General Star Wars Animated Series

I just wouldn't assume that everyone in the Rebellion knew what a lightsaber meant/looked like, or that Luke wouldn't tell everyone. I don't remember anyone in the movies besides Leia, Han, Obi-Wan, Vader and Palps bringing up Luke's sensitivity and Force powers. So it's entirely possible that everyone thinks Luke made a lucky shot and think that the metal tube he has is a keepsake or something he found that he thinks is lucky. It would not be that big a leap to think that it wasn't commonly known or something he told everyone in the rebellion.

Again, separation of common knowledge in universe v. audience.

I just thought about one thing - if most galactic peoples don't believe or are aware of the force, then why does General Dodonna end his briefing in A New Hope saying the catchphrase to squadrons of otherwise non-Force pilots?

Name a character who gets anything even resembling screen time in the original trilogy who isn't one of the main characters. There's not enough info to say what they did and did not know.

I find it more likely that over-enthusiastic farmboy Luke told that story a lot, than that he'd keep it secret. And that the Rebellion would leverage the fact they had an honest-to-god Jedi in their propaganda.

I suppose the only way to know what they do and do not know post-Battle of Yavin is to check Marvel's comic series.

Because they're the Rebellion. The Empire is responsible for a lot of anti-Jedi sentiment, and feeding the perception that the Jedi were a cult following a hokey religion. Acknowledging the Force, even if you don't personally believe it, is an act of contempt against the Empire.

edited 1st Jul '15 2:42:17 PM by BadWolf21

How far before ANH is this show set again?

Obi-Wan still looked pretty young in the holocron message, and Ashoka can't be that much older than she was in Clone Wars. So maybe like 20 years? 30?

It can't be 20 or more because that would mean it would have started right at the formation of the Empire. The show has to take place somewhere in the latter half of the Empire's 23 year reign. Presumably it would be at least 13 years since Ezra doesn't seem to remember things from before the Empire.

The episode Empire Day is exactly 15 years after Episode III, and therefore four years before ANH.

Ahsoka was 14 at the start of TCW, which was only a couple weeks after Episode II after the retcon. The war lasted three years, plus fifteen more years to the present, that makes her 32 in Rebels.

Ezra, incidentally, is almost exactly the same age as Luke and Leia. He was born the day of the Empire's creation, and I'd need to rewatch the end of Episode III again, but the twins couldn't have been born more than a couple days later, if that.

Obi-Wan's message isn't live. It's a Holocron, and therefore would have to have been recorded right before he went into exile. He wouldn't have had access to it otherwise.

edited 1st Jul '15 5:33:57 PM by BadWolf21

Mukora, you're wrong. Rebels takes place 15 years after Revenge of the Sith, and 5 years before A New Hope. Obi-Wan's holocron message to the Jedi Order in the wake of Order 66 from "Spark of Rebellion" is something that was mentioned that he did in Revenge, only we get to see it 15 years later In-Universe.

edited 1st Jul '15 5:36:59 PM by higherbrainpattern

It's definitely four years.

Yeah, the Marvel's Star Wars series really doesn't say it one way or another if the Rebellion knows about Luke having Force powers. Only Leia talks about it with him. So it's still really unclear

To be fair, there's only what, six issues so far?

Yes, but that means there's nothing to discount the idea that most of the rebellion neither knows or cares about Luke's heritage and powers.

I'm not saying that they most definitely do not; but I'm also saying that Anakin's home planet is not common knowledge and that it would not be surprising if people did not generally pick up the pieces.

What does being from Tatooine have to do with anything?

I'm saying that Luke probably flat out tells people. Especially because the Empire knows that he's Force-sensitive, which makes him a high-value target. It would be irresponsible for him not to let the Rebellion know exactly what's going on, at least after the first time the Empire specifically targets him.

I should probably avoid guessing that sort of stiff when I have literally no knowledge of the Star Wars timeline.

I always thought New Hope was, like, 50 years after episode 3.

Alec Guinness' poor aging can give off that impression to people who haven't seen Revenge of the Sith.

edited 1st Jul '15 6:26:49 PM by TheAirman

That's... a good point. I'm dumb.

edited 1st Jul '15 6:29:44 PM by Mukora

Well, Luke's born at the end of III and like 19 at the beginning of IV, so assuming you've seen those two movies...

Nah, just not up to date. I think that prior to the Prequel Trilogy it was assumed that The Clone Wars took place some 30-40 years before A New Hope.

But I was 4 when The Phantom Menace came out and Revenge of the Sith was the first Star Wars film I saw in full (that I remember anyways, I do recall seeing the battle of Hoth when I was really little), so it was always understood for me.

edited 1st Jul '15 6:39:11 PM by TheAirman

TPM was the first Star Wars film I ever saw - mainly because the childhood me was unaware that the "first Star Wars film" that my parents were fond of had been since labeled as Episode IV, and that my grandfather asked for a "first Star Wars film" at the store, in which the clerk promptly handed him a copy of The Phantom Menace. Disappointed that the film I soon watched all day after that hour lacked the Battle of Yavin and Darth Vader, I promptly persuaded a friend at school to give his unwanted original 1977 VHS copy (which I still hold onto today). Thereafter, I was able to view Revenge Of The Sith through HBO's then constant reruns of the film around 2007. I must admit that I never really got to view The Empire Strikes Back abd Return Of The Jedi in full - I've "seen" the two films through a combination of parodies, pop cultural osmosis, and various scenes on You Tube.

______

In relevant news, I just noticed that the old EU had a series of comics detailing the exploits of Red Squadron in the events immediately leading up to the Battle of Yavin - one of the central characters was a green Twi'lek fighter ace with a characteristically modified white helmet.

Hera of Star Wars Rebels is essentially Cesi Eirriss with a different name and a fresh backstory. Perhaps Disney did give the old canon some respect after all.

edited 4th Jul '15 7:23:41 AM by FluffyMcChicken

There's no such thing as an "original 1977 VHS copy," by the way. Movies didn't start really coming out for home media until the '80s, and Star Wars is no exception. Not to mention that because of the way theatres worked back then (where movies staid in the theatre as long as there were still people coming to see it), Star Wars' initial run lasted over a year in some places.

I think that means a VHS of the original 1977 cut of the film.

I figured. I just thought I'd point it out.

Also, because I feel like being pedantic, such a cut doesn't technically exist, since the 1977 theatrical version is simply called "Star Wars" at the opening crawl, while the first home video release changed it to the "Episode IV: A New Hope" title.

But other than that they're the same movie. I just find the minutiae interesting.

I was four when TPM came out, and I think my family saw it in theaters. I remember seeing Aot C and Rot S in theaters better, though. And one of my brothers decided to host a marathon with me of the Original Trilogy around the time Aot C came out.

It's kinda weird to think that in December there will be a whole new trilogy for little kids to get introduced to Star Wars through. I just hope that I don't react as badly to the Sequel Trilogy as some did to the Prequels.

I've actually never seen a Star Wars movie in theatres. Episode VII will be my first.

I saw a bootleg version of Episode III before seeing it in theaters.