Once upon a time, “Star Wars” was king of the world. Since its beginning in 1977, George Lucas’ astronomically successful trilogy — comprising “Star Wars,” “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi” — captivated audiences of all ages, earned millions at the box office and in merchandise sales, spawned countless knockoffs, and essentially paved the way for modern Hollywood, for better or worse. Without “Star Wars,” Lucasfilm, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), and the THX sound system do not exist, nor do LucasArts, Skywalker Sound, or Pixar Animation. 

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Yeah, “Star Wars” was a big deal.

So, it made sense that Lucas would continue to milk his franchise for all its worth. In 1997, 14 years following the release of “Return of the Jedi” and two years before “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace,” Lucas re-released the original trilogy in newly minted “Special Editions,” featuring a plethora of changes, some controversial, some essential, designed to update the older pictures to the present-day aesthetic. In other words, more CGI.

At the time, audiences relished the chance to see Luke (Mark Hamill), Han (Harrison Ford), and Leia (Carrie Fisher) on the big screen once more, leading to box office gold. Still, the added digital effects, goofy humor, and additional dialogue caused outrage, prompting fans to create their own “De-Specialized Editions” without any of the additional scenes and effects. At any rate, Lucas’ alterations left a lasting imprint on the franchise, and these are the 10 biggest changes to “Star Wars” in the Special Editions.

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For every positive change to the “Star Wars” trilogy, two or three exist that don’t make much sense. Most significantly, Lucas curiously altered the scene in which Han Solo blows the bejesus out of a nosy bounty hunter named Greedo (Maria De Aragon). In the original bit, the black-eyed alien confronts Han at gunpoint in the Mos Eisley cantina. The pair exchange words, with Greedo threatening to turn Han over to Jabba the Hutt to collect the lucrative bounty on his head. Naturally, our hero remains unfazed, silently drawing his blaster and using it to blow Greedo to bits. No questions asked.

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In the updated version, the scene remains unchanged — except the key moment when Han fires his weapon. Rather than shooting Greedo in cold blood and proving himself a formidable space cowboy, Han waits for his enemy to fire first before discharging his blaster.

Ugh.

Not only does the new scene look wonky, especially in the 1997 version, but it weakens Hans’s character, turning him from a bada** who doesn’t take s*** from anyone into less of a bada** who allows others to get the drop on him before making his move. There was even another version released later that had Greedo inexplicably shout, “Macklunkey!” Lucas has offered plenty of reasons for the change and even contends the Special Edition iteration was his intent all along. aA Dr. Evil would say, “Riiiiiiiight.”

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Here’s an idea: Restore the original version and allow the world to see the cool Han we all grew up idolizing.   

Legend has it that Lucas decided to create the Special Editions and the prequels after he saw the technological advancements achieved in Steven Spielberg’s “Jurassic Park.” Long annoyed with the primitive special effects of the late 1970s, Lucas couldn’t wait to give his masterpiece a new coat of paint.

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While purists will always prefer the original version of “Star Wars,” janky models and all, we’re not too bothered by the updates to the iconic third act when Luke and a host of Rebel pilots attack the dreaded Death Star. Lucasfilm does a fine job incorporating newly rendered CGI models into the picture without sacrificing too much of the original battle. Honestly, the results are thrilling, specifically the bit where Wedge Antilles (Denis Lawson) saves Luke by blasting through a TIE Fighter. Initially, he blasts the TIE Fighter, and then the camera cuts to show Wedge’s X-Wing flying away. In the new version, we see his ship fly out of the explosion — a minor addition, sure, but it’s also a cool visual treat.  

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Now, this might sound like a nitpick, but portions of John Williams’ classic score are altered during this sequence in the Special Edition to make way for louder sound effects. Not a big deal. On the other hand, it is weird that Lucas didn’t find a way to incorporate the “Imperial March,” given its prominence in the prequels and sequels. 

Another significant change that’s more silly than necessary is the inclusion of Jabba the Hutt in “A New Hope.” We only hear about the famed gangster via dialogue until he makes his anticipated big-screen debut in “Return of the Jedi” as a giant, slug-like creature. Lucas had other plans initially and cast actor Declan Mulholland to portray a very human-looking Jabba in “Star Wars” for a scene with Han Solo that was ultimately removed from the finished film. Lucas reinserted the scene for the Special Edition and replaced Mulholland with a CGI Jabba that looked more aligned with his “ROTJ” counterpart. 

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More impressively, the digital wizards at ILM made Han step on Jabba’s tail and believably interact with the fully animated model. It’s not perfect, but the 1997 version was an exciting addition for its day, even if it stops the film dead in its tracks and rehashes dialogue from Han’s confrontation with Greedo.

Over the years, Lucas has adjusted this scene in various releases, mostly to improve the effects. 

Following the release of “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith,” Lucas made additional changes to the original trilogy to incorporate details from the prequels for continuity’s sake. Again, some of these fixes, notably changing Boba Fett’s voice in “The Empire Strikes Back” from Jason Wingreen to Temuera Morrison, are fine, but others are a tad more baffling.

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Before Darth Vader (David Prowse/James Earl Jones) tosses the Emperor (Ian McDiarmid) into the Death Star’s reactor shaft in “Return of the Jedi,” we see the internal conflict brewing inside the dark lord of the Sith. He must either slay his master and save his son, Luke, to restore balance to the Force, or let Luke fry and fully succumb to the Dark Side. Thankfully, he opts for the former, heroically vanquishing the galaxy’s greatest threat once and for all. It’s one of the saga’s single most powerful moments, and it didn’t require any tinkering.

Lucas being Lucas, in the Blu-ray release in 2011, he decided to add an extra dose of hokum to the proceedings by making Vader firmly state, “No!,” before saving the universe. The cringy beat hearkens back to the end of “Revenge of the Sith” when a newly designed Vader screams after learning about the death of Padme (Natalie Portman). Regardless of the connection, its a pointless addition that cheapens a memorable cinematic moment.

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Another miscalculation on Lucas’ part also occurs in “Return of the Jedi.” During the admittedly cheesy finale featuring a silly Ewok celebration, Luke steps away from the festivities and catches a glimpse of three Force ghost figures staring back at him: Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness), Yoda (Frank Oz), and the recently deceased Anakin Skywalker (Sebastian Shaw). The trio smiles at the young Jedi, and everything ends happily ever after.

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For the 2004 DVD, and likely to generate more hype for the yet-to-be-released “Revenge of the Sith,” Lucas swapped Sebastian Shaw with Hayden Christensen. Um, yeah. The switch makes zero sense, especially since Luke likely wouldn’t recognize the younger iteration of his father, and the effect is more distracting than elating. Rather than replace Shaw’s entire body with Christensen’s, Lucas sticks the young actor’s head atop the older actor’s body, resulting in a jarring visual beat. Moreover, Christensen carries a creepy expression throughout his appearance, staring at Luke like he stared at Padme in “Attack of the Clones.”

Overall, Anakin’s Force Ghost was superior in its original form and didn’t require a makeover. Still, many contend that Christensen’s appearance in “Ahsoka” gives the controversial change a nice pay off. Take that as you will.

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Lucas mostly left “The Empire Strikes Back” unscathed. Whatever changes he made — such as giving us a wider view of Cloud City — were positive, with a few notable exceptions, such as making Luke scream after leaping off the platform to escape Darth Vader.

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Still, the most critical change he made to the picture was swapping Marjorie Eaton’s creepy Emperor for Ian McDiarmid’s iteration, which is seen throughout the remainder of the franchise. The original hologram effect certainly gives viewers the willies, as the hooded figure appears disfigured underneath a thick blanket of shadows. McDiarmid, added for the 2004 DVD set, looks sharper and makes sense from a continuity perspective. Seeing the Emperor in “Return of the Jedi” was always a bit jarring, as he looked nothing like the man seen in the hologram, aside from the cloak. He even sounded different, with Clive Revill’s deeper vocals clashing against McDiarmid’s raspier delivery.

Lucas also changed the dialogue in the scene. Originally, the conversation was very cryptic, with Vader and Palpatine discussing Luke as a potential threat. The newer exchange adds more weight by having Vader shocked to learn Luke’s true identity. When told he is the offspring of Anakin Skywalker, Vader asks, “How is that possible?” It’s a minor addition that again makes more sense within the larger “Star Wars” saga without undermining the scene’s significance. 

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On a more positive note, Luke and Obi-Wan’s journey through Mos Eisley spaceport has been significantly expanded, giving us a better look at this strange universe. Some of the added effects are distracting, others colorful and fun. At one moment, a dinosaur-sized creature known as a Ronto rears up as a reckless alien on a speeder drives too close for comfort. Tiny, flying droids zip in and out of shots, exotic animals walk across the screen, and hundreds of ships orbit the densely populated locale.

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Do the splashy new effects add anything to the overarching narrative? Not really. The Special Editions tend to fill the screen with various CGI effects that look sharp but become distracting. Moreover, the sillier elements, such as when an ASP-7 labor droid bashes an annoying, small hovering droid, undermine Obi-Wan’s warning about Mos Eisley being a wretched hive of scum and villainy. These additions make it look like a massive airport jam-packed with ordinary folk and cute animals. So, while the expanded view of the spaceport is fun, it’s another completely unnecessary fix for a scene that didn’t require any fixing.

If not for the contributions of editors Marcia Lucas, Richard Chew, and Paul Hirsch, “Star Wars” would have looked quite different — maybe even unwatchable. A batch of early scenes featuring Luke’s buddy Biggs Darklighter (Garrick Hagon) were ultimately cut from the final film, though the character popped up during the Battle of Yavin. For the Special Edition, Lucas restored a deleted scene that introduces Bigg right before the assault on the Death Star, giving his character a stronger presence during the battle. The loss hits a little harder when the character gets obliterated while protecting Luke as he makes his famous trench run. Not only that, but Luke’s reaction carries more weight as he’s forced to cast aside his negative feelings to focus on the mission at hand.

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A lengthier version of this scene features a character named Garven Dreis, aka Red Leader, who claims to have flown with Anakin in his youth. Since this doesn’t jibe with the lore, Lucas omits this line of dialogue via some crafty editing — he inserts another Rebel, who walks across the screen during the exchange, allowing Lucas to jump past that miscue without anyone realizing it. 

Another neat addition to “The Empire Strikes Back” was the inclusion of a full-sized Wampa during the tense opening minutes on the ice planet Hoth. The creature only amounts to seconds of screen time, but these fleeting moments are more impactful than the early version.

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Viewers will recall the bit in which Luke is attacked by a vicious snow creature while on patrol and dragged away — a scene that horrified Mark Hamill. The next time we see him, young Skywalker hangs upside down in a cave, his feet trapped in ice. Nearby, his attacker, a hairy beast known as a Wampa, chows down on Luke’s Tauntaun. Previously, we only heard the beasts’ howls in the distance, with the occasional shot of fur tossed in for good measure. In the Special Edition, Lucas adds a full-bodied shot of the creature as it devours its meal and grows agitated by Luke’s sudden movements. It rises and strolls towards our hero, who uses the Force to call his lightsaber, frees himself of the ice, and then slices off the Wampa’s arm before escaping. 

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In its original form, we only saw a closeup of the Wampa’s face, followed by a shot of its arm falling on the snow. The updated scene gives us a clear view of the snow beast howling in pain at losing its arm. Yeah, the execution of the added shot is a little goofy, but it works and adds more tension to the scene.

The Special Edition of “Return of the Jedi” arrived with a hefty dose of musical numbers, specifically in the already crowded opening act. Basically, if you enjoyed Jabba’s palace sequence, featuring hordes of crazy creatures, then you’ll likely get a kick out of an extended bit in which Jabba’s slave girl Oola (Femi Taylor, who reprised her role 14 years later for the Special Edition) dances to a rock-heavy song titled “Jedi Rocks,” performed by the Sy Snootles, Joh Yowza, and the Max Rebo Band before getting tossed into the Rancor pit. If anything, the goofy sequence prepares viewers for the rest of the picture, which tosses aside the dark drama of “Empire” for a more robust family adventure. It’s for the kids!

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Later, at the end of the picture, Lucas replaces the ridiculous Ewok “Yub Nub” ballad with a new composition from John Williams titled “Victory Celebration.” While the decision to end one of the all-time great trilogies on a campy teddy bear jungle party remains questionable at best, this new music at least matches the finale’s elated, albeit bittersweet, tone a little better. Lucas also sprinkles in shots from celebrations occurring in key locations across the galaxy, including Cloud City, Naboo, Mos Eisley, and Coruscant. In 1997, the latter offered a clever tease at the upcoming prequels, where the massive capital planet plays a prominent role.

So, is “Return of the Jedi” a beloved fantasy or a warning sign of things to come? You be the judge.  

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