Star Wars

For toys, see Star Wars toys.
. 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. Had he attended the first class, the Mariners would have been unable by Major League Baseball rules to sign him, and no one would have been able to draft him for 2 more years. Two Star Wars role playing games have also been published, and in 2005, Hasbro developed and released a DVD TV Game based on Star Wars and utilising the Trivial Pursuit game-play format. He had even enrolled in classes, but on his way to the first class he met a scout for the Mariners who offered a large signing bonus and he signed ending his college career before it began. The third, "Return of the Jedi", used more traditional raster graphics. While in high school, Rodriguez had signed a letter of intent with the University to play baseball.

Atari produced arcade games 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. In 2003, Alex Rodriguez gave a $10 million gift to the University of Miami to build a new baseball stadium. Dark Forces is a significant computer game series. was the previous record holder by reaching 400 home runs at 30 years and 141 days old. The Rogue Squadron series, developed by Factor 5 and published by LucasArts, is a notable video game series. Ken Griffey, Jr. Other early titles include the Star Wars Nintendo Entertainment System game (published by JVC) and three other titles for the Atari 2600. On June 8th, Rodriguez hit his 400th career home run, becoming the youngest player in Major League history to do so at 29 years and 316 days old.

Since 1983, over 120 video games have been published bearing the Star Wars name, beginning with 'Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back' published for the Atari 2600 by Parker Brothers. Alex Rodriguez's salary of $25,705,118 is the highest in Major League Baseball in the 2005 season. See also Star Wars computer and video games. But the umpires huddled and ended up calling him out, which made Jeter return to first base. This action by Rodriguez has given him a bad image, especially among Red Sox fans. In addition, the company has reprinted several Japanese manga interpretations of the films which retell the stories using the artistic devices and idioms of the form. Rodriguez was called safe at first, and Derek Jeter scored from first base. Dark Horse has also published the Marvel series in a collection entitled Classic Star Wars. During the 2004 American League Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox, Alex Rodriguez caused controversey when he "slapped" the baseball out of pitcher Bronson Arroyo's glove when running to first base.

These include Star Wars Republic, Star Wars Empire, Star Wars Tales and Star Wars Jedi. 2 spot in the batting order, directly behind Jeter. Starting in the 1990s, Dark Horse Comics has published a large number of original adventures set in the Star Wars universe. Near the end of the season, Yankees manager Joe Torre moved Rodriguez to the No. Star Wars was also a daily newspaper comic strip from 1979 to 1984, written by Archie Goodwin and drawn by Al Williamson. Rodriguez performed well, though average by his standards, in his first season with the Yankees, hitting .286 with 36 home runs and 106 runs batted in, his seventh consecutive season with at least 100 RBI. 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. There was some speculation as to what his number would be, but in spring training he showed up with uniform number 13, answering the question.

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. He had worn uniform number 3 his entire career, but that number on the Yankees is retired in honor of Babe Ruth. A wide variety of creators worked on this series, including Archie Goodwin, Howard Chaykin, Al Williamson, Carmine Infantino, Walt Simonson, Michael Golden, Chris Claremont, Whilce Poratio, Jo Duffy, and Ron Frenz. In addition to moving from shortstop to third, Rodriguez had to make another change upon joining the Yankees. Marvel Comics published Star Wars comic book series and adaptations from 1977 to 1986. After Rodriguez agreed to switch positions and play third base, the deal between New York and Texas was consummated. See also: List of Star Wars comic books. Since New York already had a star shortstop in team captain Derek Jeter, the trade developed only after New York's third baseman, Aaron Boone, suffered a season-ending knee injury while playing a game of pickup basketball during the off-season.

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. In the trade, the Rangers will have to pay $67 million of the $179 million left on Rodriguez's contract. Other notable books include The X-Wing Series, by Michael Stackpole, and the New Jedi Order series, by various authors. On February 15, 2004, after a period in which he had been courted by the Boston Red Sox and named as the Rangers' captain, Rodriguez was traded to the New York Yankees for second baseman Alfonso Soriano and a player to be named later. In 1991, however, Timothy Zahn's celebrated 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. He hit .298 with 47 home runs, won his second consecutive Gold Glove Award and was named the league's MVP, despite the Rangers remaining mired in last place. Star Wars fiction flourished during the time of the original series (1977-1983), but slowed to a trickle afterwards. Rodriguez 's last season with Texas, 2003, was another productive year for A-Rod.

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. Although Tejada had lesser numbers than Rodriguez, he played for a championship-caliber team. The Mariners didn't miss him; they won 116 games in their first year without him. However, Foster's 1978 novel, Splinter of the Mind's Eye, was the first EU work to be released. Unfortunately, the Rangers made no real improvement in the two years he played there, finishing last both times, and it likely cost him the MVP award in 2002, as he finished second to fellow shortstop Miguel Tejada. 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). Despite the enormous pressure carried by the contract, Rodriguez continued to produce, and has been even better than before. He hit 52 home runs in 2001, and followed that up with a major league best 57 home runs in 2002, the most ever for a shortstop. He put a bookend on that year by winning his first Gold Glove Award. See also: List of Star Wars books. A free agent after the season, Rodriguez, who wanted to go to a Series-caliber team, was immediately rumored to be heading to the Mets because of his appearance at Shea, but instead chose to go to the Texas Rangers (last in their division in 2000), signing what is the largest contract in American sports history, a 10-year contract worth an astounding $252 million. Because of the contract, considered outrageous by many fans, Mariners fans that loved him immediately turned on him for taking the money and running instead of staying with a winner; to this day he's regularly booed every time he returns to Seattle.

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 sometime between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. He still made an appearance in the Series, sitting in the stands of Shea Stadium watching his friend Derek Jeter play in that year's all-New York World Series between the Yankees and New York Mets. 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. Winning the AL West in 2000, Rodriguez hit well in the playoffs, but the Mariners lost to the World Series champion New York Yankees in the LCS. 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. Rodriguez continued to put up great numbers as the team's remaining superstar, and hit 41 more HR's in 2000 as he hit .316, doing so playing in the best pitcher's park in the AL. Droids follows C-3PO and R2-D2 between Episodes III and IV. in the past two seasons.

Ewoks features the adventures of the Ewoks prior to Return of the Jedi. The Mariners entered 2000 with A-Rod as the cornerstone of the franchise, having dealt superstars Randy Johnson and Ken Griffey, Jr. The first two, Ewoks and Droids, debuted in 1985, while Clone Wars began in 2003. Despite missing 30+ games with an injury and playing home games at Safeco Field (a considerably less hitter-friendly ballpark than the Kingdome) for the second half of the season, he matched his HR total in 1999. Three cartoon series have been based on Star Wars. He recovered with authority in 1998 by becoming the 3rd member of the 40 homers/40 stolen bases club, racking up 42 HR and 46 SB. It was followed by adaptations of the next two films of the series. He hit for the cycle with them in 1997, but slumped that year with only 23 home runs and a "mere" .300 average; the Mariners nonetheless won the division but were quickly eliminated from the playoffs.

Star Wars, the radio adaptation (NPR 1981), was written by science fiction author Brian Daley. Rodriguez was a favorite with Mariners fans. Since the premiere of Star Wars, there have been a handful of officially sanctioned parodies and Expanded Universe live-action productions:. He came close to being the youngest MVP in baseball history, but fell 3 points short to Juan González; possibly denying him this honor were the two Seattle-area sportswriters who voted for the award, as they gave him 8th and 9th place votes. Some purists reject the Expanded Universe, believing that only the events in the Film Series are part of the "real" Star Wars universe. He took over as the regular shortstop the following year, and immediately became a superstar, hitting 36 home runs and pacing the American League with a .358 batting average, and leading the league in runs, total bases, and doubles; great numbers even by the standards of the Kingdome, one of the American League's best hitter's parks. 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). One of his most important contributions in the playoffs was consoling second baseman Joey Cora, who memorably broke down in tears after the Mariners' loss in the League Championship Series.

Therefore, Lucasfilm Licensing must devote considerable effort to ensuring continuity between various authors' works and Lucas's films. After his major league campaign in 1994 was cut short by the players' strike, he split most of 1995 between Seattle and their AAA club 30 miles away in Tacoma before staying on the major league roster in August, making a pair of postseason appearances on the Mariners' playoff run. 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. He made a rapid rise through the organization and made his major league debut at just 18 years of age, becoming one of the youngest players to appear in a game at shortstop. The works of the EU began with Alan Dean Foster's 1978 book Splinter of the Mind's Eye. His skills were rewarded when the Seattle Mariners made the 17-year old the #1 pick of the amateur draft in 1993. 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. Rodríguez was a star player at Miami Westminster Christian High School.

There seem to be repeated elements amongst the Star Wars films:. Rodríguez has said in interviews he can forgive his father for abandoning the family, but that he will never forget. This site (http://hem.bredband.net/wookiee/development/) explains this theme and others in its analysis of the writing of Star Wars. There, Alex's father announced he had to go to New York for a short time; he never returned. This concept emphasizes the general idea that technology is in opposition to humanity. They moved to Miami, Florida 4 years later. The TIE fighter attacks are shown as impersonal swarms of metal while the X-wings are individuals; a similar symmetry also exists between the faceless, armor-clad Imperial Stormtroopers 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. Born in New York City, Rodríguez moved back with his parents to their native Dominican Republic when he was 4.

For example, the rebels wear clothing that match their environment (greens, browns or whites) while the storm troopers always wear white synthetic armor. Less than three weeks later, he was traded to the Yankees, the first reigning MVP to be traded in the history of Major League Baseball. Many of these asymmetries are between the Empire and the Rebel Alliance. Then on January 25, 2004, he was named captain of the Rangers. Throughout the films, under-armed nature dwellers (Ewoks and Gungans) defeat highly mechanized space ship dwelling enemies. The Players Association blocked the deal, however, because the Red Sox wanted to cut Rodriguez's salary. Another archetypal conflict in the series is between technology and nature. The following month the Rangers tried unsuccessfully to trade Rodriguez and his hefty salary to the Boston Red Sox.

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.". It was the second time in MLB history that a player of a team finishing last in the league was given the award (Andre Dawson also won the award for the last place Chicago Cubs). At the Premiere of Episode III in 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.[3] (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,156585,00.html). On November 17, 2003, Rodriguez won his first American League Most Valuable Player award. The response, "Only a Sith deals in absolutes" from Obi-Wan Kenobi can be seen as a critique of Bush's position. He has been married to the former Cynthia Scurtis since November 2, 2002: the couple's first child, Natasha Alexander, was born on November 18, 2004. Bush's stance on terrorism. In 2003 he became the youngest player in major league history to reach 300 home runs, and, on June 8, 2005, he became the first to to hit 400 home runs before the age of 30.

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. Rodriguez began his career as a shortstop, but switched positions to third base upon joining the Yankees. 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. Starting his major league career with the Seattle Mariners, he signed an unprecedented free-agent deal with the Texas Rangers, before being traded to the New York Yankees. 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. Alexander Emanuel Rodriguez (born July 27, 1975 in New York City), nicknamed A-Rod, is widely regarded as one of the best players in Major League Baseball today and at a young age is already being talked about among the all-time greats. 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.

The rise of Palpatine in particular bears many similarities to the rise of 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. The overarching transition of Galactic government from republic to empire, via increasing corruption and an intermediary stage of popular dictatorship, mirrors in many ways the transition from the Roman Republic to the Roman Empire. It offers no subjective stance on alternatives to the corrupt Republic's government, while some see it as supporting 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 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.

Some interpret Star Wars to advocate meritocracy over dictatorship, a form of government in Plato's Republic which theoretically triumphed over other forms of government, i.e. See also: The Tao of Star Wars, Or, Cultural Appropriation in a Galaxy Far, Far Away (http://pcasacas.org/SPC/spcissues/23.1/wetmore.htm). Likewise all Imperial officers were dressed to kill with tailor-cut Nazi-like uniforms, with the Rebels in looser and more ascetic overalls. 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.

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. It also aligns with secular Enlightenment thought, based in reason (the light side) and passionate and often violent pre-WWI romanticism (the dark side). 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. 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.".

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. (See main article: Force (Star Wars)). The essential trademark of Star Wars' philosophy is its reliance on The Force, which closely resembles the Odic force of Karl von Reichenbach. He has also called the first movie's similarity to Akira Kurosawa's film The Hidden Fortress a "homage".

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. 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. 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). The Star Wars films also show considerable similarity to Asian Wuxia "Kung Fu" films.

For example, Luke's relationship to his father shows evidence of influence from Greek tragedy. 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. At a ShoWest convention, George Lucas stated that he is going to release all of the movies in 3-D. 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.

Congress in opposition to colorizing black and white films (a position he has reiterated as recently as August 2004 [2] (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5651949/)). Ironically, Lucas testified before the U.S. The fans' ire is increased by the impossibility of legally obtaining DVDs of the original releases. The re-release changes are a point of contention among fans, many claiming that they taint the movies.

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. 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. 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. Other changes affect plot or character development.

Some of the changes are cosmetic, such as adding new special effects which weren't possible with previous technology. In a September 2004 interview with AP (http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Movies/09/20/film.qa.george.lucas.ap/), he explains his reasons for the changes:. The films underwent extensive clean-up and restoration work, and Lucas took advantage of this opportunity to make a number of changes. Episodes IV through VI were remastered and re-released (both theatrically and on VHS) during 1997, and again on DVD in September 2004.

George Lucas has tinkered repeatedly with the original trilogy. 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. The Phantom Menace was filmed at Leavesden Film Studios and the subsequent prequels were filmed in Sydney, Australia. All the original films were shot at, among other locations, Elstree Studios, in Hertfordshire, England.

There is, however, much Expanded Universe material devoted to that time period. 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. He used this story as a guide when write Episode 1 to 3 in the late 1990's and early 2000's. He also wrote a back story to help him understand the relation of Vader, Luke, and Obi-Wan.

Lucas originally wrote the script for the first three movies as one film, but later decided to divide it into episodes. The sixth and final Star Wars film, Episode III, was released on May 19, 2005. The first film was released in 1977, and its novelization hit the shelves a year earlier. Due to countless problems during the filming, majority of critics and movie goers thought the film would bomb.

He went through several revisions, which helped provide plenty of material for the subsequent films. George Lucas conceived Star Wars in the early 1970s. Luke successfully resists the efforts of Vader and the Emperor to turn him to the Dark Side; instead, he turns his father back to side of good while the Rebel Alliance fleet scores a decisive victory to end the war. He trains to become a Jedi like his father, who he believes was killed by Darth Vader, and is despondent upon learning that his father is actually Darth Vader himself.

Episodes IV, V, and VI center on Anakin's son, Luke Skywalker. Restless for adventure, Luke joins the ragtag Rebel Alliance in its struggle to overthrow the evil Empire. 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. 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. 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 as Darth Vader, under the influence of evil Sith Lord Darth Sidious.

For more detailed storylines, see the individual film articles.. 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). 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). 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.

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 [1] (http://www.loc.gov/film/titles.html). This break from traditional science fiction films may have influenced the cyberpunk genre that emerged around 1984. 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 genre. 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.

As far as location, all of the characters of Star Wars come from the same galaxy (except a race called Yuuzhan Vong introduced in a novel series dubbed New Jedi Order). Although it is unclear when the stories take place, the scope of the entire Star Wars fiction covers over 25,000 years, with the film series spanning only two generations. Lucas himself intentionally left the details open to interpretation. 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.

This is an allusion to the classic fairy tale line "Once upon a time, in a faraway land...", and other variations thereof. 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...". It is an excellent example of the space opera sub-genre of science fiction. The Star Wars story is set in outer space and employs archetypal motifs common to both science fiction and classical mythology.

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 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 films, books, video games, television series, and other merchandising spin-offs. Star Wars is a series of science fantasy films created by writer/producer/director George Lucas. 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.

The Ewok Adventure: Caravan of Courage (1984) and Ewoks: Battle for Endor (1985) center on a family marooned on the forest moon of Endor. It is significant for introducing bounty hunter Boba Fett. 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. The Star Wars Holiday Special was a two-hour television special which aired during the 1978 holiday season.

The titles are parallel: "The Phantom Menace" and "A New Hope" can be seen as referring to Anakin 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-based religious order. 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. 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 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 doesn't.

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 second part of each trilogy (Episodes II & V), the main protagonist suffers the loss of his right hand (Anakin, Luke). Both protagonist also abandon there 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 both see visions of loved one(s) in danger: Luke- Han, Leia and the rest of his friends; Anakin- His mother.

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).