Holiday Special’s Impact and George Lucas Controversy Explained

It has been 46 years since The Star Wars Holiday Special arrived on public screens for the first time, and yet its legacy in Star Wars still persists. The Star Wars Holiday Special became a kind of legend (literally, being part of the Star Wars Continuity of legends), known more for his controversies than for his actual contribution to the Star Wars Galaxy. It did, however, have an impact outside of this controversy, and that impact continues to be felt in modern society. Star Wars stories.

From the first appearance of Boba Fett to the creation of the Life Day holiday, The Star Wars Holiday Special you certainly secured your place Star Wars history and tradition, even with its disadvantages. However, it is still difficult to look beyond the difficulties that were serious enough to make George Lucas himself want to erase his existence from the face of the earth. What exactly did The Star Wars Holiday Special covers, then, and to what extent does its legacy really remain in the franchise?

What is the Star Wars Holiday Special and why was it so controversial?

An interim project between Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back

The Star Wars Holiday Special was a television film created a year later Star Wars (later renamed A New Hope) was first released. It follows the story of Chewbacca and Han Solo trying to get the Wookiee to their home world in time for Life Day, a Wookiee holiday comparable to Thanksgiving and Christmas. By doing this, incorporates a variety of different elements, including animated scenes and even musical numbers. Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher appeared in their Star Wars roles, although even they couldn’t save the mess this film became.

Ultimately, these elements were unable to come together to make this special work, and behind-the-scenes problems during its production only contributed further to The Star Wars Holiday Specialcontroversial legacy. To begin with, Lucas didn’t even want to create this TV special, but was pressured by executives to make it happen while the public waited. The Empire Strikes Back release. The original director also left mid-production because of how bad things were going. The writers weren’t even science fiction writers; they were comedy writers. Overall, it was a disaster, especially since the special didn’t work out.

Star Wars’ Life Day remains an enduring part of the franchise

The Wookiee holiday only grows in importance

Despite these controversies and its reception, The Star Wars Holiday Special still has a lasting legacy during Life Day. The Wookiee holiday continues to be referenced throughout Star Wars media, and even serves as a centerpiece in 2020 Lego Star Wars Holiday Special. Every year, merchandise is created and sold for Life Day, mainly in Star Wars: Edge of the Galaxy at Disneyland and Walt Disney World resorts. This holiday still means something to people and seems to take on more and more meaning with each passing year.

One of the most likely reasons for this is that it is the closest Star Wars Galaxy has a holiday similar to Christmas. Although it is a Wookiee tradition, it is recognized and even celebrated by many speciesas evidenced in the aforementioned Lego Star Wars special. From the Wookiee’s red robes and crystal orbs to the trees that evoke the forest environment of Kashyyyk, Life Day has become equally recognizable to off-screen audiences. It is not often that official holidays are established in Star Warsand with Life Day being one of the first (if not the first), remains relevant.

The Holiday Special Isn’t Canon, But It Still Has a Huge Impact

Made major contributions to the franchise

It is important to note, however, that The Star Wars Holiday Special is not part Star Wars canon. It is technically a part Star Wars Legends, but it still wasn’t well-regarded in that continuity either – and not just because it introduced Chewbacca’s family that he left behind to travel with Han Solo (including his son, Lumpy). Lucas wanted this special to be forgotten and he succeeded in some ways. Despite that, there are still elements of the special that have changed Star Wars forever, especially with one main character: Boba Fett.

Boba Fett’s appearance in The Star Wars Holiday Special introduced him and the Mandalorians to the galaxy for the first time, a group that has since become absolutely indispensable to the Star Wars franchise. It was in this special that Boba wielded an Amban phase pulse blaster rifle, which became Din Djarin’s trademark in The Mandalorian. Boba was also seen riding a giant creature, which would eventually evolve into the tradition of the Mandalorians taming the large Mythosaurus. This whole tradition was started by The Star Wars Holiday Special – in addition to the aforementioned tradition around Life Day.

How to watch the Star Wars holiday special

It’s hard to find

Lucas really wanted The Star Wars Holiday Special erased from memory, and in today’s streaming world, he actually succeeded in that endeavor. This special is not available to stream anywhere; The best chance to watch it is by searching it on YouTube. There are some relatively good quality options, as many of them are original recordings from the late 1970s. If viewers are looking for the streaming quality of this infamous special, however, they will have no such luck. It seems that Star Wars You don’t want to keep this one around either.

It is, however, important to remember The Star Wars Holiday Special for the good that he managed to contribute to the Star Wars Galaxy. Without him, it’s possible Boba Fett wouldn’t have existed and Life Day wouldn’t exist. It certainly did some damage to the franchise at the time, but nearly 50 years later, it’s now something that many viewers look back on as yet another important part of the building blocks that shaped this galaxy into what it is today. The Star Wars Holiday Special It was far from perfect, but it will always be important.