How a 74-Year-Old Sci-Fi Classic Inspired George Lucas’ Star Wars and Could Influence Rey’s New Jedi Order Film

Star Wars: New Jedi Order has recently begun to generate buzz as screenwriter George Nolfi unveils hints about the film’s storyline. There’s an intriguing connection being drawn to a 74-year-old sci-fi narrative, suggesting a blend of classic themes and contemporary relevance. Two years back, at Star Wars Celebration, Daisy Ridley’s announcement to reprise her role as Rey leading a New Jedi Order sparked immense excitement, illustrating that online discourse can often diverge from the fervor of actual events.

Despite the anticipation, progress on the movie has been incremental. Ridley was captivated by a unique pitch from director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, while Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy has implied a prevailing uncertainty in the galaxy regarding the necessity of the Jedi amid recent turmoil. With screenwriter Steven Knight departing the project, Nolfi stepped in, coinciding with the promotion of his latest work and providing our first substantial hints about the film’s direction.

George Nolfi’s Creative Approach Echoes George Lucas

George Lucas, X-Wings and TIE Fighters — Custom image by Debanjana Chowdhury

Nolfi has expressed a keen interest in the thematic influences from George Lucas’s original works. Most compellingly, he pointed out how Lucas’s narratives often intertwine with politics:

“If you think about George Lucas, the six movies that he did, and the universe that he created, it’s actually very steeped in broad notions of politics. It’s not talking about today, per se, but there’s the Empire’s Nazism slash Roman Empire.The democracy of the Roman Empire collapsing and becoming an empire and the perennial story of human beings organizing themselves against chaos, and then the tools that help human societies tamp down on chaos become oppression.

“So that is really very core to what I think George Lucas was trying to talk about. And one of the wonderful things about science fiction and Star Wars – which is more almost science fantasy or space opera – is that you can raise the deepest issues without it feeling like a philosophy class or a political science class, or something I read in the newspaper today…

“It can be about real things, deep things.”

Nolfi’s observation is astute; since its inception, Star Wars has woven complex political narratives into its fabric. The initial crawl of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace resonates with our current global discourse on economy and governance. While Lucas drew from the political climate of his time, his brilliance lay in connecting those elements to universal truths. One significant influence was Edward Gibbon’s *The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire*, which provided considerable historical context.

I must confess that I had not previously contemplated Star Wars through Nolfi’s lens. While my reflections have often centered on the dichotomy between light and dark, Nolfi proposes a broader examination—a galactic saga characterized by tension between order and chaos. This perspective resonates, especially given the New Republic’s fragmentation that allowed the rise of the First Order.

A Galaxy Gripped by Chaos

It’s essential to clarify that I do not equate the light side solely with order or the dark side with chaos; such a viewpoint is too reductive. For instance, the Rebel Alliance, while aligned with the light, embraced chaos to dismantle Palpatine’s tyrannical regime. Conversely, the genesis of the Jedi is intrinsically linked to the Republic’s establishment thousands of years ago, underscoring the complexities at play.

This prompts contemplation about how the Jedi would navigate an era marked by disarray. The historical parallel to the post-Roman Empire’s territorial divisions begs the question: how would the Jedi, once the stalwart defenders of the Republic, adapt when their relevance seems diminished?

Echoes of Asimov’s Foundation in Nolfi’s Vision?

This narrative bears similarities to another influential science-fiction series: Isaac Asimov’s *Foundation*, which significantly informed Lucas’s vision. Asimov’s seminal 1951 novel introduces a Galactic Empire and thematic elements that resonate with the Star Wars saga, such as the concept of hyperspace travel. Moreover, locations like Korellia—similar in name to Han Solo’s homeworld of Corellia—reflect Lucas’s inspirations.

Recently adapted into a compelling series on Apple TV+, *Foundation* draws upon the historical rise and fall of empires, mirroring themes from Star Wars. Lee Pace, a star of the show, articulated the underlying premise well:

“What [Asimov has] done here with *Foundation* is he’s looking at the Roman Empire which surrounded the Mediterranean for a certain period of time… and he’s expanded that to encompass the entire Milky Way galaxy, and you’ve got a mathematician – Hari Seldon – who predicts with mathematical certainty that my Empire is going to fall. And he’s creating a Foundation to help humans survive the Dark Ages that follow… The side of the story that I’m responsible for are the people resisting change.”

While the parallels aren’t direct, Nolfi’s thematic explorations raise questions about a potential galactic Dark Age post-New Republic and First Order. In this context, Rey’s endeavor to establish a New Jedi Order becomes critical, as the guardians of knowledge must navigate a fractured universe.

Nolfi’s approach suggests that Rey might need to adopt a more nuanced understanding of preservation and adaptability while shaping a New Jedi Order—one that embraces change instead of resisting it. Such a dialogue could lead to intriguing conflicts among the Jedi.

As these high-level ideas unfold, the essential dynamics hinge not only on philosophical themes but also on complex characters, including heroes and villains poised to capitalize on this era of chaos. Nolfi has laid the groundwork for Star Wars: New Jedi Order, but the richer story will unfold as Lucasfilm progresses further in development.