Star Wars Weekly: Backstory (23/06/25 to 29/06/25)

Mark Hamill looks back on The Last Jedi, Diego Luna becomes a rebel leader in real life, and more...

In the past year, I’ve had a new fascination with reading old Star Wars novels.

This began last summer when I decided to revisit Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn. First published in 1991, the book is responsible for relaunching the Star Wars expanded universe of novels, comics, and video games. It set the stage for decades of storytelling, continuing the adventures of Luke, Han, and Leia, and introducing their children as the next generation of heroes. Stories spun out from Heir until 2014, when the canon was reset to make way for the sequel trilogy films.

Even still, the impact of Heir to the Empire and its sequels, Dark Force Rising and The Last Command, continue to be felt. Ahsoka and the “Mandoverse” at large include characters and remix plot points from Zahn’s novels, including featuring Grand Admiral Thrawn—a Zahn creation—as its main villain. This is what inspired my original interest in revisiting the stories.

Side note: I know I’d read Heir before and remembered certain scenes, but I had zero recollection of anything in Rising or Command. This led me to question if I’d ever read them before or just assumed I did because I’ve read so many Star Wars novels over the years. Regardless, all three still hold up as entertaining continuations of the original trilogy and are worth checking out if you haven’t. Then, you can listen to my appearance on the Eye on Canon podcast, where we discussed them in depth. OK, shameless plug complete.

Once I’d completed the trilogy, I felt the need to continue with another classic (old) Star Wars novel. The answer was obvious: Splinter of the Mind’s Eye.

This novel was the first official sequel to Star Wars, published in March 1978 (less than a year after the original movie). Author Alan Dean Foster picked up the story of Luke and Leia from where Star Wars left off and had them come face to face with Darth Vader again, this time on the planet Mimban, with both of them searching for an ancient, Force-enhancing artifact known as the Kaiburr Crystal.

Foster developed and wrote the novel with the idea in mind that it would be adapted into a low-budget movie if Star Wars were not successful enough to merit a full sequel. As such, it has no space battles because of how expensive and time-consuming those were, and the planet Mimban is misty to make it easier to have a smaller set. Han Solo is not in it since Harrison Ford was not contracted for more movies, and it was assumed he would not return for a sequel like this.

It’s almost like reading a piece of an alternate history for Star Wars, where the original movie was only a minor success in ‘77 and Lucas had to reel in his ideas to continue the story. Not to mention the fact that Luke and Leia being brother and sister clearly had not been come up with yet, so the two have several physically close scenes that border on steamy.

What’s fun about revisiting Splinter, Heir, Rising, and Command now, decades later, is that they give us a window into the early days of the galaxy far, far away. Before Star Wars became the behemoth it is today, with a dozen films and almost as many TV shows, all fleshing out different eras and corners of the story. Not to mention the books, comics, games, and beyond, which further expand the universe.

As if to underscore this point, this week StarWars.com introduced a new interactive map feature, where you can see where you can find all the planets in the galaxy featured in canon stories. Everything from Ach-To and At-Attin to Tatooine and Kasshyyyk, it’s all there (except Kamino, which I find to be a hilarious Easter Egg). It’s impressive just how massive the galaxy has gotten over the years and how many stories all contribute to what we know of as Star Wars.

Those early stories, however, take us back to a time before all that, when the storytellers were still figuring things out. Sometimes it’s weird, like a crystal increasing a Force wielder’s power by 1000%. Sometimes, it would later be contradicted, like the Clones not being an army of white armour-clad Temuera Morrison lookalikes, but instead were created by warlords and would go mad if grown too fast. And sometimes, our world seeped in, like Luke enjoying a mug of hot chocolate on his balcony on Coruscant.

It gives the galaxy the feeling of still being figured out. The rules, for the most part, were not yet hard and fast. There was a looseness and a freedom that comes from not having to fit the stories with a previously established box of “canon”. There may have been restrictions (Foster couldn’t use Han, Zahn wasn’t allowed to explore the Clone Wars the way he wanted to), but they didn’t feel restrictive. Sometimes, when you read a Star Wars story now, you can almost feel the walls put up around the story to prevent it from contradicting something else or veering too far into an area earmarked for another medium.

Now, I don’t mean for this bout of nostalgia for a bygone era to erase just how good we’ve got it now! While all stories having to fit within the same canon can feel restrive at times, it can also be very rewarding. The stories taken together often enrich our view of the galaxy and enhance the experience of reading/watching/playing any individual story. The vastness of the Star Wars galaxy, with its multiple eras, factions, and genres, is something to be celebrated. The fun of something like the interactive map is being reminded that all these different stories happened in the same place. Together, they form the wonderful mosaic that is the Star Wars galaxy.

The early days can be a fun place to revisit, especially when the present is in flux and the future uncertain. The future of Star Wars storytelling is constantly evolving, and when we guess at what the next stories will be about, those guesses tend to be informed by the past. The old stories take us back to a time when that wasn’t possible—at least, was harder—and the creators were left to just make it up as they went.

The trick for the current generation of storytellers is to embrace the galaxy’s history and lore, while also getting back to the freewheeling spirit of Zahn and Foster’s early works.

Admittedly, that’s easier said than done.

A publishing note from me: There will be no Star Wars Weekly post next week. With holidays in both Canada and the US, I expect news will be slow on the Star Wars front. There will still be Rebels Rewind this Friday (July 4th) and either The Clone Wars Strikes Back or another Star Wars Editorial next Friday (July 11th). Star Wars Weekly will return July 14th to cover all the news from the previous fourteen days!

Top Story

Mark Hamill Shares His Personal Backstory for Luke in the Sequels, Reflects on Working with Rian Johnson

Mark Hamill’s rocky relationship with the sequel trilogy, The Last Jedi in particular, has been well documented. The actor who played Luke Skywalker struggled with the revelation that his character had gone into self-imposed exile after his actions led to his nephew falling to the Dark Side. He voiced this disappointment during the film’s press tour, which fans who disliked the movie glommed onto as proof that Hamill agreed with them.

Despite their creative differences, Hamill always spoke kindly of Johnson. He tweeted in December 2017 that “All I wanted was to make [a] good movie. I got more than that — [Rian Johnson] made an all-time GREAT one! #HumbledHamill.” But the damage was done, and the narrative in the public consciousness was set, persisting in the 7.5 years since the release of The Last Jedi.

This week, Hamill appeared on the NPR program Bullseye with Jesse Thorn to promote his role in the recently released Stephen King adaptation The Life of Chuck (in which he is very good, I might add). Naturally, the topic shifted to Star Wars about halfway through the interview. After some reminiscing about the production of the original trilogy, host Jesse Thorn asked Hamill about his issues with The Last Jedi.

“Here's the thing, and I'd love to clear this up,” Hamill began, “Rian Johnson is one of the most gifted directors I've ever worked with. He's amiable, he's fun on set, he's smart, he made a great movie. I think the staging of the standoff between Kylo Ren, Adam Driver, and I at the end is so well staged, you know, the foreshadowing that I'm not really there. Adam wipes the snow away, and you see the red planet beneath. I wipe the snow, and it's just snow. I mean, that's so subtle. I loved Knives Out and Brick, and Looper; he's one of my favourite directors.”

Despite this, the two men had different visions for how Luke would have reacted to his failure with Ben Solo. Luke, Hamill felt, would have doubled down on saving the day, instead of going into hiding. So he created, with the director’s blessing, his own backstory to use in his head during his scenes while shooting the movie.

“I thought, ‘What could make someone give up a devotion to what is basically a religious entity, to give up being a Jedi?’” Hamill shared. “Well, the love of a woman. So he falls in love with a woman. He gives up being a Jedi. They have a child together. At some point, the child, as a toddler, picks up an unattended lightsaber, pushes the button and is killed instantly. The wife is so full of grief, she kills herself. (…) Because I hear these horrible stories about these children who find unattended guns and wind up dead. That resonated with me so deeply.”

It’s a dark backstory, to be sure. And, arguably, too dark for a Star Wars movie (though maybe it could have worked on Andor…). For Hamill, though, it clearly got him to a place where he could give such a great performance as Luke in the movie. So, in the only way that really matters—getting quality material shot—it worked. The term “creative differences” is often used to explain why someone left a project, but here we see how two people were able to still make something work despite them.

As Hamill himself puts it, “I told him this: despite the fact that I disagree with your choices for Luke, I'm going to do everything within my power to make your screenplay work as best that I can. And the only thing, unfortunately, about that is I've heard comments from fans who think that I somehow dislike Rian Johnson, and nothing could be further from the truth.”

Headlines

Gareth Edwards Responds to Fans Who Say Rogue One is the Best New Star Wars Movie

Star Wars fans love ranking their favourite Star Wars movies. People have different reasons for their lists, and every film is someone’s favourite. One movie, however, that frequently appears near the top of fans’ lists, especially when focusing on the films released since 2015, is Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

Business Insider recently interviewed Rogue One’s director, Gareth Edwards, who is promoting his upcoming movie, Jurassic World: Rebirth, and they asked him how it felt that his movie topped so many fans’ lists.

From Business Insider,

Edwards downplayed the claim spread wide through the internet that "Rogue One" is the best "Star Wars" movie that's come out since Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012.

"I don't agree with it, but I appreciate it," he said. "I'm very grateful that people say nice things."

Now I’m curious to know what new Star Wars movie tops Edwards’ list! (My guess: The Last Jedi, since it was in development around the same time as Rogue One, and there seemed to be a real camaraderie between the filmmakers. Johnson has a cameo in Rogue One, and Edwards has one in The Last Jedi. But this is truly just a guess. Maybe he’s a big Solo guy, or The Force Awakens is more to his liking. Somebody should ask him someday, though given his peaceful nature, I doubt he’d tell us.)

Jon Watts “Can’t Say Anything” About His Star Wars Future

One of the creators behind Skeleton Crew is dodging questions about his potential return to Star Wars. Jon Watts, who co-created the show with Christopher Ford, spoke with Collider recently, and, of course, the topic of his future with the Star Wars franchise came up.

“I love Star Wars, and I would love to make more Star Wars,” Watts said. “I can't say anything more. We always get in trouble when we do these interviews. I always say something, and I get in trouble. Like, I probably shouldn’t have said that. [...] You're going to get me in trouble.”

While it’s unlikely that Skeleton Crew will get another season, thanks to Disney’s shift away from streaming, it would be great if Watts and Ford could be brought back for another project (whether it’s related to Skeleton Crew or not). Both of them have lots of experience making movies, including Spider-Man: Homecoming, which put them on the radar of The Mandalorian showrunner and Skeleton Crew executive producer Jon Favreau.

Since Lucasfilm is moving the story of the “Mandoverse” to the big screen, starting with The Mandalorian & Grogu next year, perhaps there will be an opportunity to continue the story of the Skeleton Crew characters that way too. There are already rumblings that some of the series’ characters might be showing up in other projects.

The upcoming Dave Filoni movie is already confirmed to be the climax of the Mandoverse, so it seems likely that at least one of the characters from Skeleton Crew will appear. But let’s dream big for a second and imagine a Skeleton Crew movie or a Jod Na Nawood solo flick, wouldn’t that be fun? I think so.

Andor Editor Talks About The Ghorman Massacre

The most memorable sequence in recent Star Wars history is the Ghorman massacre, so it’s no surprise that a lot of the interviews since the release of Andor season two have focused on it. The latest is with editor Yan Miles, who recently spoke with Gold Derby.

From Gold Derby,

In the chaos, Miles creates both emotional and visual clarity — often in a matter of seconds. “There's a nice example of it where it's less messy,” the editor said. “There’s a [shot of a] group of Ghormans coming through with the flares, going underneath the colony now; we’re sort of with them. And then we cut to the guy in the café, the waiter, seeing people walking past behind the glass, all moving in the same direction. Then a profile shot of an oblivious stormtrooper, turning his head and watching the Ghormans go by. It’s three shots.”

The full interview is a fascinating read, especially if you are interested in the art of cutting movies and TV. Like everything on Andor, the editing was top-notch. It’s been great to see all the different craftspeople who made the series get their moment in the spotlight, as Lucasfilm continues to roll out their Emmy campaign for the series.

From The Archives

Boba Fett Screen Test Screened For George Lucas On June 28th, 1978

Boba Fett was introduced to George Lucas at his home on June 28th, 1978, by way of a black-and-white screen test shot on videotape by some of the braintrust behind the original trilogy. In the video, sound designer Ben Burtt “hosts”, showing off the suit (worn by assistant editor Duwayne Dunham) with an assist from production designer Norman Reynolds. In the video, Burtt highlights some of the features of the suit, including a practical jet pack effect.

The costume was clearly still in the prototype phase and had yet to be painted (appropriate since the tape was in black and white), and Boba didn’t yet have his Wookiee pelts slung over his shoulder (though Burtt confirmed that was still to come). Also missing was Boba’s cape, though a Star Wars beach towel was used to stand in for it in the video. Regardless, the test was successful since the costume, as it appears in the test, is pretty similar to the one in The Empire Strikes Back.

The full-screen test shown to Lucas back then was twenty minutes long. A four-minute highlight video is available to watch on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (see above). The YouTube version was produced in 2008 and uploaded in 2013, and features contemporary interviews with Burtt and Dunham. It’s a fascinating piece of Star Wars history!

In Other News

Diego Luna Speaks Out Against Trump’s Immigration Raids

Andor star Diego Luna has been guest-hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live this week and used his platform to denounce the Trump administration’s inhumane immigration policy.

In his first monologue, he began by speaking about his love for Los Angeles, celebrating the cultural diversity of the city. He then spoke about the horrific raids carried out by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently in LA. He had choice words for President Donald Trump, who is responsible for ordering the raids.

From Luna’s monologue,

I have never been able to fully understand how it is that someone like Donald Trump is able to acquire this level of power. I always struggle to understand how his hate speech can take root in a country whose nature has always been a welcoming one. Today, many people are feeling persecuted. Far too many people live in fear. Fear of taking their kids to school or going to places where they earn an honest living. These people, they're your neighbours, your friends, immigrants.

This is very unfair and let me tell you why: the multiple times that this country has had to rebuild itself, immigrants were always there to pick up the slack. Earlier this year, when LA burned, immigrant workers risked their lives to stop the flames. They are the ones who build this country. They feed it, they nurture and teach its children, they care for the elderly, they work in construction, hospitality, they run kitchens, they're technicians, merchants, athletes, drivers, farmers. They pay a lot of taxes. A lot of them with their jobs papers or no papers.

In 2022, undocumented immigrants contributed around $96.7 billion worth of taxes, but that is something that the Trump administration doesn't want you to know. There are a lot of lies flying around about immigrants, but I'm sure you have more than one story that can attest to the contrary. Talk about it, share it. That helps today. They need to know that they're not alone. These have been a dark few weeks. It is not acceptable, nor is it normal, to separate families.

Violence and terror are not okay. Immigrants need to know that their struggle is yours as well. Politicians have been dozing on this problem because it's easier than acknowledging it. Because this country benefits from the work of immigrants but refuses to recognize their importance. That is what needs to change. It's about acknowledging the work of millions and how unfair it is that they have to live in hiding.

The only solution is clear now, and it's been clear for decades: give them a path to legal certainty.

Powerful words from a true rebel leader.

Other highlights from Luna’s time guest-hosting Kimmel include interviews with his Andor co-stars Adria Arjona and Alan Tudyk (who was wearing his K-2SO stilts the whole time), and a sketch where Luna and Tudyk dressed as Stormtroopers and took pictures with tourists on Hollywood Blvd. Luna also addressed the response to his first monologue and the daily Trump shitstorm in his other three monologues, which you can watch here, here, and here.

Coming Soon

Always in motion is the future, but here’s a look ahead at what we can expect in Star Wars over the next seven days:

• On July 1st, 2025 (Happy Canada Day!), Dark Horse will be publishing the trad paperback collection of Daniel Jose Older’s The High Republic Adventures: Dispatches from the Occlusion Zone comic book series.

• Also on Canada Day, Titan Magazines is publishing Revenge of the Sith: The 20th Anniversary Special Edition, a hardcover collection of interviews and photographs from Star Wars Insider magazine. The features will work together to tell the story of the making of Episode III.

• And, on July 2nd, Marvel is publishing Jedi Knights #5 by Marc Guggenheim.

Just another reminder that there will be no Star Wars Weekly post next week. With holidays in both Canada and the US, I expect news will be slow on the Star Wars front. There will still be Rebels Rewind this Friday (July 4th) and either The Clone Wars Strikes Back or another Star Wars Editorial next Friday (July 11th). Star Wars Weekly will return July 14th to cover all the news from the previous fourteen days!

Happy Canada Day!