Star Wars has been in our pop culture radar for so long, that you’d think it hardly had any secrets left for its audience, let alone for its most fervent fans.
With so many Star Wars movies and a universe so vast, there must be a few things that even the keenest of eyes would’ve missed, like hidden (and not so hidden) references, nods and details that traditionally pop up throughout the saga.
Whether you’ve spotted them or not, here’s a rundown of all the best Star Wars Easter Eggs we’ve hunted down in the Galaxy far, far away…
Jump to:
- A New Hope (1977)
- The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
- Return of the Jedi (1983)
- The Phantom Menace (1999)
- Attack of the Clones (2002)
- Revenge of the Sith (2005)
- The Force Awakens (2015)
- The Last Jedi (2017)
- The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
A New Hope (1977)
1. Star Wars Poster
It’s quite difficult to spot, especially on the small screen, but if you look close enough at the beginning of the movie, you might see the Star Wars poster in the cockpit of Leia’s ship, the rebel blockade runner. Look a little closer and there’s even a Playboy centerfold, too!
Reddit user, WoodyMellow is convinced that this scene isn’t in the movie at all, and that it was just a shot taken from a production still. Either way, it’s a still a fun reference for eager fans!
2. 1138
Only true Star Wars fans would know that this a recurring reference in almost every movie. It first appears in A New Hope during Luke Skywalker’s mission to rescue Princess Leia, when he’s quizzed on where he’s taking Chewbacca. His response? Chewie’s a prisoner transfer from “cell block 1138”.
“1138” is a nod to George Lucas’ first feature-length film, THX 1138. Apparently, Mark Hamill spontaneously decided to go against the original script and instead use this number in Episode IV. Turns out, he started a recurring trend throughout the saga!
3. The Outrider
If you’re familiar with the Star Wars book, Shadows of the Empire, you would’ve noticed that as Ben Kenobi and Luke are on a hill staring at Mos Eisley, a ship flies over them in the upper right corner that purposely resembles Dash Rendar’s Outrider from the aforementioned novel. Bear in mind, that this little nod to the novel was only added in A New Hope – The Special Edition.
4. 2187
More numbers! When Han Solo and Luke Skywalker arrive searching for Princess Leia, they aren’t sure of her cell number. But once it’s located, Han reveals it is cell number “2187”. Fun fact? “2187” is the year George Lucas’ film THX 1138, was set in. Years later, the same number is used as Finn’s stormtrooper name in The Force Awakens. Talk about a fantastic nod for that character.
5. Stormtrooper Tape
As stormtroopers escort Princess Leia to meet big bad Darth Vader, a piece of tape can be seen on one of their inner arms. Evidently, the tape was used to hold the stormtrooper’s armor together. Turns out, long before CGI and big budgets, George Lucas and his team made a classic on a budget of just $11 million. So sometimes, a little tape goes a long way.
6. Oops I Hit It Again
Stormtroopers don’t seem to be doing very well. This time, one bumps its head into a door while searching for C-3PO. Actor Laurie Goode stated he had a stomach bug and wasn’t paying attention. However, he didn’t expect the scene to appear in the final cut, but it did. Talk about a surprise!
7. The Japanese Film Influence
Not only is the design of the Imperial Crest based on a Japanese family crest, George Lucas’ love for Japanese Samurai films is evident in A New Hope. Details from Akira Kurosawa’s films are sprinkled throughout the movie. For instance, C-3PO and R2-D2’s squabbling relationship is based on two peasants in The Hidden Fortress. Plus, Admiral Motti is nearly about to say “hidden fortress” right before Vader cuts him off and force chokes him.
8. IG-88’s Head
Like we said, things were pretty low-budget in 70s movie-era. So much so, that IG-88’s head (from The Empire Strikes Back) was created from one of the beverage dispensers spotted in the background of the cantina scene in A New Hope. You’ve got to appreciate their recycling efforts!
9. May the Dice Be with You
If you recall, there is a pair of golden dice or chance cubes hanging from the ceiling inside the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon. These were added as a homage to another George Lucas film, American Graffiti, which also happens to star Harrison Ford.
That’s not all! Fast-forward to 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story, and you see Han giving his ex-girlfriend Qi’ra the cubes. But later in the film, you see he’s gotten them back from her. Guess that was a short-lived reunion.
10. Hidden Jawa
Those sneaky Jawas! More of a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment than an Easter Egg, but when R2-D2 is hiding from the Sand People on Tattooine, you may spot the glowing eyes of a Jawa hiding among rocks.
The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
11. Mickey Mouse Cameo
Did George Lucas foresee Disney’s ownership of Lucasfilm back in 1980? Maybe it was just the Force that made it happen? If you look closely in the background during Skywalker and Vader’s battle on Cloud City, you might notice Disney’s signature logo – the shape of Mickey Mouse’s head just chilling there. Indeed, Lucas had a thing for Disney even back then!
12. Indiana Jones’ Bullwhip
It seems the creators were in a humorous mood on the set of The Empire Strikes Back. As the movie starts, Han Solo can be seen wearing a bullwhip on his utility belt – turns out, it was the same one used in the Indiana Jones trilogy!
That’s not all! There’s yet another nod to the Indiana Jones franchise in the incinerator room on Cloud City. Keep an eye out and you might be able to spot something familiar amidst the decor – a box straight out of Raiders of the Lost Ark in which the Nazis carried the ark in. Those who are a fan of both sagas could enjoy this clever, fun nod to Harrison Ford’s other big Hollywood role.
13. 327
George Lucas sure likes to play on numbers! Like “1138” and “2187”, “327” is yet another recurring element in the Star Wars franchise. Referencing the early George Lucas movie American Graffiti, where it is stamped on a car engine, this number is seen in A New Hope, the Expanded Universe, but also in The Empire Strikes Back – turns out the Millennium Falcon lands on Cloud City’s Platform 327!
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14. Home Finally Has a Name
It’s funny how hindsight is always 20/20. But did you know that Luke’s home isn’t actually named in A New Hope? Nope. Tatooine isn’t given a name until the end of The Empire Strikes Back, when Luke says he’ll meet the gang at the “rendezvous point on Tatooine”. The naming of Luke’s home shockingly took some time to flourish!
15. The Defeated IG-88
Look closely, and you’ll spot the body of IG-88 in the metal melting pits on the planet Bespin. If you recall, IG-88 was hired by Darth Vader to locate the Millennium Falcon. We guess things didn’t work out too well for this droid, but considering whose side he was on, there’s no surprise he reached his demise.
16. Those Asteroids Look Like Potatoes
If you feel like having a serving of mashed or baked potatoes after watching The Empire Strikes Back, there’s a reason. Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) admitted to using potatoes and tennis shoes as props for the asteroids. So, the next time you watch the scene in which the heroes escape the planet Hoth, you’ll understand your craving for tennis and potatoes.
17. ‘The Revenant’ Connection
We’ve all seen the moment when Han, fearing Luke might die in the frigid cold, cuts open his dead Tauntaun, and stuffs his friend inside the entrails for warmth. But did you notice a similar scene in the Leonardo DiCaprio film, The Revenant? It may not have been deliberate to have Leo crawl into a dead horse so close to the Star Wars scene, but it definitely gave off Empire vibes.
18. Luke’s a Hanging Fool
Luke Skywalker finds himself hanging upside down in a Wompa cave at the beginning of The Empire Strikes Back. However, he’s also seen hanging upside-down two more times in the film. According to Reddit, this trend is most probably a visual representation of Luke’s world being turned ‘upside-down’. The second time occurs while he’s on Dagobah training with Yoda, learning about the life of a Jedi. Then again, after discovering Vader is his father while he’s on Cloud City.
19. The Ice-Cream Man
Did you spot this guy running during the evacuation of Cloud City following Darth Vader’s takeover? Also happened to notice what he was holding? Yeah, an ice-cream maker. Indeed, this Star Wars extra who was caught grasping what appeared to be an ice-cream-maker-like prop has been a running joke among fans, and was even referenced in The Mandalorian. The machine appeared on the show and was named a “camtono” in Chapter 1: The Mandalorian. It will forever be an ice-cream maker to us, though.
20. Boba Fett is That You?
Take a closer look at the guard who restrains Princess Leia as she yells to Luke, “It’s a trap!”, and you may well recognize this familiar face. It’s actor Jeremy Bulloch, the guy who plays Boba Fett behind the mask. It’s believed the original guard didn’t turn up for filming that day, so Bulloch was used as a replacement.
Return of the Jedi (1983)
21. Ben Burtt’s Cameo
Remember the Imperial Officer, Colonel Dyer, who was killed by Han Solo in Episode VI? You may have turned a blind eye to this character, but in real life, he’s actually an integral character in the Star Wars universe – behind the scenes, at least! The actor playing Dyer, Ben Burtt is none other than the saga’s sound designer. He’s the dude who created all the Star Wars sound effects including the lightsaber swooshes and R2-D2’s bleeps!
22. “So Long, Dickheads!”
While the crew of Admiral Ackbar’s ship cheer on after the Super Star Destroyer manages to crash into a Death Star, you can hear someone shout “So long, dickheads!” amidst the happy yelling. Don’t believe us, listen carefully, it’s there!
23. Crowd-Surfing Stormtrooper
The Special Edition ending of Return of the Jedi saw galactic-wide celebrations following the death of the Emperor. It looks like the party was one heck of a wild one, because keep an eagle eye out, and you’ll spot a crowd-surfing Stormtrooper in the crowd – awesome!
24. Luke’s Clothes
In Return of the Jedi, we see Luke decked out in black garb. But if you recall, he wore a lot of white in A New Hope and grey in The Empire Strikes Back. This shift in his clothing getting darker symbolizes the idea that he could descent towards the dark side. But at the end, Luke’s tunic falls open and we see that it’s white inside again, because he never ended up being subverted.
25. Death of a Rancor
Remember when Luke tries to outwit the ravenous Rancor by throwing a large rock into the gate button? The gate falls onto the creature’s neck and eventually kills it and we see the beastmaster, Malakili, run over in tears. Well, there’s a little backstory to this ‘minor’ moment in the Galaxy.
The rancor is named Pateesa, and it helped save the life of Malakili during an attack. The two had such a special bond, that Malakili planned to escape with Pateesa one day. Thanks to Luke, that never happened. In in a canon book from 2012, details reveal that Malakili was depressed and suicidal following Pateesa’s death, looking for purpose in his life, until he eventually opened a restaurant on Mos Eisley.
26. Vader and Luke’s Connection
During the conversation between Darth Vader and the Emperor, the dark father discloses that he can feel Luke’s presence as he approaches Endo. But the Emperor cannot, which even he is surprised by. Firstly, this proves that the family connection will always be more robust between Darth Vader and Luke and is stronger than the Emperor’s power.
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Secondly, it also suggests that Vader is still in touch with the light side of the Force. Palpatine is completely consumed by the Dark Side, unable to sense Luke. This theory is also hinted at when the Emperor fails to sense Vader sneaking behind him before he is killed. Perhaps he could only sense the Dark Side in Vader, rather than the light side of Anakin.
27. Luke’s Green Lightsaber
Up until Return of the Jedi, Luke’s lightsaber color was blue. When the third movie was released, everyone noticed that the lightsaber had suddenly changed to green. Turns out, it was a behind-the-scenes issue that led to this decision.
A blue blade clashed with the blue sky of Tatooine during filming and so, to make it more visible, the production team changed it to green. “Sometimes there are very pragmatic filmmaking reasons behind these things,” Lucasfilm Story Group creative executive Pablo Hidalgo told Vanity Fair.
28. ‘The Godfather’ Connection
Everyone loves watching the scantily clad Princess Leia choke out the repulsive Jabba the Hutt. But did you know Jabba’s death was based on a scene from another beloved film series? It was inspired by the killing of Luca Brasi in The Godfather. From the shots to the expressions of Jabba being strangled, every aspect of this scene “match to a tee”.
29. “He’s Gay”
Call this an Easter Egg or just us being super silly. When the band start playing in Jabba’s palace, Bib Fortuna walks up to a disguised Princess Leia and whispers something in her ear that clearly sounds like, “he’s gay”, which could have been in reference to C-3PO. But hey, maybe it was a Huttesse phrase lost in translation…
30. The Day the Earth Stood Still
Die-hard fans may recall the names of Jabba’s Skiff Guards – Klaatu, Barada and Nikto. Well, sci-fi movie-goers might also notice that this is a clear reference to the phrase used in 1951’s The Day the Earth Stood Still.
The Phantom Menace (1999)
31. E.T’s Species Appearance
This is probably one of the coolest Star Wars Easter Eggs in the prequels to date! George Lucas and Steven Spielberg got together for this special little cameo that got fans all giddy. Keep your eyes peeled during a shot of the Galactic Senate – you might spot three of E.T’s alien species chilling in their very own pod. It seems Grebleips might just be part of the Star Wars universe after all!
32. Darth Vader’s Breathing
Right at the end (the last 10 seconds) of the ending credits of The Phantom Menace, pay close attention and open your ears wide – you’ll hear Darth Vader breathing. We’re not kidding, it’s there and it’s as terrifying, brilliant and foreboding as it you’d expect.
33. 2001: A Space Odyssey Reference
At Watto’s junk shop on Tatooine, among all the mechanical parts is the pod from 1968’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. How did Watto manage to get his hands on this awesome prop? Perhaps Star Wars and 2001: A Space Odyssey also took place in the same universe.
34. In a Galaxy Far Far Away, There is Shakespeare
If the prequel trilogy seems a bit familiar, George Lucas borrowed the story structure from Shakespeare. Anakin is set up as a tragic hero, similar to Macbeth, while Obi-Wan is more of an upstanding MacDuff character. In contrast, you could say the Emperor is inspired by Lady Macbeth. And by the end of the film, you’re probably thinking, “What’s done cannot be undone.”
35. Family Connections
Ewan McGregor, who plays the younger version of Obi-Wan in The Phantom Menace, is related to Denis Lawson, who portrayed Wedge Antilles in the original Star Wars trilogy. But that’s not all. Sofia Coppola, the daughter of The Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola, appears as Queen Amidala’s handmaid. It pays to be related to some people.
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36. Maz Kanata is That You?
A statue resembling Maz Kanata, a force-sensitive female, who won’t make a physical appearance until The Force Awakens, can be seen in Anakin’s room. While The Phantom Menace doesn’t detail the statue, according to lore, Maz’s husband gifted her a statue in her image, and she is around 1000 years old. How Anakin came into possession of the statue is a mystery.
37. Did Star Trek Join Star Wars?
Now, similar franchises don’t usually team-up, but in a blink and you’ll miss it scene, there is a ship that strongly resembles the Enterprise from Star Trek: The Next Generation. It hasn’t been confirmed, but it makes sense that Jean Luc Picard and the gang would have cruised past Queen Amidala…maybe?
38. ‘Blade Runner’ Reference
A Blade Runner spinner vehicle can be seen during an aerial shot on Coruscant. The police used the spinners the 1982 film, but in The Phantom Menace, they appear to be more like regular flying vehicles. This is yet another intentional nod to a Harrison Ford classic film. George Lucas clearly supports Ford’s film legacy. And you know what? We do too.
39. A Female Yoda
If you look closely during one of the meetings of the Jedi Council, you’ll notice what looks like a Yoda character. Except this green creature is a female with brown hair. Her name is Yaddle and she’s one of the few of Yoda’s species that we get to see in the saga…except for The Mandalorian’s Grogu, of course.
40. Luke’s Landspeeder
Remember Luke’s red X-34 Landspeeder in A New Hope? He later sells it, but the exact same vehicle can be seen in The Phantom Menace, only it is green (Star Wars really have a thing for changing their props to green, right?).
The Landspeeder is spotted behind two individuals when Qui-Gon, Padme, Jar Jar, and R2 are in Mos Espa. Behind the scenes trivia confirms it is indeed the same vehicle used in A New Hope, just repainted. In-universe? Whether this is the same Landspeeder that Luke later uses remains unknown…
Attack of the Clones (2002)
41. Javva The Hutt
Let’s be honest, you probably avoid the end credits to any movie (unless it’s Marvel’s post-credit scenes, of course!). But if you’ve somehow taken the time to do so for Star Wars, you would’ve noticed that a character in this movie is credited as “Javva The Hutt”, yet he never appears anywhere.
This is actually an affectionate nickname given by the crew to Michael Smith, a man who ran the Lucasfilm’s in-house cafe (titled Javva the Hutt) and brought coffee to the crew and actors on set.
42. Homer Simpson’s Cameo
One of the scenes in Attack of the Clones easily has one of the most out-of-place secret cameos you could find in the prequels. When the clones are about to attack Count Dooku, you can see that one of the ships has a pilot none other than…drum roll…Homer Simpson! Yes!
We don’t know what made Lucas feature this super-random Easter Egg, but we’d sure love to see the moment he came up with such an aloof idea with everyone just gleefully agreeing!
43. Anakin’s ForSHADOWing
A bone-chilling scene that couldn’t be missed – right before Anakin leaves the Lar’s homestead to find his mother on Tatooine, Padme comes up to him. As they’re deep in conversation, a shadow appears on the wall and it appears to be quite clearly that of his destined final form, Darth Vader himself. Yep, we have chills too.
44. Are Those Tie Fighters?
As Anakin and Obi-Wan race through the air, we see three Tie Fighters following an X-Wing. As confirmed by George Lucas in the film’s audio commentary, this was a brief nod to Luke’s trench run in A New Hope. It foreshadows Anakin’s piloting skills that his son eventually inherits.
45. Cameos in the Club
Anakin and Obi-Wan encounter a lot of notable people in this club. Most notably, Anthony Daniels, who plays C-3PO, is there. The Jar Jar Binks actor Ahmed Best is also partying at this place. Plus, George Lucas’ daughter Katie appears with Matt Doran, who plays Mouse in The Matrix. Not to mention, the Woman in the Red Dress designed by Mouse is also there. Boy this club sounds lit.
46. Palpatine’s Statues
In Palpatine’s office sit four statues that represent the Four Stages of Dwartii. These were the ancient philosophers and lawmakers who influenced the earliest laws of the Galactic Republic. Their names were Sistros, Baraata, Faya, and Yarjun. Now that’s some galactic history!
47. Repair Work
Well, it’s nice to see Star Wars holding up continuity. In the scene where Senator Amidala packs a suitcase, you can see repair droids fixing the window after it was smashed by Obi Wan jumping through it. While those droids would put a lot of humans out of work, we still think they’d come in handy.
48. Blade Runner Again
Obi-Wan’s investigation unfolds like Blade Runner. In the film, Harrison Ford’s character, Deckard, discovers a conspiracy about synthetic beings that nearly gets him killed. The news makes him question the ethics of playing God. Depending on how you look at it, this mirrors Obi-Wan finding the creation of cloned bounty hunters.
49. The Jedi Archives
If you’ve ever visited the Trinity College Library in Dublin, it may have felt familiar. The Jedi Archives are modeled after the library. The archives have busts of George Lucas and Count Dooku, which can be viewed in a deleted scene.
50. ‘Star Wars Episode I: Racer’
Those who enjoy the Star Wars saga and its video games may have caught sight of this cool little Easter Egg. In the Courscant cantina, a TV screen in the background appears to show footage of a pod race taking place. Turns out, this is actual gaming footage from the videogame ‘Star Wars Episode I: Racer’ for Nintendo 64!
Revenge of the Sith (2005)
51. Jett Lucas’ Appearance
It looks like George Lucas likes to keep it in the family! During a scene in which Bail Organa is heading to the Jedi Temple, the Clone troopers ask him to leave when a teenage Jedi appears and kills them. This was only Jett Lucas, George’s adopted son who had already made an appearance in Attack of The Clones by then. George’s daughter, Amanda also made a cameo as Senator Terr Taneel!
52. George Lucas’ Cameo
Talking of George Lucas and cool cameos, not only did his family make a brief appearance, but the very man himself did, too! Keep an eye on background characters and you’d have noticed Lucas dressed as Baron Papanoida in all his blue-faced glory! What makes this secret cameo even better? The girl next to him just happened to be Lucas’ daughter, too!
53. Millennium Falcon Sighting
That’s right! In a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, the Millennium Falcon can be spotted in Revenge of the Sith! The famous light freighter can be seen docking during the scene when Anakin and Obi-Wan take Palpatine to the Senate. So, what was it doing there? As confirmed in the Expanded Universe, the Falcon was actually known as the Stellar Envoy back then!
54. Is That a Kitchen Sink
In the opening sequence, there’s a long take which lasts one minute and 16 seconds. It’s the longest long take in any Star Wars film to date. If you look closely, you’ll notice an object hitting a Republic ship…which is none other than a kitchen sink!
55. Anakin in the Dark
Anakin is shrouded in shadows and darkness throughout Revenge of the Sith. It makes him look very shady and pro Dark Side. An example of this is in the last scene between Obi-Wan and Anakin as they say goodbye to each other. You’ll notice that Obi-Wan is standing in the light, representing how he’s a true Jedi, while Anakin is positioned in the shadows, foreshadowing his transformation into Darth Vader.
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56. Father and Son
Palpatine calls Anakin “son” when asking for his help. He’s playing on Anakin’s desire for a family and that Anakin never had a father while growing up. It’s the same thing Luke does in Return of the Jedi when he calls Darth Vader, “father”. You could say both father and son have daddy issues.
57. Chewbacca Meets Tarzan
There’s a scene in which Wookies swing onto the back of a Droid craft. As the furry warriors descend, you can hear the ‘Tarzan’ call loud and clear. Chewbacca makes the same Tarzan yell in Return of the Jedi while swinging into a tree.
58. Yoda’s Hut
Remember the little hut Yoda lived in on Dagobah in The Empire Strikes Back? Well, in the book “Inside the Worlds of Star Wars Trilogy…”, fans see an image of Yoda’s home, which looks like a metal dwelling coated in mud and vines, leading them to believe Yoda lives in the same ship he crashed.
A deleted scene in Revenge of the Sith later shows how Yoda initially landed on Dagobah (escaping the Empire), but the hut and ship aren’t a match. But since Yoda’s skilled at using his mind to move things, we can assume he renovated his destroyed landing pod. What a sad ending for such a great master.
59. Anakin’s Heartbeat
During the scene when Anakin transforms into Darth Vader, his heartbeat can be heard in the background. The sound is immediately wiped out when the iconic helmet is put on, signifying the death of Anakin and the birth of Darth Vader.
60. The Imperial Crest
In the same scene, a birds-eye shot resembles the Empire’s logo. As the camera looks down upon Anakin during his transformation into becoming Darth, the operating table and its lights look very much like the Imperial crest.
The Force Awakens (2015)
61. Kylo Ren’s Scar
A grandson following in his grandfather’s footsteps. During the phenomenal scene in which Rey and Kylo duel in The Force Awakens, Kylo receives a scar across his face that in no doubt reminded fans of the scar that Anakin himself received just before he had turned full Darth Vader.
62. BT-17
Did anyone catch this small nod to A New Hope? During Rey’s escape on the Starkiller Base, she overhears a conversation between two stormtroopers who discuss the new “BT-17”. This refers to a scene in A New Hope where Obi-Wan Kenobi overhears two stormtroopers having a similar conversation about the new BT-16 while disabling the tractor beam on the Death Star.
63. Billie Lourd’s Cameo
It was awesome having Carrie Fisher return to the Star Wars saga, but it was even cooler seeing her family join the set, too! Unbeknownst to some, Carrie’s daughter, Billie Lourd acted as a minor character in the Resistance headquarters. To make things even better, she wore Leia’s icon buns from the original trilogy. Another fun fact? Billie actually originally auditioned for the role of Rey!
64. Millennium Falcon Roasting
There seems to be a habit of roasting the Millennium Falcon in Star Wars. When desperate for a ship, Rey says of the Millennium Falcon that “garbage will do”, in the same way Luke Skywalker roasted the poor ship by calling it a piece of junk in A New Hope.
65. Daniel Craig’s Appearance
This might leave you a little mind-blown. Remember the stormtrooper guarding Rey’s cell that succumbed to her Jedi mind trick? You’ll never believe who was behind that stormtrooper mask. None other than James Bond actor Daniel Craig! Not only that, but his name was “Stormtrooper JB – 007”! It looks like a Jedi has the power to defeat James Bond, too!
66. Chewie’s Chess Game
When Finn accidentally bumps into the Millennium Falcon chess game, it picks up right where it left off in A New Hope. The piece that got defeated by a larger piece in A New Hope, gets its revenge in The Force Awakens. Chewie’s still a kid at heart. We loved seeing him get excited over the game again.
67. “We Think They may be Splitting up”
A Star Wars Easter Egg that only die-hard fans would’ve uncovered. When Rey escaped captivity at the Starkiller Base, a stormtrooper is heard saying, “We think they may be splitting up,” on his comm system. This line is lifted straight out of A New Hope during the escape from the Death Star.
68. Maz Kanata’s Flags
If you kept your eyes peeled during this particular scene, you’d have noticed that the symbols on the flags hanging outside Maz Kanata’s castle include the Mythosaur skull from Boba Fett’s uniform, Ziro the Hutt’s Black Sun tattoo, Mandalorian war banners, Hondo Ohnaka’s pirate symbol and many Podracer’s flags.
69. Alec Guinness’ Cameo
Next time you watch The Force Awakens, you might want to keep an ear out during this particular scene! When Rey has visions while touching Luke’s lightsaber, the voices she hears are rather familiar. Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan is heard saying, “Rey … these are your first steps.” The word “Rey,” is actually the voice of Alec Guinness, taken from a line when the late actor said the word “afraid.” COOL!
70. Lightsabers and Snow
Luke’s lightsaber gets trapped in the snow when Finn is disarmed in The Force Awakens. This mirrors the moment Luke’s lightsaber also got stuck in the snow in The Return of the Jedi during the Wampa cave scene. What’s even more interesting is, the first object Luke moved using the Force was the lightsaber out of the snow. Isn’t it interesting that Rey’s first object to move with the Force was also the lightsaber, and out of the snow too?
The Last Jedi (2017)
71. Princess Leia’s Outfit
When she appears in a white gown to knock down Poe in The Last Jedi, Princess Leia’s outfit seems like a purposeful throwback to the first time she appeared in the original trilogy in an equally snow-white gown. She also uses the exact same type of blaster she was using in A New Hope – a DDC Defender sporting blaster. Oh the feels!
72. Luke and the Two Suns
At the end of The Last Jedi, Luke is making one with the Force and stares at the suns in the sky. This is clearly a symbolic, spine-tingling visual callback to one of the first shots of Luke walking on Tatooine in A New Hope, as the two suns shine above him.
73. “I Have a Bad Feeling About This”
In case you didn’t already notice, this famous quote has been inserted into every Star Wars movie including The Last Jedi. Although it wasn’t so clearly audible in Episode VIII, it was in fact confirmed by director, Rian Jonson that BB-8 said it when talking to Poe.
Right before attacking the dreadnought, Poe tells his companion, “happy beeps here buddy, c’mon.” Guess what BB-8 replies? “I have a bad feeling about this”. Turns out the droid chirped this line in droidspeak.
74. “Help Me Luke Skywalker; You’re My Only Hope”
To convince Luke that he is needed, R2-D2 gives him a lovely piece of legendary history. It’s been over 30 years since we first got it, but it seems Artoo still carries Leia’s original message to Obi Wan from A New Hope. Hearing it relayed to Luke gave us major nostalgia!
75. That Laser Sword
If you’ve spoken to someone who might not have much of an interest in Star Wars, they might have referred to the iconic lightsaber as a ‘laser sword.’ It was an early name for the lightsaber which was hilariously nodded to when Luke shoots down Rey’s idealism and says “What do you think? That Luke Skywalker is going to walk out with a laser sword and face down the First Order?”
76. Luke’s Hand
Look closely when Luke receives his father’s lightsaber and you may notice that his hand still bears the marks of that time he got shot in the hand fighting on Jabba’s sail barge in Return of the Jedi. Ah, memories…
77. Blue Milk Run
The odd milk that Luke takes from the singing alien seal has a childhood significance for our desert-raised farm-boy-turned Jedi. Luke was shown to be drinking a blue milk with his Skywalker family back on Tatooine in A New Hope. Fun fact? In the Expanded Universe, “blue milk run” was an idiom for a mundane task or an easy mission.
78. Jakku is “Nowhere”
Luke’s description of Jakku as “that is pretty much nowhere” may hit home for him more than he likes to admit. Back in A New Hope, a young Luke described this planet as, “If there was a bright center of the universe, you are on the planet that it’s farthest from.” Which is pretty-much nowhere.
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79. Beastie Boys & Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Thanks to his references to them in both his Star Wars and Star Trek projects, we know J.J. Abrams is a bit of a Beastie Boys fan. The tendril-headed alien who rats out Finn and Rose in the casino for their park-job in The Last Jedi is called Slowen Lo, a reference to the band’s 1986 single, Slow-and-Low, which is about telling listeners “this feels strange but keep going, you’ll enjoy yourself.” Want to know something else? Slowen Lo was in fact voiced by actor, Joseph Gordan-Levvit!
80. ‘Star Wars: Battlefront 2’ Connection
Ever wondered how Luke managed to find the Jedi Temple on Ahch-To in the first place? Hanging in his hut is the special compass he recovered from the remains of the second Death Star in the game, Star Wars: Battlefront 2, which is presumably magnetized with the Force or something.
The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
81. “I Know”
No Star Wars fan can forget Solo’s iconic reply to Leia when she told him she loved him in The Empire Strikes Back. Well, these very same words were uttered once again in The Rise of Skywalker. When Kylo Ren sees a memory of his dad, he tries to get his words out, but struggles to say them. Assuming he was about to say “I love you” or “I’m sorry”, Solo replies to his son by saying, “I know”, just as he did to Leia in Episode V.
82. Rey and the Sunset
Luke’s iconic scene when walking towards the double sunset in A New Hope was redone by his trainee, Rey, at the end of The Rise of Skywalker. This was a perfect way to end the saga, depicting just how much the last Jedi was following in her mentor’s footsteps.
83. Palpatine’s Line
Devoted fans would have heard one of Palpatine’s lines somewhere before. A specific quote mentioned by the Emperor to Kylo Ren in The Rise of Skywalker was in fact uttered to Darth Vader in Revenge of the Sith. “The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural” was repeated word for word in the latest Star Wars instalment.
84. Kylo Ren’s Force Choke
Kylo Ren really has followed in his grandfather’s footsteps! In Episode IX, we see the villain choke his First Order commander after he rudely replies to him. Well, this is very much reminiscent of the moment in A New Hope when Darth Vader Force choked Admiral Motti.
85. 42 Years
Apparently, the Aki-Aki desert festival takes place every 42 years. If you’re good with numbers and claim yourself a die-hard Star Wars fan, you’d have noticed that 42 years ago (from The Rise of Skywalker’s release date) is when the very first movie from the saga was released. Indeed, A New Hope came out in 1977.
86. Chewbacca’s Medal
Die-hard fans got exactly what they’d been waiting for, for over 40 years at the end of Episode IX. Chewie finally got his long-awaited medal! As you may recall at the end of the original saga, everyone but the Wookie was awarded a medal. Well, as a super-satisfying Easter Egg in The Rise of Skywalker, Maz Kanata finally hands Chewie his gong – probably as a way to shut those complaining fans up!
87. Lightsabers Deserve Respect
There have been no truer words spoken by Luke Skywalker. When Rey throws his lightsaber into the ocean during this particular movie, the Star Wars legend catches it and says, “A Jedi’s weapon deserves more respect”. This is a direct reference to the moment in The Last Jedi when Luke tossed his lightsaber behind him – an action many fans agreed was very out of character.
88. Luke’s X-Wing
Luke levitating his old X-Wing from the waters may have been no big deal to new fans of the saga, but old fans were pretty ecstatic about this particular scene. This was exactly what Master Yoda done in The Empire Strikes Back. In fact, the same music from that very scene plays during The Rise of Skywalker scene, too!
89. Kylo’s Words
Fans will recall one of Kylo Ren’s lines during The Rise of Skywalker from The Force Awakens. Remember when he sees a memory of his father? When he’s about to throw his lightsaber into the ocean, Kylo tells Han Solo, “I know what I have to do, but I don’t know if I have the strength to do it”. This is the very same line he used in Episode VII just before murdering his father.
90. Jedi Voices
Just when we think Palpatine has defeated Rey in The Rise of Skywalker, she hears a range of Jedi voices which give her the strength and power to regain her Jedi skills. Wondering who all those voices belonged to? According to the film’s credits, there were 10 “voices of Jedi past,”. These included:
- Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen)
- Luminara Unduli (Olivia d’Abo)
- Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein)
- Aayla Secura (Jennifer Hale)
- Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson)
- Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor and Alec Guinness)
- Yoda (Frank Oz)
- Adi Gallia (Angelique Perrin)
- Kana Jarrus (Freddie Prinze Jr.)
- Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson)
And there you have it! With such a supply of amazing Easter Eggs in Star Wars movies, it’s difficult to imagine the fan-base will ever run out of things to discuss!
What did you think of these hidden details? Were you able to spot them on first viewing, during future marathons, or had they completely flown over your head like a passing X-Wing?
In the latter case, we won’t hold it against you. It takes an eagle eye to uncover most of them, and it seems that is precisely what the directors wanted…
This article was originally published in January 2019.
There are sections of this article that were written by Tamika M Murray, Angela Stephanou and Mark Stamp.
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One Response
How can there be references to Indiana Jones in Empire Strikes Back when Empire was filmed from March to September 1979 and filming didn’t begin on Raiders of the Lost Ark until June 1980 – 9 months later!?
I think you’re seeing things that aren’t there. You *want* them to be there, but I’m afraid they’re not.