Actually, this is an example of fan theorizing that sounded pretty cool at the time, but Lucas didn’t take that direction.
“Obi Wan Kenobi” – the “Obi Wan” is, like “See Three Pio” and “Artoo Detoo” , a phonetic rendering of alphanumeric designations. But instead of C3PO and R2D2, it stands for “O.B.1”, as in “Old Ben One.” The Obi Wan Kenobi that Luke meets is really the first clone of the original Ben Kenobi.
I can think of a couple of similar situations from history.
For about 200 years, the British Army had a system where commissions could be purchased - not up to the general level, but definitely in the regimental ranks (up to Lieutenant Colonel). It was a way that, under the class system, someone sufficiently rich would not have to find himself saluting his social inferiors. Those placed were expected to “learn on the job” as it were and, if they performed well, could advance to higher ranks based on merit (of course some who merited advancement might well be stopped by someone purchasing a commission for a slot above them).
In the American Civil War, there was a distinct shortage of officers at the outset of the war - the regular U.S. army in 1860 had less than a thousand officers serving, of all ranks, most of which upon secession divided between the Union and the Confederacy (a few resigned their commission and left military service altogether). Volunteer regiments elected their regimental officers when they mustered into service; usually these men were leaders in their local community - politicians, businessmen, and the like. Some of those elected were incompetent, and the armies had to put into place examination boards to weed them out of their leadership positions. Most were conscientious about learning how to become good officers, and eventually went on to serve competently, and some with distinction.
Some Civil War generals, most but not all on the Union side, were selected or promoted to that level based on their political connections - Benjamin Butler, Nathaniel Banks, Franz Sigel, Leonidas Polk and John Floyd were some examples. Given the politics of the war and the importance on both sides of keeping the home fronts loyal, having politicians in leadership positions was important, although many in the ranks died because of their battlefield ineptitude. On the flip side, many political generals were excellent recruiters and administrators, and their support helped the fighting generals to succeed.
Historically, a “professional” military didn’t exist the way we think of it today or in relatively recent history. If you were a wealthy member of the aristocracy, you were going to be a high ranking officer or possibly an adjutant to somebody of even higher social rank, not starting out as some junior officer working their way up some non-existent ladder of merit.
Of course, I don’t think Lucas was really thinking this deeply about it at the time, either. For him, these were mainly fantasy adventure stories for kids. He caught lightning in a bottle and has spent the subsequent decades simultaneously embracing it and distancing himself from it.
My apologies for that.
That is what Star Wars fans do, after all. 
It was that, but it was also a deliberate stylistic choice. One of the inspirations Lucas drew from watching Kurosawa was the experience of watching a film as a cultural outsider, without the built-in knowledge that the filmmaker expected. If Kurosawa mentions the Sengoku period, he doesn’t need to have a character drop in a clumsy explanation of what the Sengoku period was, because a Japanese audience would already know. Throwing in, “Your father served with me during the Clone Wars,” without explaining what “the Clone Wars” were, was Lucas attempting to deliberately cultivate this effect.
Yes! I was seven, spending a summer week on the island of Nantucket with my mom. We saw Star Wars in the rather small movie theater in town. Loved it. Like you said, we were the ideal audience. We sure lucked out!
So true.
Speaking only of Star Wars, is this a good time to wonder why, if Leia knew they were being tracked, did they go right to Yavin? Why not go…anywhere, transfer to another ship, and not be tracked? Then if they don’t find a weakness, however small, in that technological terror, they won’t immediately all die die die!
Answer: because we wouldn’t get that dandy, desperate, fantastically-told battle against all odds, accompanied by the second greatest musical piece in the film, and Han saving the day. Still…
I am happy, though, that in Rogue One that it was revealed that the fault was deliberatly put there.
Yeah. And I now that. No desire to yuck anyone’s yum. Wife and I definitely lean more Trekwards than SW.
But the fandom that developed poses a challenge to anyone other than a true fan expressing opinions about the films today. The fandom kinda makes one think there OUGHT to be more to them - instead of just enjoyable adventure flicks. And that sorta makes me view them more critically than just for enjoyment.
In the 70s, I thought 4 a very enjoyable flick. I think it still holds up as that. Not sure how well any of the others hold up on their own, or how any group of the 9 hold up as an extended tale. My wife suggested today that perhaps the 1st of each trio was the best. She might be right. I think those 3 hold up the best “on their own.” I wonder how 1,4,7 would be to watch as a series. I think the 2d in each trio was crap - I’ve never really liked “transition” movies. And I thought 3 horribly ugly, 6 - teddy bears, and 9 - yuck. Just a thought.
My grandkids are 5 and 10. I’ll have to see what the eldest thinks when she finally gets around to watching them. Pretty sure my dtr is more Trek than SW, tho.
I’m not sure that Leia knew they were being tracked, though she clearly suspected it (and she was right). One could fan-wank a hypothesis that she knew that time was of the essence, and they had to get to get the plans to the Rebels ASAP.
Knew or close enough. “Ease of our escape” and all that. And that makes sense. Big honking space battlestation and they only had to fend off a few TIEs.
They still kept going for reasons of plot.
I suppose I could fanwank but the real reason is Lucas needed them to get to the next location to set up the climax of the film. And it was not the sort of movie where it was particularly important for everything to make total sense and be internally consistent. That only became more relevant with the sequels.
Lafayette was made a major general at age 19.
The rest of that quote is “if they’re looking at your hair, we’re in big trouble.” Ford was 100% right, nobody noticed Hamill’s hair, even knowing this little exchange, I don’t notice his hair.
She know because she knew the Empire better than the others and knew that one ship wouldn’t get away unless Vader wanted them to. She was a lot more with it than the others.
And who would they meet? She was trying to get the plans to somewhere when she got captured. Waiting around until she set up a meeting, especially if they were tracked, would just increase the chances the Empire would get the plans.
Ditto. And it also explained how they figured out the flaw from a gigantic set of plans in only hours.
For the OP question, I saw it when I was 25, during its initial run. What worked was that it showed us real space opera for the first time, which was amazing back then. It was also a more lived in universe than most sf from before then. That’s why the cantina scene worked so well.
I like V very much, and I liked VI if I forget about the Ewoks, since the resolution really works and is honest to Lucas’ description of the Jedi. But Star Trek ran in my impressionable years, and I’ve always liked TOS more.
George Washington was appointed a major of the Virginia militia at 21 with no military experience. Two years later he was made colonel and commander in chief of the state militia, mostly for being the highest ranking officer who wasn’t killed at Braddock’s retreat. A few years later John Adams nominated him to take command of the Continental army. Washington never commanded more than about 1,000 troops and mostly fought isolated battles, not full campaigns. But Adams hoped Washington, being a Southerner, might better convince the Southern colonies to support the Revolution.
Absolutely. To some extent, Boba Fett in Jedi was a bit of a let down. He’s this super awesome bounty hunter, but his fighting was a let down. Which it almost had to be. We couldn’t have him main or kill a main character
Yes, it sounds super cool, and from there fans were free to spin all kinds of ideas about what that meant.
The story Lucas came up with was very disappointing for something called “Clone Wars”, but it almost had to be, because by the time he got to them, fans had had two decades to spin stories.
Seeing Anakin as a child was similar, not just because he was a child, but because he was so magnificent already. Even Luke wasn’t important until after his 17th birthday. Yes, he could have had flashes of rogue force giving him little boosts now and again, but it was just too over the top.
There’s also a bit of “player character syndrome”, i.e. you want to have the main characters controlling their fate.
Even the first time, that was a bit jarring. I mean we don’t know exactly how long it’s been or what has happened with the Rebellion while Han was decorating Jabba’s lair. It’s possible there was some other action that Luke and Leia participated in before getting serious about Jabba.
But suddenly everybody is a general. I half expected them to introduce “General C3PO”. Wait, I don’t think Chewbacca got promoted to general. I guess Wookies still don’t count as people.
It’s kinda silly because that task force did not need a general to command it. A Colonel would have been sufficient. Maybe even a Captain, but that might have been confusing because Han was already a ship captain.
I mean, we did see a main character get maimed in the previous movie, so I don’t think that’s a hard bar for what they could do with Boba Fett.
He was the first in a series of SW characters (particularly villains) whom Lucasfilm teased at being cool and interesting and a major threat, but wound up getting little screen time, and being generally underwhelming. See also: Aurra Sing, Captain Phasma, etc.
The reason Boba Fett developed a fandom was because his toy was hard to get. No, really, that’s it. You had to send in proofs of purchase or something to this address you saw in an ad, to get one of the limited-edition Boba Fett action figures. Since his toy was rare, the one kid on your block who had it was super-cool. Which in turn made Fett himself cool.
Based on what he actually did, well, his greatest accomplishment was jetting himself into the belly of a monster to be digested for a thousand years. And yes, that’s canon. Anything that says that he later escaped must obviously be a mistake, because we know what really happened to him.
Plus Fett got that cartoon short on the Holiday special