Hidden Details Throughout Star Wars Even Those Who Feel The Force Most Likely Missed Them
The hardcore fans of any property can be pretty obsessive, which means they can be incredibly quick to catch a mistake or a hidden reference. But the fandoms that have built this astute reputation the most over the years are those dedicated to science fiction franchises like Star Wars.
So for detail to fly under the radar of Star Wars fans, it has to be a particularly subtle one. And while it's not hard to believe that there are some fans out there who know every detail, there are a few Easter eggs that most of them have missed.
007 Hiding in plain sight
In Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Rey finds herself captured and alone with a stormtrooper. However, she's able to use the situation to her advantage when she discovers she can do Jedi Mind Tricks.
According to Entertainment Weekly, the stormtrooper she subjected to this beloved Jedi technique was played by James Bond actor Daniel Craig.
Red 5 standing by
In Star Wars: A New Hope, each Rebel pilot during the battle for the Death Star has a special designation for their warships. They're either part of the Red or Gold squadron and have a single-digit number. For instance, Luke Skywalker's designation was Red 5.
Well, that designation is actually visible on the X-Wings themselves, which the viewer can see from the number of red stripes on the space fighter's top wings. Since there are five red stripes on this one, it would be identifiable as Luke's X-Wing, even if R2D2 wasn't there.
No wonder the stormtroopers can't hit anything
While most of the main characters are braving the Death Star's trash compactors in Star Wars: A New Hope, these three stormtroopers search the control room used by C3PO.
However, the one on the right misjudged how low the door frame was and hit his head. This mistake became so famous and appreciated among the fanbase that an audible "bump" was added to the DVD release.
Three subtle cameos in one
These Rebel soldiers were easy to miss in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, but truly obsessive fans likely lost it when they saw them.
That's because these are Mark Hamill's children Nathan, Chelsea, and Griffin. Although most viewers wouldn't be expected to know that, there is one clue to their real-life connection to the series. Their eyes are full of wonder, and they're standing slightly slack-jawed, just like the elder Hamill did as Luke Skywalker throughout the original trilogy.
Finn's familiar number
In Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Captain Phasma addresses Finn by his Stormtrooper designation, which is FN-2187.
That number is the same as the one for the cell Princess Leia was held in when Luke and Han rescued her in Star Wars: A New Hope.
A familiar face
When Padmé Amidala goes undercover as one of her handmaidens in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, she has a double take her place. Since it's supposed to surprise the audience as much as the other characters when Padmé reveals herself, the two had to look very similar.
And according to CBR, Keira Knightley ended up fitting that requirement so well that even Portman and Knightley's mothers couldn't tell them apart after they went through the hair and makeup department.
He was right under everyone's noses
When Anakin enters Chancellor Palpatine's private opera box in Star Wars: The Revenge Of The Sith, he passes two companions with blue faces during a pleasant conversation.
According to CBR, the male member of this pair is none other than Star Wars creator George Lucas making his only cameo in the entire film saga. The woman is his daughter Katie.
Bundle up, Han
In Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Han Solo throws down his coat upon entering Starkiller Base. Chewbacca then remembers to give it back before they go out into the elements, which Han looks confused about.
That was Harrison Ford's genuine reaction because Chewbacca actor Joonas Suotamo improvised this moment. As Suotamo told The Hollywood Reporter, "I gave the jacket to Han, and then J.J. thought about it before realizing, 'Oh, yeah, he has to have the jacket since we're going outside.' So, it was left in, and I was really happy about that."
Imperial budget cuts
In Star Wars: A New Hope, the furthest stormtrooper on the left in the group escorting Princess Leia to Darth Vader has a piece of tape holding the armor on his left arm together.
Considering how troubled the movie's production was, it's amazing that one of the quick fixes they needed to employ on set was as hard to spot as it was.
An adorable cameo
When Finn and Rose Tico visit the Canto Casino in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, one of the extraterrestrial extras is holding a small creature who looks a lot like a small dog.
Vulture reported that this little fellow is played by the late Carrie Fisher's beloved French bulldog, Gary.
Those dice are more personal than they seem
Those who look closely during scenes in the original trilogy where Han Solo is flying the Millennium Falcon can see a pair of dice hanging from his bridge. It's visible over Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi's heads in this picture.
In Solo: A Star Wars Story, those dice are a meaningful gift to Qi'ra that Han gets back by the end of the movie. And in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, they finally return to the love of his life after Luke Skywalker gives them to Leia.
An even longer time ago, in a galaxy further away
While Watto takes Qui-Gon Jinn through his junkyard in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, some broken ships and other machinery can be seen in the background.
However, the machine directly behind Watto in this photo is from a science fiction classic that's older than Star Wars itself. It's an EVA Pod that the characters in 2001: A Space Odyssey used during their ill-fated mission.
Amazing work that most people will never see
After Darth Vader betrays Emperor Palpatine at the end of Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi, the residual effects of the emperor's Force Lightning turn out to be his undoing.
And while it flashes by too quickly to catch with the naked eye, it turns out that the lightning was powerful enough to bare Darth Vader's detailed skeleton and the cybernetic enhancements around it.
An unexpected throwback
When Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker chase down the bounty hunter who tried to assassinate Padmé in Star Wars: Attack Of The Clones, they use this yellow air speeder.
But fans of George Lucas's filmography noted that he based this speeder on the deuce coupe that stood out in American Graffiti, Lucas's only non-science fiction movie.
An iconic ad-lib
When Luke Skywalker and Han Solo pretend to escort Chewbacca as stormtroopers in Star Wars: A New Hope, Luke says, "I can't see a thing in this helmet," before he steps onto an elevator.
As Mark Hamill confirmed on Twitter, that line was not in the script, but he felt safe ad-libbing because his face couldn't be seen anyway. Sure enough, George Lucas liked the line and kept it in.
So that's what they look like
During a memorable scene in Star Wars: Attack Of The Clones, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker chase the bounty hunter that tried to assassinate Padmé into a night club.
As C3PO actor Anthony Daniels (left) confirmed in a statement obtained by Screenrant, he and Jar Jar Binks actor Ahmed Best appear in this scene without their best-known costumes. In his words, "I said to George, 'Could I show my face as a character? And he probably said, 'Sure.'"
A very diverse senate
When the Galactic Senate in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace is in uproar after a motion by Queen Amidala, the viewer barely has a chance to notice that one of the systems involved has some familiar faces as delegates.
Indeed, they seem to belong to the same alien race that E.T. did. Since George Lucas and Steven Spielberg are such close friends, it's a fitting and adorable homage.
A proud backstory
In the Star Wars sequel trilogy, Poe Dameron is established as having been born on Yavin IV. However, that only happened due to a special request from Oscar Isaac. That's because he was born in Guatemala, the filming location for Yavin IV in the original trilogy.
According to Business Insider, Isaac said, "So I said, 'How cool would it be if that's where Poe was from?!' You know, he's a Rebel fighter. That's where the Rebel base is. Why wouldn't he be there? That's an incredible idea."
A cool gift from dad
During the Order 66 sequence in Star Wars: Revenge Of The Sith, one youngling stands out by holding his own against the clone army outside the Jedi Temple and almost manages to escape their wrath.
This is George Lucas's son Jett, and the writer/director decided to name his character Zett Jukassa.
Where it all began
When Luke Skywalker and Han Solo pretend to take Chewbacca prisoner in Star Wars: A New Hope, Luke says he's engaging in a prisoner transfer from Cell Block 1138.
This number is particularly special to George Lucas because his first feature film was THX 1138. It's an easy detail to miss, even for those who have seen the dystopian film.
It must be a pretty old ship
During a docking sequence in Star Wars: Revenge Of The Sith, viewers can see a large transport land above this platform.
With that in mind, it takes a very sharp-eyed viewer to scan this busy shot and pick out the Millennium Falcon landing on one of the lower platforms.
It's more recognizable now
When the main characters of Star Wars: The Force Awakens arrive at Maz Kanata's castle, they find her statue standing over an assortment of flags. This is appropriate as her property is known as a haven for just about anyone in the galaxy.
But the lowest flag in this shot should be familiar to fans of The Mandalorian because it's their cherished symbol. According to Screenrant, it's a Mythosaur skull representing Mandalore the Great's heroic deed in taming one.
The opposite of "seen and not heard" until now
In Star Wars: Rise Of The Skywalker, this fairly unassuming bartender watches over a local watering hole on the planet Kijimi.
This character doesn't affect the story much, but the man playing him has affected how the Star Wars saga was told from the beginning. That's because he's composer John Williams, the man responsible for literally every recognizable theme song in the Star Wars series.
The tiniest bit of foreshadowing
After Anakin Skywalker wins the pod race in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Qui-Gon Jinn discusses his winnings with Watto. But during this conversation, both characters and most of the audience missed one important detail.
That small flying droid in the background? That's the tracking droid Darth Maul sent to keep tabs on his target. No wonder he was able to ambush Qui-Gon so effectively.
Even in science fiction, technology marches on
In Star Wars: The Force Awakens, viewers can see just how old the Millennium Falcon is by comparing its targeting systems to that of a First Order TIE Fighter.
Because while the TIE Fighter can render the image of the Falcon, the Falcon can only display a series of grids to represent the TIE Fighter's vague outline.
A good effort to blend in
When Finn and Rose Tico are trying to infiltrate the First Order in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, they put a trash can over BB-8 to disguise him as a droid that's supposed to be there.
And the little droid plays along by imitating the sounds this mouse droid made before Chewbacca scared it away in Star Wars: A New Hope.
How much did he pay for that?
In the credits of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Jabba the Hutt is credited as playing himself.
Since he was basically an elaborate puppet and didn't speak enough to have a voice actor, there apparently wasn't any other way to credit him. It's amusing to imagine that his ill-gotten money allowed him to buy a film credit, though.
Yoda was indeed wise
During a conversation with Yoda in Star Wars: Attack Of The Clones, Obi-Wan Kenobi expresses concern that Anakin Skywalker is becoming arrogant. Yoda remarks that it's common for even older and experienced Jedi to be arrogant and too sure of themselves.
Sure enough, when Obi-Wan talks to Jedi record keeper Jocasta Nu about the hidden planet Kamino two scenes later, she replies, "If an item does not appear in our records, it does not exist."
The subtlest of references
When Finn and Rose are arrested at Canto Bight in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, they are charged with "parking violation 27B stroke 6."
This is a reference to a form the main character needed to fill out in the 1985 dystopian movie Brazil, which is itself a reference to George Orwell's address in London. He lived in apartment 6 at 27B Canonbury Square.
All that hair gets greasy
When Luke Skywalker boards the Millennium Falcon for the last time in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, he passes between Han Solo and Chewbacca's seats on the bridge.
And as at least one sharp-eyed viewer noticed, Chewie's seat is visibly dirtier than Han's. It's hard for a Wookie to stay groomed, especially during wartime.
