Contradictions in the Star Wars universe

[Patrick]

As much as I admire the Star Wars saga (well the first films in particular) and the creative mind of George Lucas, I couldnt help but notice some inconsistencies between the original films and the more recent ones. For example, in the very first Star Wars movie (A New Hope), we see Obi Wan Kenobi fight Darth Vader near the end. When Vader's light sabre strikes Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan's body disappears. Similarly, in Return of the Jedi, when Yoda dies, his body disappears also. From this, I think we can conclude that when a Jedi knight dies, his/her body vanishes. However, in The Phantom Menace, when Qui-Gon Jinn (played by Liam Neeson) dies, his body remains. Later we see a scene with Jedis gathered around discussing their enemy (the Sith) with Qui-Gon's body still physically intact.

There is a scene on the planet Endor in Return of the Jedi when Luke Skywalker asks Leia about their mother. Leia responds that although her memories of her mother are not great, she remembers that she was beautiful yet sad. In Revenge of the Sith however, it is revealed that Padme Amidala dies almost immediately after giving birth to Luke and Leia. Obviously, as new born babies, neither sibling would have any memories of their mother.

It seems odd that Lucas would disregard such things from the original movies when developing the new ones. Can anyone else point out any inconsistencies between the original Star Wars movies and the new movies?

[lastcoyote]

...in the very first Star Wars movie (A New Hope), we see Obi Wan Kenobi fight Darth Vader near the end. When Vader's light sabre strikes Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan's body disappears. Similarly, in Return of the Jedi, when Yoda dies, his body disappears also. From this, I think we can conclude that when a Jedi knight dies, his/her body vanishes. However, in The Phantom Menace, when Qui-Gon Jinn (played by Liam Neeson) dies, his body remains. Later we see a scene with Jedis gathered around discussing their enemy (the Sith) with Qui-Gon's body still physically intact. ..

at the end of EP3, Yoda told Obi Wan to hide with Luke, and a trainning to ObiWan too is to learn how to "Not Die in Spirit Form"... Very short communication. Probably leave it as teaser for TV episode.

...Obviously, as new born babies, neither sibling would have any memories of their mother...

Hey... they are all Jedi's family.. If we all have the power as them, we don't need remote control or shuttle cable in our Super 8 Camera...

:lol:

[MovieStuff]

For example, in the very first Star Wars movie (A New Hope), we see Obi Wan Kenobi fight Darth Vader near the end. When Vader's light sabre strikes Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan's body disappears. Similarly, in Return of the Jedi, when Yoda dies, his body disappears also. From this, I think we can conclude that when a Jedi knight dies, his/her body vanishes. However, in The Phantom Menace, when Qui-Gon Jinn (played by Liam Neeson) dies, his body remains.

Not that I have really tortured my brain about any of this but my take on it was that a Jedi makes the trasition to spirit form when he knows death is upon him. Obi Wan let himself be killed and Yoda knew he was about to die. Likewise, Darth Vader knew he was dying so he appears at the end of the series in spirit form with Obi Wan and Yoda. But Qui-Gon Jinn was killed unexpectedly in battle and, perhaps, had not prepared himself for the transition to spirit form.

There is a scene on the planet Endor in Return of the Jedi when Luke Skywalker asks Leia about their mother. Leia responds that although her memories of her mother are not great, she remembers that she was beautiful yet sad. In Revenge of the Sith however, it is revealed that Padme Amidala dies almost immediately after giving birth to Luke and Leia. Obviously, as new born babies, neither sibling would have any memories of their mother.

I assumed she was describing her adoptive mother. Luke had not yet revealed he and Leia were siblings.

Here's one that may take a scientist to figure out. A parsec is a physical distance of light travel across approximately 3.3 years. When Han Solo is bragging about his ship, he says something like "It's the ship that made the Kessle run in less than 12 parsecs." To me, that's like saying "I ran as fast as 100 feet." It's using a measurement of distance to equate speed. Unless this is kind of like cosmic golf where he's describing the difference in achieving a particular goal or target and its a fancy way of saying how under par he made the Kessle run. I.E. he only missed the target by less than 12 parsecs. At any rate, I haven't been able to sleep since 1977 over this.

Roger

[timdrage]

Lucy Lawless: "Uh, yeah, well, whenever you notice something like that... a wizard did it."

[Will2]

Since I saw Star Wars in Super 8 I guess this is relevant to this forum.

At the end of the last episode Yoda does tell Obi Wan that he will learn this method of cheating death and it will take many years... may be Qui-Gon Jinn hadn't learned it yet.

But didn't he appear in the re-cut version of Return of the Jedi with all the glowing ghost people?

I have a friend at ILM, I'll ask if they know or can ask George.

[johnnhud]

Here's one that may take a scientist to figure out. A parsec is a physical distance of light travel across approximately 3.3 years. When Han Solo is bragging about his ship, he says something like "It's the ship that made the Kessle run in less than 12 parsecs." To me, that's like saying "I ran as fast as 100 feet." It's using a measurement of distance to equate speed. Unless this is kind of like cosmic golf where he's describing the difference in achieving a particular goal or target and its a fancy way of saying how under par he made the Kessle run. I.E. he only missed the target by less than 12 parsecs. At any rate, I haven't been able to sleep since 1977 over this.

Roger

I hate to show my inner nerdiness but it's actually simple when you think of it in these terms. The star ships in the SW universe use navigation computers to calculate paths to take from one point to another. The fastest path between two points is a straight line but if that line takes you through the middle of an asteroid field or planet your trip will be ended abruptly. And since everything in the universe is always in motion, the nav-computer has to "Calculate" a path based on real time information regarding all obstacles current and presumed locations in the known universe. This takes a bit for it to do. Remember Han always saying that the computer is "Calculating the jump to hyperspace!"? Even going so far as to say that "Jumping to hyperspace isn't like dusting crops boy!"

So in short, his Falcon YT-1300 (NERD!!) has been modified with either a super computer that allows faster calculations OR, as I believe, he has modified his computer to calculate considerably more treacherous paths to Kessle that are shorter, but would not be recommended by an unmodified nav-computer due to safety concerns.

Ta da! Your answer is beheld!

[downix]

Here's one that may take a scientist to figure out. A parsec is a physical distance of light travel across approximately 3.3 years. When Han Solo is bragging about his ship, he says something like "It's the ship that made the Kessle run in less than 12 parsecs." To me, that's like saying "I ran as fast as 100 feet." It's using a measurement of distance to equate speed. Unless this is kind of like cosmic golf where he's describing the difference in achieving a particular goal or target and its a fancy way of saying how under par he made the Kessle run. I.E. he only missed the target by less than 12 parsecs. At any rate, I haven't been able to sleep since 1977 over this.

Roger

It helps if you study the Star Wars encyclopedia (ok, nerd here). The "Kessel Run" is a plot to the planet Kessel, which lies in the middle of a field of Black Holes. To reach the planet, you must be going FTL else be sucked in. The speed of the ship determines how "short" a run you can make. The Falcon, being one of the fastest ships out there, made it in only 12 parsecs, 6 in, 6 out. The average SW ship needs 24-48 parsecs in order to avoid "The Maw" as the black holes are called.

[Will2]

My friend at ILM says inconsistencies can be attributed to "lazy writing."

[johnnhud]

My friend at ILM says inconsistencies can be attributed to "lazy writing."

I call the the "Lucas Polished Turd" effect.

[Joe Gioielli]

:roll:

[filmfan]

Han Solo thought he was talking to a couple of small town hicks who didn't know much of anything. So, he knowingly just threw some jargon around to try and impress them. If you look at Obi Wan's reaction, you can see that he knows this.

[super8man]

I am still stuck on the use of MICRONS in BSG (Battestar Galactica). They use microns in describing everything and those dar repetitive scenes showing the triangles chasing the 2 asterisks on the green grid are infuriating...so too is the same blast from center to upper right corner from the Galactica's deck-mounted lasers. Oh, sometimes they reverse the scene so it goes from center to left...these are the things that keep my up at night. Not any of the story line inconsistencies in the George-I love jar jar -Lucas remakes/episodes.

[Super8rules]

Yeah, George's lazy writing has been a pain in my neck for a long time.

But the disappearing Jedi thing has been said to be explained in Revenge of the Sith. Yoda hints to the idea that Qui-Gon has learned the method afterdeath and will explain it to Obi-Wan Yoda once they make contact. It's like the final stage of Jedi training.

Qui-Gon it seems is the Jedi that takes the Force to the next level......but there a still a lot of inconsistencies, like how Anakin appears with Obi-Wan and Yoda in ROTJ.

I saw STAR WARS in the theater back in 77 (I was 14) and I still believe to this day George wrote many things in that movie that he had no intention of changing.

For instance, I believe he meant Darth Vader to be a seperate nemisis and Anakin was a true hero that was killed by Vader, as Obi-wan explains to luke in his hut. I remember being very disappointed when ESB came out and Vader reveals himself to be Lukes father. I was 17 and thought of it as a cheap ploy on Georges part and immediately lost respect for him.

But regardless of what we think, or try to explains things, it's still George's universe and we merely live in it.

[audadvnc]

I'm amazed you guys can remember so much Star Wars trivia. I must have been stoned when I saw the original in '77; I remember the bar scene and the death star, but all the rest was wallpaper. Certainly not the life-defining experience so many others report.

[lastcoyote]

I'm amazed you guys can remember so much Star Wars trivia. I must have been stoned when I saw the original in '77; I remember the bar scene and the death star, but all the rest was wallpaper. Certainly not the life-defining experience so many others report.

I'm stoned too when I first saw the original in '77, but I ate the VHS, VCD and DVD after that.