Unraveling the Mystery: ET's Epic Star Wars Cameo
Discover the fascinating connection between ET and Star Wars universe Unveiling the mysterious cameo of ET in the iconic film series, explore the intriguing reasons behind his inclusion in the Galactic Republic A captivating link bridging two beloved worlds
Highlights
The inclusion of ET in Star Wars shows the appreciation and friendship between directors Steven Spielberg and George Lucas.
The inclusion of ET in Star Wars not only expanded the role of his species in the Star Wars universe, but also offered an enjoyable Easter egg and a tribute to the interconnectedness of Spielberg and Lucas's cinematic worlds.
Steven Spielberg released E.T. the Extra Terrestrial in 1982, and during this time, George Lucas was gaining immense popularity with the first two Star Wars movies: A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. After their individual success, both directors decided to collaborate on a joint film franchise called Indiana Jones.
The Star Wars films and E.T. explore the vast universe, housing numerous extraterrestrial creatures. It may not be surprising that ET and his kind would be present in the Star Wars universe. However, it is rare for characters from completely different cinematic universes to come together in a single story.
When Does ET Appear in Star Wars?
ET's appearance in Star Wars is a remarkable display of two eminent directors expressing their admiration for each other. It not only embodies their friendship but also acknowledges their respective filmmaking prowess. Despite being a brief cameo, it provided a platform for both fans and non-canonical authors to delve into the significance of ET's species within the expansive Star Wars universe.
While the release of the original Star Wars trilogy and E.T. happened within a span of six years (1977-83), it took nearly two decades for Spielberg's extraterrestrial character to make a brief appearance in Lucas' fantastical world of Jedi and droids. Conversely, Star Wars is set in a distant past, implying that Spielberg's iconic film from 1982 might occur many years after the events of the Star Wars saga.
The Asogian people, resembling ET, had their Star Wars cameo in 1999 in Episode I of the franchise, called The Phantom Menace. During the scene where Queen Amidala questions Chancellor Valorum and demands a vote of no confidence, the Asogian people can be briefly seen in the Grand Convocation Chamber, waving their arms. It's unclear whether they support or oppose Amidala's request.
Even though this is their only appearance in the Star Wars universe, the Asogian cameo opened up opportunities for other storytelling modes to explore their role. One example is the 89th issue of the Star Wars Legends comic book series (Star Wars 89), released just a year after Return of the Jedi. This comic tells the tale of Braxas, an Asogian who escaped his home world with Luke Skywalker after the Galactic Empire took control.
The Asogian have made a few other appearances — mostly in Star Wars Legends — but those were all erased from the canonical storyline of Star Wars after Lucasfilms was purchased by Disney. Nevertheless, for certain fans, this is insufficient to eliminate their role from the plot, considering that it was not particularly significant to begin with.
Why ET Was Included in Star Wars
During the 1980s, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg developed a close working relationship while working together on the Indiana Jones franchise. As a tribute to one another, they both agreed to incorporate cameo appearances of each other's movie creations into their own films. Interestingly, George Lucas made his final cameo appearance in Steven Spielberg's film, ET's The Phantom Menace.
The first cameo occurred in 1981, within the inaugural installment of the Indiana Jones film series, Raiders of the Lost Ark. While Indy explores an ancient temple, the presence of R2D2 and C3PO can be observed, immortalized through intricate engravings within a pillar, symbolizing Egyptian hieroglyphs. Furthermore, another cameo from the Star Wars universe manifested itself in the sequel, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, wherein the establishment frequented by Indy is titled "Club Obi Wan," paying homage to the revered Jedi master, Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Spielberg went a step further by including a Star Wars cameo in E.T. During the Halloween scene, when ET is dressed up and following Elliot for trick-or-treating, a Yoda-costumed person captures the little alien's attention. ET mistakenly believes that the child in the costume is also an alien, repeating the word "home" as he tries to follow the Yoda character. Eventually, Elliot intervenes and brings ET back.
Initially, this scene was just a humorous moment with a pop culture reference. However, in retrospect, it can be seen as possible evidence of Asogian's existence in the Star Wars universe. ET not only recognizes the costume as resembling another alien, but also as Yoda himself, whom ET might have known or heard stories about. Although Lucas and Spielberg collaborated on the next two Indiana Jones films, they did not include any more cross-cinematic-universe cameos.
Following the third Indiana Jones movie, Lucas took a break from releasing films until The Phantom Menace in 1999. During this time, he hadn't reciprocated Spielberg's inclusion of a cameo in his own movies. Hence, he decided to incorporate the character ET into Star Wars, considering that ET belongs to an extraterrestrial species, which is abundant in the Star Wars universe. These well-hidden cameos are easily overlooked by casual viewers, yet they serve as delightful Easter eggs that allow the two acclaimed directors to acknowledge each other's contributions within their respective realms of expertise.
