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Star Wars is the name of a series of science fantasy movies, a literary franchise, and a series of video games (including numerous prequels, sequels, and literary adaptations) based on the ideas of filmmaker and writer George Lucas. The movies revolve around the transition between the Galactic Republic and the Galactic Empire during the Battle of Naboo and the Clone Wars against the Trade Federation and its allies in the Confederacy of Independent Systems secretly and later publicly led by their Sith/Dark Jedi allies (wrongly thought to be long dead after the Great Hyperspace War and the Great Sith War that ended in the Battle of Ruusan, but in reality, operated in secret) who also secretly control the Old Galactic Republic through its Supreme Chancellor, as well as the Galactic Civil War that erupts between the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Empire in an epic struggle between good and evil. It draws extensively on archetypal figures and themes of classical literature.

The story is set "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away..." This phrase, which also appears at the opening of many Star Wars spin-offs and all six films, has been inducted into American pop culture.

The original Star Wars movie (Episode IV: A New Hope) was first released in 1977, but the novelization was released a year before in 1976. The sixth Star Wars film (Episode III: Revenge of the Sith) is due out in 2005. The original idea for Star Wars was conceived in the early 1970s and went through many different drafts until it became the story we know today.

Originally, there were to be nine films, in three trilogies. However, Lucas has stated that he does not intend to make any more Star Wars films after Episode III. In other words, there will be no Episodes VII, VIII, or IX at this time. However, there are currently plans to produce a Star Wars TV Series different from the Clone Wars and other animated spin-offs.
he Star Wars story has been presented in a series of American movies, which have spawned dozens of books. The Star Wars mythos is also the basis of many toys and games. The films and books are set in outer space and employ common science fiction motifs. Star Wars is an outstanding example of the space opera sub-genre of science fiction.

Whereas Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek, another science fiction franchise that has enjoyed long-lasting popularity in American popular culture, takes a rational and progressive approach to storytelling, Star Wars has a strong mythic quality. College literature professors have remarked that the Star Wars saga, with its struggle between good and evil, democracy and empire, can be considered a national epic for the United States.

The strong human appeal of the Star Wars story probably accounts for its enduring popularity; it has also been postulated that this popularity is based on nostalgia. Many Star Wars fans first saw the films as children, and the revolutionary (for the time) special effects and simple, Manichean story made a profound impact.

The Star Wars films show considerable similarity to Asian Wuxia "Kung Fu" films, as well as Roman mythology. 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 the film The Hidden Fortress (Akira Kurosawa) a "homage."

The Star Wars films portray a world full of grime and technology that looks like it has been used for years, unlike the sleek, futuristic world typical of earlier science fiction films. In interviews, Lucas tells of rubbing the new props with dirt to make them look weatherworn. Lucas may have been inspired by the Sergio Leone films of the 60's which performed a similar funtion on the Western many years earlier. It is tempting to speculate that this break from traditional science fiction film influenced the cyberpunk genre that emerged around 1984.

Officially-licensed Star Wars novels have been published since the original movie was released in 1977. Although these novels are licensed by Lucas (meaning he shares in the royalties), he retains ultimate creative control over the Star Wars universe, forcing Lucasfilm Licensing to devote considerable ongoing effort to ensuring continuity between different authors' works and Lucas's films. Occasionally, elements from these novels are adopted into the highest tier of Star Wars canon, the movies. Books, games, and stories that are not directly derived from the five (soon to be six) movies of Star Wars are known as the Extended or Expanded Universe (EU for short). Lucas has said that he does not deeply involve himself in the EU, choosing instead to concentrate mainly on his movies instead of "...the licensing world of the books, games and comic books."

The original (1977) Star Wars (A New Hope) has been selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.

In 1978 Lucas sued the creators of Battlestar Galactica for its alleged similarity to Star Wars, although the case was dismissed as having no merit in 1980 by a Federal judge.
As stated above, the line "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away..." appears at the beginning of every Star Wars film, book etc. and is the only way the Star Wars galaxy has been defined in relation to the real world. It is alluding to the classic fairy tale line "Once upon a time, in a faraway land," and variations thereof.

The scope of Star Wars history spans over 25,000 years between all the collected works, even though the films span only two generations.

Later novels from a series dubbed New Jedi Order opened up the Star Wars setting with alien beings named Yuuzhan Vong that came from a different galaxy. Most aliens prior to this series came from the one galaxy the films are set in.

For a brief explanation from Lucasfilm, follow this (http://www.starwars.com/community/askjc/steve/askjc20000515.html) link.
Star Wars stresses the self-destructive nature of 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."

Some interpret Star Wars to advocate democracy over dictatorship, though it offers no alternative for the corrupt Republic's government, while others see it as supporting monarchy over democracy.

There appear to be anti-technological messages in the films - the primitive Ewoks and Gungans defeating technological adversaries, and the general idea of technology opposed to humanity - fitting with Lucas' vision. This site (http://hem.passagen.se/wookiee/developm/) explains this theme and others in its analysis of the writing of Star Wars.

The galactic setting of Star Wars is never given a name and is called simply "the galaxy." Since the characters never venture beyond the galaxy and the power of both the Republic and the Empire ends at its borders, the galaxy clearly serves, ironically enough, as a microcosm of both Earth and a country.
The main story arc in the films traces the fall and redemption of Anakin Skywalker, mirrored by political events occurring on a galactic scale. As Anakin is seduced by the dark side, the Republic slides into despotism and war; when Anakin reclaims the Jedi values of peace and justice, the evil Empire that supplanted the Republic is overthrown by the Rebel Alliance.
In the Expanded Universe, the Empire suppresses alien species because most Imperials are xenophobic, but this idea appears in the films only subtly (or, arguably, not at all). The idea of the Empire enslaving aliens is an analogy to racism. In the Young Jedi Knights series, there is even an example of reverse discrimination, when a group of aliens form the "Diversity Alliance" to get revenge on all humans, by means of a viral plague, for the crimes of the Empire. Young Jedi Knights also deals with drug abuse, the homeless, and effects of disability; it is more prone to discussing modern issues than any other Star Wars series.
Listed in order of story time:

1. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (19 May 1999)
2. Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (16 May 2002)
3. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (19 May 2005)
4. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (25 May 1977) original title was Star Wars; the first Star Wars movie to be released
5. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (21 May 1980)
6. Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (25 May 1983)

The recurring leitmotif of the Star Wars Imperial March is one of the best known movie musical themes. Another well-known piece of music created for Star Wars is Duel of the Fates.

All the original films were shot at, among other locations, Elstree Studios. Star Wars Episode I: 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, The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones.
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 changes. 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:

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.

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 US Congress in opposition to colorizing black and white films (a position he has reiterated as recently as August 2004 [1] (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5651949/)). Many fans see this attitude as hypocritical, but 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.
Related movies

* The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)
* The Ewok Adventure: Caravan of Courage (1984)
* Ewoks: Battle for Endor (1985)
* The Official Star Wars Fan Film Awards

Many made-for-TV films have been made about Star Wars. The first was the nearly universally despised Holiday Special, which later became famous for the first appearance of bounty hunter Boba Fett. An originally minor detail, the wookiee food of wookiee-ookiees, became a cult symbol in the Star Wars fan universe, spawning plays on its name such as wookiee-cookies (a Star Wars-themed dessert) and the term Wookiee-Hooky (the act of skipping school to see a Star Wars film, particularly if it has just been released).

After Return of the Jedi, two films about a family marooned on the forest moon of Endor were made.

Spaceballs (1987) is a Star Wars parody movie by Mel Brooks.

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.
Animated TV shows

* Ewoks
* Droids
* Clone Wars

Three cartoon series have been based on Star Wars. The first two began in 1985 and Clone Wars began in 2003. Ewoks featured the adventures of the Ewoks prior to Return of the Jedi. Droids featured the adventures of C-3PO and R2-D2 between Episode III and Episode IV. Clone Wars features the adventures of the Jedi as they fight against the Confederacy of Independent Systems in the Clone Wars, set between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith.
Books

Star Wars-based fiction predates the release of the first movie, with the novelization of "A New Hope" (by Alan Dean Foster but credited to George Lucas) released some months before the film itself. In 1978, Foster wrote the first original Star Wars novel, Splinter of the Mind's Eye, inaugurating a very successful literary spin-off franchise.

The six Star Wars movies provide a basis for dozens of books. The books have been officially authorized by Lucasfilm, and were previously published by Bantam Books (with a few early titles published by Ballantine), though Del Rey now holds the contract again. The stories told by these books extend from a time long before The Phantom Menace to a time long after Return of the Jedi. Books authorized by Lucas are written by fans of the films, and are part of a collection known as Expanded Universe. The first books considered to be part of the Expanded Universe began to appear in the late 1970s.

The Expanded Universe experienced a revolution in the New Jedi Order (NJO) series, which recently concluded withThe Unifying Force. The NJO tells the story of a horrific invasion by the extragalactic Yuuzhan Vong, and includes the passing of many heroic characters.

Some fans of the original Star Wars movies reject the literary works of the Expanded Universe, and insist that only the films and the statements made by George Lucas interpreting his own works can be accepted as canonical. However, Lucas has stated in interviews that the Expanded Universe is a legitimate continuation of his Star Wars saga. There are very few continuity errors in the Star Wars saga, particularly since the release of the prequel trilogy of movies. Expanded Universe fiction is the officially-sanctioned continuation of George Lucas's six-film saga.

Many of the books that have been written also take place during the events of the film. For fans, these can be more exciting stories, as it opens up the narratives for many characters that only have a minor role, or even just briefly seen, in the movies. Every character has their own in-depth tale. Of particular note is Steve Perry's Shadows of the Empire, which is set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. In addition to focusing on relatively minor characters, it bridges some events between the two films. It also includes more scenes of Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine scheming together, offering a greater understanding of their relationship (the nature of which is only now becoming clear in light of episodes I through III).

Other books include such titles as The Wildlife of Star Wars: A Field Guide, which detail things about the Star Wars universe and the films in a "non-fiction" style.

Perhaps the most widely acclaimed contribution is Timothy Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy, which covered what many fans had hoped would constitute Episodes VII, VIII , and IX. These books are considered to have captured the story and flavor of the original movie trilogy very well, and drew upon existing published works from other Star Wars-based fiction writers.
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Comic books and strips

Main article: Star Wars comic books

Marvel Comics published adaptations of the original trilogy as well as a Star Wars comic book series which lasted from 1977 to 1986, a total of 107 issues. 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 the 1980s, as part of their Star Comics line oriented towards 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 for the bulk of its run by Archie Goodwin and drawn by Al Williamson.

Beginning in the 1990s, Dark Horse Comics has published a large number of original adventures set in the Star Wars universe. As of 2004, these mainly include Star Wars Republic, Star Wars Empire, Star Wars Tales and Star Wars Jedi. Dark Horse has also published collections of the Marvel series in seven volumes and the comic strip as Classic Star Wars.
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Games

Fans of all ages have enjoyed experiencing Star Wars in a more interactive way. Since 1983, over 120 computer games or video games have been published bearing the name of Star Wars. Since 2000, at least 37 have been published.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, published in 2003, won Game of the Year recognition from several prominent gaming magazines, websites, etc. A sequel, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, was released for the Xbox in December of 2004.

The longest running series of computer games is the Dark Forces series. This First Person Shooter series began in 1995 with Dark Forces. The next in the series was Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II, which allowed the player to play as a Jedi. The third game in the Dark Forces series, Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, focused more on a third person Jedi adventure than the previous games. And the fourth and latest release was Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, which originated as an expansion pack for Jedi Outcast, but evolved into a game of its own.

Star Wars: Republic Commando is a tactical shooter computer game set during the Clone Wars and is scheduled to be released in March 2005.

Two role playing games set in the Star Wars universe have been published: a d6-based game from West End Games and a Wizards of the Coast game using the d20 system on which their popular Dungeons & Dragons is based.
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Characters

See List of Star Wars characters and Minor characters in Star Wars for more extensive listings.

Anakin Skywalker | Admiral Ackbar | Admiral Piett | Boba Fett | C-3PO | Chewbacca | Count Dooku | Darth Maul | Darth Sidious | Darth Vader | General Grievous | Han Solo | Jabba the Hutt | Jango Fett | Lando Calrissian | Luke Skywalker | Obi-Wan Kenobi | Padmé Amidala | Palpatine | Princess Leia | Qui-Gon Jinn | R2-D2 | Yoda |




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