List of Legends elements in the films

"&hellip;we're inspired by the comics and the books&hellip;"

- George Lucas

C-canon elements from licensed Expanded Universe (EU) creators have appeared in the Star Wars films, mainly the prequel trilogy. Most of these are brief appearances, almost taking the form of Easter eggs, and are even hardly distinguishable. However, others are more substantial.

The prequel trilogy also has many references to names and elements introduced in the television series Star Wars Droids due to Ben Burtt's large involvement in both, not the least of which is the cameo by himself as Ebenn Q3 Baobab in The Phantom Menace.

The reverse process is also true: Many Expanded Universe works have given names and/or background information to nearly every element shown in the films. Additionally, the Visual Dictionary series, along with other official sources such as "What's The Story?," has also introduced many retcons, thus "creating" C-canon depictions in films&mdash;e.g. the Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith: The Visual Dictionary identifies Count Dooku's tunic in Revenge of the Sith as being created on Vjun, a planet found heretofore strictly in the EU. The significance of these identifications, for the most part, is downplayed in this article.

After the reboot of 2014, EU material has been harvested for use in the new continuity, and films including Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens borrow Legends material.

Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace

 * The species name Rodian first appeared in Galaxy Guide 1: A New Hope, but was used in the prequel trilogy in George Lucas's handwritten scripts and production notes (although it is never mentioned in dialogue).
 * "Coruscant" was coined by Timothy Zahn for The Thrawn Trilogy. Lucas was going to include the capital world of Had Abbadon in Return of the Jedi, but adopted Zahn's name for Imperial Center when presenting the planet in the Special Editions and prequel trilogy. Zahn and Lucas both conceived of this capital world as an ecumenopolis.
 * Darth Maul's double-bladed lightsaber was a design originally seen wielded by Exar Kun in the Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith and Tales of the Jedi: The Sith War comic books.
 * The Aurebesh that appears is the one created by West End Games, who had, in turn based it on meaningless script appearing in the original trilogy.
 * The acceptance of Hutts as a species, rather than a gangster title (as originally suggested), was also new to the film.
 * The Jedi Code is mentioned, having first appeared in West End Games' Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game.
 * Boonta Eve Classic resembles the Boonta Speeder Race, where the droids end up in the Droids episode "A Race to the Finish."
 * It is not known if the following were intentional EU references, or were later retcons, coincidences, or EU extrapolations:
 * Prince Xizor appears as a spectator at the Mos Espa Grand Arena. A Micro-Machines model of the Shadows of the Empire villain was used to populate the crowd, possibly randomly, without canonical significance.
 * Toong, the species of Ben Quadinaros, was mentioned in Droids, while his homeworld, Tund, was first mentioned in The Lando Calrissian Adventures and appeared in that trilogy's final volume, Lando Calrissian and the Starcave of ThonBoka.
 * The Theelin species appears, in the form of Diva Shaliqua. The species first appeared in Dark Empire. (Note that another Theelin had already appeared in the Return of the Jedi Special Edition; see below.)
 * Ebenn Q3 Baobab may be a member of the Baobab family introduced in Droids. The role was a cameo by sound designer Ben Burtt.
 * Shmi and the others watch the race through a device described as a datapad. Datapads first appeared in Heir to the Empire and have shown up in other EU books since.

Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones

 * Aayla Secura appeared as a minor character in the movies, played by Amy Allen. The character was introduced in Star Wars: Republic: Twilight, released after The Phantom Menace. George Lucas liked her illustration and decided to import her.
 * Action VI transports initially appeared as the Wild Karrde in Heir to the Empire. They also arrive at the Theed Spaceport in Attack of the Clones.
 * The planet Rishi, introduced in Dark Force Rising, was given a mention via the Rishi Maze in Attack of the Clones.
 * The swamp planet of Bogden was visited by the droids in Droids. In Attack of the Clones, Jango Fett says that he was "recruited by a man called Tyranus on one of the moons of Bogden."
 * Dex's Diner is similar to the diner in an episode of Droids.
 * When Obi-Wan uses a lightsaber blade to block Dooku's Force lightning, this is possibly a reference to Luke Skywalker doing the same to Joruus C'baoth's lightning in The Last Command.
 * Footage similar to that found in Star Wars: Episode I Racer can be seen on a screen in the Outlander Club.
 * The concept of power couplings (of the type that Obi-Wan and Anakin flew through) first appeared in the Dark Empire comics.
 * Dooku's lightsaber design originated in "Bane of the Sith".
 * It is not known if the following were intentional EU references, or were later retcons, coincidences, or EU extrapolations:
 * San Hill is identified as a Muun from Muunilinst, a planet first mentioned in Specter of the Past.
 * The region of Coruscant where Dooku arrives and meets Sidious resembles the Coruscant scenes in the alternate dark-side ending of Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II. Note, however, that in Jedi Knight, the Imperial Palace appears instead of the LiMerge Building.
 * Power chairs first appeared in Tales of the Jedi: The Golden Age of the Sith. However, the concept of an antigravity seat is common in science fiction, so this may be mere coincidence.

Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
Revenge of the Sith has several elements that first appeared in Legends sources, such as Labyrinth of Evil, that were written during the movie's production. However, since those sources have borrowed those elements directly from the finished post-production movie script (for example, General Grievous was written for the film but first appeared in Star Wars: Clone Wars), they are not included.
 * The form of Force Grip that appears in the scene with Darth Tyranus and Obi-Wan (with immobilizing and lifting the target) first appeared in the Jedi Knight games.
 * Anakin Skywalker's double-lightsaber decapitation of Tyranus is similar to Luke Skywalker's defeat of Shimrra Jamaane in The New Jedi Order: The Unifying Force.
 * Plo Koon's Delta-7 Aethersprite-class light interceptor has the same paint scheme as the Azure Angel.
 * Quinlan Vos is mentioned (as "Master Vos") by Obi-Wan Kenobi in the one of the Jedi Temple's many data rooms. Vos is a Legends character (who in turn was based on a background extra seen at the Mos Espa café in The Phantom Menace). A cameo appearance of this character during the execution of Order 66 was planned but not filmed.
 * A Juggernaut tank is prominently seen during the Battle of Kashyyyk. Although based on unused original AT-AT concept art, the Juggernaut was established in the Legends continuity as a siege vehicle of the Old Republic, making its appearance in Revenge of the Sith a significant Legends inclusion.
 * As first mentioned in The Illustrated Star Wars Universe, Aldera is depicted as at the very least being close to a lake, if not at the center as previously noted.
 * Sound clips of Attichitcuk's growls from The Star Wars Holiday Special were used for a few of Tarfful's growls during Yoda's goodbye scene to him and Chewbacca. Additionally, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith Incredible Cross-Sections shows Attichitcuk using one of the gun platforms during the Battle of Kashyyyk.
 * Although most likely an unintentional reference, Mace Windu's line "He is too dangerous to be left alive" echoes the same line spoken by Kreia in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords.
 * The sinkhole grottos of Utapau resemble the pirate caves on Tarnoonga as seen in the Droids episode "The Pirates of Tarnoonga" and, to a lesser extent, the Great Well on Ophideraan, from the "The Serpent Masters" story arc of the Star Wars newspaper comic strip.
 * General Grievous's wheel bike is similar to Jann Tosh's vehicle in Droids.
 * Tsui Choi appears in the beginning of the Kashyyyk scene, riding a can-cell.
 * It's not known if the following were intended to be Legends references, or were later retcons, coincidence, and Legends extrapolations.
 * The 501st Legion was canonized in Survivor's Quest before being included in Revenge of the Sith. In turn, it was a real-life charity organization, being therefore also a fanon element that made its way into continuity.
 * The Massassi frieze in Palpatine's office depicts a battle of the Great Hyperspace War, described in the Tales of the Jedi comics. However, it is possible that when designed, it was intended to represent that Ruusan campaign which was invented along with The Phantom Menace; therefore the official description could be a retcon.
 * Palpatine's interest to achieve immortality seems to be a reference to the comic book series Dark Empire, in which Palpatine gets cloned several times with the transfer essence art to try to resurrect his Empire.
 * Baron Papanoida had been identified as a Wroonian before his species was retconned as a Pantoran. Wroonian appeared first in issue seven of the Marvel Star Wars comic series.
 * Nee Alavar, a background character, was identified as a Lorrdian. The Lorrdian people first appeared in the novel Han Solo's Revenge.
 * Padmé Amidala says, "This war represents a failure to listen." The character Mira says the same sentence in Jedi: Mace Windu.
 * The Room of a Thousand Fountains appears in a hologram when Cin Drallig fights with Darth Vader; it was first mentioned in Jedi Apprentice: The Rising Force.
 * The film's Buzz droids serve a purpose very similar to the Expanded Universe's Grutchins.
 * The following are retcons.
 * Salporin first appeared in Heir to the Empire. A Wookiee in the movie has been retconned to be Salporin.
 * Olana Chion, a Jedi, first appeared in Jude Watson's Jedi Apprentice: The Fight for Truth.

Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope

 * Swoop bikes new for the film, were redesigned and added to the Shadows of the Empire. In the Special Edition scenes added to A New Hope, a swoop bike scares a ronto.
 * The Outrider (and with it, YT-2400 light freighters generally) were added to a scene in the Special Edition. It is seen from a distance lifting off from Mos Eisley.
 * ASP-series droid, had appeared in Shadows of the Empire.
 * Yet another addition to Shadows of the Empire is the appearance of the Sentinel-class landing craft seen in the new dewback scene as well as above Mos Eisley.
 * The tractor beam characters were changed from English to Aurebesh for the 2004 DVD Edition. Of note is the fact that the Aurebesh had appared in original releases of the original trilogy (i.e. the clearance code screen for Tydirium in Return of the Jedi) is made up of nonsense characters. West End Games created a 'translation" to English letters for Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game based on what had appeared onscreen. When using these newly assigned equivalents, most of the original trilogy Aurebesh remains unintelligible; however, in the prequel trilogy and a few remastered original trilogy examples, it has an actual meaning.

Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back

 * Boba Fett, who first appeared in the Holiday Special in 1978, plays a major role as the individual who finds the Millennium Falcon. However, the Holiday Special was written by Lucas himself, and the character of Fett was designed for Empire, but revealed to the public through the Holiday Special, much like with Grievous some twenty-six years later.
 * Obi-Wan's dialogue to Luke on Dagobah references a scene in Splinter of the Mind's Eye. He tells Luke that if he goes after Vader alone, "I cannot interfere," a line that causes Yoda's eyes to widen and Luke to nearly rethink this plan. The only time in the Star Wars saga that Obi-Wan literally interfered (he only gave Luke advice in A New Hope) was when Vader confronted Luke at the end of Splinter of the Mind's Eye, during which Obi-Wan took over Luke's body to ensure the Dark Lord's defeat.
 * A similar title, The Empire Strikes, had been used for the December 1978 issue of the Marvel Star Wars series.

Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi

 * The Theelin, in the person of Rystáll Sant in the Special Edition. The Theelin had first appeared in Dark Empire.
 * Boba Fett's rope weapon and jetpack had originally appeared in the Holiday Special.
 * A beard was added to Crix Madine's costume when it was realized that Kenner was designing the toy with a beard.

Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens

 * Kylo Ren's name has a one-letter difference from Kybo Ren, a villain from Star Wars: Droids.
 * Kylo Ren is similar to Jacen Solo/Darth Caedus, a main character in many Legends novels. Like Kylo Ren, he was the son of Han Solo and Leia Organa and fell to the dark side of the Force.
 * After Kylo Ren's fall to the dark side of the Force, Luke goes into exile. In Legends, he was exiled too by Natasi Daala for Jacen's fall to the dark side in the novel Fate of the Jedi: Outcast.
 * Kylo Ren kills a family member, in his case his father, after his turn to the dark side. In Legends, Jacen killed his aunt Mara Jade Skywalker in the novel Legacy of the Force: Sacrifice.
 * Kylo Ren's birth name is "Ben Solo" after Obi-Wan Kenobi. "Ben" was the name of the child of Luke Skywalker in Legends and was too named after Obi-Wan Kenobi.
 * The term "Light" (for the Light Side) is mentioned.
 * Kylo Ren has a crossguard lightsaber as his weapon. A crossguard lightsaber first appeared in the comic book Republic 61: Dead Ends.
 * Luke Skywalker also trained a new generation of Jedi in the Legends continuity, who particularly served as the main focus of the novel series Star Wars: The New Jedi Order. Unlike Legends, Luke's Jedi came to an end abruptly.
 * The New Republic was first introduced and created for the novel Heir to the Empire.
 * Han Solo mentions the Moof, which was first pictured in Star Wars: Republic: Vow of Justice.
 * The film's title was at one point considered to be Shadows of the Empire, likely as a reference to the Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire multimedia project, though it was ultimately dropped according to Pablo Hidalgo.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

 * Galen Walton Erso's first name was also the first name of Darth Vader's secret apprentice in the video game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and its sequel.
 * Early concept art for the film used the Temple of Pomojema as a setting, but it was ultimately replaced with the Temple of the Kyber.
 * Darth Vader tries to heal himself in a bacta tank, similar to when Vader tries to use the Force to heal himself in the Shadows of the Empire novel.
 * The film shows Darth Vader having a castle at Mustafar, taking inspiration from Ralph McQuarrie concept art for The Empire Strikes Back. In Legends, Vader had a palace at Coruscant and a castle at Vjun, respectively seen in the Shadows of the Empire novel and in Dark Empire II 6: Hand of Darkness.
 * The film's climax takes place during the Battle of Scarif, where the Death Star plans are stolen. In the Legends continuity, the battle in which the plans were stolen was identified as the Battle of Toprawa by the Star Wars radio drama, taking place at Toprawa with the operation identified as Operation Skyhook.
 * The Battle of Scarif included a Sphyrna-class corvette, based on the Hammerhead-class cruiser first seen in the Legends video game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.
 * The death troopers deployed at Scarif are similar to the Shadowtroopers from the Legends video game Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast.

Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi

 * Luke tricks his nephew Kylo Ren by using a Force projection through the Force to allow the Resistance time to escape. This is similar to how he used projections of himself to confuse his nephew Jacen Solo/Darth Caedus into thinking he was attacking him instead of his sister Jaina.
 * Luke Skywalker dies and becomes one with the Force. In the Legends continuity, however, Luke's passing happened offscreen.

Solo: A Star Wars Story

 * Han Solo gets enrolled at the Academy of Carida where he gets criticized for conduct reports. In the Legends continuity, however, Solo graduated at the top of his class and wasn't kicked out.
 * Both Lady Proxima and Tobias Beckett are similar to Garris Shrike, a main character in The Han Solo Trilogy, who served as Han Solo's mentor in the Legends continuity. Likewise, Qi'ra is similar too to Bria Tharen, Han Solo's first love in Legends.
 * Han Solo releases Chewbacca from Imperial imprisonment, leading the Wookiee to swear a life debt.
 * Mimban, a planet that appears in Splinter of the Mind's Eye, shows up in the film.
 * Dryden Vos's study is filled with several artifacts with references to Legends stories, such as the Masthead of Xim the Despot as a reference to the cover of Han Solo and the Lost Legacy. Additionally, the Jewel of Yavin was initially intended to appear, but was dropped in production. Also, the Calrissian Chronicles trilogy is a reference to The Lando Calrissian Adventures book series.
 * L3-37, Lando Calrissian's droid companion, is similar to Vuffi Raa from The Lando Calrissian Adventures, who also served as the co-pilot of the Millenium Falcon.

Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker

 * Darth Sidious returns from the dead in spite of his first death during the Battle of Endor and organizes a Sith Fleet composed of Xyston-class Star Destroyers with enough power to destroy planets. In the Legends continuity, Sidious managed to return through the transfer essence power to terrorize the galaxy with the Galaxy Gun in the Dark Empire comic book series.
 * Another possible reference to the story is that Supreme Leader Snoke is shown to have been an artificial humanoid being who had many clone bodies stored by Sidious, similarly to how Sidious had many clone bodies in the comic book to sustain himself so he could rule the galaxy.
 * In the Legends continuity, a reborn Palpatine led the Dark Empire in the Dark Empire comic book series, a regime which he intended to use to reconquer the galaxy. The Dark Empire has similarities with the Sith Eternal and the Final Order, in that they are organizations led by a reborn Darth Sidious seeking to reconquer the galaxy. Likewise, both show he no longer is hiding his affiliation with the Sith.
 * In the Legends continuity, there was a group of Dark Jedi called the Dark Side Elite founded by a reborn Palpatine that operated as part of the Dark Empire. The Dark Side Elite has similarities with the Knights of Ren, in that they are both comprised of Dark Side users, they each consist of seven members, and they each serve a reborn Palpatine and his new regime.
 * The Sith fleet has similarities to the Katana fleet.
 * Emperor Palpatine is revealed to have sired a son, that being Rey's father. In the Legends continuity, Palpatine was the father of Triclops, a mutant slave who was supposedly the result of Palpatine's relationship with Sly Moore.