# Reexamining Star Wars 50 years later **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [January 19, 2026, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reexamining-star-wars-50-years-later/1026810 "2026-01-19T00:48:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 17
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reexamining-star-wars-50-years-later/1026810/321 "2026-01-29T22:22:30Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > It’s not impossible. I used to bullseye _womp rats_ in my T-16 back home, they’re not much bigger than two meters. Every other pilot in the room except Biggs: “A what? What the fuck is this hick talking about?” Biggs: “Luke, _you_ used to bullseye womp rats back home. The rest of us considered it a win if we could get out of the canyon without scrapping the paint off our wings.” ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reexamining-star-wars-50-years-later/1026810/322 "2026-01-29T22:49:10Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Every other pilot in the room except Biggs: In 1977, we didn’t even know that was “Biggs”, or what Biggs was. Omitting the scene with the bucket hat on Tatooine with Luke and his friends really confused the narrative. Later when Luke goes “It’s just like Beggar’s Canyon back home!” I was all: “Kid I never flew Beggar’s Canyon, (with a nod to Die hard) dickhead.” ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reexamining-star-wars-50-years-later/1026810/323 "2026-01-29T23:09:08Z")
That wasn’t an actual scene from the movie, that was just me goofing around. Sorry if that wasn’t clear. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reexamining-star-wars-50-years-later/1026810/324 "2026-01-29T23:12:12Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Sorry if that wasn’t clear. Oh it was, I was just riffing on what you started. (waves hand) these aren’t the scenes you are looking for… ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reexamining-star-wars-50-years-later/1026810/325 "2026-01-29T23:17:02Z")
In terms of the old / new tech, it’s something that _Andor_ brilliantly leaned into. It’s just a world where antigravity and FTL travel is trivial but radio and data transmission is far inferior to 21st century earth (heck, inferior to most of _20th_ century earth). They play it straight and, as far as I could tell while watching, consistently. And why not? In a galaxy far, far away, why couldn’t things play out very differently from earth? It’s implausible, but not an inconsistency. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2026, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reexamining-star-wars-50-years-later/1026810/326 "2026-01-30T02:21:39Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > In 1977, we didn’t even know that was “Biggs”, or what Biggs was. Omitting the scene with the bucket hat on Tatooine with Luke and his friends really confused the narrative. > > Later when Luke goes “It’s just like Beggar’s Canyon back home!” I was all: “Kid I never flew Beggar’s Canyon, (with a nod to Die hard) dickhead.” No, Luke clearly recognizes Biggs and names him when he arrives at the base. We don’t have the scenes of them on Tattooine, but it is established they already know each other from back home. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2026, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reexamining-star-wars-50-years-later/1026810/327 "2026-01-30T12:39:44Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > n 1977, we didn’t even know that was “Biggs”, or what Biggs was. Omitting the scene with the bucket hat on Tatooine with Luke and his friends really confused the narrative. Well, you did if you had read the Marvel comic book, which came out slightly before the film. I think it might have been in the novelization by George Lucas (scratch that – Alan Dean Foster) that came out _months_ before the film did. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2026, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reexamining-star-wars-50-years-later/1026810/328 "2026-01-30T13:29:42Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > No, Luke clearly recognizes Biggs and names him when he arrives at the base. That’s one of the scenes that was restored to the “special edition.” In the original cut from 1977, that scene is not included. Biggs, as far as we know, is just one more rebel pilot who gets blown away during the Death Star attack. As **CalMeacham** says, the early scenes of Biggs on Tatooine and his reunion with Luke on Yavin were in the Marvel Comics adaptation, and in the novelization (I can confirm Cal’s memory on that). But they weren’t in the film itself. Restoring that scene also restored the bit where Red Leader meets Luke, hears Biggs bragging on him, and mentions that he knew Luke’s father. That goes far to explaining why Red Leader gives new guy Luke command of the final attack run, rather than trusting it to the more experienced Wedge or Biggs. He’s been given reason to believe that Luke has the right stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2026, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reexamining-star-wars-50-years-later/1026810/329 "2026-01-30T18:19:12Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > No, Luke clearly recognizes Biggs and names him when he arrives at the base. He also talks about him back in Tatooine with his aunt and uncle, before he meets Obi-Wan. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2026, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reexamining-star-wars-50-years-later/1026810/330 "2026-01-30T18:29:48Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > He also talks about him back in Tatooine with his aunt and uncle Mentions him, at least: “That’s what you said when Biggs and Tank left.” [The scene with Luke and Biggs reuniting](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptQmfQreaZk) on Tatooine early in the movie was, IMO, rightfully not ever included in the various tweaks to the film; it’s too long and too exposition-y. It’s interesting to watch, from a lore standpoint, but I recognize that it didn’t move the plot along enough. But, inclusion of the scene in the hangar bay before the attack on the Death Star does help to show the relationship between the two of them, and makes Luke’s reaction when Biggs is shot down more understandable. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2026, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reexamining-star-wars-50-years-later/1026810/331 "2026-01-30T18:33:43Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > But, inclusion of the scene in the hangar bay before the attack on the Death Star does help to show the relationship between the two of them, and makes Luke’s reaction when Biggs is shot down more understandable. It also makes more sense of Luke’s frustration when he had that Tie fighter on his tail. “Blast it, Biggs, where are you?!?” He counted on Biggs to have his back like always, but he wasn’t there when Luke needed him. That’s when Wedge steps up and saves Luke. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2026, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reexamining-star-wars-50-years-later/1026810/332 "2026-01-30T23:13:46Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > That’s one of the scenes that was restored to the “special edition.” Ah. I forgot that. > [@MrAtoz](#): > > Restoring that scene also restored the bit where Red Leader meets Luke, hears Biggs bragging on him, and mentions that he knew Luke’s father. That goes far to explaining why Red Leader gives new guy Luke command of the final attack run, rather than trusting it to the more experienced Wedge or Biggs. He’s been given reason to believe that Luke has the right stuff. Yes. The original lacked context for why rando who just showed up not even flying himself is added to the pilot list and given leadership during the run. Other than the player character rule. > [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Mentions him, at least: > > “That’s what you said when Biggs and Tank left.” > > [The scene with Luke and Biggs reuniting](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptQmfQreaZk) on Tatooine early in the movie was, IMO, rightfully not ever included in the various tweaks to the film; it’s too long and too exposition-y. Yes, it interrupts the narrative flow. When exactly was that supposed to happen? Before the droids showed up? Before Luke met Ben? The Gilligan hat didn’t help. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2026, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reexamining-star-wars-50-years-later/1026810/333 "2026-01-30T23:26:40Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > Yes, it interrupts the narrative flow. When exactly was that supposed to happen? Before the droids showed up? Before Luke met Ben? Yes, it was was meant to be before we see the droids on Tatooine; at the start of the clip, Luke is watching the battle between Leia’s ship and Vader’s Star Destroyer through his macrobinoculars. He then heads to Tosche Station to tell his friends about it. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2026, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reexamining-star-wars-50-years-later/1026810/334 "2026-01-30T23:51:38Z")
Apparently the Biggs sequences were something the Studio insisted on, because they didn’t like that the entire first half hour of the movie had barely any humans in it, so Lucas filmed it to appease them, but had no intention of including the scenes in the final edit. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2026, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reexamining-star-wars-50-years-later/1026810/335 "2026-01-31T03:12:54Z")
As mentioned, the scenes were in the novelization and the comic book adaptation. Having read that novelization at least a dozen times when I was a kid (probably more), I remember the sequence. Sometime during the boarding of the Rebel ship, we cut down to Luke working on one of the moisture vaporators. He sees some flashes in the sky, looks at them with his binoculars, and sees that it’s a space battle. He hurries back to Anchorhead and tells his friends, who don’t believe him. While he there, he sees that Biggs is there. The only remnant of this in the finished film is when 3PO starts talking about the rebellion, and Luke says, “So I _did_ see a space battle!” ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2026, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reexamining-star-wars-50-years-later/1026810/336 "2026-01-31T04:06:48Z")
> **[Star Wars IV: “Luke Sees Darth Vader Above Tattooine + Tosche Station”...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duvK6uuFwYc%2F)** > > \#StarWars #ANewHope #deletedscenesStar Wars 4Star Wars IV: A New Hope \[1977\]Tattooine, Tosche StationLuke Skywalker, Mark HamillBriggs Darklighter, Garrick H... ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2026, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reexamining-star-wars-50-years-later/1026810/337 "2026-01-31T04:48:00Z")
I read that book so many times than when I rewatched Star Wars a long time after seeing it for the first time I was confused because I _distinctly remembered_ those scenes being in the movie. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2026, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reexamining-star-wars-50-years-later/1026810/338 "2026-02-02T20:06:41Z")
In 1978, _The Star Wars Storybook_ was published with “Full-color photographs.” Not only does it have two photos of Biggs and Luke on Tatooine, it also has a photo of Luke looking skyward through his binoculars. That one book probably caused a generation’s worth of Mandela Effect. I don’t remember the Tatooine scenes with Biggs, but I could have sworn there was a very brief encounter at the Yavin base. Like two or three sentences (not the whole introduction with RedLeader). ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2026, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reexamining-star-wars-50-years-later/1026810/339 "2026-02-02T20:12:33Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > In 1978, _The Star Wars Storybook_ was published with “Full-color photographs.” Not only does it have two photos of Biggs and Luke on Tatooine, it also has a photo of Luke looking skyward through his binoculars. That one book probably caused a generation’s worth of Mandela Effect. I had that book, and it didn’t retroactively make me think I’d seen those scenes in the movie. What it _did_, was annoy me that I _didn’t_ see those scenes in the movie! I got annoyed all over again when I saw the new edited SW. They still didn’t have that scene! We got lots of stupid added in CGI bullshit, but not the one scene I’d spent decades waiting to see 😠 ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2026, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reexamining-star-wars-50-years-later/1026810/340 "2026-02-02T20:24:52Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > In 1978, _The Star Wars Storybook_ was published with “Full-color photographs.” Not only does it have two photos of Biggs and Luke on Tatooine, it also has a photo of Luke looking skyward through his binoculars. That one book probably caused a generation’s worth of Mandela Effect. I know that there were some Topps trading cards in the day that had pictures (production stills, I imagine) of Luke with the floppy hat, too. Between those, the novelization, and the picture books and such, we all “thought” we’d seen some scenes that weren’t in the original cut. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reexamining-star-wars-50-years-later/1026810.md?page=16) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reexamining-star-wars-50-years-later/1026810.md?page=18)