The “Star Wars” franchise stands to this day as one of the most popular sci-fi giants ever conceived--how strange, then, that there is quite a bit about it that most people don’t know about. Whether we’re talking about the books, video games or the films themselves, there are several facts and details a lot of people are unaware of. Here are four essential “Star Wars” facts that have eluded the general audience for years.
1. Darth Vader’s most memorable line gets misquoted
In “The Empire Strikes Back,” the most iconic scene is arguably the one wherein Darth Vader reveals to Luke Skywalker that he is his father. (Spoilers, I guess…) While many people will recognize the scene in a heartbeat, it’s what Vader says that people don’t remember as well.
In the scene, Luke says he was told his father was killed by Vader, to which Vader replies, “No. I am your father.” Over time, however, the quote has mysteriously been mistaken as, “Luke, I am your father.” It’s not entirely clear why this misquote came to be, but it exists – and whoever insists it’s what Vader says is wrong.
2. Boba Fett didn’t die
Mandalorian bounty hunter Boba Fett has endured as one of the most recognizable and beloved characters in the “Star Wars” mythos. When he featured in “Return of the Jedi,” he became a tasty snack for the beastly Sarlaac pit—or did he?
In the novel “Tales from Jabba’s Palace,” it was revealed that Fett escaped the Sarlaac by using his gadgetry and deadly intelligence to blast his way out. He then went on to do some pretty awesome things, among them becoming the leader of the Mandalorians and fighting in a war against a cult-like race of savages known as the Yuuzhan Vong.
3. McQuarrie’s “Star Wars” looked a little different
We often associate names like George Lucas with the “Star Wars” franchise, but one name constantly goes under the radar when talking about it: Ralph McQuarrie. A science fiction artist, McQuarrie worked with Lucas on the original “Star Wars” trilogy, providing visual ideas and plenty of other creative input.
While some of his designs and concepts did actually make it--among them Darth Vader’s breathing apparatus and the famous Death Star trench run featured in the original 1977 “Star Wars”--many others were nixed. A female protagonist, Stormtroopers with lightsabers and shields, and a wildly different C-3PO are just a few of the many ideas of McQuarrie’s that went unused in the original trilogy. Nevertheless, these concepts are given homages to this day; in the television series “Star Wars Rebels,” for example, main characters Zeb and Chopper use the McQuarrie designs for Chewbacca and R2-D2, respectively.
4. Jabba the what?
The evil crime lord Jabba the Hutt is feared, ruthless, and known for his slug-like appearance. However, in 1977’s “Star Wars,” Jabba looks a little more…human. In the original, non-edited cut of that film, Jabba is clearly a human being, albeit one that doesn’t speak English. When he appeared in “Return of the Jedi,” he has the appearance that we know him for today.
The reason for the inconsistency? Lucas actually wanted Jabba to look like an alien, but due to limitations back in the 70’s, digital effects for the character were not acceptable, and Lucas had to settle for a human-looking Jabba. The 1997 special edition and mid-2000s re-release of “Star Wars” feature the character with his slug-like appearance.
