Star Wars

"A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away..."

Star Wars is an epic science fiction/fantasy film saga created by George Lucas. The first three films in the series were released in 1977, 1980, and 1983. Three prequels to the first trilogy were released in 1999, 2002, and 2005.

J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof have expressed their admiration of the Star Wars films. [1] The day they met to begin collaboration for Lost, Damon Lindelof was wearing an original official Star Wars fan club T-shirt and the pair found an instant connection as a result.

In Lost

Direct references

"The old Wookiee prisoner gag" ("Not in Portland")

• After Jack had helped Shannon through an Asthma attack by simply talking to her calmly, Hurley said, "Wow, man. That was awesome. I mean, that was like a... Jedi moment", as a reference to the Jedi mind trick. ("Confidence Man")
• While on the raft, Michael and Jin are arguing about the flare. They're arguing in two different languages (English and Korean), just like Han Solo and Chewbacca. Sawyer then said, “Hey, Han, you and Chewie want to slow down a second and talk to me here?" ("Exodus, Part 2")
  • "Chewie" was Chewbacca's nickname throughout the Star Wars series. Sawyer referred to Jin as "Chewie" twice more. ("Orientation")  ("Abandoned")
• Sawyer once called Hurley "Jabba". ("Fire + Water")
• Hurley’s imaginary friend Dave made a reference to movie special effects. After Hurley made a comment about the photo which Dr. Brooks showed him, Dave said, "What, do you think they really blew up the Death Star?" ("Dave")
• While attempting to rescue Karl from Room 23, Sawyer played a trick on Aldo that he called the "old Wookiee prisoner gag". ("Not in Portland") In Star Wars, Han Solo and Luke Skywalker dress up as stormtroopers and Chewie impersonates a prisoner in order to infiltrate Detention Block AA 23 where Princess Leia was being held.
• Sawyer once referred to Ben as "Yoda". ("Confirmed Dead")
• Jack accidentally stepped on Aaron's toy Millennium Falcon. ("Something Nice Back Home")

• In 1977, Star Wars had just opened in theaters, so Hurley decides to write the script to The Empire Strikes Back, "with a couple of improvements", and send it to George Lucas to make life easier, because "Ewoks suck, dude."("Some Like It Hoth")
• Hurley compares Jacob to Obi-Wan Kenobi in regards to how, although dead, he appears when he chooses to do so. ("Lighthouse")

Indirect references

• Ben's character is remarkably similar to Darth Vader/Anakin.
  • Both bear grave responsibility in the genocide of their people.
    • Darth Vader himself slaughtered many defenseless young students on the day of the near-full extinction of the Jedi.
    • Ben was a key participant in the purge of the DHARMA Initiative, himself committing patricide in cold blood.
  • Both use their position of power to seduce others into joining them, suggesting murder as the key.
    • Darth Vader tells Luke he can teach him about the Force if he joins the dark side, revealing a prophecy that Luke can kill the Emperor.
    • Ben tells Locke he can teach him about the Island if he joins the Others and kills his captive father.
  • Both command great power, yet carry out orders from a higher authority.
    • Darth Vader from the Emperor.
    • Ben from Jacob.
  • Both are indoctrinated to the good side, later change sides in a vicious betrayal, yet ultimately reject the dark side.
    • Anakin Skywalker first becomes a Jedi, then joins the Sith and becomes Darth Vader, and eventually redeems himself at a decisive moment.
    • Ben is first introduced to the philanthropic DHARMA Initiative, then defects to the Others, and when later tempted to defect to the Man in Black he aligns with the followers of Jacob.

Note the similar expressions on their faces

• Sawyer, in many ways, is a Han Solo-esque character throughout the series; they are both wisecracking, self-interested, ladies' man, antihero, reformed criminals.
• Michael seemed to understand Jin, even though Jin spoke Korean, in much the same way that Han Solo understood Chewbacca, even though he spoke in his native Wookiee language of otherwise unintelligible, animal-like grunts and roars. ("Exodus, Part 1")  ("Exodus, Part 2")
• Ben tried to convince John to kill his own father similar to how the Emperor tried to coerce Luke Skywalker to kill his own father, in Return of the Jedi. ("The Brig")
• Ben confesses to Ilana that at the moment he stabbed Jacob he had succumbed to anger and fear, hallmarks of the dark side. ("Dr. Linus")
• Sawyer kills Anthony Cooper by choking him from behind with a chain, the same way Princess Leia kills Jabba the Hutt in Return of the Jedi. ("The Brig")
  • both scenes are very similiar in the art direction (lighting, set dressing/design, and camera placement)
• Jack and Claire are siblings, but do not know this till later in the series, much like Luke and Lea.

• Charlotte's first scene on the Island shows her unconscious, suspended upside down with her arms over her head, visually similar to Luke in the wampa cave in The Empire Strikes Back. ("Confirmed Dead")
• The Man in Black removes Ben's leg iron with a slight gesture, much like Emperor Palpatine un-cuffs Luke in Return of the Jedi. A weapon is also made accessible in a bid for violence, yet both characters choose not to kill. ("Dr. Linus")

Shared dialogue

• While talking about moving to the caves, Sawyer said, "Well, that's the real trick, isn't it?" In Star Wars, Han Solo says this exact same line to Obi-Wan Kenobi when discussing the need to avoid Imperial entanglements on the Millenium Falcon's trip to Alderaan. ("House of the Rising Sun")
• When Charlie re-enters the cave to help Jack, he tells Jack, "I'm here to rescue you," just as Luke says to Leia in the Death Star in A New Hope. ("The Moth")
  • Faraday later says the same sentence to Jack and Kate, shortly after he parachutes onto the island. ("Confirmed Dead")
• When Sayid told Sawyer he found his boar situation funny, Sawyer replied, "Laugh it up, Mohammed," which may be a reference to Han's line, "Laugh it up, Fuzzball", in Empire Strikes Back. ("Outlaws")
• While they were working on the raft, Michael ran over to Jin, gesturing and shouting, "No, no! This one goes there, that one goes there!" In The Empire Strikes Back, Han says this exact same line to Chewie while they are repairing the Millennium Falcon on Hoth. ("Exodus, Part 1")
• Both Jack and Kate say, "Here we go again", which may be a reference to C3PO saying the same thing when leaving the forest moon of Endor in Return of the Jedi. ("Greatest Hits")
• On the way to the Temple, and just prior to a shooting ambush, Karl told Alex, "I've got a bad feeling about this". This is a well-known phrase throughout the Star Wars saga, heard eight times in the six films. ("Meet Kevin Johnson")
• After being tortured by Dogen, Sayid says, "They didn't ask me any questions." This is very close to the line, "They never even asked me any questions", spoken by Han Solo after he was tortured by Darth Vader in Empire Strikes Back. ("What Kate Does")

• Kate skeptically asks Sawyer about the Ajira plane: "Who's going to fly it?" ("Recon")

Shared themes

Parent issues

• Luke and Leia are both separately raised to believe their father is a dead, then later in life they find out that their father is alive and evil. John was lead to believe his father was dead, until he found out his father was alive and criminal.
• Luke and Leia are long-lost siblings who go through most of the story not knowing their connection. Jack and Claire are half-siblings who did not know they were related even though they were trapped on the island together.
• Luke Skywalker is raised by his uncle and aunt; Aaron is being raised by his uncle and aunt-to-be (Jack and Kate).

Black and white

• The Dark side of the force vs. Light side of the force.
• Darth Vader dresses in black, while Obi-Wan and Luke are dressed in white/light colors.

Fate versus free will

• Anakin Skywalker is believed to be a prophesied hero of the Jedi.
• Anakin has visions of his beloved perishing in childbirth, which come true despite his actions.
• Luke Skywalker has visions of his friends being tortured, which come true despite his actions.
• Darth Vader attempts to sway Luke towards the Dark Side, saying it is "destiny."
• Darth Vader reveals the Emperor has forseen that Luke can destroy him.
• A captive Luke forewarns Darth Vader of his passive intent and probable death at Vader's hands, to which he sneers: "If that is your destiny."
• As Luke disengages their fight, an impatient Vader threatens: "If you will not fight, you will meet your destiny."
• The Emperor taunts Luke that his conversion to the dark side is "unavoidable", later urging him to "fulfill your destiny", claiming it to be replacing his father's position.

Irony

• The prophecy that Anakin Skywalker "will bring balance to the Force" comes true, with the net result being that two Sith and two Jedi remain alive.
• The Emperor misinterpreted Luke to be the threat of his vision and tried to kill him, inadvertently creating the scenario of his death.

Deceptions and Cons

• Darth Vader tries unsuccessfully to recruit Luke to kill the Emperor, a treachery which he must later conceal in the Emperor's presence.
• The Emperor had planned for Luke to replace Darth Vader as his apprentice, encouraging their fight to the death.
• Obi-Wan Kenobi does not correct Luke's belief that his father is dead, and adds to the deception by disguising the identity of Darth Vader.
• Obi-Wan correctly discerns that the torture of Luke's friends is a con to lure Luke into a trap.
• The Emperor allows intelligence to be gathered on his whereabouts, luring the Rebellion into a massive attack which turns out to be a trap.
• Palpatine ascends to progressively greater power & public acclaim by manipulating a series of artificial conflicts.

Life and Death

• Following the attempted purge of the Jedi only two survivors remained.
• Palpatine claimed to Anakin that the strongest powers of the dark side could cheat death and even create life.
• Palpatine's claim that his powers can save Anakin's seemingly-doomed beloved from death clinches the seduction to the dark side, after which his new disciple is dispatched on a murderous errand to the temple of the Jedi.

Shared actors

• Billy Dee Williams played Mr. LaShade in the "Expose" TV series. ("Exposé") He is most famous for his role as Lando Calrissian in the Star Wars series.
  • In the DVD audio commentary, writers Eddy Kitsis and Adam Horowitz noted that the color scheme of Mr. LaShade's suit was intentionally made the same as Lando's costume in The Empire Strikes Back. ("Exposé")
• Bai Ling played Achara. ("Stranger in a Strange Land") She also played senator Bana Breemu in The Revenge of The Sith. Although most scenes with her character were cut and may only be seen on the DVD Disk 2 Deleted Scenes Section, she still appears on-screen, in the background, with no lines.
• Wayne Pygram played Isaac of Uluru. ("S.O.S.") He also had a small roll as Governor Tarkin The Revenge of The Sith.

Producers' commentary

Cuse and Lindelof in front of a Star Wars poster

• Audio commentary on the Season 1 DVD made several references to Star Wars, such as a comparison of the British and American pronunciation of the name of the planet Hoth.
  • They also joked that Charlie would eventually will find his lightsaber. ("The Moth")
• During the audio commentary on the Season 2 DVD, Jack Bender joked that he was surprised that something as complex as Star Wars was made, seeing as how he had great difficulty just getting Hurley's bag to rip open. ("Dave")
• The 11/03/06 podcast was all about how Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse had a "Lost cross" involving George Lucas and their mutual love of Star Wars.
• There is a Star Wars poster in Damon Lindelof's office, visible in the DVD extra "Lost in a Day" on the Lost: The Complete Third Season (DVD), in the "6:42 pm Los Angeles" segment.
• In Season 4, when Daniel Faraday lands on the Island he takes off his helmet and says "I'm Daniel Faraday, I'm here to rescue you", just like Luke Skywalker, in the detention block in A New Hope. ("The Beginning of the End")

Outside Lost

EXPANDED UNIVERSE This article/section contains information officially created to be part of the Lost expanded universe, but may not be considered canon. It may be endorsed by ABC, or feature cast members.

In The Lost Experience

In the alternate reality game The Lost Experience, DJ Dan said in his podcast on September 24, 2006:

“

Dan: All right, all right, you know what, there’s something I wanna say to you, and listen to me very closely. SHUTDOWN! Oh yeah, folks, you know what folks, when I was younger, I took a test, right. And then I went to an academy, and then little green men trained me, and then I could shoot lightning bolts from my hand, and I don’t mean the dark side power lighting bolts, no. I mean the light side pow, power side lightning bolts called electric judgment, okay. That’s what I’m talking about. JEDI DAN! THAT’S WHO I AM! Okay, folks… Johnny: (Does Darth Vader breathing) Dan: I’ve had enough of this role-playing. Let’s have one more call, then there’s something I gotta talk about. (Laughter)

”

In Lost: Via Domus

• When Elliott asked what was in the cave, John answered, "Only what you take with you". This is the same answer Yoda gave to Luke Skywalker during a very similar situation in The Empire Strikes Back. ("Via Domus")
• Mikhail told Beady Eyes, "You are stupid as you are clumsy". In The Empire Strikes Back, Darth Vader said about Admiral Ozzel, "He is clumsy as he is stupid". ("Whatever It Takes")

Enhanced captions

• The captions of the enhanced episodes explicitly note several Star Wars references; however, these captions were not written by the creative authorities of Lost, but by the production company Met/Hodder that was hired by ABC to produce these versions.

“

By the way, Charlie's mission / is an homage to Return of the Jedi / as many writers and producers on LOST / are big fans of the Star Wars saga. ("Through the Looking Glass-Enhanced") Sweet ride, Hurley! / And another tip of the hat to Star Wars / inspired by Han Solo saving the day / with the Millennium Falcon. ("Through the Looking Glass-Enhanced") This turn of events Hurley luring Kate and Sayid into being captured by Locke is an homage / to The Empire Strikes Back / when Han Solo was lured into a trap / by Lando Calrissian. ("The Economist-Enhanced") Karl's line, "I have a bad feeling about this" / is a line spoken in all the Star Wars films. / All of the writers on LOST / are big fans of the Star Wars saga. ("Meet Kevin Johnson-Enhanced") The toy is a miniature Millennium Falcon. / All of the writers of LOST are big fans / of the Star Wars saga. ("Something Nice Back Home-Enhanced")

”

External links

• Star Wars official site
• Wookiepedia, the Star Wars wiki