10 Ways Star Wars Has Changed How You See Return Of The Jedi, 40 Years Later
The Star Wars series has grown tremendously over the past 40 years, changing the way viewers view Return of the Jedi. The final movie in the original Star Wars trilogy remained unchanged for a long time because there weren’t many books or comics that changed the story significantly. Things changed with the release of Heir to the Empire in 1991. This marked the beginning of the modern Expanded Universe and renewed interest in the Return of the Jedi story. George Lucas also started changing the film starting with the 1997 special edition, changing distinct moments in each subsequent revision. Star Wars finally began expanding on the big screen again with the prequel trilogy, revealing the story only hinted at in Return of the Jedi. The sequel trilogy then offered its own version of events after Return of the Jedi, as did the live-action TV shows on Disney+. With so many new additions to the franchise, it’s impossible to view the Star Wars movies the same way audiences did upon release, and this is especially true for Return of the Jedi. From new scenes to reveals that provide additional context, ten aspects of Return of the Jedi have changed after 40 years.
Boba Fett Didn’t Actually Die In Return Of The Jedi
Boba Fett met his apparent demise in Return of the Jedi by falling into the Sarlacc Pit, but Star Wars repeats this over and over again. The Legends sequel has multiple stories of Boba’s survival, which became canon again in Season 2 of The Mandalorian. Boba Fett’s book provides a more detailed account of how Boba’s armor protected him in the pit and allowed him to crawl out. He went on to join a tribe of Tusken Raiders, teamed up with Din Djarin for a time, and eventually replaced Jabba the Hutt as Daimyo of Mos Espa on Tatooine.
Palpatine’s Death Brought Balance To The Force
Palpatine’s death was originally just a father’s rescue of his son, but the prequel trilogy gave it cosmic significance. Anakin Skywalker’s “Chosen One” prophecy states that he is destined to destroy the Sith and restore the balance of the Force, and although he fell to the dark side, he was later prophetically killed by Palpatine. achieved. This gives more meaning to Anakin’s sacrifice and makes Return of the Jedi the final installment of six films rather than just the original trilogy.
Anakin Skywalker’s Force Ghost Returns To His Young Form
The late Sebastian Shaw appeared as Anakin’s Force ghost in the Return of the Jedi movie, but was replaced by Hayden Christensen for the 2004 DVD release. The theatrical cut shows Anakin as he would have been if he hadn’t turned to the dark side, and is shown proudly staring at Luke like his father. The remastered version offers a new context, showing the Anakin that audiences know from the previous films, a reflection of Luke Skywalker at that point in his life. Fans still debate which is better, but Anakin’s Force ghost returning to his young form changes Return of the Jedi‘s ending.
Palpatine’s Death In Return Of The Jedi Isn’t Final
Palpatine’s death balanced the Force and completed Anakin’s salvation, but Star Wars never left the Emperor dead. First returning in Star Wars: Dark Empire, the legendary comic book series by Tom Veitch and Cam Kennedy, Palpatine transferred his own dark spirit into a clone body. The Star Wars canon used a similar explanation in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, revealing Palpatine as the true mastermind behind Snoke, Kylo Ren, and the First Order. Considering how Palpatine cheated on death once, it’s entirely possible he’ll be back for a third time.
Jabba The Hutt Is Already An Established Character
Jabba the Hutt didn’t appear in A New Hope, so it was a surprise when he was finally cast in Return of the Jedi. However, George Lucas included a deleted scene in the special edition that used CGI to recreate Jabba. Jabba later appeared in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, the animated series and the film Star Wars: The Clone Wars, expanding the storyline before the original trilogy. Historically, Jabba is an established character long before his first debut in Return of the Jedi.
Luke’s Behavior Is More Troubling (Because Of Anakin)
In Return of the Jedi, Luke is seduced by the dark side while completing his final exams to become a Jedi. Still, Luke had no compelling reason to join Palpatine until his friends’ lives were in danger, but more parallels exist between Anakin and Luke in the prequels. After watching Anakin’s behavior in the previous films, it’s much more troubling when Luke Force chokes a guard or tells someone not to underestimate his power. It hints that Luke has been slipping to the dark side without realizing it, creating more tension as Palpatine tries to push him over the edge on the Death Star.
Obi-Wan Lying To Luke Is More Understandable After Revenge Of The Sith
Obi-Wan Kenobi lied to Luke throughout the original trilogy, and in the final film, he only had time for a brief explanation. Thanks to Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, Obi-Wan hiding the truth from Luke is more understandable after seeing everything he went through. The movie also clarified how Luke and Leia could be siblings and how they ended up where they did, making the Skywalker family story more cohesive.
Leia Remembering Her Mother Is Confusing Now
In Revenge of the Sith, on the other hand, some scenes were more confusing, such as Leia’s memory of her mother, but not Luke. In Return of the Jedi, it was hinted that Leia was old enough to remember when her mother died, but in Revenge of the Sith Padmé Amidala is Luke and Leia. was found to have died shortly after he was born. Several Star Wars fan theories have attempted to explain this plot hole, but this scene always feels weird on rewatches.
The Empire Didn’t Fall At The Battle Of Endor
Return of the Jedi led audiences to believe that the Empire fell after the Battle of Endor, but this has never been the case in the books and comics. In the Legends timeline, the New Republic and the Imperial Remnant were at war for years before finally signing a peace treaty. In Star Wars canon, the Galactic Civil War officially ended at the Battle of Jakku, one year after Return of the Jedi, but the Empire would survive in many forms. The Imperial Shadow Council continued to undermine the New Republic, the First Order eventually succeeded the Empire, and Palpatine constructed the Final Order fleet to form a New Empire.
Luke Is Destined To Repeat The Same Mistakes As The Jedi
The Star Wars sequel trilogy showed that Return of the Jedi‘s happy ending didn’t last forever, especially for Luke. Yoda urged Luke to pass on what he had learned, implying that he would successfully build a New Jedi Order that was better than the old. Unfortunately, Luke failed to learn from the old Jedi Order until it was too late, and Ben Solo destroyed his Jedi Temple. Return of the Jedi‘s ending will never have the same effect, changing how audiences see the movie after 40 years.