TheStar Wars Holiday Specialisn’t exactly popular (George Lucas himself wanted to destroy all copies), but it has one surprisingly prophetic element. Releasing a little over a year afterA New Hope,The Star Wars Holiday Specialis as comedic as it is bizarre. It’s developed something of a reputation for being “so bad, it’s good” nowadays, and some recent releases have lower Rotten Tomatoes audience scores than theHoliday Special’s 25%.
Author Jon Bradley Snyder pointed out the greatest flaw to theHoliday Special; it’s extremely dated, unlike the rest of theStar Warsoriginal trilogy, which feels timeless. This is in spite of the important elements introduced in theHoliday Special, including the onscreen debut of Boba Fett and the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk. The special also introduced a communications grid that now seems invaluable to theStar Warsgalaxy.
The Holiday Special Introduced The Holonet
A massive part of Star Wars lore
TheHoliday Specialsees Chewbacca’s family members (his wife Mallatobuck, his father Attichitcuk, and his son Lumpawaroo) tune in to the Holonet to communicate with Rebel heroes like Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker or watch cooking or entertainment programs.The Holonet is the Star Wars galaxy’s equivalent to the internet, and it debuted in theHoliday Special. Despite its infamously poor reception, this makesThe Holiday Specialsurprisingly important to theStar Warsmythos.
The Holiday Special’s Holonet Is Surprisingly Prophetic
Star Wars predicted the internet
Naturally, as theStar Warsgalaxy’s counterpart to the internet,the Holonet plays an incredibly important role in the franchise. Bounty hunters use the Holonet when tracking their targets, citizens keep up to date with galactic events via Holonet news networks, and groups like the Rebel Alliance and Galactic Empire used the Holonet for communication. The Holonet was, naturally, heavily censored by the Empire.
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The Holonet is most often used for communication, and this has become even more prophetic as the years have passed. The COVID pandemic saw the internet repurposed around communication, with Zoom becoming particularly important. It’s somewhat amusing to see thatStar Warsdid this first.
During the Clone Wars, the Separatists had their own alternative version of the Holonet known as the CIS Shadowfeed.
Of course, given how invaluable the real-world internet is in the 2020s, theHoliday Special’sintroduction of the Holonet is one of the few elements of the property that does not feel dated. Chewbacca’s family members use the Holonet to help prepare for their Life Day celebration, check on Chewbacca’s progress during his journey home, and stave off boredom during the wait. While unintentional,The Star Wars Holiday Specialdepicts theStar Warsgalaxy’s version of the internet relatively realistically by today’s standards.
The Star Wars Holiday Special
Cast
The Star Wars Holiday Special is a 1978 television special set in the Star Wars universe, featuring the original trilogy cast. The plot centers around Chewbacca and Han Solo’s efforts to reach the Wookiee homeworld to celebrate Life Day with Chewbacca’s family. This special includes musical numbers, animated segments, and guest appearances.
