Mike Harris notices an old connection Star Wars connection to Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Kea Moll from Droids.
Being a Star Wars fan for as long as I have, I have certainly experienced my fair share of deja vu. Themes, concepts, designs; nothing is ever wasted. Sometimes, certain designs stick and can be seen time and time again. Not that the artists are being unoriginal, but drawing from what came before helps tie the universe together, and evokes nostalgia in the fans.
Take, for instance, The Force Awakens. Ralph McQuarrie is credited with being the visionary behind so much of the look and feel of the Star Wars Saga, but for every piece of art used, there were many more that were not. We’ve seen most of these pieces through the years in various art collections and making of books, but when JJ Abrams and Disney set out to work on a new trilogy, many of these unused concepts were drawn on. This not only just uses great ideas that were set aside before, but cements the Sequel Trilogy as being visually close to the Original. Dave Filoni and the amazing artists behind The Clone Wars and Rebels animated shows have used unused concept art and ideas to add richness to the shows. These also are fun as Easter eggs, to see things that are instantly recognizable.
My daughter, who is 15 months old, loves the Droids. BB-8, R2-D2 and C-3PO, she was immediately drawn to them. The other night we were laying around and I decided to put on an old episode of the Droids cartoon from way, way back, just to see what she thought. She liked it, but within a few minutes I was hit with something I can’t recall ever seeing in Kea Moll, a character from the series.
She, also, rescued a Droid in the desert.
Something seems very familiar…
Hmmmmm…..
Were artists on The Force Awakens inspired by Kea Moll in an old episode Droids!? Maybe, maybe not, but it is an interesting similarity, and it’s fun to imagine that even old, off shoot licensed media like books, comics and shows can potentially make it back with new life! Check out Mike MacDonald’s article for another great instance of design influence from way back!
Mike Harris hails from the suburbs of Chicago and has been a fan for most of his life. Working as an industrial radiographer and raising a family with his wife take up most of his time, but there’s always room for Star Wars books and podcasts! Just looking to give back to Star Wars and the fan community, it’s been a source of fun and learning for him for so long.