon'' serials by having his opening text "crawl" up the screen from bottom to top at a high pitched angle, as if the text were disappearing into the distant starscape. (Also in most ''Star Wars'' films, excepting Episode VI, a ship of some kind whooshes by after the crawl disappears completely.)
In a [[May 15]] [[2005]] interview with the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'', Lucas described the creation of the distinctive crawl: "The crawl is such a hard thing because you have to be careful that you're not using too many words that people don't understand. It's like a poem. I showed the very first crawl to a bunch of friends of mine in the '70s. It went on for six paragraphs with four sentences each. [[Brian De Palma]] was there, and he threw his hands up in the air and said, 'George, you're out of your mind! Let me sit down and write this for you.' He helped me chop it down into the form that exists today."
=== Themes ===
{{Main|Themes in Star Wars}}
George Lucas embraces a style of epic storytelling that he refers to as "motifs": common themes and concepts which he adjusts slightly each time they recur. The concept is lifted from romantic (early 19th century) music, but Lucas applies it both visually and as an integral part of his storytelling.
On a larger scale, there are many parallels between the original trilogy and the prequel trilogy, as the stories of Anakin Skywalker and Luke Skywalker echo and reflect each other in myriad ways.
=== The Force ===
{{Main|Force (Star Wars)}}
The Force is one of the most recognizable elements of the ''Star Wars'' mythos. It is described by Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original ''Star Wars'' film as, "An energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together."
Those who can use the Force, such as the Jedi, can perform feats of [[telepathy]], [[psychokinesis]], prescience, and mental control. In the original trilogy, two aspects of the Force were emphasised: the ''light side'' and the ''dark side''. The light side of the Force is the facet aligned with good, benevolence, and healing. The dark side of the Force is aligned with fear, hatred, aggression, and malevolence; this side of the Force seems more powerful, especially to those who use it, because it is driven by rage and hatred - its effects are more direct. In reality, neither the light nor the dark side of the Force is stronger than the other, each possessing its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, the dark side conveys an inherent disadvantage to its users, which is arrogance and overconfidence in their own abilities. However, this aggression allows its acolytes to become more formidable warriors - illustrated when Luke is able to finally overcome his father in battle because of his anger at the thought of his sister turning to the dark side. On the other hand, Jedi can occasionally become crippled by their compassion and act "soft." This is balanced by an ability to remain calm even in extreme circumstances.
=== Re-releases ===
{{Main|List of changes in Star Wars re-releases}}
In 1997, ''Episodes IV'', ''V'', and ''VI'' were re-mastered and theatrically re-released as the "Special Editions." For the re-release, in addition to extensive clean-up and restoration work, Lucas also made a number of [[List of changes in Star Wars re-releases|changes]] to the films in order to "finish the film the way it was meant to be" (as Lucas said in a September 2004 interview with the associated press).
[[Image:Star Wars new scene.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Han Solo]] and [[Jabba the Hutt]] in the 1997 [[List of changes in Star Wars re-releases|Special Edition]] of ''Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope''.]]
Many of Lucas' changes for the Special Editions were [[cosmetic]], generally adding special effects which weren't originally possible. Other changes, however, are considered to have affected plot or character development. These changes, such as the change often referred to by fans as "[[Han Shot First|Han shot first]]," have proven to be controversial, inciting considerable [[Fan criticism of George Lucas|criticism of George Lucas by fans]], and was one of the first causes of the [[Lucas Bashing]] phenomenon.
In 2004, in addition to an extensive and comprehensive hi-definition digital cleanup and restoration job by Lowry Digital, the [[Original trilogy (Star Wars)|original trilogy]] films were changed once again for their release on DVD. In these new versions of the films, in addition to new scenes and major image adjustments designed to make the films visually resemble the prequels, a few changes which had been made for the 1997 Special Editions were removed. With this release, Lucasfilm created a new high-definition master of the films, which will be used in future releases as well.
At a ShoWest convention in 2005, George Lucas demonstrated new technology and stated that he is planning to release all six films back in cinemas in a new [[3-D film|3-D]] film format, beginning with ''A New Hope'' in 2007.
Lucas has also hinted in the past that he will release his definitive, often called "archival" editions of all six ''Star Wars'' films on a next-generation home-video format in 2007. (It will most likely be the "[[Blu-Ray Disc]]," as [[20th Century Fox]] prefers this format.) This release would coincide with, and celebrate, the 30th anniversary of the ''Star Wars'' saga.
== Expanded Universe ==
{{Main|Expanded Universe (Star Wars)}}
[[Image:Splinter of the Minds Eye.jpg|thumb|150px|''Splinter of the Mind's Eye'', 1978]]
The term "Expanded Universe" (also known as the "EU") has come into existence as an umbrella term for all of the officially licensed ''Star Wars'' material outside of the two trilogies, including books, comics, games, and other forms of media. This material expands and continues the stories told in the films, taking place anywhere from 25, 000 years before ''The Phantom Menace'' to 36 years after ''Return of the Jedi''. The Expanded Universe officially began in January 1978 with [[Marvel Comics]]' ''Star Wars'' # 7 and was further expanded by [[Alan Dean Foster]]'s February 1978 novel, ''[[Splinter of the Mind's Eye]]''.
George Lucas retains ultimate creative control over the ''Star Wars'' universe. For example, the death of central characters and similar changes in the status quo must first pass his screening before authors are given the go-ahead. In addition, [[Lucasfilm|Lucasfilm Licensing]] devotes considerable effort to ensure continuity between the works of various authors across multiple companies.
Some purists reject the Expanded Universe as [[Apocrypha]], believing that only the events in the film series are part of the "real" ''Star Wars'' universe. However, elements of the Expanded Universe have been adopted by Lucas for use in the films. For example, the name of the planet [[Coruscant]] first appeared in [[Timothy Zahn]]'s novel ''[[Heir to the Empire]]'' before being used later in the prequel trilogy.
=== Development ===
The early development of the Expanded Universe was sporadic and unrefined, particularly because there was so little official material for the creators to build on. It still had a major impact though. For example, [[Marvel Comics]] was reputedly saved from closure by its publishing of ''Star Wars'' comics (the print runs ran into millions). A turning point in the honing of a concrete "expanded universe" was reached when [[West End Games]] began publishing the ''Star Wars Roleplaying Game'' in 1987. In order for players of the [[roleplaying game]] to create new adventures, West End Games needed to provide supplemental material describing the ''Star Wars'' universe in previously unknown detail. Eventually, [[Wizards of the Coast]] got the rights to publish the Star Wars RPG, which was released in 2000. The current edition of the Star Wars RPG was released in 2002.
In June 1991, [[Bantam]] published Timothy Zahn's [[The Thrawn trilogy|Thrawn trilogy]]. Widely publicized as the "sequels which were never made," Zahn's novels reignited ''Star Wars'' fandom and sparked a revolution in ''Star Wars'' literature. In December that year, [[Dark Horse Comics]] acquired the ''Star Wars'' license and used it to launch a number of ambitious sequels to the original trilogy, including the very popular [[Dark Empire]] stories.
=== Television ===
Although a rather small part of the ''Star Wars'' Expanded Universe, the television productions are the most widely known among the mainstream public. To date, three EU films, and three EU animated series have been produced, with an EU live-action series in pre-production.
{| class="wikitable" width="400px"
|-
!Production
!Release date
|-
| width="50%"|''[[The Star Wars Holiday Special]]''
| width="50%"|[[November 17]], [[1978]]
|-
|''[[Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure]]''
|[[November 25]], [[1984]]
|-
|''[[Star Wars: Droids]]''
|[[September 7]], [[1985]]
|-
|''[[Star Wars: Ewoks]]''
|[[September 7]], [[1985]]
|-
|''[[Ewoks: The Battle for Endor]]''
|[[November 24]], [[1985]]
|-
|''[[Star Wars: Clone Wars]]''
|[[November 7]], [[2003]]
|-
|[[Star Wars live-action TV series|''Star Wars'' live-action TV series]]
|[[2008]] (expected)
|}
== Fan works ==
:''See also: [[:Category:Star Wars fan films|Star Wars fan films]]''
[[Image:Revelation-second-poster.jpg|thumb|right|175px|The release poster of ''Star Wars: Revelations'', a popular fan film.]]
The ''Star Wars'' saga has inspired many fans to create their own stories set in the ''Star Wars'' galaxy. In recent years, this has ranged from writing fan-fiction to creating [[Fan film|fan films]].
In 2002, Lucasfilm sponsored the first annual [[The Official Star Wars Fan Film Awards|Official Star Wars Fan Films Awards]], officially recognizing filmmakers and the genre. Due to concerns over potential copyright and trademark issues, however, the contest remains open only to parodies, mockumentaries, and documentaries. Fan-fiction films set in the ''Star Wars'' universe are ineligible. Initially this limitation caused an outcry for those interested in creating serious fan-fiction for a competition.
While many of the serious fan films have used elements from the licensed Expanded Universe to tell their story, they are obviously not considered an official part of the ''Star Wars'' canon. Lucasfilm has, for the most part, turned a blind eye to the creation of these derivative fan-fiction works, so long as no such work attempts to make a profit from or tarnish the ''Star Wars'' franchise in any way.
Lucasfilm's open support and sanction of fan creations is a marked contrast to the attitudes of many other copyright holders. Some owners, such as [[Paramount Pictures]] with the [[Star Trek]] properties, have been known to actively discourage the creation of such works by fans.
Notable fan films include:
*''[[Troops (fan film)|TROOPS]]'' (1997) is Kevin Rubio's parody of the TV show [[COPS (TV series)|COPS]], humorously following the Imperial stormtroopers charged with tracking down the droids on Tatooine at the beginning of Episode IV. This film, with its professional production values and its ability to take advantage of Internet distribution, is generally credited with kickstarting the modern fanfilm phenomenon.
*''[[Star Wars: Revelations]]'' (2005) was directed by Shane Felux. Set between ''Revenge of the Sith'' and ''A New Hope'', the film attempts to explain what happened to the Jedi after the [[Great Jedi Purge]] of 19 [[Dates in Star Wars|BBY]]. Produced for nearly $20,000 and with an international crew, it is notable for being one of the most ambitious fanfilms to date. While expensive by most standards, it took a large step in showing that professional-quality filmmaking was becoming available at the consumer level.
== Cultural influence ==
[[Image:SW binary sunset.png|300px|right|thumb|The iconic sunset of Tatooine features two suns, the result of the [[Binary system (astronomy)|binary system]]. This scene from ''A New Hope'' has become a recognized cultural symbol of the ''Star Wars'' saga. Two sequels and three prequels later, Lucas chose to end the saga with this sunset.]]
The ''Star Wars'' saga has had a significant impact on modern global culture. Science fiction since ''Star Wars'', particularly in film, has often been influenced by and compared to ''Star Wars''.
U.S. President [[Ronald Reagan]] referred to the [[Soviet Union]] as an "evil empire," and the [[Strategic Defense Initiative]] program he championed became universally known as the Star Wars program. Lucasfilm originally sued to try to enjoin this usage of its trademark, and lost, in ''Lucasfilm Ltd. v. High Frontier'', 622 F.Supp. 931 (D.D.C. 1985). Explaining its decision, the court said, "When politicians, newspapers, and the public generally use the phrase star wars for their convenience, in parody or descriptively to further a communication of their views on SDI, plaintiff has no rights as owner of the mark to prevent this use of STAR WARS. ... Since [[Jonathan Swift]]'s time, creators of fictional worlds have seen their vocabulary for fantasy appropriated to describe reality. Trademark laws regulate unfair competition, not the parallel development of new dictionary meanings in the everyday give and take of human discourse." Interestingly Lucas showed his displeasure with Reagan's use of the name "Star Wars" by naming a prequel trilogy villain Nute Gunray. Gunray is the reverse pronunciation of Reagan and Nute is a backhanded reference to [[Knute Rockne, All American]], which is a film in which Reagan starred.
References to the main characters and themes of ''Star Wars'' are casually made in Western society with the well-qualified assumption that others will understand the reference, without the speaker feeling the need to explain the reference, similar to the use of unelaborated references to the [[Bible]] and [[Greek mythology]].
== References ==
*On philosophy and religion influences: [http://pcasacas.org/SPC/spcissues/23.1/wetmore.htm The Tao of Star Wars, Or, Cultural Appropriation in a Galaxy Far, Far Away]
*On Technology influences: [http://hem.bredband.net/wookiee/development/ This site] explains the many influences in its analysis of the writing of ''Star Wars''.
*Books about religion/philosophy and Star Wars:
**"Peace Knights of the Soul: Wisdom in 'Star Wars'," by Jon Snodgrass, Ph.D., Foreword by Jonathan Young, Ph.D.ISBN 0-9755214-7-0
**''The Tao of Star Wars'' by John M. Porter ISBN 0893343854
**''The Dharma of Star Wars'' by Matthew Bortolin ISBN 0861714970
**''Star Wars And Philosophy'' by Kevin S. Decker, Jason T. Eberl, William Irwin ISBN 0812695836
*"Conception" section based on: The Star Wars Timeline Gold-Appendice L-Understanding the Lost Episodes (p. 141–142).
**''The Tao of Star Wars'' by John M. Porter ISBN 0893343854
*On the influence of [[Joseph Campbell]] on the ''Star Wars'' films:
**"Peace Knights of the Soul: Wisdom in 'Star Wars'," by Jon Snodgrass, Ph.D., Foreword by Jonathan Young, Ph.D.ISBN 0-9755214-7-0
**Henderson, Mary. ''Star Wars: The Magic of Myth. Companion volume to the exhibition at the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution. New York: Bantam, 1997.
**Larsen, Stephen and Robin Larsen. ''Joseph Campbell: A Fire in the Mind.'' Rochester, Vermont: Inner Traditions, 2002.
**Moyers, Bill and Joseph Campbell. ''[[The Power of Myth]]''. Anchor; Reissue edition (1991) ISBN 0385418868
*[http://www.jitterbug.com/origins/dune.html ''Star Wars'' origins]; A comparison of the most often cited similarities between ''Star Wars'' and ''Dune''
== See also ==
Here are some of the general articles featured in the [[:Portal:Star Wars|''Star Wars'' portal]]. For a detailed outline of the ''Star Wars'' Wikipedia articles, please see [[:Category:Star Wars]].
=== General information ===
{| width="100%"
| valign="top" width="50%" |
*[[Cast of Star Wars]]
*[[Crew of Star Wars]]
*[[List of Star Wars books|Star Wars novels]]
*[[List of Star Wars comic books|Star Wars comic books]]
| valign="top" width="50%" |
*[[Star Wars computer and video games|Star Wars video games]]
*[[Star Wars (radio)|Star Wars radio dramas]]
*[[Notable lines in the Star Wars series]]
*[[Alleged inconsistencies in Star Wars]]
|}
=== ''Star Wars'' universe ===
{| width="100%"
| valign="top" width="50%"|
*[[List of Star Wars characters]]
*[[List of Star Wars creatures]]
*[[List of Star Wars planets]]
*[[List of Star Wars vehicles]]
| valign="top" width="50%" |
*[[List of Star Wars weapons]]
*[[:Category:Star Wars conflicts|Star Wars conflicts]]
*[[Dates in Star Wars]]
*[[:Category:Star Wars items|Star Wars items]]
|}
== External links ==
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Wikinews|'Star Wars' headed to TV as weekly series}}
{{Commons|Star Wars}}
=== General ===
*[http://www.starwars.com/ The official ''Star Wars'' website]
*[http://www.TheForce.net TheForce.net]; one of the oldest Star Wars fan sites.
*[http://www.starwarz.com Starwarz.com]; Everything for the ''Star Wars'' enthusiast.
*{{Sww|Star Wars}}
*[http://www.starwarsfanworks.com/ StarWarsfanworks.Com]; A fan site of ''Star Wars'' audio and radio dramas.
*[http://www.moviemistakes.com/film1226 Mistakes in Star Wars] at [http://www.moviemistakes.com moviemistakes.com]
*National Geographic News: [http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/06/0603_050603_starwars.html So how believable is the Star Wars galaxy?]
*[http://dmoz.org/arts/movies/titles/s/star_wars_movies/ Directory to Star Wars sites on the internet.]
*[http://www.blueharvest.net/ Star Wars behind the scenes]
*[http://www.supershadow.com/ Star Wars Ep 7,8,and 9 plot scripts by George Lucas,George Lucas Interview's and more]
=== Film preservation ===
*[http://www.originaltrilogy.com OriginalTrilogy.com] - A fan site dedicated to preserving the theatrical cuts of the original trilogy on DVD through fan edits.
*[http://www.x0project.com The X0 Project] - LaserDisc-to-DVD project of the Original Trilogy.
*[http://www.starwarslegacy.com STAR WARS - Legacy Edition] An Original Trilogy Restoration Project.
=== Wiki guide ===
*[[wikicities:c:StarWars:Main Page|Wookieepedia: The ''Star Wars'' Wiki]] - A wiki devoted to the Extended Universe aspects of ''Star Wars''.
*[http://jediarchives.info Jedi Archives Wiki]; A new Star Wars wiki created using MediaWiki.
*[http://swfanon.wikicities.com/wiki/Main_Page Star Wars Fanon Wiki] - A wiki designed for users to post their own "fanon," or fan fiction.
*[http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Star_wars ''Star Wars'' at Uncyclopedia] - An [[uncyclopedia]] parody of this article.
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