First things first, I am very much aware that not everyone is interested in sci-fi (science fiction), so as to not waste anyone’s time, this post is me asking a sci-fi question that relates to the Star Wars franchise and space travel. So if sci-fi and/or Star Wars are of no interest to you, right about now is where you can turn back and spend your time on something else, but if you do want to read on anyway, you’re most welcome. Also, I’m sure it goes without saying that if at some point in time you intend to, but haven’t yet watched, Star Wars: The Last Jedi (T.L.J) and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (R.O), then this is a spoiler alert, so also, this would be a good time to turn back, but still if you want to read on, you’re most welcome.
If you didn’t already know, I am a big fan of Star Wars. I have watched all the all the movies and actually do have them in my classic movies collection and dammit my kids will grow to love Star Wars (SW) too, whether they like it or not or so help me God. I remember growing up I had very very minimal exposure to it, save for a children’s book that mainly featured R2-D2 and C3-PO and the iconic “I am your father” line by Darth Vader that somehow made its way into a lot of other shows or movies, pop culture I suppose. With time, I developed an interest in SW and in 2014, I finally got to watch the movies when I was eighteen years old. I watched all of them just A FEW WEEKS BEFORE MY FINAL EXAMS instead of studying, so you can tell how invested I was in them (hmm, that and other factors probably explains my results, but that is another story). At that time, there were only six movies. You can imagine how excited I was when plans were made to make new movies.
Now, four years later, there are ten SW movies available and like I said before, I’ve watched them all. I’ve come across multiple SW fan theories, analysis, stories, memes and they all are a pleasure but just recently, I’ve began to wonder something about SW on a more practical and realistic side of things because I think I’ve spotted a bit of confusion or inconsistency in the franchise. Before I ask my question, directed to anyone reading this who might be able to answer, I do have to state that my SW knowledge and exposure is only limited to the movies. I have no knowledge on the animated series, comic books, novels or any other form that the material exists in, so with that said, forgive me if my questions seems shallow or not well thought out or obvious even.
My question is, HOW DOES STAR WARS TREAT OR DEAL WITH SPACE?
In terms of space travel in general, we know for a fact that space is a vacuum, which means there is no air, and that there is no gravity, which means literally everything floats in space, the is no gravity to hold it down (just like your ex said he/she would do yet here you are, someone’s ex. *sips tea*). We also know for a fact that if there is a container with air in it, and there is a breach, that air and other contents of the container will be sucked into the vacuum of space. All these are established facts that we as humans have gotten to know easily or the hard way.
At this point, you’re probably thinking non of this matters since SW is sci-fi so some rules or reality can be ignored, but hear me out and let me present my case against SW in the criminal court of fandom. Let’s begin with the best SW movie in my opinion, *Rogue One (RO). In one of the final scenes, at the 2:05:00 mark, we see Darth Vader and his stormtroopers looking on as the ship with the stolen Death Star plans escapes in space. Three seconds later, at 2:05:03, we get a shot of the escaping ship in the background and Darth Vader in the foreground. At the first mark I mentioned, when we see Darth Vader, his cape is moving, like he’s standing in a windy area. Then in the second mark, we can clearly see that there is no barrier or force field that separates atmosphere within a ship and space, as is with most sci-fi movies, which leads me to ask the following:
- Why is his cape moving yet there is no wind, or air for that matter?
- How is he and his stormtroopers moving casually as if there is gravity when there is non?
- How the hell are they still alive?
As I thought of this, I concluded that one thing that can maybe answer all of these is that SW does not pay attention to the normal rules of space. If that is the case, then okay, fine, I understand and have no further questions….but then there is The Last Jedi.
In T.L.J, which was meh in my opinion and has some plot points whose relevance I didn’t get, there is the scene when Princess Leia’s, ship is attacked and suffers heavy damages and the loss of many crew members. During the attack, of the crew members that were jettisoned into space, Princess Leia is one of them, God bless the soul of Carrie Fisher. Because she is force sensitive, I understand that she was able to survive in space and make her way back to the ship, fine, but then on her way back, at the 32:16 mark, that is when the inconsistency happens. In the wreckage, she FLOATS past FLOATING pieces of debris, which is in direct conflict with the R.O scene I mentioned above, when Darth Vader and his goons are not floating but yet are also exposed to space and not protected by any force field. So it is then hard to say SW ignores rules of space yet in this particular scene in T.L.J, the rules are obeyed, hence the inconsistency. And, after obeying the rules, just a few seconds later, they are broken again as Poe and his crew mates rush to meet Leia at the opening door. Nothing and no one is sucked into space. So this direct opposition then makes me ask the question HOW DOES STAR WARS TREAT OR DEAL WITH SPACE? One minute the rules are ignored, the next they are being obeyed, then broken again…..I NEED ANSWERS, PEOPLE.
Also, as a general question regarding space travel, I recently watched a short film on YouTube, titled The Stowaway, and at some point they talk of having to jettison this girl who had snuck onto the ship because her added weight would make the ship burn more fuel and in the end, the ship wouldn’t be able to reach its destination. So as a general question of space, without paying attention to take off or landing, does the fuel consumption of a ship differ during the journey because more weight has been added? Since we already know that things are effectively weightless in space. I have nothing to argue against here, I’m just curious
To conclude I do love SW and will always. I’m not faulting it for anything, lol, but these are just questions I tend to ask myself sometimes so, if anyone has answers to my above questions, please, do let me know.
Instagram: @clivengonie_
Email: ngoniemujuru@outlook.com
*I can go on for days why Rogue One is the best SW movie. If you have a different opinion that’s cool too but yeah, I said what I said.
Ps…people say BB-8 is cute and all but it/she/he honestly annoys me….but oh well.
The Ardor 