Amid the ongoing debate about whetherStar Warsis political, how accurate is it that George Lucas based the originalStar Warstrilogy on the Vietnam War?Star Warsmovies and TV shows, as the title of the franchise reflects, have always been about war, conflict, and rebellion. Yet, particularly of late, there has been significant pushback to the idea thatStar Warsis political.
BecauseAndorseason 2, one of only two confirmedupcomingStar WarsTV shows, is right around the corner, this debate has grown more intense.Andorseason 2, like season 1, will take place in the years beforeRogue One: A Star Wars StoryandA New Hope, with a particular focus on the Rebel fighters who were not famous heroes or part ofthe Skywalker family tree. Given this timeline and focus, it bears asking:did George Lucas really base the original trilogy on the Vietnam War, and how political does that makeStar Wars, really?
The Vietnam War Directly Influenced The Original Star Wars Trilogy
George Lucas Himself Has Said This Was The Case
George Lucas has directly spoken about his decision to base the originalStar Warstrilogy on the Vietnam War. Specifically, he intended the Rebel fighters inStar Warsto represent the Viet Cong, and he was interested in the themes of the"little guys"pushing back against a massive empire. In fact, as this video, posted byamcpluson YouTube, highlights, Lucas specifically had an anti-colonial message he intended to deliver through this trilogy.
This interview between James Cameron and George Lucas makes it quite clear that George Lucas meant forStar Warsto be overtly political. He wanted it to be clear that empires, not only like that inStar Warsbut also (in his own words) the real-life English Empire and American Empire, were in the wrong.According to Lucas,“That was the whole point.”
George Lucas meant forStar Warsto be overtly political.
Lucas Aligned America With The Empire
Many have argued that whileStar Warsis about war, government, and politics in theStar Warsgalaxy, it isn’t commenting on politics in the real world, nor is it taking a stance on any particular country, political party, or politician. Yet,George Lucas' own comments in this interview prove that he was specifically aligning the Empire with America. Not only does he point to the link between the original trilogy and the Vietnam War, but also, when Cameron mentions Padmé’s line,“This is how liberty dies… with thunderous applause,“Lucas says we are still dealing with this issue now.
When Cameron mentions Padmé’s line,“This is how liberty dies… with thunderous applause,“Lucas says we are still dealing with this issue now.
Even when Cameron says America has"become"the Empire, Lucas corrects him, saying,“It was the Empire during the Vietnam War.“Given he goes on to argue that this is a lesson America still hasn’t learned, it seems he corrected Cameron not because he thought Cameron was wrong, but because he wanted to clarify that this was also the case nearly 50 years ago, when he was creatingA New Hope. This leaves little wiggle room for anyone to argue thatStar Warswasn’t political in 1977 and isn’t political now.
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Star Wars Has ALWAYS Been Political
This Debate Was Settled Nearly 50 Years Ago
Just becauseStar Warstakes place"a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away"doesn’t mean the movies can’t also offer a critique of real-life issues. Entirely on the contrary,the originalStar Warstrilogy made a clear political statement about opposing empires, and, in Lucas' own words, that was directly linked to America and England.Star Warsis also far from the first franchise, be it science fiction, fantasy, dystopia, etc., that works as a commentary on current political issues or histories.
Arguably,this is a major function of art in all its forms—visual art, literature, movies, plays, etc. WhileStar Warsmay incorporate plenty of fun, creative elements like the Force, Jedi, and lightsabers, it can be (and is) doing multiple things at once. In part,Star Warsis full of incredible stories, beloved characters, and a fantastical galaxy, but it also had something to say about what was taking place in the real world at the time.
This makes the argument thatStar Warsisn’t political flimsy at best. If Lucas' intention was explicitly to comment on the Vietnam War and critique colonialism—as he says it was in this interview—then that is political. More recent additions totheStar Warstimelinehave continued this tradition, andAndoris perhaps the best example to date.
Andor Season 2 Will Honor This Legacy
This Show Is All About Boots-On-The-Ground Tactics
Andoris one ofStar Wars’best TV shows, and that is in part becauseit honors George Lucas' original messages in and intentions forStar Warsso brilliantly. Just likeA New Hope,The Empire Strikes Back, andReturn of the Jedi,Andorfocuses on the efforts of the Rebels (the"little guys,“in Lucas' words) as they fight back against an immensely powerful Empire.Andoris perhaps even more in keeping with this message, though, given its unique focus on the boots-on-the-ground efforts of the Rebellion and its lesser-known heroes.
InA New Hope, then just calledStar Wars, Luke Skywalker was not all that dissimilar from Cassian Andor. At the time, he seemed like a nobody—a young, starry-eyed boy from the desert planet of Tatooine who grew up as a moisture farmer with dreams of being something more. Of course, the original trilogy went on to reveal that Luke was actually the son of Darth Vader himself and was incredibly powerful in his own right.
The prequel trilogy only made Luke’s legacy and importance that much greater by revealing how major a figure Anakin Skywalker was even before his fall. Since then, Luke has become an absolute icon inStar Wars, which has changed the idea that he was a ‘nobody’ entirely. Cassian Andor has now stepped into that role, reinforcing Lucas' original focus.
Cassian Andor’s Character History & Timeline, Explained
Between his self-titled Star Wars spin-off and Rogue One, Cassian Andor became one of the most crucial figures in the history of the Rebel Alliance.
In all likelihood,Andorseason 2 will only highlight that all the more, which will only make it more difficult to claimStar Warsisn’t political. Even so, it’s unlikely this heated debate will die down anytime soon. There are a variety of factors at play in this controversy, some of which mean no amount of evidence to the contrary will ever be enough. Even so, this George Lucas interview makes it quite clear thatStar Warshas always been political, as it was explicitly based on the Vietnam War and anti-imperialism.
