The influences of the Holiday Special that are now Star Wars canon

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madalorian rifle holiday special

How the Star Wars Holiday Special has influenced the formal canon

While the Star Wars Holiday Special is infamously famous as a piece of hot garbage derided by most viewers, thanks to its modern availability on the internet, it has become a bit of a cult film.

For this writer, I'll probably never choose to watch it again, except for the Boba Fett cartoon sequence which is quite entertaining as a side story. I like it so much, I even have the hoodie of this Fett!
And it's Boba Fett that brings us here today. 
The Mandalorian features this rifle, and yep, it looks like it was inspired by the one Fett used in the Special.
The show also makes a reference to Life Day. 

mandalorian rifle

Did you spy it yet? Yes, the style of that weapon is remarkably similar to that which the Special Edition 
Take for example the plot point about Chewbacca. Chewie is returning home to visit his family for Life Day on the planet of Kyshkkk. 
You may recognise that name as it was featured in the Revenge of the Sith. Yes, the name of Chewie's planet was taken from the Holiday Special.

wookie battle revenge sith

The original designs for the Special featured the Wookie homes in the trees which I think was inspired by the work of concept designer Ralph McQuarrie. These elements eventually made their way into the Ewok tree village in Jedi and the Revenge of the Sith.

Chewbacca, son of Attichitcuk

The Han Solo movie took things a step further when Chewbacca introduced himself to Han.

Their exchange:

Han: “So what's your name?”

Chewbacca: “Chewbacca, son of Attichitcuk”

And where does that name Attichitcuk come from? Yes, it is Chewie's father in the special.

Attichitcuk from Holiday Special Star Wars

The influence of the Special also extends to the Clone Wars television series. 

In The Mandalore Plot episode of 2010, the elongated Mandalorian helmets are based on Boba Fett's cartoon version.

The version of C-3PO on the 2001 Star Wars: Clone Wars was animated in a style that paid homage to the animation style of C-3PO in the Special.

The Book of Boba Fett also makes a reference to the Mythosaur Boba rode in the cartoon segment of the Special:
mythosaur boba fett



Paul Rose Jr, Editor In Chief
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Paul Rose Jr has worked as TV News Producer, Forensic Analyst, and Train Conductor, among many other things. He’s the former TV Editor for Infuzemag.com and owns more books, DVDs, and comics than most people have seen in their lifetimes. When he’s not writing articles, he exercises his creative muscle writing screenplays and acting in film and television in Los Angeles, CA.

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