View source for Star Wars sources and analogues

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{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Star Wars'' sources and analogues}}
[[File:Flash Gordon (1940) - Opening Crawl.jpg|right|thumb|Flash Gordon serials featured an opening 'crawl' like those used in Star Wars.]]

The ''[[Star Wars]]'' [[science fantasy|space fantasy]] [[media franchise]] is acknowledged to have been inspired by many sources. These include [[Hinduism]], [[Buddhism]], [[Qigong]], [[philosophy]], [[classical mythology]], [[History of Rome|Roman history]], [[Gnosticism]], [[Zoroastrianism]], parts of the other [[Abrahamic religions]], [[Confucianism]], [[Shintō]] and [[Taoism]], and countless cinematic precursors. Creator [[George Lucas]] stated "Most of the spiritual reality in the movie[s] is based on a synthesis of all religions. A synthesis through history; the way man has perceived the unknown and the great mystery and tried to deal with that or dealing with it".<ref>[[Science of Star Wars (miniseries)|Science of Star Wars]] (2005 documentary)</ref><ref name=aguilar>{{cite web|last=Aguilar|first=Father Alfonso|title=Gnosticism and the Struggle for the World's Soul|url=https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/culture/catholic-contributions/gnosticism-and-the-struggle-for-the-world-s-soul.html|website=Catholic Education Resource Center|access-date=15 December 2021|date=6-12 April 2003}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=SDG|title=Is Star Wars Gnostic?|url=http://decentfilms.com/articles/is-star-wars-gnostic|website=Decent Films|access-date=18 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Rosencrantz Kent|first=Castor|date=13 June 2020|title=May The Force Be With You…And Also With You: An Examination of Religion in and the Cultural Impact of Star Wars|journal=Relics, Remnants, and Religion: An Undergraduate Journal in Religious Studies|volume=5|issue=1|url= https://soundideas.pugetsound.edu/relics/vol5/iss1/5}}</ref>

Lucas has also said that [[chivalry]], [[knighthood]], [[paladin]]ism and related institutions in [[Feudalism|feudal societies]] inspired some concepts in the ''Star Wars'' films, most notably the [[Jedi|Jedi Knights]]. The work of the mythologist [[Joseph Campbell]], especially his book ''[[The Hero with a Thousand Faces]]'', directly influenced Lucas,<ref name="Dreams">{{cite AV media |title=Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy |date=2004 |medium=documentary}}</ref> and is what drove him to create the "modern myth" of ''Star Wars''. The natural flow of energy known as [[the Force]] is believed to have originated from the concept of ''[[qi|qi/chi/ki]]'', "the all-pervading vital energy of the universe".

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of ''Star Wars'', [[History (U.S. TV channel)|The History Channel]] premiered a two-hour event covering the entire ''Star Wars'' saga entitled ''[[Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed]].'' Featuring interviews from the likes of [[Stephen Colbert]], [[Newt Gingrich]], [[Nancy Pelosi]], [[Tom Brokaw]], [[Dan Rather]], [[Peter Jackson]], acclaimed [[scholar]]s and others, the program delved further into the [[Hero]]ic Epic concept and the influences of mythology and other motifs that were important in making ''Star Wars''. Subjects include [[Ancestral sin|sins of the father]] and [[Redemption (theology)|redeeming the father]], [[coming of age]], exiting the ordinary world and others.

==Fictional works similarities and inspirations==
<!--Additional examples without references/citations may be removed. -->

===Literature===
[[File:The marriage of King Arthur by Lancelot Speed.jpg|thumb|The legendary [[King Arthur]] (illustrated in the center) has a significant parallel to Luke Skywalker as a young orphaned hero embarking on a journey to restore peace and justice to his society. Arthur's use of his sword [[Excalibur]] as a tool of achieving objectives is reflected by Luke's use of his [[lightsaber]] in the same manner.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.starwars.com/news/studying-skywalkers-excalibur-and-the-lightsaber|title=Studying Skywalkers: Excalibur and the Lightsaber - StarWars.com|date=3 June 2016}}</ref>]]
<!--In a biography written shortly after the original ''Star Wars'' was released, George Lucas acknowledged the influence of [[science fiction]] literature and particularly the works of [[E. E. Smith|Edward Elmer "E. E. Doc" Smith]].<ref>citation required</ref> -->
* [[Joseph Campbell]]'s [[comparative mythology]] book ''[[The Hero with a Thousand Faces]]'', directly influenced Lucas, and is what drove him to create the "modern myth" of ''Star Wars''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.salon.com/2015/11/07/the_heros_journey_the_idea_you_never_knew_had_shaped_star_wars/ |website=[[Salon (website)|Salon]] |title=The Hero's Journey: The idea you never knew had shaped ''Star Wars'' |first=John |last=Higgs |date=November 7, 2015 |access-date=May 24, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.starwars.com/news/mythic-discovery-within-the-inner-reaches-of-outer-space-joseph-campbell-meets-george-lucas-part-i |publisher=StarWars.com |title=MYTHIC DISCOVERY WITHIN THE INNER REACHES OF OUTER SPACE: JOSEPH CAMPBELL MEETS GEORGE LUCAS – PART I |first=Lucas O. |last=Seastrom |date=October 22, 2015 |access-date=May 24, 2016}}</ref>
* [[E.E. Smith|E.E. 'Doc' Smith]]'s writings contain elements central to the ''Star Wars'' universe.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wookie books: the science fiction that inspired George Lucas's Star Wars|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2015/dec/04/sci-fi-books-inspired-star-wars-legend-george-lucas-force-awakens|website=The Guardian|date=December 4, 2015}}</ref> These elements include:
** Spherical, moon-sized spaceships.
** Smaller, spherical, jet-less fighters with accumulators for beamed power.
** [[Spacehounds of IPC]] includes light swords of slicing "blade of flame" and "planes of force" wielded by spherical ships, also attested in melee combat. 
** Smith's [[Lensman series|Lensmen]] have the telepathic powers of the Jedi derived from crystalline lenses mirroring [[Kyber crystals]] in ''Star Wars''.
** In ''[[Triplanetary (novel)|Triplanetary]]'', a "tractor beam" from an artificial planetoid captures another vessel and a damsel in distress adventure ensues.
** Space armor with a general focus on melee combat using space axes.
** Norlaminian worship of "the all-controlling Force" along with general use of "force" powers throughout.
** A ''Golden Meteor'' is the emblem and insignia of the galactic protectors.
** A galactic trade in drugs which are used as currency: Thionite in Smith, Spice in ''Star Wars''.
** A galactic corps of heroes with telepathic powers. (Note: ''Lensman'' was written 10 years before the Silver Age edition of [[Green Lantern]])
** Benevolent guardians seeking to fight evil. (Called ''Arisians'' in ''Lensman''; ''Aquillian'' in the second draft script for ''Star Wars''.)
** A dark, unseen enemy seeking galactic domination. (Called ''Boskone'' in ''Lensman''; ''Bogan'' in the second draft script for ''Star Wars''.)
** Special powers running down through family lines, with twins playing a significant role.
** Epic space battles involving fleets of ships.
** Large-scale weapons including a free-roaming planet-sized fortress<ref>{{cite book|last1=Smith|first1=E.E.|title=Gray Lensman |url=https://archive.org/details/graylensman00smit|url-access=registration|publisher = Pyramid Books|location = New York|date = 1970}}</ref> and the ''sunbeam''<ref>{{cite book|last1=Smith|first1=E.E.|title=Second Stage Lensman|url=https://archive.org/details/secondstagelensm00eedo_0 |url-access=registration|publisher = Panther|date = 1973|isbn=9780586038468}}</ref> (capable of focusing the sun's rays, similar to Starkiller Base in ''[[The Force Awakens]]'').
** Jettisoning a space lifeboat with a data spool containing secrets of the enemy's ultimate weapon, the 'Grand Base'.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://www.moongadget.com/origins/doc.html|title=Star Wars Origins - E. E. "Doc" Smith and Space Opera|website=moongadget.com|access-date=6 November 2017}}</ref>
** Training with a helmet with a blast shield, yet able to 'see' due to special powers.<ref name="auto"/>
** Passing a ship off as a chunk of loose metal.<ref name="auto"/>
** Numerous uses of the word ''[[wiktionary:coruscant|coruscant]]'', a term which had declined in use after the 19th century.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?year_start=1800&year_end=2008&corpus=15&smoothing=7&case_insensitive=on&content=coruscant&direct_url=t4%3B%2Ccoruscant%3B%2Cc0%3B%2Cs0%3B%3Bcoruscant%3B%2Cc0%3B%3BCoruscant%3B%2Cc0%3B%3BCORUSCANT%3B%2Cc0|title=Google Ngram Viewer|website=books.google.com|access-date=6 November 2017}}</ref>
* The science fiction writer [[Isaac Asimov]] stated on several occasions that George Lucas's galaxy-wide [[Galactic Empire (Star Wars)|Empire]] bore a close resemblance to the galaxy depicted in Asimov's [[Foundation Series]]. The greatest differences are that Asimov's Galaxy contains almost no robots and no non-human aliens. Asimov addressed both issues directly in the saga's later volumes, most notably ''[[Foundation's Edge]]'' and ''[[Foundation and Earth]]''. Since Asimov's death in 1992, the ''Star Wars'' cinematic universe has gained new Asimovesque elements: ''[[The Phantom Menace]]'' introduced the planet [[Coruscant]], which bears a close resemblance to Asimov's [[Trantor]].{{citation needed|date=April 2018}}
* The early ''Journal of the Whills'' draft of ''Star Wars'' from 1973 is based on the first chapter of the 1931 [[John Carter of Mars|John Carter]] novel ''[[A Fighting Man of Mars]]'' by [[Edgar Rice Burroughs]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ostermeier |first=Ben |date=2022 |title=Script Context |url=https://exhibits.library.illinois.edu/s/rbml/page/script-context |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116024429/https://exhibits.library.illinois.edu/s/rbml/page/script-context |archive-date=16 November 2022 |access-date=16 November 2022 |website=Illinois University Library}}</ref>
* ''Star Wars'' borrows significantly from [[Arthurian mythology]]; especially with respect to plot and main character development. The life and character development of [[Luke Skywalker]] resembles that of the legendary [[King Arthur]]. Both are orphans who later become heroes in their early adulthood. Both also have mentors who are much older and provide them with guidance and/or training. Arthur was mentored by [[Merlin]]; whereas Luke was mentored and trained by [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]] prior to continuing his training and mentorship with [[Yoda]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.exampleessays.com/viewpaper/4407.html|title=FREE Luke Skywalker vs. King Arthur Essay|work=exampleessays.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.angelfire.com/vi/knight_1192/SW/SW_theories/SWAL.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129071707/http://www.angelfire.com/vi/knight_1192/SW/SW_theories/SWAL.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 29, 2014|title=Star Wars/Arthurian Legend Comparison Tale|work=[[Angelfire]]}}</ref><ref name="LupackLupack2001">{{cite book|author1=Alan Lupack|author2=Barbara Tepa Lupack|title=King Arthur in America|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-k6mg3zM24QC&pg=PA324|year=2001|publisher=Boydell & Brewer|isbn=978-0-85991-630-1|pages=324–}}</ref> The role of [[Anakin Skywalker]] as the father of the hero, Luke Skywalker, mirrors that of [[Uther Pendragon]] who is King Arthur's father. [[Qui Gon-Jinn]], Master Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi's roles match that of Merlin during the era of Anakin Skywalker and Uther Pendragon respectively.<ref name="SmithBrown2008">{{cite book|author1=Evans Lansing Smith|author2=Nathan Robert Brown|title=The Complete Idiot's Guide to World Mythology|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f-RsCs5dJRwC&pg=PA303|year=2008|publisher=Alpha Books|isbn=978-1-59257-764-4|pages=303–}}</ref>
* ''Star Wars'' shares many similarities with [[Frank Herbert]]'s ''[[Dune (franchise)|Dune]]'',<ref>{{cite web|first = Andrew|last = Liptak |url= https://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/frank-herberts-epic-dune-series/|title=Frank Herbert's Epic Dune Series|work=Kirkus Reviews |date = 17 July 2014}}</ref> including the [[desert planet]] setting with a moisture-based economy, spice smugglers, obese interstellar antagonists, and a mystical [[Brainwashing|mind control]]-using sect with great influence over galactic politics — Herbert himself once enumerated 37 similarities.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thequietus.com/articles/07853-dune-david-lynch-bfi-season|title=The Quietus - Opinion - In Defence Of... - Wild Sting: In Defence Of Dune|work=The Quietus|date=January 30, 2012 }}</ref> The influence was even more distinct in early ''Star Wars'' versions, with Princess Leia guarding a shipment of "aura spice" instead of the Death Star plans. The script for ''[[Jodorowsky's Dune]]'' was circulating in Hollywood at the time of Lucas' early work on ''Star Wars''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.moongadget.com/origins/dune.html|title=Star Wars Origins - Frank Herbert's Dune|work=moongadget.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/how-dune-almost-prevented-star-wars-from-ever-being/|title=How 'Dune' almost prevented 'Star Wars' from ever being|first=Chris|last=Kensler|work=Fox News|date=March 25, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/q-a-jodorowskys-dune-explores-690348|title=Q&A: 'Jodorowsky's Dune' Explores the Unmade Space Epic That Paved the Way for 'Star Wars'|first=Chris|last=O'Falt|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=March 26, 2014}}</ref> The director of the [[Dune (2021 film)|2021 film adaptation]] of ''Dune'', [[Denis Villeneuve]], said the new film would attempt to be ''Star Wars'' for adults.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/dune-remake-star-wars-for-adults-denis-villeneuve/|title = Dune Remake Will be "Star Wars for Adults," Denis Villeneuve Says|date = January 19, 2018}}</ref>

====Pulp heroes and comics====
*[[Buck Rogers]], another hero from pulp magazines from 1920s, and late comic strips (1929–67) and later a [[Buck Rogers (serial)|1939 film serial]] and a 1950–51 TV series. ''Star Wars'' also influenced from its [[Trope (literature)|tropes]].<ref name="Dreams"/><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=shared&v=XCc570mFQtk |title=STAR WARS Breakdown! A New Hope Analysis & Details You Missed {{!}} Wookieeleaks |date=2019-11-17 |last=New Rockstars |access-date=2025-03-23 |via=YouTube}}</ref>
[[File:Poster - Flash Gordon (Chapter 13, Rocketing to Earth) 03.jpg|thumb|The classic science fiction film serial ''[[Flash Gordon (serial)|Flash Gordon]]'' served as an inspiration for ''Star Wars''.]]
*[[Flash Gordon]] is the pulp hero whose original property George Lucas had sought to license before making the first ''Star Wars'' film, ''[[Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope|A New Hope]]''; the film includes many elements derived from the 1936 Universal serial ''[[Flash Gordon (serial)|Flash Gordon]]'' and its sequel, ''[[Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe]]''. The basic plot involving the infiltration of a megalomaniacal outer-space Emperor's fortress by two heroes disguised in uniforms of soldiers of his army is drawn from ''[[Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe]]'', with Luke Skywalker and Han Solo filling the roles of [[Flash Gordon]] and [[Prince Barin]], respectively, and [[Ming the Merciless]] the Emperor. The Emperor's deadly, hostile planet (the [[Death Star]]/[[Mongo (planet)|Mongo]]), a sometimes scantily-clad brunette space Princess whom the hero defends ([[Princess Leia]]/[[Princess Aura]]), a big, strong, hairy, animal-like ally ([[Chewbacca]]/[[Prince Thun]] of the Lion Men), a fearsome monster found underground and/or fought in an arena by the hero (the Rancor/the Gocko or Orangopoid), a city in the sky ruled by someone who originally works with the villains but later joins the heroes ([[Lando Calrissian]] of Cloud City), ray-guns, and dogfighting spaceships were all elements retained from the first Universal Flash Gordon serial. The opening text crawl of ''Star Wars'' is in the same style as the text openings of each chapter of the ''Flash Gordon Conquers The Universe'' serial.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=shared&v=XCc570mFQtk |title=STAR WARS Breakdown! A New Hope Analysis & Details You Missed {{!}} Wookieeleaks |date=2019-11-17 |last=New Rockstars |access-date=2025-03-23 |via=YouTube}}</ref> [From the 1940 series, not 1936, and the opening crawl is from the 1938 film ''[[Boys' School]]''].
*[[DC Comics]] and [[Jack Kirby]]. There has been a long debate among fans about the influence that [[comic book]] writer [[Jack Kirby]] had on the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kirbymuseum.org/blogs/dynamics/2010/12/18/kirby-lucas-and-campbell/|title=Kirby, Lucas, and Campbell|work=Kirby Dynamics|first = Rob|last = Steibel|date = 18 December 2010}}</ref> Kirby's time at [[DC Comics]] between [[Jack Kirby#DC Comics and the Fourth World saga|1971 and 1975]] was defined by his creation of the [[New Gods]] saga. This [[Intergalactic space|intergalactic]] story involved [[Orion (character)|Orion]] of the planet [[New Genesis]] being prophesied by the [[Source (comics)|Source]] as the warrior to defeat [[Darkseid]] - the tyrannical ruler of the planet [[Apokolips]], and, by doing so, bring peace to the universe and end the conflict between the two planets. Parallels can thus be drawn between the nature of the relationships between Orion and Darkseid to Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, as well as between the mythical Source and [[the Force]]. According to some accounts, Lucas met comic book writer and editor [[Roy Thomas]] at a dinner in 1972, during which Lucas described the plot of ''Star Wars'', to which Thomas noticed the similarity between this and Kirby's New Gods, which was then already a published series.<ref>{{cite book|last=Ro|first=Ronin|title=Tales To Astonish : Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, and the American Comic Book Revolution |publisher=[[Bloomsbury Publishing]]|year=2004|isbn=1-58234-345-4|page=199}}</ref>
*[[Marvel Comics]]: Lucas original trilogy co-writer [[Lawrence Kasdan]] noted that the spin-offs were expanding the franchise into more of a [[shared universe]]. Far beyond the previously linear saga, adding that one of the strengths of the franchise was how it all fell under the same continuity in comparison to other franchises. Kasdan also contrasted ''Star Wars'' to the [[Marvel Cinematic Universe]], noting that ''Star Wars'' features less [[comedy]] than the latter, and adding that he felt a more comedic approach like Marvel's ''Guardians of the Galaxy'' would "not be ''Star Wars''" to him.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2018/05/star-wars-franchise-humor-tone-1201965443/|title='Star Wars': Screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan on Why the Franchise Isn't Ready for a 'Guardians of the Galaxy' Tone|first1=Kate|last1=Erbland|date=May 17, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/marvel-cinematic-universe-why-is-it-one-works-1096504|title=Can Anyone Besides Marvel Make a Cinematic Universe Work?|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=March 29, 2018}}</ref>
**[[Jon Favreau]] stated that he took what he learned from doing the Marvel adjacent ''[[Iron Man]]'' films into doing ''[[The Mandalorian]]'' and ''[[The Book of Boba Fett]]'' in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. All there characters rely on metallic, high-tech armors that can fly and fire weapons.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Vary |first1=Adam B. |title=How Disney and Lucasfilm Are Remaking Star Wars in the Image of Marvel Studios |url=https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/disney-star-wars-marvel-studios-1234866986/ |website=Variety |date=19 December 2020}}</ref>

====[[J. R. R. Tolkien]]'s ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''====
{{further |Works inspired by J. R. R. Tolkien#Film|Themes of The Lord of the Rings|The Lord of the Rings: film versus book}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Chris Taylor's comparison of ''[[Star Wars film|Star Wars]]'' with ''The Lord of the Rings''<ref name="Taylor 2014"/>
|-
! Element !! ''Star Wars'' 1977 !! ''The Lord of the Rings'' 1954–55
|-
| Wise old man || [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]]<br/>sacrifices himself fighting Darth Vader,<br/>then guides [[Luke Skywalker|Luke]] through [[the Force]] || [[Gandalf]]<br/>dies saving Fellowship from the [[Balrog]],<br/>then guides Frodo telepathically
|-
| Innocent<br/>protagonists || [[Artoo]] and [[Threepio]],<br/>carrying stolen data tapes,<br/>supported by the team || [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] and [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]],<br/>carrying the [[One Ring]],<br/>supported by the [[Fellowship of the Ring (characters)|Fellowship]]
|-
| "Hellish war machine" || [[Death Star]] || [[Mordor]]
|-
| Enemy troops || [[Stormtrooper (Star Wars)|Stormtroopers]] || [[Orc]]s
|-
| Evil wizard || [[Grand Moff Tarkin]] || [[Saruman]]
|-
| Dark Lord || [[Darth Vader]] || [[Sauron]]
|}
[[J. R. R. Tolkien]]'s 1937 ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and 1954–55 ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' novels inspired George Lucas's creation of ''Star Wars'' in 1977. An early draft for the 1977 ''Star Wars'' film is said to have included an exchange of dialogue between [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]] and [[Luke Skywalker]] taken directly from the conversation between Gandalf and Bilbo in Chapter 1 of ''The Hobbit'', where Bilbo/Luke says "Good morning!" and Gandalf/Kenobi replies asking whether he means he's having a good morning, or is wishing him one, or that all mornings are good. Bilbl/Luke answers "All of them at once".<ref name="Taylor 2014">{{cite web |last1=Taylor |first1=Chris |title=Secrets of the "Star Wars" drafts: Inside George Lucas' amazing -- and very different -- early scripts |url=https://www.salon.com/2014/10/03/secrets_of_the_star_wars_drafts_inside_george_lucas_amazing_and_very_different_early_scripts/ |website=Salon.com |access-date=22 May 2021 |date=4 October 2014}}</ref><ref name="Taylor 2015">{{cite book |last=Taylor |first=Chris | title=How Star Wars Conquered the Universe: the past, present, and future of a multibillion dollar franchise |publisher=Head of Zeus |publication-place=London |year=2015 |isbn=978-1-78497-047-5 |oclc=951149431}}</ref><ref name="starwars.com">{{cite web |last1=Young |first1=Bryan |title=The Cinema Behind Star Wars: The Lord of the Rings |url=https://www.starwars.com/news/the-cinema-behind-star-wars-the-lord-of-the-rings |website=Star Wars |date=13 March 2016}}</ref> The plagiarised dialogue was dropped, but the monk-like Kenobi was modelled on Gandalf; the film author Chris Taylor identifies several further elements of ''Star Wars'' that in his view could have been modelled on Middle-earth.<ref name="Taylor 2014"/>

While doing a ''Star Wars'' animated series, [[Dave Filoni]] noted that Peter Jackson visited him and his mentor George Lucas to discuss Tolkien's works and to ask for advice. According to the ''Star Wars'' website, Darth Vader is compared by Filoni to the Balrog rather than Sauron, and the [[Prancing Pony]] bar may have inspired the [[Mos Eisley]] cantina, with the introduction of Han Solo suggestively matching that of Strider (Aragorn). As for the prequel trilogy, it notes that Saruman influenced Count Dooku (both are portrayed by [[Christopher Lee]] in the respective films), and volcanic Mordor, whether Tolkien's or Jackson's, influenced the volcanic planet Mustafar.<ref name="starwars.com"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.starwars.com/news/loving-the-hobbit-building-the-clone-wars|title = Loving the Hobbit, Building the Clone Wars|date = December 14, 2012}}</ref>

George R. R. Martin acknowledged Tolkien influenced his ''Game of Thrones'' TV series and novels about medieval fantasy, while speaking about a film about Tolkien's life.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-ent-george-r-r-martin-lord-of-the-rings-20190509-story.html|title = George R.R. Martin said 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy influenced 'Game of Thrones'|website = [[Chicago Tribune]]| date=May 9, 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2016/12/19/15-fantasy-movies-and-tv-shows-that-owe-their-existence-to-lord-of-the-rings|title = 15 Fantasy Movies and TV Shows That Owe Their Existence to the Lord of the Rings Films - IGN|date = December 19, 2016}}</ref> Jon Favreau mentioned ''Game of Thrones'' as an influence on ''The Mandalorian''{{'}}s second season.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/tv/mandalorian-season-2-first-look/|title = 'The Mandalorian' exclusive: An inside look at season 2|magazine = [[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref> Martin's ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' / ''Game of Thrones'' (1996 – present) has been compared to ''Star Wars''. This is most commonly through the characters of Luke Skywalker and Jaime Lannister, due to both being sword-fighters who lose their hands in duels, while being knights sworn to celibacy, and also due to their incestuous relationships to their respective sisters, Leia and Cersei (though Luke and Leia were unaware of being siblings, and the Lannisters have children). Both feature mothers who died at child-birth (''[[A Game of Thrones]]'' was written before the release of ''Revenge of the Sith''), and arguably evil fathers (though Luke and Leia weren't raised by him). Captain Phasma has also been compared as weaker than Brienne of Tharth, due to both sharing the same actress. Many people were in both franchises.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/star-wars-game-thrones-actors-appear-characters/|title = Here's Every Game of Thrones Actor in Star Wars|website = [[Screen Rant]]|date = July 31, 2020}}</ref> Both franchises feature important fights on throne rooms, with Emperor Palpatine's throne being compared to the Iron Throne, though Martin's works are far more violent.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.shortlist.com/news/star-wars-vs-game-of-thrones-the-ultimate-showdown|title='Star Wars' vs 'Game of Thrones': The ultimate showdown|date=February 8, 2018}}</ref>

===Opera===
* ''Star Wars'' is widely considered to resemble [[Richard Wagner's]] ''[[Der Ring des Nibelungen]]'' in themes, plot elements, and music.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trell.org/wagner/starwars.html|title=Star Wars and Wagner's Ring|date=12 February 2004|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040212113647/http://www.trell.org/wagner/starwars.html|archive-date=12 February 2004}}</ref>

===Film and television===

*Lucas has specifically cited the fact that he became acquainted with the term ''[[jidaigeki]]'' ("period drama", the Japanese genre of samurai films) while in Japan, and it is widely assumed that he took inspiration for the term [[Jedi]] from this.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Wickman |first1=Forrest |title=Star Wars Is a Postmodern Masterpiece |url=http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/cover_story/2015/12/star_wars_is_a_pastiche_how_george_lucas_combined_flash_gordon_westerns.html |journal=Slate |date=13 December 2015}}</ref><ref name="sanctuary">{{cite web|url=http://www.jedisanctuary.org/history.php |title=History of the Jedi & The Jedi Religion |publisher=Jedi Sanctuary |first=Jedi M. |last=Duggan |access-date=2007-07-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070630190015/http://www.jedisanctuary.org/history.php |archive-date=2007-06-30 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="docu">''[[Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed]]'' on [[History (U.S. TV channel)|The History Channel]], (May 28, 2007)</ref>
* The costume for Darth Vader was visually inspired by the character "The Lightning" in the [[Republic Pictures]] [[Serial (film)|serial]] ''[[The Fighting Devil Dogs]]''. The Lightning also had an army of white-armored stormtroopers and flew through the sky in a large triangular airship (the "flying wing").
* Darth Vader's need to wear his helmet to breathe recalls the oxygen helmets of the underground-dwelling Muranians in the 1935 Mascot serial ''[[The Phantom Empire]]'', which are required by the caped Thunder Riders to be able to breathe on the surface.
* ''[[The Phantom Menace]]'' features a pod racing action sequence. This entire sequence is inspired by the famous chariot race of ''[[Ben-Hur (1959 film)|Ben Hur]]''. The climactic moment when Sebulba's Pod attaches itself to Anakin's Pod mimics, almost shot for shot, the climactic moment of the scene in ''Ben Hur'' when Messala accidentally locks wheels with Ben Hur. Lines, scenes and themes from Ben-Hur had already previously influenced the Star Wars films. The conflict between the Rebel Alliance and the Empire is comparable to the earlier film's depiction of the historical Roman-Jewish conflict of the time, with an ascendant Roman Empire, represented by Messala, threatening to wipe out the Jewish rebels and send them extinct. The same Chariot sequence also inspired parts of the Endor speeder chase in ''Return of the Jedi'', which also includes a sequence where two speeders accidentally interlock. The film's famous early line "The Emperor is displeased, he wishes Judea be made into a more obedient province!" significantly influenced dialogue in all Original Trilogy Star Wars films, with the first four words, in particular, is frequently directly quoted in relation to Star Wars Emperor Palpatine character.
* Lucas has also cited [[John Ford]]'s ''[[The Searchers (film)|The Searchers]]'' and [[David Lean]]'s ''[[Lawrence of Arabia (film)|Lawrence of Arabia]]'' as references for the style—if not the story—used in the films. A more direct homage to ''Lawrence of Arabia'' occurs in ''[[Attack of the Clones]]'', as Padme and Anakin talk while walking around the Theed palace on [[Naboo]]. It was filmed at the Plaza de España in [[Seville, Spain]], which in ''Lawrence of Arabia'' was the site of the British Army headquarters in Cairo, and was shot in an exact manner as the scene in ''Lawrence of Arabia'' where Allenby ([[Jack Hawkins]]) and Dryden ([[Claude Rains]]) discuss whether to give artillery to Lawrence's Arab troops. In the same film, Padme and Anakin also retreat to an estate called Varykino – the name of the Gromeko family estate in ''[[Doctor Zhivago (film)|Doctor Zhivago]]''. (Some{{who|date=May 2011}} also have considered [[Tom Courtenay]]'s Pasha/Strelnikov character from ''Zhivago'' as an inspiration for Anakin/Darth Vader, but the similarities are likely coincidental.) Similarly, the chase sequence with Zam Wesell on Coruscant likely references ''[[Blade Runner]]''; Lucas based many of the Coruscant cityscapes on Los Angeles in 2019. A reference to ''The Searchers'' occurs in ''Star Wars'', when Luke discovers the burning moisture farm, while the Tusken Raiders sequence in ''Attack of the Clones'' recalls the climax of ''The Searchers''. Han's showdown with Greedo in ''Star Wars'' resembles a scene in another John Ford film, ''[[Cheyenne Autumn]]''.
* Lucas is also a fan of [[Sergio Leone]]'s film ''[[Once Upon a Time in the West]]'', and according to Leone's biographer, [[Christopher Frayling]], he listened to the score from Leone's film while editing ''The Empire Strikes Back''. Many{{who|date=May 2011}} have considered Vader's first appearance in ''A New Hope'' as being an "homage" to the introduction of [[Henry Fonda]]'s villainous Frank in the Leone film.
* The death scene of [[Yoda]] in ''[[Return of the Jedi]]'' is taken almost shot-for-shot from the death scene of the similarly mystical High Lama in [[Frank Capra]]'s ''[[Lost Horizon (1937 film)|Lost Horizon]]'' (Yoda and the High Lama also both share a diminutive form and odd cadence of speech).
* The attack on the [[Death Star]] in the climax of the film ''A New Hope'' is similar in many respects to the strategy of [[Operation Chastise]] from the 1954 British film, ''[[The Dam Busters (film)|The Dam Busters]]''. Rebel pilots have to fly through a trench while evading enemy fire and drop a single special weapon at a precise distance from the target to destroy the entire base with a single explosion; if one run fails another run must be made by a different pilot. Some scenes from the ''A New Hope'' climax are similar to those in ''The Dam Busters'' and some of the dialogue is nearly identical in the two films. These scenes are also heavily influenced by the action scenes from the fictional wartime film ''[[633 Squadron]]''. That film's finale shows the squadron's planes flying down a deep [[fjord]] while being fired at along the way by anti-aircraft guns lining its sides. George Lucas has stated in interviews that this sequence inspired the 'trench run' sequence in ''Star Wars''.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=shared&v=XCc570mFQtk |title=STAR WARS Breakdown! A New Hope Analysis & Details You Missed {{!}} Wookieeleaks |date=2019-11-17 |last=New Rockstars |access-date=2025-03-23 |via=YouTube}}</ref>
*[[Francis Ford Coppola]] – Lucas based the friendship between Luke Skywalker and Han Solo on his own friendship with Francis Ford Coppola. In ''Revenge of the Sith'', during Anakin's massacre on Mustafar, the slaughter of the Separatist Council and the declaration of the Galactic Empire are reminiscent of the montage of massacres during the christening scene of ''[[The Godfather]]'', a film directed by Coppola. They are similar in that the christening of one (the baby and the Empire) with the death of a group of others (the other dons and the Separatists).<ref name="Christian">{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Christianity Today]]|title=Movies Star Wars: Episode 3 – Revenge of the Sith|url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/movies/reviews/starwars3.html|access-date=2008-05-17 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080508031043/http://www.christianitytoday.com/movies/reviews/starwars3.html |archive-date = May 8, 2008}}</ref> Post-Lucas director Rian Johnson inspired one of the final shots of ''[[The Last Jedi]]'' where the Millennium Falcon door closes, on the final scene of ''The Godfather'' where a door closes on Michael Corleone.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Orquiola |first1=John |title=10 Secrets Lucasfilm Just Revealed About The Last Jedi |url=https://screenrant.com/star-wars-8-secrets-easter-eggs/ |website=ScreenRant |date=12 January 2018}}</ref> While, Lucas wanted the sequel trilogy Luke Skywalker inspired on the cynic Colonel Kurtz from Coppolla's "Apocalypse Now".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Seddon |first1=Dan |title=George Lucas also planned to kill Luke in his Star Wars sequel trilogy |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a34366993/star-wars-george-lucas-kill-luke-skywalker/ |website=Digital Spy |date=14 October 2020}}</ref>
* The [[Maschinenmensch]] – the robot in [[Fritz Lang]]'s 1927 film ''[[Metropolis (1927 film)|Metropolis]]'' – inspired the look of C-3PO, although the Maschinenmensch is a [[gynoid]] whereas C-3PO has masculine programming.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=shared&v=XCc570mFQtk |title=STAR WARS Breakdown! A New Hope Analysis & Details You Missed {{!}} Wookieeleaks |date=2019-11-17 |last=New Rockstars |access-date=2025-03-23 |via=YouTube}}</ref>
* [[Ray Harryhausen]] used [[stop motion|stop motion animation]] to create a mechanical owl, Bubo, in ''[[Clash of the Titans (1981 film)|Clash of the Titans]]'' (1981). Despite Bubo's similarities (Bubo is metallic and expresses by whistling and rotating its head) to the [[droid (Star Wars)|droid]] [[R2-D2]] of the 1977 film ''Star Wars'', Harryhausen claimed Bubo was created before ''Star Wars'' was released.<ref>[[Ray Harryhausen]] and [[Tony Dalton]], ''Ray Harryhausen: An Animated Life'', page 270 (London: [[Aurum Press]] Ltd, 2003) {{ISBN|1-85410-940-5}}.</ref>
* Lucas used the term ''[[the Force]]'' to "echo" its use by cinematographer [[Roman Kroitor]] in ''[[21-87]]'' (1963), in which Kroitor says, "Many people feel that in the contemplation of nature and in communication with other living things, they become aware of some kind of force, or something, behind this apparent mask which we see in front of us, and they call it God".<ref name="mythologyofsw">''[[The Mythology of Star Wars]]'' (2000 documentary)</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=shared&v=XCc570mFQtk |title=STAR WARS Breakdown! A New Hope Analysis & Details You Missed {{!}} Wookieeleaks |date=2019-11-17 |last=New Rockstars |access-date=2025-03-23 |via=YouTube}}</ref> Although Lucas had Kroitor's line in mind specifically, Lucas said the underlying sentiment is universal and that "similar phrases have been used extensively by many different people for the last 13,000 years".<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.wired.com/2005/05/lucas-2/|title=Life After Darth|last=Silberman|first=Steve|date=May 1, 2005|journal=[[Wired (website)|Wired]]|access-date=May 23, 2016}}</ref>

====Akira Kurosawa====
{{Main|Remakes of films by Akira Kurosawa}}

[[Akira Kurosawa]] films:
* ''[[The Hidden Fortress]]'' (1958) {{ndash}} ''A New Hope'' features the exploits of [[C-3PO]] and [[R2-D2]], whereas the plot of ''The Hidden Fortress'' is told from the point of view of two bickering peasants. The two peasants, Tahei and Matashichi, are first shown escaping a battle, while C-3PO and R2-D2 are first shown fleeing an attack in ''A New Hope''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=David |date=2021-09-09 |title=Star Wars: Every Kurosawa Reference & Homage In Movies & Shows Explained |url=https://screenrant.com/star-wars-movies-shows-akira-kurosawa-influences-references-explained/ |access-date=2025-03-22 |website=ScreenRant |language=en}}</ref> Additionally, both films feature a battle-tested General – Rokurota Makabe in ''The Hidden Fortress'' and [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]] in ''A New Hope'' – who assist a rebellion led by a princess and engage in a duel with a former rival whom they fought years earlier. Lucas also features many horizontal [[Wipe (transition)|wipe]] scene transitions in ''Star Wars'', a technique used thoroughly by Kurosawa in his films.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=David |date=2021-09-09 |title=Star Wars: Every Kurosawa Reference & Homage In Movies & Shows Explained |url=https://screenrant.com/star-wars-movies-shows-akira-kurosawa-influences-references-explained/ |access-date=2025-03-22 |website=ScreenRant |language=en}}</ref> Similarly, the Princess trades places with a slave girl in ''The Hidden Fortress'', with the slave girl acting as a decoy for the real Princess. In ''The Phantom Menace'', [[Queen Amidala]] trades places with one of her handmaidens who acts as a decoy.
* ''[[Yojimbo (film)|Yojimbo]]'' (1961) inspired the brawl scene in the Cantina. Its sequel ''[[Sanjuro]]'' (1962) inspired the hiding-under-the-floor trick.<ref name="InspirationsLucas">{{cite web|last=Robey|first=Tim|title=10 films that influenced Star Wars|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/star-wars/10817059/10-films-that-influenced-Star-Wars.html|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|access-date=May 10, 2014|date=May 8, 2014}}</ref>
**"A Fistful of Dollars" which is Sergio Leone's first film in ''[[Dollars trilogy]]'', is an unofficial remake of the Kurosawa film "Yojimbo", that also inspired George Lucas. Clint Eastwood's cowboy character without a name, also inspired the post-Lucas created main character of ''The Mandalorian'', and also the Lucas created character [[Cad Bane]] from ''The Clone Wars'' animated series.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/mandalorian-creator-jon-favreau-talks-shows-inspiration-personal/story?id=67023193|title = 'The Mandalorian' creator Jon Favreau talks show's inspiration, 'personal connection' to filmmaking|website = [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]}}</ref> (Though the episode "[[Hostage Crisis (Star Wars: The Clone Wars)|Hostage Crisis]]" that introduced [[Cad Bane]], has the character also inspired on [[Hans Gruber (character)|Hans Gruber]], the villain of ''[[Die Hard]]'', with its plot also being a loose remake of the Bruce Willis film).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Young |first1=Bryan |title=The Cinema Behind Star Wars: Die Hard |url=https://www.starwars.com/news/the-cinema-behind-star-wars-die-hard |website=Star Wars |date=8 December 2014}}</ref>
***''[[Django (1966 film)|Django]]'' another unofficial western remake of ''[[Yojimbo]]'', inspired Lucas on the name of his character [[Jango Fett]].{{citation needed|date=June 2021}}
* ''[[Dersu Uzala (1975 film)|Dersu Uzala]]'' (1975), just two years before the first ''Star Wars'' film, there are two scenes that bear a striking resemblance to scenes in ''Star Wars''. The first is the Captain and Dersu looking out over the horizon, seeing both the setting sun and the rising moon at the same time. This is much like when Luke Skywalker stares out on the sky with binary suns in ''A New Hope''. The other scene is when Dersu and the Captain are suddenly caught in a blizzard, and they have to quickly build a shelter to spend the night, to survive the cold. The Captain collapses from the cold and Dersu has to drag and stuff him into the shelter. This is similar to the scene in ''[[The Empire Strikes Back]]'' where Han Solo cuts a tauntaun open with Luke's [[lightsaber]] and stuffs the unconscious Luke into it, when they get caught in a blizzard on the snow planet [[Hoth]]. A similar moment using a horse, happens in ''[[The Revenant (2015 film)]]'', than won an Oscar to Leonardo DiCaprio for playing 1700s frontier man [[Hugh Glass]].
*''[[Rashomon]]'' (1950): On ''[[The Last Jedi]]'' (2017), from post-George Lucas director [[Rian Johnson]]. The [[Rashomon effect]], is described on the part where Rey is told by Luke, a description of how he considered murdering his nephew Ben Solo in his sleep, due to feeling his inevitable fall to the dark side of The Force. Then Solo, who by that point had renamed himself as Kylo Ren, tells his perspective, which causes Luke to tell a third perspective of the event. All whom cause a reinterpretation of a similar event in ''Return of the Jedi''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Young |first1=Bryan |title=How The Last Jedi got Luke Skywalker right |url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/how-the-last-jedi-got-luke-skywalker-right |website=SYFY WIRE |language=en |date=31 January 2018}}</ref>
*''[[Seven Samurai]]'' also inspired an episode of ''[[Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003 TV series)|The Clone Wars]]'' animated series, and the first ''Star Wars'' comic with an original plot, that wasn't adapted from the film. ''The Mandalorian'' released its "[[Chapter 4: Sanctuary]]" has also been compared to ''[[Seven Samurai]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Young |first1=Bryan |title=The Cinema Behind Star Wars: Seven Samurai |url=https://www.starwars.com/news/the-cinema-behind-star-wars-seven-samurai |website=Star Wars |date=24 June 2013}}</ref>

====''Star Trek''====
{{Main|Comparison of Star Trek and Star Wars}}
[[George Lucas]] claims he became a fan of ''Star Trek'' when [[Star Trek: The Original Series|the original series]] broadcast in the late 1960s which played an influence on the development of ''Star Wars'' in 1977.{{clarify|date=December 2015}} Lucas claimed he also visited ''Star Trek'' conventions.<ref>[[Trek Nation]] (2010 documentary)</ref> The filmmaker amazed [[Clint Howard]] by, during an audition, immediately citing his role 15 years earlier as [[Balok]] from "[[The Corbomite Maneuver]]". Howard said that he wanted to yell "[[Get a life (idiom)|Get a life]]" at the filmmaker.<ref>''Star Trek: Communicator'' issue 115, p. 65</ref><ref>''[[Star Trek Monthly]]'' issue 49, p. 51</ref><ref name="stc20180726">{{Cite web |date=2023-07-25 |title=Clint Howard Talks Discovery, STLV |url=https://www.startrek.com/news/clint-howard-talks-discovery-stlv |access-date=2024-03-31 |website=StarTrek.com |language=en}}</ref>

====The original films' influence on the franchise after Disney buys Lucasfilm====
Following the sale of Lucasfilm to [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]], and the release of the 2015 film ''[[Star Wars: The Force Awakens]]'', a Whatculture.com writer noticed the film bore many parallels and similar plot beats to ''A New Hope''.<ref name="Whatculture.com">{{cite web|url=http://whatculture.com/film/star-wars-the-force-awakens-10-ways-its-a-remake-of-a-new-hope |title=Star Wars: The Force Awakens - 10 Ways It's A Remake Of A New Hope |publisher=Whatculture.com |date=December 18, 2015 |access-date=June 30, 2022}}</ref> [[McGill University]] computer science professor Derek Ruths ran an algorithm that found that, while it was not a one to one translation (for instance, Rey and Kylo Ren did not mirror Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader), the script mirrored ''A New Hope'' a lot in the way that each film's characters were grouped.<ref name="McFarland">{{cite magazine|last=McFarland |first=Kevin |url=https://www.wired.com/2016/03/mapping-star-wars-force-awakens-characters/ |title=The Force Awakens and A New Hope Are More Similar Than You Think |magazine=Wired |date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=June 30, 2022}}</ref>

==Real world history==
{{See also|Star Wars and History|Star Wars: Evolution of the Lightsaber Duel}}
[[File:Samurai9555226484.jpg|thumb|199px|The [[Samurai]], [[nobility]] and [[Officer (armed forces)|officer]] [[caste]] of [[History of Japan#Medieval Japan (1185–1573/1600)|medieval]] and [[Edo period|early-modern]] [[Japan]] are a strong influence on the concept of the Jedi as sword fighting martial artist warriors who served as guardians of society.]]

===Ancient and medieval history===
{{prose|section|date=March 2025}}
[[File:Illustration of a futuristic aircraft on a landing pad by David Revoy.png|thumb|330px|A depiction of a science fictional civilization living a [[medieval]] Earth-like existence; a concept that ''Star Wars'' is a major example of.<ref name="Classen2011">{{cite book|author=Albrecht Classen|title=Handbook of Medieval Studies: Terms – Methods – Trends|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ez_edSWAQGAC&pg=PA862|date=1 January 2011|publisher=Walter de Gruyter|isbn=978-3-11-021558-8|page=862}}</ref>]]
* Ancient and medieval history play amongst the strongest and significant influences on ''Star Wars'' which reflects ancient Earth history in its settings, including [[Architecture of Star Wars|architectural]], social and hierarchical structures (i.e. the existence of monarchies and empires) as well as story lines which reflect ancient and medieval history. The transformation of the [[Old Republic (Star Wars)|Old Republic]] into the [[Galactic Empire (Star Wars)|Galactic Empire]] parallels that of the [[Roman Republic]] which transformed into the [[Roman Empire]] in the same manner of conspiracy and manipulation. Lucas was quoted as saying: "I love history, so while the psychological basis of ''Star Wars'' is mythological, the political and social bases are historical".<ref name="christopherklein"/>
* Author Nick Jamilla explains that unlike mainstream futuristic stories, with ''Star Wars'', George Lucas ties in science fiction with ancient history, comparing the Jedi to the [[Samurai]] and historical European swordsmanship. He also parallels the spiritual aspects of the Jedi to eastern [[monks]] and philosophy.<ref name="Jamilla2008">{{cite book|author=Nick Jamilla|title=Sord Fighting in the Star Wars Universe: Historical Origins, Style and Philosophy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g23D4YMmdb0C|date=25 June 2008|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0-7864-5179-1}}</ref><ref name="Jamilla2002">{{cite book|author=Nick Jamilla|title=Shimmering Sword: Samurai, Western, and Star Wars Sword Fighting|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qmNBAAAACAAJ|year=2002|publisher=NBK Pub.|isbn=978-0-9718796-0-7}}</ref>
* ''Star Wars'' reflects ancient history in its planetary settings. For example, the planet [[Coruscant]] imitates [[Ancient Rome]] as the capital of the Old Republic and later the Galactic Empire; whereas [[Tatooine]] (referring to [[Tataouine Governorate|Tataouine]] - a province south of Tunis in Tunisia, roughly where Lucas filmed for the planet) imitates the ancient [[Middle East]] (specifically the [[Arabian Peninsula]]) and [[North Africa]] in ancient times as being barren desert and sparsely populated (which it still is today to a certain degree).<ref>The Mythology of Star Wars (2000 documentary)</ref> Coruscant and [[Naboo]] are also two of many planets in the ''Star Wars'' galaxy which exhibit architecture inspired by those of [[ancient Greece]], Rome, and other ancient Mediterranean and southern/southeastern European societies.
* In his book ''The Medieval Hero on Screen: Representations from Beowulf to Buffy'', author Tom Henthorne argues that 1970s science fiction films such as the ''Star Wars'' films and ''[[E.T.]]'' bring back neo-medieval themes at young boys with a masculine tone in his view. He argues the knighthood-type plots give a sense of encouragement to young boys and give girls the image of being their prizes or captives waiting to be rescued.<ref>Henthorne, Tom. ''Boys to Men: Medievalism and Masculinity in Star Wars and ET: The Extra-Terrestrial''. The Medieval Hero on Screen: Representations from Beowulf to Buffy (2004): 73-90.</ref>
* The [[Samurai]] warriors of [[Japan]] are somewhat parallel to the concept of the Jedi as an elite warrior class specialized in combat and swordsmanship techniques charged with protecting their respective societies.<ref>[[Star Wars: Evolution of the Lightsaber Duel]] (2015 documentary)</ref>
* The aesthetic of [[Jedi]] uniforms is borrowed from the styles of clothing worn by [[North Africa|North African]] Tribesmen and various [[Sufi brotherhood|Sufi brotherhoods]]. It has been argued by some that the name "Jedi" itself actually comes from the [[Arabic]] "Al-Jeddi'" which means "master of the mystic-warrior way."<ref>{{Cite web |title='Star Wars' has borrowed from Arab culture for years - when will it give back? |date=August 30, 2018 |url=https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/star-wars-borrowed-arab-culture-years-will-give-back-064204271.html}}</ref> 
* In an interview with 'The Muslim Magazine,' Dhul-Nun Owen spoke about [[George Lucas]] contacting members of the Habibiyyah Sufi Order in Berkeley, CA in order to do research for 'Star Wars.' However, there isn't a record of Lucas confirming this himself.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Inspiration: Star Wars: An Islamic perspective |date=June 17, 2005 |url=https://www.patheos.com/blogs/altmuslim/2005/06/star_wars_an_islamic_perspective/}}</ref> 
* Mahmoud Shelton of [[Stanford University]] wrote an article titled "Star Wars: A Tale of Spiritual Chivalry” wherein he explores the connection between the Order of the Jedi and the Orders of [[Futuwwa]] (Mediaeval Sufi Chivalry).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ustadh Mahmoud Shelton |url=https://eshaykh.com/ustadh-mahmoud-shelton/}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> Shelton maintains that the Skywalker story may be specifically compared to the Ancient Egyptian myth of Osiris and his son Horus, and that the word "Jedi" is related to the [[Djed]] through the imagery of the prequels.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Balance of George Lucas' Star Wars |url=https://www.academia.edu/19611242 |last1=Shelton |first1=Mahmoud }}</ref>

===Modern and early modern history===
The [[Stormtrooper (Star Wars)|stormtroopers]] from the films share a name with the [[German Empire|Imperial German]] [[Stormtroopers (Imperial Germany)|stormtroopers]] and the [[Nazi Germany|Nazi German]] [[Sturmabteilung]] (lit. Stormtrooper). Imperial officers' uniforms also resemble some [[Uniforms of the German Army (1935–1945)|historical German Army uniforms]] and the political and security officers of the Empire resemble the black clad [[Schutzstaffel|SS]] down to the imitation silver death's head insignia on their officer's caps (although the uniforms technically had more basis with the German [[Uhlans]] within the Prussian Empire<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.starwars.com/news/from-world-war-to-star-wars-stormtroopers |quote =The exact cut of the uniforms was certainly familiar, but didn't rely precisely on the dress of the Second World War. The overall color palette and feel for the Empire was intended to be fascist, but earlier Prussian military uniforms inspired the actual cut of the uniforms designed by John Mollo.  The tunic and pants worn by Imperial officers were based on the uniform of German Uhlans, a division of mounted lancers that predated Nazi Germany. This style of uniform was used through the end of World War I, but was not a hallmark of the Third Reich.|website = StarWars.com|title = From World War to Star Wars: Stormtroopers|date = 15 October 2014 |first = Cole|last = Horton}}</ref>). World War II terms were used for names in ''Star Wars''; examples include the planets Kessel (a term that refers to a group of [[Kessel (cauldron)|encircled forces]]) and Hoth ([[Hermann Hoth]] was a German general who served on the snow-laden [[Eastern Front (World War II)|Eastern Front]]).<ref name="christopherklein">{{cite web|url=http://www.history.com/news/the-real-history-that-inspired-star-wars|title=The Real History That Inspired "Star Wars"|first=Christopher|last=Klein|work=HISTORY.com|date=August 25, 2023 }}</ref> Lucas himself has drawn parallels between Palpatine and his rise to power to historical dictators such as [[Julius Caesar]], [[Napoleon Bonaparte]], and [[Adolf Hitler]], saying the films exist as an examination of how democracies allow themselves to become dictatorships.<ref>{{cite magazine  |title= Star Wars: Attack of the Clones |url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101020429/story2.html |magazine=[[TIME Magazine]] |date=2002-04-21 |access-date=2009-12-13|quote=The people give their democracy to a dictator, whether it's [[Julius Caesar]] or [[Napoleon Bonaparte|Napoleon]] or [[Adolf Hitler]]. Ultimately, the general population goes along with the idea ... That's the issue I've been exploring: how did the Republic turn into the Empire?|url-status= dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020605161308/http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101020429/story2.html|archive-date= 2002-06-05}}</ref> The space battles in ''A New Hope'' were based on filmed [[World War I]] and [[World War II]] [[dog fight|dogfights]].<ref name="Dreams"/>

Continuing the use of Nazi inspiration for the Empire, [[J. J. Abrams]], the director of ''[[The Force Awakens]]'', has said that the First Order, an Imperial offshoot which serves as the main antagonist of the [[Star Wars sequel trilogy|sequel trilogy]], is also inspired by another aspect of the Nazi regime. Abrams spoke of how several Nazis fled to [[Argentina]] after the war and he claims that the concept for the First Order came from conversations between the scriptwriters about what would have happened if they had started working together again ([[The Boys from Brazil (film)|''The Boys from Brazil'']]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=45203|title=JJ Abrams Spills Details On Kylo Ren|first=James|last=Dyer}}</ref>

In a 2005 interview, George Lucas was asked the origins of the name "Darth Vader", and replied: "Darth is a variation of dark. And Vader is a variation of father. So it's basically Dark Father." (''Rolling Stone'', June 2, 2005). ''Vader'' is the [[Dutch language|Dutch]] word for "father" (the Dutch word is instead pronounced "fah-der"), and the [[German language|German]] word for "father" (''Vater'') is similar. However, in the earliest scripts for ''Star Wars'', the name "Darth Vader" was given to a human Imperial general with no apparent relationships.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/news/george-lucas-and-the-cult-of-darth-vader-20050602|title=George Lucas and the Cult of Darth Vader|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=June 2, 2005}}</ref>

Commentators have noted the strong political analogies in the ''Star Wars'' universe to contemporary American politics. Major analogies include Lucas's opposition to the [[Vietnam War]] being seen in the original trilogy.<ref>{{cite magazine | last1=O'Connor | first1=Michael | title= What are the Politics of 'Star Wars'? | url=http://www.newsweek.com/does-star-wars-endorse-political-republican-democrat-498365 | date= September 14, 2016 | magazine=[[Newsweek]] | access-date=February 15, 2017}}</ref> Lucas even said in 2005 that ''Star Wars'' "was really about the Vietnam War, and that was the period where [[Richard Nixon]] was trying to run for a [second] term, which got me to thinking historically about how do democracies get turned into dictatorships. Because the democracies aren't overthrown; they're given away."<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2005/05/18/star-wars-inadvertently-hits-too-close-to-uss-role/ | title='Star Wars' inadvertently hits too close to U.S.'s role | newspaper=Chicago Tribune | first=Mark | last=Caro | date=May 18, 2005 | access-date=November 12, 2017}}</ref> This claim was likewise backed up by the 1973 draft for the first film, then-called ''The Star Wars'', where Lucas specifically mentioned that the theme involved an independent planet named Aquillae that was compared to North Vietnam, and that the Empire was "America 10 years from now",<ref>Rinzler, J.W., ''The Making of Star Wars'', page 7-8, 16-18.</ref><ref>Taylor, Chris. ''How Star Wars Conquered the Universe''. p. 87-88, 109-110, 125.</ref> and by [[Walter Murch]], who claimed Lucas, after his failure with ''Apocalypse Now'', decided to do ''Star Wars'' as a way to channel the anti-war and pro-Vietcong ideology in a disguised form.<ref>{{cite book|title = The Conversations: Walter Murch and the Art of Editing Film|last = Ondaatje|first = Michael|publisher = Knopf |date =2005|page =70|quote =Originally George Lucas was going to direct ('Apocalypse Now'), so it was a project that George and John [Milius] developed for [American] Zoetrope. That was back in 1969. Then, when Warner Brothers cancelled the funding for Zoetrope, the project was abandoned for a while. After the success of 'American Graffiti' in 1973, George wanted to revive it, but it was still too hot a topic, the [Vietnam] war was still on, and nobody wanted to finance something like that. So George considered his options: What did he really want to say in 'Apocalypse Now?' The message boiled down to the ability of a small group of people to defeat a gigantic power simply by the force of their convictions. And he decided, All right, if it's politically too hot as a contemporary subject, I'll put the essence of the story in outer space and make it happen in a galaxy long ago and far away. The rebel group were the North Vietnamese, and the Empire was the United States. And if you have 'the force,' no matter how small you are, you can defeat the overwhelmingly big power. 'Star Wars' is George's transubstantiated version of 'Apocalypse Now.'}}</ref> [[Ian McDiarmid]], when recalling something Lucas told him during filming of ''Return of the Jedi'', also implied that the Oval Office, and in particular, Nixon's presidency, played a role in the design of the Emperor's throne room.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2005/nov/07/theatre1 |title=Lindesay Irvine talks to Ian McDiarmid|first=Lindesay|last=Irvine|date=7 November 2005|website=The Guardian}}</ref> Political themes in ''[[Rogue One]]'' have also been noted.<ref>{{cite news | last1=Somin | first1=Ilya | title=Rogue One and the Politics of Star Wars | url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2016/12/29/rogue-one-and-the-politics-of-star-wars/ | date=December 29, 2016 | newspaper= [[The Washington Post]] | access-date=February 15, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | last1=Doescher | first1=Ian | title=The Empire Is Us: The Politics of 'Rogue One' | url=https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/12/politics-of-rogue-one-214549/ | date=December 26, 2016 | magazine=[[Politico Magazine]] | access-date=February 15, 2017}}</ref>{{Explain|reason=What political themes|date=May 2023}}

The political and military conflict of the prequel films, especially ''Attack of the Clones'' and ''[[Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith|Revenge of the Sith]]'', bears a strong similarity to elements of the [[American Civil War]] (1861–1865): the [[Galactic Republic]]'s Clone army (officially called the "[[Clone trooper#Grand Army of the Republic|Grand Army of the Republic]]") represents the [[Union Army]] (whose veteran organization was named [[Grand Army of the Republic]]), while the [[Confederacy of Independent Systems]] mimics the [[Confederate States of America]] (also abbreviated as "the Confederacy").<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jamilla |first=Nick |date=2014 |title=Sword Fighting in the Star Wars Universe: Historical Origins, Style and Philosophy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g23D4YMmdb0C&pg=PA153 |location=Jefferson, North Carolina |publisher=McFarland |page=153 |isbn=9780786451791 |access-date=12 June 2020}}</ref><ref name="Politics">{{cite web|url=http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~anne/clones.html|title=Attack of the Clones and the Politics of Star Wars|year=2002|last=Lancashire|first=Anne|website=The Dalhousie Review|access-date=June 30, 2016}}</ref> The character of [[Count Dooku]] is directly based on Confederate General [[Robert E. Lee]].

==See also==
* ''[[George Lucas in Love]]'', a parody short film linking several ''Star Wars'' elements to the experiences of Lucas as a film student.

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

* {{cite web|url=http://www.moongadget.com/origins/index.html|title=Star Wars origins|work=MoonGadget}}
* {{cite magazine|url=http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/crazy-history-star-wars|title=The crazy history of ''Star Wars''|author=Joshua Rothman|magazine=[[The New Yorker]]|date=December 17, 2014}}
* {{cite web|url=https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-in-mythology-twins|title=''Star Wars'' in mythology: Twins|author=Jason Hamilton|work=starwars.com|date=March 23, 2015}}
* {{cite web|url=https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-in-mythology-the-shadow|title=''Star Wars'' in mythology: The Shadow|author=Jason Hamilton|work=starwars.com|date=February 25, 2015}}
* {{cite web|url=https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-in-mythology-the-mentor|title=''Star Wars'' in mythology: The Mentor|author=Jason Hamilton|work=starwars.com|date=June 2015}}
* {{cite web|url=https://www.starwars.com/news/studying-skywalkers-themes-in-star-wars-a-new-hope|title=Studying Skywalkers: Themes in ''Star Wars: A New Hope''|author=Dan Zehr|work=starwars.com|date=December 2, 2015}}
* {{cite web|url=https://www.starwars.com/news/studying-skywalkers-themes-in-star-wars-the-empire-strikes-back|title=Studying Skywalker: Themes in ''Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back''|author=Dan Zehr|work=starwars.com|date=December 16, 2015}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.echostation.com/features/ep2sword.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130121195521/http://www.echostation.com/features/ep2sword.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=2013-01-21|title=Cultural influences on Jedi Style Sword fighting|author=N.P. Jamilla}} 
* {{cite web|url=http://www.islamscifi.com/star-wars-an-islamic-perspective/|title=''Star Wars'': An Islamic Perspective|author=Muhammad Aurangzeb Ahmad|work=Islam and Science Fiction}}
* {{cite web|title=ReverseReferences|url=https://www.nerf-herders-anonymous.com/2001/07/reversereferences.html|website=Nerf-Herders Anonymous|access-date=23 November 2019|language=en|date=July 6, 2001}}
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[[Category:Star Wars|Sources and analogues, Star Wars]]
[[Category:Issues of cultural influence|Star Wars]]