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Why is his middle name commonly spelled as Amschel, when it is actually Anschel? The inscriptions on his children's graves spell it in Hebrew as אנשיל.
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Many of the children have Mayer in their names, so it doesn't seem logical that this is a given name. Could it be the family name in Hebrew, to which the Rothschild name was appended?
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[[Image:Star_wars_dvd_cover.jpg|thumbnail|250px|right|The cover of the 2004 DVD widescreen release of the original Star Wars trilogy.]]
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:''For the missile defense program, see [[Strategic Defense Initiative]].''
'''''Star Wars''''' is a series of [[science fantasy]] [[film]]s created by [[screenwriter|writer]]/[[producer]]/[[film director|director]] [[George Lucas]]. The six-film series began in [[1977]] with the release of ''[[Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope]]'', and has since become a [[pop culture]] phenomenon, spawning a major [[franchise]] of [[film]]s, [[book]]s, [[video game]]s, [[television]] series, and other merchandising [[spin-off]]s. In [[2005]], [[Forbes Magazine]] estimated the overall revenue generated by the entire ''Star Wars'' franchise (over the course of its 28-year history) at nearly $20 billion U.S., easily making it the most successful film franchise ever.
The Star Wars story is set in outer space and employs [[archetype|archetypal]] motifs common to both [[science fiction]] and classical [[mythology]]. It is an excellent example of the [[space opera]] sub-genre of science fiction.
==Setting==
The only clue given to indicate the time setting of ''Star Wars'' is the line that opens each film: "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...". This is an allusion to the classic [[fairy tale]] line "Once upon a time, in a faraway land...", and other variations thereof. It may reflect that the films are to be interpreted as myths of the future, as opposed to literally meaning the events take place in the past. Lucas himself intentionally left the details open to interpretation.
Although it is unclear when the stories take place, the scope of the entire [[Expanded Universe (Star Wars)|''Star Wars'' fiction]] covers over [[Dates in Star Wars|25,000 years]], with the film series spanning only two generations.
As far as ___location, all of the characters of ''Star Wars'' come from the same [[Star Wars galaxy|galaxy]] (except a race called [[Yuuzhan Vong]] introduced in a novel series dubbed [[New Jedi Order]]). Unlike traditional [[science fiction]] films preceding it, the ''Star Wars'' world, particularly of the ''original trilogy'' era, is 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 weatherworn, 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. This break from traditional [[science fiction]] films may have influenced the [[cyberpunk]] genre that emerged around [[1984]].
==The films==
The first film released in the series, ''[[Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope]]'' (1977), has been selected to The National Film Registry of the Library of Congress [http://www.loc.gov/film/titles.html]. It was originally titled ''Star Wars'' without an episode number; it works as a standalone story, although Lucas claims it was always intended to be a part of a larger saga. After its popularity boomed, the episode number was added and it was followed by ''[[Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back]]'' (1980) and ''[[Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi]]'' (1983). Together these three films are known as the "original trilogy." After a hiatus of sixteen years, Lucas followed up with the "prequel trilogy" of ''[[Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace]]'' (1999), ''[[Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones]]'' (2002), and ''[[Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith]]'' (2005).
===The story presented in the films===
''For more detailed storylines, see the individual film articles.'' {{spoiler}}
Episodes I, II, and III show [[Anakin Skywalker]]'s rise as a gifted young [[Jedi]] and his eventual fall to the Dark Side of the [[Force (Star Wars)|Force]] as [[Darth Vader]], under the influence of evil [[Sith lords|Sith Lord]] [[Palpatine|Darth Sidious]]. Sidious manipulates the [[Trade Federation]] into invading and occupying [[Naboo]] and secretly orchestrates a conflict between the [[Galactic Republic]] and a Separatist movement, the [[Confederacy of Independent Systems]] which he also controls. After the final defeat of the Separatists and the near-extermination of the Jedi (with Vader's help), he declares himself Emperor of a new [[Galactic Empire]].
Episodes IV, V, and VI center on Anakin's son, [[Luke Skywalker]]. Restless for adventure, Luke joins the ragtag [[Rebel Alliance (Star Wars)|Rebel Alliance]] in its struggle to overthrow the evil Empire. He trains to become a Jedi like his father, whom he believes was killed by Darth Vader, and is despondent upon learning that his father is actually Darth Vader himself. Luke successfully resists the efforts of Vader and the Emperor to turn him to the Dark Side; instead, he turns his father back to the Light Side while the Rebel Alliance fleet scores a decisive victory to end the war.
==Production==
===Conception===
[[image:George_Lucas.jpg|thumb|George Lucas]]
George Lucas conceived ''Star Wars'' in the early [[1970s]]. He went through several revisions, which helped provide plenty of material for the subsequent films. Due to countless problems during the filming, majority of critics and movie goers thought the film would bomb. The first film was released in [[1977]], and its [[novelization]] hit the shelves a year earlier. The sixth and final ''Star Wars'' film, Episode III, was released on [[May 19]], [[2005]].
Lucas originally wrote the script for the first three movies as one film, but later decided to divide it into episodes. He also wrote a back story to help him understand the relations between Vader, Luke, and Obi-Wan. He used this story as a guide when he wrote Episodes 1 to 3 in the late 1990's and early 2000's. There is much rumor and myth concerning a supposed third trilogy concerning the fall of the Galactic Empire and the rise of the New Republic, however, the original script did not contain any material after ''Return of the Jedi''. There is, however, much Expanded Universe material devoted to that time period.
===Filming===
All the original films were shot at, among other locations, [[Elstree Studios]], in [[Hertfordshire]], [[England]]. ''The Phantom Menace'' was filmed at [[Leavesden Film Studios]] and the subsequent prequels were filmed in [[Sydney]], [[Australia]]. [[Tunisia]] has 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''.
===Re-releases===
[[image:Star_Wars_new_scene.jpg|thumb|250px|Han Solo and Jabba the Hutt in Episode IV's Special Edition]]
George Lucas has tinkered repeatedly with the original trilogy. Episodes IV through VI were remastered and re-released (both theatrically and on [[VHS]]) during [[1997]], and again on [[DVD]] in [[September 2004]]. The films underwent extensive clean-up and restoration work, and Lucas took advantage of this opportunity to make a number of [[List of changes in Star Wars re-releases|changes]]. In a [http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Movies/09/20/film.qa.george.lucas.ap/ September 2004 interview with AP], he explains his reasons for the changes:
:''To me, the special edition ones are the films I wanted to make. Anybody that makes films knows the film is never finished. It's abandoned or it's ripped out of your hands, and it's thrown into the marketplace, never finished. ... Most artists, most painters, even composers would want to come back and redo their work now. They've got a new perspective on it, they've got more resources, they have better technology, and they can fix or finish the things that were never done. ...''
:''I wanted to actually finish the film the way it was meant to be when I was originally doing it. At the beginning, people went, "Don't you like it?" I said, "Well, the film only came out to be 25 or 30 percent of what I wanted it to be." ... If you read any interviews for about an eight- or nine-year period there, it was all about how disappointed I was and how unhappy I was and what a dismal experience it was. You know, it's too bad you need to get kind of half a job done and never get to finish it. So this was my chance to finish it.''
Some of the changes are cosmetic, such as adding new special effects which weren't possible with previous technology. Other changes affect plot or character development. For example, one of the more controversial of the changes is known by fans as ''"Han shot first"'': in the original release of the 1977 film, Han sits at a bartable with an alien named [[Greedo]] who tries to extort money out of him; Han casually shoots and kills the alien. In the 1997 re-release this scene has been changed so that Greedo shoots first (and misses terribly) and Han's shot is clearly in self-defense. After fan outcry that this ruins the introduction of Han as a rogue, the 2004 DVD release of the film edits the scene slightly so that both characters fire at the same time. Another alteration was made to a scene at the very end of Episode VI, when the spirits of [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]], [[Yoda]] and [[Anakin Skywalker]] look onto the Rebels' celebration. Anakin's face was changed to that of [[Hayden Christensen]], the Canadian actor who played Anakin in Episodes II and III.
The re-release changes are a point of contention among fans, many claiming that they taint the movies. The fans' ire is increased by the impossibility of legally obtaining DVDs of the original releases. Ironically, Lucas testified before the [[United States Congress|U.S. Congress]] in opposition to [[Film colorization|colorizing]] black and white films (a position he has reiterated as recently as August 2004 [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5651949/]). Many fans see this attitude as hypocritical, others argue that the types of alterations Lucas is opposed to are done without the consent of the artists involved in the original production, as opposed to changes he made to his own films.
At a ShoWest convention, George Lucas stated that he is going to release all of the movies as [[3-D film]]s.
==Major themes and influences==
===Mythology===
Many of the themes within Star Wars reflect elements of Greek tragedy, [[Roman mythology]], and Japanese [[chambara]] such as the prominence of prophecy and the inability to control one's destiny. For example, Luke's relationship to his father shows evidence of influence from Greek tragedy.
The ''Star Wars'' films also show considerable similarity to Asian [[Wuxia film|Wuxia]] "[[Kung Fu]]" films. In films of this genre, the protagonist almost always begins with a clear objective to avenge the death of someone dear (an old master, his father, or his entire family). Starting as an apprentice, he grows to become the most powerful Master of his art in Kung Fu and rightfully settles old scores inflicted to his loved ones. The influence of Japanese pathos is obvious in the technique of the [[lightsaber]] being similar to the use of the Japanese [[Samurai]] swords, and the etiquette-conscious Jedi humility to the Japanese bows in greetings. Lucas has stated that his intention was to create in ''Star Wars'' a modern mythology based on the studies of his friend and mentor [[Joseph Campbell]]. He has also called the first movie's similarity to [[Akira Kurosawa]]'s film ''[[The Hidden Fortress]]'' a "homage".
===Philosophy and religion===
[[image:Yoda.gif|thumb|Yoda]]
The essential trademark of <i>Star Wars'<i> philosophy is its reliance on The Force, which closely resembles the [[Odic force]] of Karl von Reichenbach. (See main article: [[Force (Star Wars)]]).
''Star Wars'' stresses the self-destructive nature of [[fear]], [[anger]], and [[hate]], summed up in [[Yoda]]'s words ("''Fear is the path to the dark side: fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering''"), as well as placing one's feelings for certain people aside. For example, [[Luke Skywalker]] is told to remain on [[Dagobah]] to complete his training rather than rescue his friends from [[Cloud City]], because doing so will "destroy all for which they have fought and suffered."
This aligns with the philosophy of most all religions, which emphasize rational thought and meditation as the path to enlightenment, as opposed to the "Dark Side", of violent passion and emotion. It also aligns with secular [[Enlightenment]] thought, based in reason (the light side) and passionate and often violent pre-WWI romanticism (the dark side). The sequel started in Episode IV with the obvious cliche — Darth Vader in matte and shiny black outfit, with Leia Organa in pristine white robes, alluding to the concepts of Good versus Evil. With the exception of Anakin in the teenage years in Episode II and III and [[Luke Skywalker]] in Episode VI, black costumes seemed to have been reserved exclusively for the darker Empire and its Sith Emperor. Whether intentional or not, the use of language was dramatized — the Empire minions almost always spoke with British accents whilst most of the Rebels spoke unadulterated American English. Likewise all Imperial officers were dressed to kill with tailor-cut Nazi-like uniforms, with the Rebels in looser and more ascetic overalls.
See also: [http://pcasacas.org/SPC/spcissues/23.1/wetmore.htm The Tao of Star Wars, Or, Cultural Appropriation in a Galaxy Far, Far Away]
----
===Politics===
Some , i.e. the Jedi Council with its keepers of peace counsels the Senate over all matters in the Galactic Republic, is similar to the philosopher-king of the Platonic Dialogues. It offers no subjective stance on alternatives to [[Galactic Republic (Star Wars)|the corrupt Republic]]'s government, while some see it as supportin<math>
== interpret ''Star Wars'' to advocate meritocracy over dictatorship, a form of government in Plato's Republic which theoretically triumphed over other forms of government ==</math>g [[monarchy]] over democracy. It should, however, be noted that the republic presented is portrayed as an initially suitable form of democracy, yet one which demonstrates an almost inherent tendency to fall into corruption (as the first stage in a process of decay which eventually leads to a dictatorship), and even the films' most prominent monarchy—[[Naboo]]—is democratic.
The overarching transition of Galactic government from [[Galactic Republic (Star Wars)|republic]] to [[Galactic Empire (Star Wars)|empire]], via increasing corruption and an intermediary stage of [[Popular dictatorship|popular dictatorship]], mirrors in many ways the transition from the [[Roman Republic]] to the [[Roman Empire]]. The rise of [[Palpatine]] in particular bears many similarities to the rise of [[Caesar Augustus|Augustus]]; and although notable differences in their objectives and demeanors undermine this assertion somewhat, the similarity of the circumstances under which they both came to power is undeniable.
Lucas has recently stated that the concept of a battle of a small band of rebel insurgents against a powerful Galactic Empire in some ways was inspired by the [[Vietnam War]], with the [[United States government]] seen as parallel to the Empire. However, there is little detail in the original trilogy (Episodes IV to VI) that specifically supports this interpretation.
A line from "[[Revenge of the Sith]]" which seemed to resonate very politically was the following, spoken by [[Senator Amidala]]: "So this is how liberty dies; with thunderous applause." This was seen by some critics as referencing the fall of the [[Weimar Republic]]. This line has also been thought to be a reference to the [[Patriot Act]] and the post-[[9/11]] wave of popular support for restrictions of [[civil liberties]] in the [[United States]]. In the same film, [[Anakin Skywalker]] as an evil Sith lord says "If you're not with me, you're my enemy", which has been interpreted by many to be a reference to [[US President]] [[George W. Bush]]'s stance on terrorism. The response, "Only a Sith deals in absolutes" from [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]] can be seen as a critique of Bush's position.
At the Premiere of ''Episode III'' in [[Cannes Film Festival|Cannes]], George Lucas mentioned the political stance, notably saying "I hope this doesn't come true in our country [the USA]" and "Maybe the film will waken people to the situation"; he went on to comment on the war in Iraq.[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,156585,00.html]. Indeed, the plot arc of the prequel trilogy, in which an ambitious politician orchestrates a "[[Phantom Menace]]" to fuel his rise to ever-greater power, has been referenced extensively by some opponents of the [[2003]] invasion of [[Iraq]] who believe that the now-discredited [[weapons of mass destruction]] threat was in some senses a "phantom menace."
===Technology===
Another archetypal conflict in the series is between [[technology]] and [[nature]]. Throughout the films, under-armed nature dwellers (Ewoks and [[List_of_Star_Wars_races#Gungan|Gungans]]) defeat highly mechanized space ship dwelling enemies. Many of these asymmetries are between the Empire and the Rebel Alliance. For example, the rebels wear clothing that match their environment (greens, browns or whites) while the storm troopers always wear white synthetic armor. The [[TIE fighter]] attacks are shown as impersonal swarms of metal while the [[X-wing]]s are individuals; a similar symmetry also exists between the faceless, armor-clad [[Imperial Stormtrooper]]s and their crisp, uniformed officers, and the various individual members of the [[Rebel Alliance]]. More recent examples can be seen in [[Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith]]: Jedi Master [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]], mounted atop a lizard-like veractyl, pursues and combats the semi-mechanical [[General Grievous]] mounted atop a one-wheeled mechanical vehicle; after the execution of [[Order 66]], the somewhat inhuman [[Clone troopers]] are shown slaughtering a number of Jedi characters, whose striking art design gives them clear individuality. This concept emphasizes the general idea that technology is in opposition to humanity. [http://hem.bredband.net/wookiee/development/ This site] explains this theme and others in its analysis of the writing of ''Star Wars''.
===Similarities===
There seem to be repeated elements amongst the ''Star Wars'' films (Lucas makes mention of his fondness for repeating elements in several of the DVD audio commentaries):
*In Episode I & IV, the main protagonist helps win a battle at the end of the film (Anakin destroys the Trade Federation Droid Control Ship, Luke destroys the Death Star).
*In the second part of each trilogy (Episodes II & V), the main protagonists both see visions of loved one(s) in danger: Luke- Han, Leia and the rest of his friends; Anakin- His mother. Both protagonists also abandon their duty ( Luke-jedi training;Anakin-protecting Padme)and go off in attempt to save his loved one(s).
*In the second part of each trilogy (Episodes II & V), the main protagonist suffers the loss of his right hand (Anakin, Luke)
*At the end of the middle episodes in the trilogy (Episodes II & V), the main protagonist (Anakin in II, Luke in V) puts his arm around the main female character (Padme in II, Leia in V) beside the two droids R2D2 and C-3PO.
*In the third part of each trilogy (Episodes III & VI), Palpatine encourages Anakin and Luke to finish off their defeated opponents - except that Anakin gives in to Palpatine's wishes, while Luke does not. Also, in both episodes, Anakin is the observer to a life-or-death struggle between Palpatine and another opponent (Mace Windu in III, and Luke in VI). In both cases, Anakin/Darth Vader comes to the aid of the weaker combatant (Palpatine himself in III- although most fans believe Palpatine was faking weakness, Luke in VI) begging him for aid while being electrocuted by Palpatine's lightning storm, and hurls the stronger combatant (Mace in III, Palpatine in VI) into a chasm.
* The titles are parallel: "The Phantom Menace" and "A New Hope" can be seen as referring to Darth Sidious and Luke Skywalker; "Attack of the Clones" and "The Empire Strikes Back" both refer to the galactic government mounting a military attack against a rebellion, while "Revenge of the Sith" and "Return of the Jedi" both refer to the ultimate victory of a decimated, [[Force (Star Wars)|Force]]-based religious order.
==Expanded Universe==
:''Main article: [[Expanded Universe (Star Wars)]].''
[[image:Splinter_of_the_Minds_Eye.jpg|thumb|150px|Splinter of the Mind's Eye, 1978]]
The ''Expanded Universe'' (EU) refers to all of the officially licensed ''Star Wars'' material outside of the two trilogies, including books, comics, games, and other forms of media. The works of the EU began with [[Alan Dean Foster]]'s 1978 book ''[[Splinter of the Mind's Eye]]''. George Lucas has chosen to personally concentrate on his films rather than EU material, but he retains ultimate creative control over the ''Star Wars'' universe. Therefore, [[Lucasfilm]] Licensing must devote considerable effort to ensuring continuity between various authors' works and Lucas's films. Occasionally, elements from the Expanded Universe are adopted into the highest tier of [[Star Wars canon]], the movies (e.g., the name of the planet [[Coruscant]] first appeared in [[Timothy Zahn]]'s novel ''[[Heir to the Empire]]''). Some purists reject the Expanded Universe, believing that only the events in the Film Series are part of the "real" ''Star Wars'' universe.
===Related films===
Since the premiere of ''Star Wars'', there have been a handful of officially sanctioned parodies and Expanded Universe live-action productions:
*''[[The Star Wars Holiday Special]]'' was a two-hour [[television]] special which aired during the [[1978]] [[holiday season]]. It was greatly anticipated by fans, but then was just as greatly reviled due to its meager plot, lack of action, and nonsensical musical numbers. It is significant for introducing [[bounty hunter]] [[Boba Fett]].
*''[[The Ewok Adventure: Caravan of Courage]]'' ([[1984]]) and ''[[Ewoks: Battle for Endor]]'' ([[1985]]) center on a family marooned on the forest moon of [[Endor (Star Wars)|Endor]].
*''[[The Official Star Wars Fan Film Awards]]'' is a [[Lucasfilm]]-sponsored contest of short films made by ''Star Wars'' fans about, referencing, and parodying the ''Star Wars'' phenomenon.
===Radio and television===
''[[Star Wars (radio)|Star Wars]]'', the radio adaptation ([[NPR]] [[1981]]), was written by [[science fiction]] author [[Brian Daley]]. It was followed by adaptations of the next two films of the series.
Three cartoon series have been based on ''Star Wars''. The first two, ''[[Ewoks (cartoon)|Ewoks]]'' and ''[[Droids (cartoon)|Droids]]'', debuted in [[1985]], while ''[[Clone Wars (cartoon)|Clone Wars]]'' began in [[2003]]. ''Ewoks'' features the adventures of the [[Ewok]]s prior to ''Return of the Jedi''. ''Droids'' follows C-3PO and R2-D2 between Episodes III and IV. ''Clone Wars'' is set between ''Attack of the Clones'' and ''Revenge of the Sith'', as the Jedi fight against the [[Confederacy of Independent Systems]] in the [[Clone Wars]].
On [[April 23]], [[2005]], at the Celebration III fan convention, George Lucas announced that two new television series would be produced for a 2006 or 2007 debut. The first will be a fully 3-D, half-hour length continuation of the ''Clone Wars'' cartoon; the second a live-action, hour-long series taking place between ''Revenge of the Sith'' and ''A New Hope''. The latter will fill in story and plot "gaps" such as Leia and Luke growing up, the creation of the 'rebels' and other elements in the series' storyline.
===Books===
''See also: [[List of Star Wars books]]''
''Star Wars''-based fiction predates the release of the first movie, with the 1976 novelization of "A New Hope" (written by [[Alan Dean Foster]] but credited to George Lucas). However, Foster's 1978 novel, ''[[Splinter of the Mind's Eye]]'', was the first EU work to be released. In addition to filling in the time between the movies, this additional content greatly expands the Star Wars timeline before and after the film series.
''Star Wars'' fiction flourished during the time of the original series (1977-1983), but slowed to a trickle afterwards. In [[1991]], however, [[Timothy Zahn]]'s celebrated [[the Thrawn trilogy|Thrawn/Heir To The Empire Trilogy]] debuted, sparking a new interest in the ''Star Wars'' universe that gained momentum with the releases of the special editions and new films beginning in the late 1990s. Other notable books include ''The X-Wing Series'', by [[Michael Stackpole]], and the ''[[New Jedi Order]]'' series, by various authors.
Another series of books is the Young Jedi Knights, by Kevin J Anderson, which follow the adventures of Jason and Jaina Solo, and their freinds.
===Comic books and strips===
''See also: [[List of Star Wars comic books]]''
[[Marvel Comics]] published ''Star Wars'' comic book series and adaptations from 1977 to [[1986]]. A wide variety of creators worked on this series, including [[Archie Goodwin (comic book writer)|Archie Goodwin]], [[Howard Chaykin]], [[Al Williamson]], Carmine Infantino, [[Walt Simonson]], Michael Golden, [[Chris Claremont]], Whilce Poratio, [[Jo Duffy]], and Ron Frenz. Some fans, including some officials at Lucasfilm, no longer consider the Marvel series story canon, although some events have been mentioned in Star Wars reference books. In the 1980s, as part of their Star Comics line aimed at young children, Marvel also published the short-lived series ''[[Ewoks]]'' and ''[[Droids]]'', based on the Saturday morning cartoons.
''Star Wars'' was also a daily newspaper comic strip from [[1979]] to [[1984]], written by Archie Goodwin and drawn by Al Williamson.
Starting in the 1990s, [[Dark Horse Comics]] has published a large number of original adventures set in the ''Star Wars'' universe. These include ''Star Wars Republic, Star Wars Empire, Star Wars Tales'' and ''Star Wars Jedi''. Dark Horse has also published the Marvel series in a collection entitled ''Classic Star Wars''. In addition, the company has reprinted several [[Japan]]ese [[manga]] interpretations of the films which retell the stories using the artistic devices and idioms of the form.
===Games and toys===
''See also [[Star Wars computer and video games]]''.
Since 1983, over 120 [[video game]]s have been published bearing the ''Star Wars'' name, beginning with 'Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back' published for the Atari 2600 by [[Parker Brothers]]. Other early titles include the [[Star Wars (video game)|Star Wars]] Nintendo Entertainment System game (published by [[JVC]]) and three other titles for the Atari 2600. The ''Rogue Squadron'' series, developed by Factor 5 and published by LucasArts, is a notable video game series. ''Dark Forces'' is a significant computer game series.
[[Atari]] produced [[arcade game]]s based on the original trilogy, beginning with "Star Wars" and "The Empire Strikes Back", which were both 'flight sim' style games that utilized [[vector graphics]]. The third, "Return of the Jedi", used more traditional [[raster graphics]].
Two ''Star Wars'' [[role playing game]]s have also been published, and in 2005, [[Hasbro]] developed and released a [[DVD TV Games|DVD TV Game]] based on Star Wars and utilising the [[Trivial Pursuit]] game-play format.
Other games are ''Knights of the Old Republic'' by Bioware, ''Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lord'' by Obsidian, ''Battlefront'', ''Republic Commando'', ''Episode 3'', the loveable ''Lego Star Wars'', ''Jedi Knight Outcast and Academy'' and soon to come is ''Empires at War''
For toys, see [[Star Wars toys]].
==See also==
===Star Wars lists===
* [[List of vehicles in Star Wars]]
* [[Minor vehicles in Star Wars]]
* [[Planets of Star Wars]]
* [[Weapons of Star Wars]]
* [[List of Star Wars conflicts]]
* [[List of Star Wars races]]
* [[List of Star Wars places]]
* [[List of Star Wars organizations]]
* [[List of LucasArts Star Wars games]]
* [[List of Star Wars characters]]
* [[List of minor Star Wars characters]]
* [[List of minor Star Wars Jedi characters]]
* [[List of minor Rebel characters in Star Wars]]
* [[List of movies with Star Wars references]]
* [[Minor residents of Tatooine]]
* [[Cast of Star Wars]]
* [[Crew of Star Wars]]
* [[Notable lines in the Star Wars series]]
===Other Star Wars articles===
*[[Dates in Star Wars]]
*[[Languages in Star Wars]]
*[[List of changes in Star Wars re-releases|Changes in Star Wars re-releases]]
*[[Physics and Star Wars]]
*[[Alleged inconsistencies in Star Wars]]
*[[Star Wars galaxy]]
*[[References to Star Wars]]
*''[[Star Wars Galaxies|Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided]]''
* [[Star Wars Gangsta Rap]]
*[[Star Wars sources and analogues]]
*[[Star Wars speculation]]
*[[Star Wars Technical Commentaries]]
*[[Force (Star Wars)|The Force]]
*[[Theforce.net]]
*[[X-wing computer game series]]
*[[Lightsabers]]
*[[Lightsaber combat]]
*[[Ghyslain Raza]]
*[[Empire of Dreams]]
===External links===
{{wikiquote}}
* [http://www.starwars.com/ ''Star Wars'' official website]
* [http://www.theforce.net TheForce.net], one of the oldest Star Wars fan sites
* the [[Wikicities:c:StarWars|Star Wars Wiki]], a [[wiki]] entirely dedicated to collecting information about the Star Wars universe
* [http://www.holonetnews.com/56/archives/ Holonet News] A "news" website based on the Star Wars prequels. It brings readers "current" events from the [[Expanded_Universe_%28Star_Wars%29|Extended Universe]] of Star Wars. The site has not been updated for several months.
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0203523/ George Lucas in Love], a humorous 1999 comedy short, itself a parody of the feature film Shakespeare in Love, exploring (in fiction) George Lucas's possible sources of inspiration for the Star Wars universe.
* A short parody from the Organic Trade Association- [http://www.storewars.org/flash/index.html Grocery Store Wars]
* National Geographic News: [http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/06/0603_050603_starwars.html So how believable is the Star Wars galaxy?]
* A [[FoxTrot]] comic [http://www.ucomics.com/foxtrot/2005/06/19/ ].
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