George Lucas Hidden Influence For Owen & Berus Deaths In A New Hope

George Lucas’ Hidden Influence For Owen & Beru’s Deaths In A New Hope

The Searchers was a highly influential film which inspired George Lucas when revealing Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru’s deaths in A New Hope.

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George Lucas Hidden Influence For Owen & Berus Deaths In A New Hope

The Star Wars franchise was influenced by numerous films, and George Lucas referenced a famous western in A New Hope when Luke discovered the remains of Owen and Beru. The Star Wars films could best be described as science-fantasy, with elements of classic science fiction, westerns, samurai films, and high fantasy having inspired the saga. John Ford’s 1956 western, The Searchers, is a genre classic and included a key scene for Ethan Edwards (John Wayne) that would be replicated in a galaxy far, far, away.

While the works of Akira Kurosawa and J. R. R. Tolkien had some of the clearest influences on the Star Wars saga, the western genre accounted for many iconic elements of George Lucas’ immersive universe. Classic westerns accounted in part for the “worn” look of the Star Wars franchise’s starship interiors and locales, in addition to gunslingers like Han Solo and bounty hunters like Boba Fett. The Searchers is considered a particularly influential film by numerous famous directors in addition to George Lucas, so it’s no surprise that an homage to it can be found in A New Hope.

When Luke realizes that the Empire must have tracked his droids to his homestead, he rushes back, only to find the charred remains of his adopted parents, Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru. Luke somberly resolves to become a Jedi and briefly becomes Obi-Wan Kenobi’s apprentice. In The Searchers, Ethan Edward returns home to find his relatives killed or abducted by Comanche warriors, rendering him hellbent on revenge. Both scenes are emotional gut-punches that lead to a turning point for their respective protagonist.

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While The Searchers has the most obvious impact on A New Hope, its influence can be felt in the prequel trilogy as well. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones features the heartbreaking death of Anakin Skywalker’s mother, Shmi, which also appears to be influenced by The Searchers. After Shmi is kidnapped by Tusken Raiders, her husband, Cliegg Lars, leads a search part of farmers, most of whom are killed by Shmi’s kidnappers. While the film only refers to this parallel through dialogue, the Attack of the Clones novelization shows the gruesome failed rescue attempt by Lars and his friends.

While Imperial Stormtroopers stood in for Comanche warriors in A New Hope, Attack of the Clones had Tusken Raiders in their role. Nicknamed “Sand People,” the Tusken Raiders are indigenous to Tatooine and are canonically violently hostile towards outsiders, similar to the racist and outdated depiction of the Comanche people in The Searchers. Years later, The Mandalorian, in addition to the novelization of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace notably added some much-needed nuance to Tusken Raiders.

Part of the appeal of the Star Wars films is their blending of various genres and styles, forming a film series that interests a variety of viewers without pandering to them. George Lucas was inspired by various filmmakers and other storytellers when making A New Hope, and he honors them through subtle references. Thanks to The Searchers, the original and prequel Star Wars trilogies were inspired to create some of their darkest and most emotional moments.

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Link Source : https://screenrant.com/star-wars-owen-beru-deaths-lucas-searchers-movie/

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