George Lucas’s inclusion of stormtroopers riding dewbacks in A New Hope prompts a discussion of the aspect of whimsy in Star Wars.
Star Wars is a franchise the blends several genres of movies and storytelling. Science fiction, the old western, samurai movies, and fantasy all blend to create the space opera that is Star Wars. However, whether you call it science fiction, fantasy, or space opera, what makes it work is an element of realism. George Lucas and Star Wars use plenty of special effects to bring that real world feeling home. However, there is another less talked about aspect of Star Wars that lends to the element of realism: whimsy. That might sound counterintuitive at first, but Lucas had a good reason for relying on it. In this episode of Podcast Stardust, we talk about what whimsy is and point out several example from the franchise.
In this fully armed and operational episode, we discuss:
- How and why George Lucas included things like stormtroopers riding dewbacks in Star Wars,
- What the definition of “whimsy” is and what it means to Star Wars, and
- Examples of whimsical elements from various Star Wars movies and television shows that illustrate this concept of whimsy.
Thanks for joining us for another episode. Please subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and spread the word to all of your Star Wars friends. May the Force be with you!
Don’t forget to check out our discussion of the latest episodes of The Bad Batch in episode 545.
Contact the Hosts
Dennis Keithly can be followed @DJKver2 and Jay Krebs is @JoyceKrebs.
Follow Jay’s cosplay adventures at J.Snips Cosplay on Instagram.
Find all of our episodes and Jay’s unboxing videos on YouTube.
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Podcast Stardust is the fully armed and operational podcast inspired by the code name for the Death Star. Hosted by first-generation Star Wars fans, Dennis Keithly and Jay Krebs, Podcast Stardust endeavors to bring thought provoking discussion on recent Star Wars news on a weekly basis. Between news episodes, Dennis and Jay review the latest episodes from Star Wars television covering everything from Resistance, Rebels, and The Clone Wars to The Mandalorian and other live action productions on Disney+. Of course, Podcast Stardust wouldn’t be complete without thematic discussions, top ten lists, and interviews on everything from Star Wars literature, comics, and the films themselves.