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7-1 Final Project
Southern New Hampshire University
IDS-404 Popular Culture
Dr. Budaj
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Star Wars was created by George Lucas and released in theaters on May 25, 1977
(Britannica, 2022). This space opera was later retitled as Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope.
Star Wars was met with immediate box office success. The film originally only opened in 42
theaters and earned close to $3 million in its first week. By the end of the summer of 1977, the
film had grossed $100 million (Britannica, 2022). The success of Star Wars prompted two sequels,
Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back in 1980, and Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of
the Jedi in 1983 (Britannica, 2022). Over 20 years after the debut of the Star Wars universe George
Lucas released his second set of trilogy movies that includes Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom
Menace in 1999, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones in 2002, and Star Wars III – Revenge
of the Sith in 2005 (Britannica, 2022). The franchise continues to remain popular with old and new
fans, merchandise grows with clothing, action figures, video games, and a book series. Disney+
has allowed for the franchise to have growth through films and television shows.
Star Wars has had an impact on society for 45 years. Prior to the release of A New Hope
science fiction was portrayed in a very specific way. The majority of films were set in the future
and included some type of alien. Star Wars, however, was set in the past and took place in a “galaxy
far, far away”. The characters in A New Hope were also faced with real world dilemmas. For
example, Luke Skywalker yearned to leave his planet, Tatooine. This showed his internal struggle
and yearning for an adventure (Montoya, 2020). The Star Wars films also helped make changes in
film production. George Lucas was responsible for finding new ways to make his films more
visually appealing. The release of A New Hope changed pop culture as we knew it. In 1977 children
were excited to buy all the Star Wars merchandise. The children wanted to have the action figures
and the spaceships for both the Rebellion and the Empire. This merchandise was some of the first
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that started being collected by adults (Montoya, 2020). This franchise continues to grow in
popularity and bring people together because of their mutual love of the films and franchise.
You can see how the Star Wars franchise has affected society when you exam the situation from a
social science perspective. I think that society has also had an impact on the movies. Star Wars is still
relevant today and has a significant influence on popular culture. The latest trilogy of films includes Star
Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens in 2015, Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi in 2017, and
Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker in 2019. This set of films introduced us to the female
protagonist, Rey. Rey has seemingly been abandoned by her parents and she lives alone on her planet,
Jakku. Rey taught herself how to survive and does not yet realize her full potential or capabilities. While
Rey was not the first female character in the Star Wars galaxy, she is the first female lead character. When
asked about finally creating a female lead, director J.J. Abrams expressed the need to have sci-fi films
reflect reality. He stated that he wanted “to make the film look and feel more like the way the world looks
and feels” (Wicks, 2015). In 2015 male characters were on screen two times more than female characters.
Male characters also spoke twice as often as their female counterparts. Even with Rey, played by Daisy
Ridley, being the female lead of The Force Awakens, the male characters typically had more screen and
speaking time (GDIQ, 2015). In 2015 films with a female lead character grossed 15.8% more than movies
with a male lead (GDIQ, 2015). It seems there needs to be more directors and writers willing to cast strong
female characters in leading roles.
The social science lens views the actions of humans in their social environment. Specifically, the
lens of social science looks at our relations, relationships, and societies (SNHU, n.d.). The Star Wars
franchise looks at good, the Rebellion, versus evil, the Empire. The storylines focus on the corrupt leaders
in the Empire, the dark side, and how the Rebellion, the light side, tries to take away their power. The
different planets in the Star Wars galaxy are shown to be quite different. Some are shown to be poor and
barren, while others are shown to be wealthy and fertile. The characters are all from different planets and
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have a wide range of back stories. Some are from a loving, two-parent family, while others were abandoned
by their parents and do not know about their history.
Star Wars has had an impact on popular culture for the past 45 years. Star Wars is a space
fantasy or space opera, even though the setting is science fiction. Star Wars affects institutions
such as politics, community, family, economy, and education. The main story line is political in
Star Wars. The rise of the Empire shows how it can be dangerous to give one person all the power.
Star Wars also highlights how a government that is weak can be a threat to democracy (Kenny &
Casey, 2021). Star Wars portrays the Galactic Republic to be a “dysfunctional political system”
(Kenny & Casey, 2021). The Galactic Republic’s senate is packed with delegates who
continuously disagree with each other. No one has confidence in the leadership. They have no
military and cannot agree enough to get their military together. This leads to Chancellor Palpatine
gaining emergency powers, leading to the Senate begging him to stay in office. This is the
beginning of the Empire gaining control. An overly feeble regime fails, and individuals turn to the
leader they see as strong (Kenny & Casey, 2021). Star Wars portrays the risk of having rival
guardians of political order, and no easy way to pick between the two.
Star Wars has a significant impact on education. George Lucas, the creator of the franchise,
said “I love history, so while the psychological basis of ‘Star Wars’ is mythological, the political
and social bases are historical” (Klein, 2022). The stormtroopers were named after the paramilitary
fighters who defended Nazi Germany (Klein, 2022). Darth Vader’s helmet and the uniforms of the
Imperial officers resemble those of the German Army during World War II. Chancellor Palpatine’s
rise to Emperor mirrored that of Adolf Hitler (Klein, 2022). Emperor Palpatine’s inspiration
actually came from former U.S. President Richard Nixon. George Lucas stated that the concept
for Star Wars was born because of what was happening with President Nixon at the time. This was
also during the time of the Vietnam War. When the Rebel Alliance attacked the Galactic Empire,
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it was made to look like the battles taking place in Vietnam. It was an “insurgent force and a global
superpower” (Klein, 2022). The destruction of Princess Leia’s home, Alderaan, by the Death Star
is a representation of nuclear weapons. In the 1970s and 1980s the United States and Soviet Union
had a tense relationship. This was made worse with the threat of nuclear weapons.
Star Wars mirrors our world, even though it is set “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far
away” (Lucas, 1977, 0:20:00). The Galactic Republic was a democratic union that was in charge
of the government of the galaxy. The Republic was ruled by the Galactic Senate. These officials
were elected to office by the citizens if each world (Galactic Republic, n.d.). The Jedi Knights are
the peacekeepers of the Republic. All of these can easily be transformed to fit our society. The
United States has a senate leadership which is voted on by the citizens of individual states. The
Jedi Knights are like our peacekeepers – police officers and the military.
Star Wars continues to highlight political corruption throughout its films. George Lucas
crafted his characters by looking at “theology, mysticism, and mythology” (Klein, 2022). Star
Wars shows us how it plays out when you have two rivals each trying to gain/regain control of the
Republic and political order. More people either have seen or will see the Star Wars movies, than
will try to understand the risks of our current “democratic decay in our society” (Kenny & Casey,
2021).
The Star Wars franchise does a good job to broaden an outsider’s understanding of
cultures and societies. This is due to the creator using real world situations for his inspiration in
the films. Creator George Lucas credits influences from Asian cultures, particularly via the
Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa’s film, The Hidden Fortress. Mr. Lucas has also drawn
from the philosophy and religions from Asian cultures (Metraux, 2021). In the Tao, all things are
connected to the Force. “The Force” in Star Wars uses a similar concept. Star Wars also has a
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very specific good versus evil storyline, which is unlike the concept of yin and yang (Metraux,
2021). Even certain character names are “stylized into languages that sound Asian” (Metraux,
2021). Some examples of this include the “Han” in Han Solo is a Chinese ethnic group, and the
spelling of Darth Vader is close to the Dutch meaning of “dark father” (Metraux, 2021).
The Star Wars franchise has worked on creating a universe that has diverse characters.
This includes increasing the diversity of the characters’ races, genders, and sexual orientations.
J.J. Abrams has been credited with the introduction of strong, female lead characters in the Star
Wars franchise. He said he wanted the films to better represent how our world looks and feels. In
addition, Mr. Abrams also introduced the first African American and Latino leading male
characters. The most current Star Wars trilogy contains numerous examples of how the franchise
has deepened its understanding of social justice and equality. Since the release of the most recent
Star Wars films, it can be argued that a majority of the main characters are women or people of
color (Williams, 2020). By featuring women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ
community in their films Star Wars has improved both as a brand and a franchise, making the
Star Wars community more inclusive and tolerant throughout their most recent trilogy.
The main theme throughout the films is good versus evil. Also included is how the people
in the Rebel Alliance have to work together for the greater good. The management of human
resources fits into this as well. It will be my responsibility, along with my team, to build a
relationship with the company’s workforce. Having a workplace full of contented, successful
coworkers and team members is our ultimate goal.
I can use the abilities I have acquired through critical analysis to tackle large problems and
deconstruct them into manageable tasks and objectives. This ability can be applied to both smaller
team goals and daily chores. Human Resources Management encompasses more than just payroll,
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recruiting, and firing. I will be able to teach my team and other employees how to handle
circumstances better if I have these critical analytical skills.
I was born in 1975 so my childhood was pop culture – the movies, music, art, and clothing.
I have always been aware of pop culture, and it frequently played a significant role in my youth
and adolescence. I have never thought about researching pop culture. To me it is something to
enjoy, not break down and analyze. Since starting this class I have become more aware of how
many things are considered to be popular culture. This term I decided to write about Star Wars. I
didn’t really get the movies’ relevance and background until I started to examine them in depth. I
have seen ever film in the series, and I have shared my enthusiasm for it with my children. The
history and symbolism that went into developing the characters and films excite me more and more
every week.
I feel like since I began this class, I have been able to view my community in a new light.
Lately I have noticed that I look at things through the interdisciplinary lenses. Sometimes this is
historical, humanities, social sciences, and/or sciences. This is done when watching or listening to
movies, music, and podcasts. Sometimes I even do it when I am viewing trending topics or stories
on Twitter. When I start to think about my biases my first reaction is that I don’t have any. Upon
further examination and being truthful with myself I know that we all have biases. One thing I am
critical of is when a book becomes a movie and they either cut it down to nothing or leave out
important story lines. (I also do not like book covers that feature movie posters.) This bias leads
me to pass on movies based on books because I am afraid they won’t do justice to the story. I also
won’t read a book if the cover is a movie poster. This bias could lead me to missing out on good
movies or shows and great books.
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With the knowledge I have gained from this course, I can now assess my life using the four
interdisciplinary lenses in order to better comprehend it. I can use these abilities to see the bigger
picture to make a difference in my daily life. These abilities may help me better comprehend
problems that affect my community, such as the shortage of affordable housing.
By giving me the abilities to comprehend and sympathize with those around me, critical
analysis of popular culture might facilitate my interactions with those who hold various values,
opinions, and perspectives. These skills will allow me to speak more effectively and without
coming across as rude or callous by enabling me to break down the problem or issue. I will also
be able to view social issues from a different perspective; even though it does not directly affect
me does not mean it is not significant to the people I care about.
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References
Author unknown. (2015). The reel truth: women aren’t seen or heard. Geena Davis Inclusion
Quotient. https://seejane.org/research-informs-empowers/data/
Beattie, A. (2022, April 20). Why is the Star Wars franchise so valuable? Investopedia.
https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/102215/why-star-wars-franchise-so-
valuable.asp
Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. (2022, July 27). Star Wars. Britannica.
https://britannica.com/topic/Star-Wars-film-series
Galactic Republic. (n.d.). Star Wars.com. https://www.starwars.com/databank/galactic-republic
Kenny, D. & Casey, C. (2021, November 18). What Star Wars Can Teach Us About the Decline
of Democracy. https://theconversation.com/amp/what-star-wars-can-teach-us-about-the-
decline-of-democracy-171711
Klein, C. (2022, May 4). The Real History That Inspired “Star Wars”. HISTORY.
https://history.com/news-the-real-history-that-inspired-star-wars
Lucas, G. (Director). (1977). Star Wars Episode IV – A New Hope [Film]. Lucasfilm Ltd.
Metraux, J. (2021, October 7). Is Star Wars Cultural Appropriation? JSTOR Daily.
https://daily.jstor.org/is-star-wars-cultural-appropriation/
Montoya, A. (2020, March 15). How Star Wars impacted cinema and pop culture forever. The
Beacon Beat. https://thebeaconbeat.org/2020/03/15/how-star-wars-impacted-cinema-and-
pop-culture-forever/
SNHU. (n.d.). The lenses identified. SNHU Shapiro Library.
https://libguides.snhu.edu/c.php?g=942743&p=6795689
Star Wars. (n.d.). Rey. Star Wars. https://starwars.com/databank/rey
