I Can't Believe Star Wars' Most Outdated Story Also Predicted The Whole Of Modern Life
The Star Wars Holiday Special isn't exactly popular (George Lucas himself wanted to destroy all copies), but it has one surprisingly prophetic element. Releasing a little over a year after A New Hope, The Star Wars Holiday Special is 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 the Holiday Special's 25%.
Author Jon Bradley Snyder pointed out the greatest flaw to the Holiday Special; it's extremely dated, unlike the rest of the Star Wars original trilogy, which feels timeless. This is in spite of the important elements introduced in the Holiday 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 the Star Wars galaxy.
The Holiday Special Introduced The Holonet
A massive part of Star Wars lore
The Holiday Special sees 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 the Holiday Special. Despite its infamously poor reception, this makes The Holiday Special surprisingly important to the Star Wars mythos.
The Holiday Special’s Holonet Is Surprisingly Prophetic
Star Wars predicted the internet
Naturally, as the Star Wars galaxy’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.
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 that Star Wars did 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, the Holiday Special’s introduction 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 Special depicts the Star Wars galaxy’s version of the internet relatively realistically by today’s standards.
Upcoming Star Wars Movies | Release Date |
|---|---|
The Mandalorian & Grogu | May 22, 2026 |
The Star Wars Holiday Special
- Release Date
- November 17, 1978
- Runtime
- 97 minutes
- Director
- Steve Binder, David Acomba
- Writers
- Rod Warren, Bruce Vilanch, Pat Proft, Leonard Ripps, Mitzie Welch
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.
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