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Celebrate “May the Fourth” With These “Star Wars” Easter Eggs

For those keeping count, we’re now up to 11 Star Wars feature films: nine mainstay titles (Episodes I through IX) and two spinoff films, Rogue One (2016) and Solo : A Star Wars Story (2018). Between all of these films, we also have two high-profile, award-winning animated series, Clone Wars and Rebels ; the live-action TV phenomenon The Mandalorian ; and countless other shows, books, and games.

The creatives behind the beloved space opera have packed a lot of details into the galaxy far, far away. Whether you’re spending today rewatching the original films, defending the prequels, or catching The Bad Batch as it drops on Disney+, spend some time checking out a few of the best Easter eggs, cameos and hidden details sprinkled throughout the franchise. And, as you enjoy our findings, “May the Fourth be with you” — always. 

“The Phantom Menace” Features a Reference to Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey”

If you’re a cinephile, you may notice The Phantom Menace includes a few more nods to sci-fi classics. The first is more self-referential: In the background of a scene in Mos Espa, keen viewers can spot Luke Skywalker’s landspeeder from 1977’s A New Hope . But that’s not all.

Sure, a tip of the hat to Steven Spielberg’s E.T. feels almost expected, but George Lucas had another famous director in mind when populating Watto’s junkyard with spare parts, broken droids and half-busted machines. While Watto gives Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) a tour of the scrap heap, you can spot an EVA pod from Stanley Kubrick’s classic 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968).

These “Mandalorian” Actors Were Perfectly Cast

It’s no secret that The Mandalorian is packed with great cameos. Not to mention, the show serves as a great way to connect the various animated series with the franchise’s movies. From mentions of Grand Admiral Thrawn to portraying Ahsoka for the first time in live-action, The Mandalorian is all about detail, which is why we can’t help but admire these casting decisions. 

First up, we have Bo-Katan Kryze, a former member of the Death Watch faction on Mandalore. In both Clone Wars and Rebels , Bo-Katan is voiced to perfection by Katee Sackhoff. In The Mandalorian ‘s second season, Bo-Katan makes her live-action debut — also played by Sackhoff. We love to see that kind of continuity. 

Next up? Boba Fett. Originally, actor Jeremy Bulloch donned the now-infamous armor in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi , and, in the prequel Attack of the Clones , a young Boba was played by Daniel Logan. Since then, we’ve seen an animated version of the character, but, nonetheless, fans have been clamoring for his live-action revival. 

As fans know, Boba is Jango Fett’s “son” — a clone whose aging process wasn’t sped up. It’s fitting, then, that Temuera Morrison, the actor who played Jango in Attack of the Clones , has been cast as Boba in both The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett (2021). We also couldn’t help but love the moment Boba told Mando (Pedro Pascal) that he’s “a simple man, making his way through the galaxy” — a clear nod to the time Jango told Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) “I’m just a simple man, trying to make my way in the universe.”

In TROS, Rey Hears the Voices of Several Significant Jedi From “Clone Wars” & “Rebels”

In order to take down Emperor Palpatine in The Rise of Skywalker (2019), Rey channels the power of “a thousand generations” of Jedi who came before her and hears the voices of Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen), Obi-Wan Kenobi (both Ewan McGregor and Sir Alec Guinness), Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Yoda (Frank Oz), Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson). Some lesser-known Jedi — and those who appear exclusively in animated series like The Clone Wars and Rebels — also drop by.

Luminara Unduli (top left; voiced by Olivia D’abo) appears in Clone Wars and wards off enemies on Geonosis in Episode II. Aayla Secura (top right; voiced by Jennifer Hale) also appears in Clone Wars and meets her untimely demise in Episode III. Adi Gallia (bottom left; voiced by Angelique Perrin) appears on the Jedi Council in the prequels and in several Clone Wars storylines. Most excitingly, Ahsoka Tano (bottom right; Ashley Eckstein), a fan-favorite character from Clone Wars and Rebels , and Kanan Jarrus (top middle; Freddie Prinze Jr.), a Rebels alum and one of the few Jedi who survived Order 66, can be heard.

Leia’s Cell Number from “A New Hope” Connects to Finn’s Stormtrooper ID in “The Force Awakens”

Later retitled Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope , the first Star Wars film hit theaters in 1977, grossing an unprecedented $775 million. But, at the time, the many small details in this game-changing film didn’t seem poised to connect to anything larger. For example, Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) is taken prisoner by Darth Vader and thrown in cell 2187.

Later, Jedi-in-training Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), smuggler Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Wookie co-pilot Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) bust Leia out of her holding cell. Cut to 2015. Star Wars: Episode VII—The Force Awakens launches the series’ third and final trilogy of films. And one of the stars is Finn (John Boyega) — a stormtrooper who defects from the First Order and whose ID number was FN-2187.

George Lucas & Katie Lucas Have Some Prequel Cameos

The Force is strong in creator George Lucas’ family, especially when it comes to his daughter Katie. These days, Katie is an accomplished screenwriter, with quite a few credits on the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated TV series. Before that, she had minor roles in all three prequel films. In The Phantom Menace, she plays Amee, one of young Anakin Skywalker’s friends on Tatooine.

In Attack of the Clones (pictured, left) she plays a Twi’lek woman named Lunae Minx who is hanging out at a bar Anakin and Obi-Wan Kenobi stumble into while tracking an assassin. (The person next to her? Ahmed Best, who voiced and provided mo-cap for Jar Jar Binks.) Finally, Katie played Senator Chi Eekway Papanoida in Revenge of the Sith , seen here (right) speaking to her father George Lucas, who has a cameo as Baron Papanoida.

The Ark of the Covenant Has Origins in “A Galaxy Far, Far Away”

In 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark , director Steven Spielberg throws in a nod to writer/producer George Lucas’ Star Wars . No, it’s not the fact that Harrison Ford (a.k.a. Han Solo) plays Indiana Jones — it’s a much deeper cut. When Indy finds the titular Ark, there are some pretty recognizable hieroglyphics on the left-hand side.

Look closely and you’ll discern R2-D2 and C-3PO. So, does that mean the Ark has its origins in a galaxy far, far away? Potentially. During The Clone Wars TV series, Techno Union Leader Wat Tambor terrorizes the planet Ryloth, ransacking it of its riches before the Republic staves him off. One of those treasures looks suspiciously like the Ark of the Covenant… (Just don’t look too closely!)

“Rebels” Characters Appear Briefly in “Rogue One”

Rogue One does fan service right: Easter eggs and cameos never eclipse the story the film is trying to tell, but instead feel like fun nods that help cement the story’s place in the larger Star Wars universe. While the fledgling Rebel Alliance scrambles to the Battle of Scarif, an intercom pages a “General Syndulla.”

Lucasfilm’s Dave Filoni confirmed this was a reference to Rebels ‘ Hera Syndulla, the Twi’lek captain of the series’ ship, the Ghost. While fans can’t actually spot Syndulla on-screen, Filoni has said that “Hera will eventually become a general in the Rebel Alliance,” even helping out at the Battle of Endor. Another character from Rebels does make it onto the screen, however; the ever-cantankerous astromech droid Chopper can be seen rolling through the rebels’ hangar.

The Number 42 Holds Special Significance in “The Rise of Skywalker”

Toward the beginning of Episode IX, our heroes — Rey, Finn, Poe, Chewie and protocol droid C-3PO — travel to the desert planet of Pasaana. They’re searching for an object that will lead them to Exegol, the hidden world of the Sith located in the galaxy’s Unknown Regions. But, on Pasaana, things are much more festive than our heroes anticipated.

C-3PO explains that the native Aki-Aki people are celebrating the renowned Festival of the Ancestors, which is known for its colorful kites and tasty sweets. According to the film’s visual dictionary, the festival is also known for honoring the past and looking forward to the future. If that didn’t sound on-the-nose for a final film, this will: The celebration takes place every 42 years — meaning the last one happened around the time Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope (1977) took place.

“Rogue One” Ends Mere Minutes Before Episode IV Begins

Spinoff Rogue One (2016) tells the story of how the Rebels nabbed those pesky Death Star schematics, which are key to Luke Skywalker destroying the gigantic space station in A New Hope . At the end of Rogue One , those schematics are transmitted to a nearby Rebel flagship. However, Darth Vader himself boards said ship to retrieve the schematics. In a twist of fate, Princess Leia’s ship, the Tantive IV, is docked on the Rebel flagship, undergoing repairs.

Before Vader cuts everyone down, the rebels aboard the flagship are able to hand off the schematics (on Star Wars ‘ equivalent of a thumb drive) to Princess Leia’s crew — just as Tantive IV launches away from the flagship. At the end of Rogue One , Vader looks on as Leia escapes; at the start of A New Hope , the Tantive IV is being chased down by Vader.

According to sources at Lucasfilm, the ending of Rogue One happens a mere 14 minutes before the start of A New Hope .

The Force Is Strong in Denis Lawson’s Family

Fan-favorite character Wedge Antilles made his first appearance in 1977’s Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope . His lasting power probably comes in part from the fact that he fights alongside Luke Skywalker and the iconic Red Squadron at the Battle of Yavin, where Skywalker destroys the Death Star. Antilles and Skywalker end up being the only surviving members of the Red Squadron.

Antilles crops up at Episode V’s Battle of Hoth and Episode VI’s Battle of Endor — and he survives to see the fall of the Empire. Although Antilles isn’t initially part of the Resistance in Episode VII — actor Denis Lawson turned down the part, saying it would “bore” him — he makes a brief appearance at the end of Episode IX. Fun fact: In real life, Lawson is uncle to Ewan McGregor, who plays Obi-Wan Kenobi in the prequel films.

Steven Spielberg’s “E.T.” Phones It in During “The Phantom Menace”

Back when Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope premiered in 1977, it became the highest-grossing film of all time, eclipsing Steven Spielberg’s Jaws (1975). However, a few years later Episode IV’s $775 million record was beaten by Spielberg’s own space- and alien-themed blockbuster E.T. (1982). But the Star Wars / E.T. connection doesn’t end at the box office.

In The Phantom Menace (1999), George Lucas includes a small nod to his friend Spielberg. When Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman) proposes the Galactic Senate remove Supreme Chancellor Valorum from office, the camera pans around the senate chamber, showing us the reactions of a few intergalactic senators. One group of E.T.-looking aliens, called Asogians, is led by Senator Grebleips — that’s Spielberg backwards.

“The Empire Strikes” Back Features a Type of Droid Familiar to “Mandalorian” Fans

In the first episode of Disney+’s The Mandalorian , the first-ever live-action Star Wars series, the titular bounty hunter-for-hire runs into IG-11, an assassin droid programmed to kill. Due to their violent nature, IG-series droids are largely outlawed in the Star Wars universe, but fans of The Mandalorian will most likely recognize this type of droid from the original series of films.

In The Empire Strikes Back , Darth Vader puts out a call for bounty hunters to track down the Millennium Falcon, our heroes’ trusty ship. IG-88, along with his rival Boba Fett, compete for the bounty. Eventually, the hunters tail Han Solo and Leia Organa (who are aboard the Falcon) to the planet Bespin, where Boba Fett leaves IG-88 for scrap metal. Literally. You can spot him later on in Bespin’s glorified dumpster.

YT-1300 Freighters Appear in the Prequels

Fans love when there’s a bit of connective tissue between the Star Wars films. The original trilogy (Episodes IV, V and VI) centered on Luke Skywalker and his (spoiler!) father Darth Vader, who was formerly the Jedi known as Anakin Skywalker. In the prequel films (Episodes I, II and III), Anakin — and his descent into villainy — become the series focus, so the connections are obvious.

Nonetheless, the devil is truly in the details. In Episode II, a YT-1300 Freighter ship can be seen landing on Naboo when Anakin and Senator Padmé Amidala arrive there. Why is this exciting? It’s the same type of ship as Han Solo’s Millennium Falcon, arguably the most iconic ship in the galaxy. In Episode III, a YT-1300 — confirmed by George Lucas and some subsequent novels to be THE Falcon — docks in a spaceport on Coruscant.

Maz Kanata’s Castle in Episode VII Connects to “The Mandalorian” & Episode I

In Star Wars: Episode VII—The Force Awakens , Maz Kanata’s (Lupita Nyong’o) castle on the planet Takodana holds a lot of fun connections to the larger Star Wars universe — some more obvious than others. Kanata, a “pirate queen” who welcomes smugglers of all sorts, has decked her castle out in a variety of banners.

Most notably, one of the banners in the very center portrays the Mandalorian Diamond or “Iron Heart” — a skull-looking emblem that’s never been fully explained in canonical Star Wars lore. Additionally, quite a few of the brightly colored flags seen on Kanata’s castle correspond to those carried across the race track in The Phantom Menace ‘s podracing scene.

A Clone Trooper From the Prequel Films Has a Role in a Movie Made Nearly 20 Years Earlier — Well, Maybe…

Perhaps one of the most fun Easter eggs was never meant to be one at all — that is, until the Star Wars: Rebels animated series ended and flashed forward a bit, showing us which characters made it to see the fall of the Empire in Episode VI. Thankfully, Rex, a former clone trooper and mainstay in The Clone Wars series, survives and even participates in the Battle of Endor.

An older, bearded Rebel known in canon as Nik Sant bears a striking resemblance to Rex. Before Rebels ‘ finale aired, creator Dave Filoni said, “I really do think that Rex is that guy (Nik Sant) on Endor. …I’m gonna make that happen. I’m getting like Palpatine; I’m getting power crazy.” Later on, Filoni told IGN that he decided against making the “Rex is Nik Sant” idea Star Wars canon because Sant was already an established character. Still, some fans like to run with the idea that the characters are one in the same — or that Rex is at least on the forest moon.

The Stormtroopers of “A New Hope” Are Barely Holding It Together

The Empire’s stormtroopers aren’t known for being sharpshooters — nor are they known for their intelligence. They certainly can’t bullseye womp rats or evade Jedi mind tricks, but even simple tasks become difficult for these clumsy characters — something that’s been blamed on the awkwardness of the costumes in the original films.

In A New Hope , a group of stormtroopers runs after our heroes and, on the right-hand side, sharp-eyed viewers will notice that one of the troopers bangs his head on the doorway. And while these troopers aren’t particularly cunning — or capable — they’re at least…resourceful? As seen here, one trooper barely keeps his armor together thanks to some Imperial duct tape.

References to George Lucas’ First Short Film Keep Cropping Up

George Lucas wrote and directed a social sci-fi short film called THX-1138 4EB in 1967 while attending film school at the University of Southern California. In 1971, Lucas reworked the project into a theatrical feature under the new title THX 1138 . And nods to this early film crop up all the time in Star Wars . In A New Hope , Luke Skywalker and Han Solo — disguised as stormtroopers to save Leia — say they’re transferring their “prisoner” Chewbacca to cell 1138.

In The Phantom Menace , the battle droid that deactivates in front of Jar Jar Binks has “1138” imprinted on its back. Perhaps most importantly, entering the code 1-1-3-8 on your remote while watching the DVD version of Episode II brings up a blooper reel of a clumsy Hayden Christensen and reveals a clip of Yoda and some troopers chatting, as if caught being casual between scenes. Entering the code on Episode III’s DVD menu cuts to a clip of Yoda breakdancing.

007 Joins the First Order

This next Easter egg isn’t really one you can see — and not because it takes sharp eyes to spot it. Instead, this cameo appearance is one that fans learned about after the fact. In The Force Awakens , Rey finds herself being held hostage on Starkiller Base, the First Order’s stronghold. After being interrogated by Darth Vader-wannabe Kylo Ren, Rey finds herself alone with some stormtroopers.

Having recently realized her strong connection to the Force, Rey attempts to use a Jedi mind trick on the unsuspecting trooper. She successfully convinces the trooper to release her binds so that she can escape. That susceptible stormtrooper is played by none other than Daniel Craig — James Bond himself.

A Throwaway Line in “Rogue One” Actually Foreshadows “The Last Jedi”

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: It’s great that Rogue One focuses on its own plot and characters while sprinkling in little details and Easter eggs for Star Wars diehards. What seems like a throwaway line of dialogue toward the end of the film actually ends up being a huge plot point in Episode VIII.

While looking for the Death Star schematics on Scarif, Jyn Erso comes across a file called “hyperspace tracking” — meaning the Empire is hard at work on this particular project. Later, in The Last Jedi , Rose Tico is surprised to hear that the Empire heir apparent — the First Order — has cracked the code on tracking ships through lightspeed, something that had been (secretly) in the works for a while.

Rogue One Features an Iconic Ship From “Rebels”

As we noted earlier, Rogue One is chock full of Easter eggs, especially where Star Wars: Rebels is concerned, partly because of the way the two overlap. Apart from showing astromech Chopper rolling through the base and a pager calling for General (Hera) Syndulla, Rebels’ most iconic ship can also be spotted above Scarif in the film’s final battle.

Clearly, General Syndulla received that page. Just below the seven-engined Tantive IV-looking ship, sharp-eyed fans can see Hera’s ship, the Ghost, reporting for duty. In one of the Forces of Destiny shorts, Syndulla and Han Solo even bicker on the forest moon of Endor, after the fall of the Empire, about whose ship is better, the Ghost or the Millennium Falcon. Hard choice — but clearly both are reliable.

Carrie Fisher’s Dog Gary Appears in “The Last Jedi”

Carrie Fisher’s constant companion was Gary, a floppy-tongued French bulldog whom Fisher’s daughter, Billie Lourd, suggested her mom adopt to help Fisher with her bipolar disorder. When Fisher passed away in 2016, Gary was adopted by Fisher’s former assistant, Corby McCoin. But the Force is still with Gary.

Popular with fans and cast members alike, Gary was so beloved that director Rian Johnson gave the dog a special cameo as a lovable space creature on Canto Bight’s casino. In the scene, fans can spot a dog-like creature, based on Gary, in the arms of a casino patron. When McCoin showed Gary the trailer for The Last Jedi , the dog wasn’t so interested in his cameo, but his ears did perk up when he heard Fisher’s voice.

Directors Rian Johnson & Dave Filoni Appear in Cameo Roles

Although director George Lucas waited until Episode III, the sixth of his Star Wars films in terms of theatrical release, to have a cameo, he certainly wasn’t the last Star Wars director to do so. Rian Johnson, director of The Last Jedi , made an appearance in Rogue One as an Imperial officer (left). Fans will recall that two cannon operators aboard the Death Star demonstrate the weapon’s enormous power by blasting Leia’s home planet of Alderaan to smithereens.

A similar shot of those cannon operators is remade for Rogue One — and one of the officers is Johnson. Meanwhile, Dave Filoni, the mastermind behind The Clone Wars and Rebels , makes a cameo in The Mandalorian (right) as a New Republic X-wing pilot called Trapper Wolf, right alongside fellow Mandalorian directors Rick Famuyiwa and Deborah Chow, who play the pilots Jib Dodger and Sash Ketter, respectively.

The Ghost Rides Again in “The Rise of Skywalker” — Alongside Other Iconic Ships

Braving the Battle of Scarif and (potentially) the Battle of Endor weren’t the Ghost’s final acts of bravery. At the end of Rise of Skywalker , the Ghost — and nearly every other ship in the galaxy — join Millennium Falcon pilots Lando Calrissian and Chewbacca.

Other than the Ghost, some of our favorite ships flying above Exegol include the Crucible, an ancient ship once used by the Jedi and later salvaged by space pirate Hondo Ohnaka; (potentially) the Shadow Caster, famously piloted by Rebels bounty hunter Ketsu Onyo; the Eravana, piloted by Han and Chewbacca in The Force Awakens ; and even Dash Rendar’s Outrider.

Carrie Fisher’s Daughter Billie Lourd Has a Role in the Sequel Films

Billie Lourd is not only actor and writer Carrie Fisher’s daughter but is also the granddaughter of Hollywood legend Debbie Reynolds. From Singing in the Rain (1952) to Star Wars , Lourd’s family is entrenched in the business of making movies. And Lourd herself would go on to appear in all three Star Wars sequel films.

Despite her mother’s wishes, Lourd wanted to pursue acting as well. Initially, she auditioned for the part of Rey in 2015’s Star Wars: Episode VII—The Force Awakens , but when the role went to Daisy Ridley instead, Lourd nabbed the role of Lieutenant Kaydel Ko Connix, fighting in the resistance alongside her mother’s beloved General Leia Organa.

Shoes & Potatoes Fill the Asteroid Field in “Empire”

There are few scenes more thrilling than Han Solo’s daring navigation of an asteroid field in Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back . Han, Leia, Chewbacca and protocol droid C-3PO escape the planet Hoth aboard Han’s trusty Millenium Falcon. In order to outrun the Imperial TIE fighters hot on their tails, Han steers the group into said asteroid field.

Created by George Lucas’ esteemed visual effects division Industrial Light and Magic (ILM), the effects are impressive, especially given Empire ‘s 1980 release date. The asteroids whip by quickly, so it’s difficult to make out details. However, members of the visual effects team have admitted to basing the shapes of some of the space rocks off of a potato and a tennis shoe. Even if you pause, it’s hard to spot: Most asteroids look a bit potato-like.

Blue Milk Is a Galaxy-Wide Favorite

Nothing says “refreshing” like having an ice-cold glass of blue milk after working your moisture farm under the hot twin suns of Tatooine all day. Sharp-eyed viewers can spot the infamous concoction on the Erso family’s kitchen counter in Rogue One (top left), and it’s Anakin and Padmé’s drink of choice in Episode II (right).

Known by some as Bantha milk, blue milk is available at Disney’s Galaxy’s Edge theme park. Although Disney now makes the frozen, plant-based blend from coconut and rice milks, Hamill stated that the original was life-long milk dyed blue. “Oily and sweet and euch! Triggered your gag reflex,” Hamill recalled. “So there’s an indication that I’m an underrated actor — I gulped it and acted like I liked it without vomiting.”

“A New Hope” Features a Very Meta Star Wars Reference

Although viewers debate whether or not this next Easter egg can actually be spotted in A New Hope , it’s still fun to know about. In the film’s opening, Darth Vader and co. pursue Princess Leia Organa and her crew, who are aboard the Tantive IV. Early on, there’s a shot of the Tantive IV’s cockpit, which model-makers at ILM had some fun designing.

The model of the Tantive IV included a rather meta reference: A Star Wars film poster was pasted to its wall. If you look a bit to the right, you can also see part of a Playboy pinup. Even if this gag was purely done by and for the modeling team, it’s still fun to know that these folks were enjoying practical effects — and some practical jokes.

Industrial Light & Magic’s Logo Appears in Episode I

Visual effects and animation company Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) was founded in May 1975 by George Lucas as a division of his film production company, Lucasfilm. While ILM was created ahead of Lucas’ production of A New Hope (then simply dubbed Star Wars ), the company is known for pulling off some of cinema’s most impressive effects, from Indiana Jones to Pirates of the Carribean .

Although back in the day ILM was on the forefront of model-making and puppetry, the company soon broke ground on computer-generated animation (CGI) and motion-capture technology. And when Lucas returned to bring audiences Episode I in 1999, the visual effects team hid the letters “ILM” in a red reflection of light, which can be (sort of) seen by pausing the scene in which Queen Amidala gazes out the window of Theed Palace.

A Ship From the Nintendo 64 Game “Shadows of the Empire” Appears in “A New Hope”

There have been plenty of Star Wars video games over the years, but the Nintendo 64 hit from 1996, Shadows of the Empire , might be one of the most fondly remembered. Taking place between the events of Episodes V and VI, Shadows allows players to take control of Dash Rendar, a freelance smuggler.

Does Dash Rendar sound like a Han Solo stand-in? He sure does. And like any good carbon(ite) copy, Rendar comes equipped with his own Millennium Falcon-esque ship, the Outrider, a YT-2400 light freighter. For the special edition of A New Hope , visual effects teams made some tweaks, one of which was the addition of the Outrider, which can be seen leaving Mos Eisley (upper left) as Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi arrive.

Series Composer John Williams Finally Grabs a Cameo in “The Rise of Skywalker”

At 87 years old, legendary composer John Williams has over 260 musical credits, 51 (probably soon to be 52) Academy Award nominations and, of those nominations, five Oscar wins. He has also been the genius behind Star Wars ‘ iconic music since the beginning, earning an Oscar for his work on Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope (1977).

Since 1977, Williams has composed all of the music for the nine films in the Skywalker Saga and, in the saga’s final and most recent film, the legend traded a conducting baton for a mechanical eyepatch. Seen briefly behind the bar in The Rise of Skywalker ‘s planet Kijimi, Williams doesn’t have any dialogue, but his character does have a fun name: Oma Tres — an anagram for “Maestro.”

Han Solo’s Chance Cubes from “A New Hope” Appear in “The Last Jedi” & Spinoff Film “Solo”

When someone dressed the set of the Millennium Falcon’s cockpit back in the ’70s, they probably had no idea that one of the smaller, seemingly insignificant details would be used in later films as Han Solo’s calling card of sorts. Though difficult to spot, golden dice hang from the smuggler’s cockpit in A New Hope .

In the standalone film Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), Han gives his ex-flame Qi’ra the dice and promises they’ll find each other again one day. Later on, Han gets the chance cubes back from her — and, clearly, holds onto them. In The Last Jedi , Luke Skywalker tells his sister Leia “No one’s ever really gone” and presses the golden dice into her hands (well, sort of) as a reminder of the late Han.

Warwick Davis Has Played More Than Seven Characters in the Star Wars Universe

Actor Warwick Davis is perhaps most well-known in the Star Wars universe for his portrayal of the love-him-or-hate-him Ewok character Wicket W. Warrick (top left), who makes his first appearance in Episode VI on the forest moon of Endor. Since then, Davis has been credited with the portrayal of at least seven more characters across the Star Wars films.

In 1999’s Episode I, Davis was credited with playing four characters: one of young Anakin Skywalker’s friends, W. Wald (top center); an excited podrace spectator, Weazel (bottom, second from right); a blink-and-you-miss-it Tatooine street trader; and even, in select scenes, Master Yoda himself. Davis appears in The Force Awakens , The Last Jedi , Rogue One , Solo and even The Rise of Skywalker , where he dons his Wicket outfit again.

Nintendo 64 Game “Episode I: Racer” Appears in Episode II

Released by LucasArts in conjunction with Star Wars: Episode I—The Phantom Menace , the Nintendo 64 hit Star Wars: Episode I—Racer allowed players to jump into the cockpit of a podracer. As of 2011, the game has held the record for best-selling sci-fi racer, beating out the likes of F-Zero and Wipeout with 3.12 million sales.

In fact, Racer is so popular that it even has a cameo in the Star Wars films. When Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi chase an assassin into a bar on Coruscant, footage from Racer plays on one of the screens behind the counter. Not only is this a clever time-saver for the visual effects team, but it’s also a fun Easter egg for fans.

Jabba the Hutt as…Jabba the Hutt?

Tatooine crime lord Jabba the Hutt is truly one of the sleaziest characters in the Star Wars universe — and we were thrilled to see Leia take him out in Episode VI. However, because Episode I is a prequel — and because it spends a lot of time on Tatooine — it provided the perfect chance for a Jabba cameo.

The Hutt leader attends the podrace that Anakin Skywalker enters, waving to the crowd. The visual effects team created him using a combination of special effects and old-school puppetry, and in Episode I’s credits he’s listed as playing himself. A set production assistant was also jokingly called “Javva the Hutt” in Episode II’s credits — extra funny considering that’s the name of the onsite coffee shop at the ILM and Lucasfilm campus.

The Actors Who Play C-3PO & Boba Fett Remove Their Iconic Costumes for Cameos

Thanks to a bevvy of iconic costumes, some Star Wars actors aren’t exactly known by their looks. This is true for Anthony Daniels, the actor who famously portrays protocol droid C-3PO in every Star Wars film — except Solo . To make sure Daniels still popped up in Solo , he plays Tak, a mine worker on Kessel.

Daniels also has a small cameo in Episode II, playing a blink-and-you-miss-him bar patron. But the droid actor isn’t the only faceless icon to be given another part. Jeremy Bulloch, half-brother of producer Robert Watts, is best known for playing the helmeted Boba Fett in Episodes V and VI. In Episode III, he has a bit part as Captain Colton, the pilot of the Tantive III, which belongs to Leia’s adoptive father Bail Organa.

“Clone Wars” Star Matt Lanter Appears in “The Mandalorian”

Apart from obscuring their faces with helmets or droid parts, Star Wars actors can be relatively unrecognizable for another reason: They’re best known for lending their voices to beloved characters. One such voice actor is Matt Lanter, who voices Anakin Skywalker in The Clone Wars animated series.

Although he’s had more outings as Anakin than any other actor, most fans probably wouldn’t know his face — at least not immediately. And that makes Lanter’s extended cameo in The Mandalorian that much more fun. In the show, Lanter portrays Davan, a New Republic soldier left to look over a prison ship.

Darth Maul’s Brother Makes a “Mandalorian” Cameo — Sort Of

In the same episode Matt Lanter — a.k.a. Anakin Skywalker — makes a cameo, so does another well-known voice actor from that Star Wars universe. Clancy Brown appears as Burg, a Devaronian mercenary who joins the titular Mandalorian and a few other less-than-savory characters on a prison-break mission.

Brown is perhaps best known for voicing Savage Opress in The Clone Wars TV series — the Dathomirian Nightbrother-turned-Sith-in-training who just so happens to be Darth Maul’s kin. Clearly, Brown has the uncanny ability to play a convincing horned alien. The talented actor has also lent his voice to Rebels , in which he plays Ryder Azadi, the Governor of Lothal who sympathizes with the blossoming Rebellion. Also Brown provides the voice for Mr. Krabs. Ag ag ag ag ag.

Finn Finds All of the Millennium Falcon’s Games (& Guides)

The Force Awakens is heavy on nostalgia — and that also makes it rife with Easter eggs and fun nods. Perhaps one of the most exciting turns in the film was the heroes boarding the Millenium Falcon once again, which hadn’t been seen up close-and-personal since 1983’s Episode VI.

While aboard the Falcon, Finn (John Boyega) searches for a first aid kit for an injured Chewbacca and picks up a familiar item: the remote-controlled sphere used by Luke Skywalker to test his blossoming Jedi reflexes during Episode IV. Finn even turns on the Dejarik table — and while he doesn’t actually play holochess, it’s still a fun nod to A New Hope .

Jett Lucas Makes a Cameo as a Young Jedi in Episodes II & III

Jett Lucas, George Lucas’ adopted son, has cameos in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith as a Jedi padawan. Although they were initially different characters, the two were later merged into Zett Jukassa, a tuckerization of Jett’s name. But that’s not where Jett’s involvement stops.

According to his sister Katie Lucas, Jett inspired the name of the Gungan species, whose most notable member is Jar Jar Binks. During the run of The Clone Wars TV series, Jett inspired the character of Ion Papanoida — namely because his father and sister inspired the character’s father and sister — and went on to intern for the video game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed .

C-3PO’s Comment About the Falcon in “The Empire Strikes” Back Pays Off in “Solo”

In 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back , Han, Leia, Chewbacca and protocol droid C-3PO get into a world of trouble when Han flies the Millennium Falcon straight into an asteroid field in an attempt to escape the Empire’s clutches. Afterward, while making repairs on the Falcon, C-3PO tries communicating with the ship.

Although C-3PO is fluent in over 6 million forms of communication, he tells Han that the Falcon has a strange dialect — even by his standards. Cut to 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story , which fills in Han’s backstory pre- A New Hope . In Solo , Lando Calrissian, Han’s longtime buddy, pilots the Falcon alongside his trusty droid L3-37 — an outspoken, feminist droid who later uploads their consciousness into the Falcon.

“The Rise of Skywalker” Is Packed With Cameos From Big-Name Actors

Although The Rise of Skywalker doesn’t pull a Marvel movie and include after-credits sequences, it does try its darndest to spotlight some famous faces (and voices). Hamilton ‘s Lin-Manuel Miranda (bottom right), who composed some fun tracks for Episodes VII and IX, nabbed a background cameo as a Resistance fighter.

Meanwhile, Jodie Comer, who won an Emmy for her portrayal of Killing Eve ‘s assassin-for-hire Villanelle, takes a turn as a young Rey’s fleeing mother (top left). Most controversially, Dominic Monaghan (top right) won his role of Beaumont Kin, a historian-turned-Resistance trooper, after betting on the outcome of a World Cup game with director J.J. Abrams. (The two became friends on Lost .) Abrams even gave himself screen time, voicing the droid D-O (bottom left).

MORE FROM ASK.COM

Starfleet ranks

• View history

The rank insignia of a Starfleet captain in the late 23rd century

Cristóbal Rios' rank pip collection from his Starfleet career

Tom Paris is demoted to ensign for disobeying orders

Starfleet ranks were identifying titles of rank for the officers and enlisted members of Starfleet denoting the chain of command under both United Earth and the United Federation of Planets . These titles were generally adapted from earlier Earth naval forces. ( TOS : " The City on the Edge of Forever ", ENT : " Storm Front ")

• 1 Early usage
• 2.1 Early 23rd century
• 2.2 Early-mid 23rd century
• 2.3 Late-mid 23rd century
• 2.4 Late 23rd century
• 3 24th century
• 4 25th century
• 5 29th century
• 6 32nd century
• 7.1 Mirror universe
• 7.2 Alternate reality
• 7.3 Alternate universe
• 8.1 Flag officers
• 8.2 Officer ranks
• 8.3 Provisional officers
• 8.4 Cadet ranks
• 8.5.1 Non-commissioned officers
• 8.5.2 Crewmen
• 9.1 Fleet captain
• 9.2 Deputy director
• 9.3 Colonel
• 9.4 Corporal
• 9.5 Miscellaneous
• 10.1 See also
• 10.2 Background information
• 10.3 Apocrypha
• 10.4 External links

Early usage [ ]

By the development of the NX-Alpha in 2143 , the Starfleet rank structure had at least three enlisted ranks, four officer ranks, and three ranks for use by flag officers . Silver rank pips were displayed on the right breast of the Starfleet uniforms , above a colored shoulder trim denoting what division the crew member was assigned to. Flag officers' pips were surrounded by a black rectangle with a silver border. ( ENT : " First Flight ", et al.) This system was still in place by 2161 . ( ENT : " These Are the Voyages... ")

23rd century [ ]

Early 23rd century [ ].

By the 2230s , the Starfleet uniform used a sleeve stripe system instead of pips to denote rank. ( Star Trek )

Early-mid 23rd century [ ]

Gold shoulder trim of a flag officer, captain, and officer (left to right)

By 2239 , Starfleet had adopted a uniform where officer rank was denoted by the number of raised or indented pips on a Starfleet delta . ( ST : " The Brightest Star ") The admiralty wore a Starfleet insignia surrounded by a wreath made up of smaller golden or black Starfleet insignia on a dark disc; the more of them are gold, the higher the rank. ( DIS : " The Vulcan Hello ", " The Butcher's Knife Cares Not for the Lamb's Cry ")

A variation of this uniform introduced in the 2250s changed the rank system back to a sleeve stripe system. For the command and operations division officers, the stripes matched the division color: gold stripes for command, red stripes for operations. Sciences division officers wore silver stripes. ( DIS : " Brother ", " Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2 ")

A new uniform was introduced around 2259 , retaining the rank insignia system from the previous style with only slight modifications. Sciences officers wore blue stripes in the new system, while silver stripes were reserved for medical officers. Doctors wore a light-blue variant of the sciences uniform while nurses wore white. ( SNW : " Strange New Worlds ", et al.)

Another Starfleet uniform used around this time had a much simpler rank and insignia system, in which enlisted personnel wore no rank insignia while the rank of chief petty officer was denoted by a special sleeve stripe. Commissioned officers wore a solid gold stripe. This system would be in use concurrently with other rank insignia systems for at least fifteen years, with only a slight modification by 2265 , when those holding the rank of captain were authorized to wear two gold stripes whereas other officers wore one. ( TOS : " The Cage ", " Where No One Has Gone Before ")

Late-mid 23rd century [ ]

By 2266 , Starfleet had phased out the simple rank system that gave all commissioned officers the same insignia. They also modified the other system that had been in use for the last decade or so. In this new system, all enlisted personnel, chief petty officers included, as well as ensigns, had no insignia whatsoever with most enlisted personnel also wearing Starfleet jumpsuits instead of the standard tunic uniforms worn by the officers. ( TOS : " The Corbomite Maneuver ", et al)

Starfleet flag officers wore a thicker braid insignia than regular officers. ( TOS : " Court Martial ", " The Trouble with Tribbles ")

The rank of cadet and midshipman were both in use at Starfleet Academy . ( TOS : " Shore Leave ", " Court Martial ")

In the mid- 2270s , Starfleet changed its uniforms yet again, although mainly in appearance only. The rank insignia of officers remained almost the same, though the lieutenant junior grade braid was now used to indicate ensign. Enlisted personnel adopted a style of their own rank insignia and both officers and admirals could now wear a short sleeve "Class B" uniform which displayed rank insignia on shoulder tabs. ( Star Trek: The Motion Picture )

Late 23rd century [ ]

By the year 2278 , Starfleet had again changed its uniforms , abandoning the previous sleeve stripe system and adopting a totally new insignia design which incorporated a series of rank pins worn on a shoulder strap with the color of the strap determining the bearer's branch within Starfleet. At this point, the lieutenant junior grade rank had also been re-established.

The shoulder strap system also matched with a cuff strap which could display various citation and years-of-service pins. Finally, in the case of admirals, another series of cuff straps denoted the particular rank of the admiral.

Enlisted uniforms were also completely revamped from previous versions and now were worn as jumpsuits with rank pins worn on the lower right sleeve. Enlisted ranks themselves were expanded, encompassing several grades of petty officer and chief petty officer . ( Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan )

With the exception of some minor cosmetic changes to officer uniforms, including the introduction of a standard communicator pin by 2344 , the uniforms and insignia of the late 23rd century remained unchanged until the late 2340s . ( TNG : " Yesterday's Enterprise ", " Family ")

Concept art by Robert Fletcher

24th century [ ]

Ranks in the 2360s

A captain's rank pips

By the year 2355 , Starfleet had introduced a new uniform design , with a pip system of golden pin insignia worn on the collar. ( TNG : " The Battle ")

The 24th century pip system included a black pip insignia to denote chief petty officers. ( TNG : " Realm Of Fear ")

The pip system used in the mid-to-late 24th century remained relatively unchanged through 2385 , having been kept across several uniform design changes. ( PIC : " Maps and Legends ")

In the 2360s , admirals wore a triangular insignia on a special flag officer uniform. ( TNG : " Too Short A Season ", " Coming of Age ", " Conspiracy ")

Admiral insignia worn in the vertical fashion

By 2365 , this insignia had been replaced by a "boxed pip" system worn vertically on the flag uniform collar. ( TNG : " The Measure Of A Man ") By 2366 , the admiral insignia was commonly worn horizontally against the collar in the same way as the insignia worn by other grades. ( TNG : " The Defector ")

Chief petty officer

By the mid- 2370s , Starfleet had changed the chief petty officer rank insignia, replacing the black pip with chevrons and dots. ( DS9 : " Hippocratic Oath ")

25th century [ ]

By the year 2399 , Starfleet's familiar pip design had been relocated from the collar to the right breast of the uniform and the pips had become silver. ( PIC : " Remembrance ") By the early 2400s , the silver rank pips were back on the collar of the uniform. ( PIC : " The Star Gazer ")

The pips of flag officers were placed on a dark gray isosceles trapezoid with a silver border. ( PIC : " Maps and Legends ")

29th century [ ]

The uniforms worn by the Starfleet crew of the USS Relativity during the 29th century displayed a new design for rank insignia, with horizontal bronze chevrons on the right collar instead of pips. ( VOY : " Future's End ", " Relativity ")

32nd century [ ]

By the 32nd century , Starfleet had passed through a number of rank insignia systems. ( DIS : " Forget Me Not ", " Su'Kal ")

By 3189 , rank was indicated on an officer's tricom badge . The ranks of captains and admirals were also shown on the collar and shoulders. The shoulder and collar had a similar design; captains had a vertical shoulder rank band at the edge of the shoulder, while admirals had a horizontal band along the top of the shoulder. ( DIS : " Die Trying ") Other officers had a plain collar badge.

Tricom badge concept art

Alternate timelines [ ]

Mirror universe [ ].

• See : Starfleet ranks (mirror)

Alternate reality [ ]

By 2258 in the alternate reality , Starfleet had adopted uniforms and an insignia pattern reminiscent of the mid 2250s in the prime reality . These new insignia consisted of silver bands worn on the lower sleeves of the uniform. Ensigns and certain skirt uniforms displayed no rank insignia. ( Star Trek )

Alternate universe [ ]

In an alternate universe observed during a quantum fissure , Starfleet had adopted an additional form of insignia which was incorporated directly into the design of the Starfleet combadge . The insignia appeared as black, gold, and silver bars behind the Starfleet delta, designed to show the rank of the wearer and along with collar pips. ( TNG : " Parallels ")

The same insignia was also used by the alien Barash during a holographic simulation of the USS Enterprise -D , designed to trick Commander William T. Riker into thinking he was in the future. Barash's simulation did not include the collar pips. ( TNG : " Future Imperfect ")

Comparative rank tables [ ]

Flag officers [ ].

Admirals in Starfleet were described as the flag officers , a term held over from naval tradition. These ranks constituted the highest authorities of Starfleet Command . ( TOS : " The Deadly Years ")

Officer ranks [ ]

Provisional officers [ ].

Insignia worn by warp specialist Kosinski

In 2364 , Starfleet propulsion expert Kosinski ran several upgrade experiments on the Enterprise -D. Kosinski wore a unique rank insignia denoting his special position. ( TNG : " Where No One Has Gone Before ")

The crew of the USS Voyager , which included non-Starfleet Maquis members, was forced to make use of provisional rank appointments as a matter of course since the ship was stranded in the Delta Quadrant and the Maquis members were essential to shipboard operations. ( VOY : " Caretaker ", et al.)

Emblems designed by Madgaleno

Cadet ranks [ ]

Cadet ranks were held by those attending Starfleet Academy during their training to become commissioned officers. ( TNG : " The First Duty ")

Enlisted ranks [ ]

Enlisted ranks were achieved by members of Starfleet who had not attended Starfleet Academy. ( DS9 : " Starship Down ")

Non-commissioned officers [ ]

• Petty officer, first class; also known as " technician first class ", etc. ( TOS : " Space Seed ")
• Petty officer, second class; also known as "specialist second class", etc. ( citation needed • edit )
• Petty officer, third class; also known as " yeoman third class ", etc. ( TOS : " Charlie X ")

Crewmen [ ]

• Crewman first class ( TNG : " The Drumhead ")
• Crewman second class ( ENT : " Shuttlepod One ")
• Crewman third class ( ENT : " Cold Front ")

The lowest possible rank of recruit , ranked below the crewman grades. ( ENT : " Rogue Planet ", " Cogenitor ")

Titles and positions [ ]

Fleet captain [ ].

Fleet captain insignia, 2259

Fleet captain was a title bestowed upon Starfleet captains when in command of more than one facility. It was a rare distinction, held by particularly respected captains. ( TOS : " The Menagerie, Part I ", " Whom Gods Destroy ") The 2259 fleet captain rank insignia used the flag-officer-disk-version of the Starfleet insignia, with only the two small delta leaves below the main delta colored gold; the cuff stripes and other elements of the uniform were those of a captain. ( SNW : " Lost in Translation ")

In 2259, Captain Christopher Pike , commanding officer of the USS Enterprise , was temporarily promoted to fleet captain, bringing the USS Farragut and Bavali Station under his command. ( SNW : " Lost in Translation ") Pike was permanently promoted to this title by 2266 . ( TOS : " The Menagerie, Part I ") In the 2260s , it was also held by Captain Garth , one of Starfleet's most decorated captains and hero of the Battle of Axanar . ( TOS : " Whom Gods Destroy ")

Deputy director [ ]

Sloan's insignia

Sloan posing as a deputy director with Internal Affairs

While posing as a deputy director with Internal Affairs , Luther Sloan wore captain's pips with a gold bar connecting them beneath. ( DS9 : " Inquisition ")

Colonel [ ]

Colonel West in 2293

In 2293 , Starfleet Colonel West was involved in the Khitomer conspiracy . ( Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country )

Corporal [ ]

In 2154 , Starfleet Corporal Askwith perished at the Earth embassy on Vulcan. ( ENT : " The Forge ")

Miscellaneous [ ]

The space officer's shoulder epaulets

In 2254 , Captain Christopher Pike, while on Talos IV , imagined himself as an Orion trader . He imagined an officer in a dress uniform with him at the Orion colony wearing peculiar shoulder epaulets and of unknown rank. ( TOS : " The Cage ")

In 2376 , The Doctor aboard Voyager briefly resigned his Starfleet commission. ( VOY : " Virtuoso ")

Appendices [ ]

See also [ ].

• Starfleet admirals
• Starfleet captains
• Starfleet commanders
• Starfleet lieutenant commanders
• Starfleet lieutenants
• Starfleet lieutenants junior grade
• Starfleet ensigns
• Starfleet cadets
• Starfleet enlisted personnel
• Starfleet crewmen

Background information [ ]

The rank system used during Star Trek: The Original Series was originally designed by William Ware Theiss , with the first versions inspired principally by the insignia of the United States Navy. According to Inside Star Trek: The Real Story [ page number? • edit ] , since Gene Roddenberry didn't want an overtly military Starfleet, Theiss toned down his stripe system by giving ensigns no stripe and lieutenants one full stripe, which is what an actual USN ensign wears.

For Star Trek: The Motion Picture , Jon Povill sent Fletcher a production memo, dated 3 August 1978 , explaining the rank insignia to be used in the film, with no reference to lieutenant junior grade or other flag officers. ( The Making of Star Trek: The Motion Picture , p. 126) Robert Fletcher , who designed the Starfleet uniform used in the film, developed a rank system which displayed on straps over both shoulders. These insignia included a circle for "mid shipman", a triangle for "lieut comm jr. grade", a chevron for "lieutenant comm", a single stripe for "commander", two stripes for "captain", two stripes a circle with spines for "admiral" and two spiney circles for "adm of the fleet". ( Star Trek: Costumes , p. 45) An unidentified triangular insignia is worn on the epaulets of several crewmembers, but is not identified in any production or background sources. It's A Wrap! sale and auction listed it as representing the rank of petty officer . [6] While an additional epaulet insignia featuring a single thin strip was also used but not identified to a rank. [7]

One version of the flag officer rank insignia sold as part of It's A Wrap! sale and auction

During the production of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , Director Nicholas Meyer wanted the uniforms to feel as real as possible, and asked for new rank insignia. Fletcher explained: " There was kind of a complicated arrangement of divisions and ranks expressed by the braid on the sleeves. I made that up. I organized it and produced a little instruction booklet about it for the wardrobe department […]. " ( citation needed • edit ) On the early version of the uniforms, the insignia was on a band around the upper arm, which was later moved to the cuff. ( citation needed • edit )

The Star Trek Encyclopedia omitted and created insignia, introducing some confusion

The Star Trek Encyclopedia  (3rd ed., p. 201), depicted an overview of the rank system used in the Star Trek films , though it omitted the petty officer second class, created the master chief petty officer second class and fleet captain (which had not been used in the films,) and depicted erroneous insignia for lieutenant commander and admiral. The Star Trek Fact Files Part 70 and the Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 2, Issue 10 , p. 99, would also include the apocryphal fleet captain and master chief petty officer second class insignia, the erroneous lieutenant commander insignia (with a broken vertical gold stripe, instead of a solid horizontal gold stripe,) and an almost entirely different depiction of flag officer insignia. This system created an insignia with one gold dart to represent commodore, used the commodore insignia for rear admiral, created a three gold dart insignia for vice admiral, and used the rear admiral insignia for admiral. A three gold dart insignia was included in some It's A Wrap! sale and auction flag officer sets, but never seen on screen. [8]

The later pip designs of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Enterprise emulated US Navy insignias almost exactly, although an article on the 2151 uniforms and rank did not mention lieutenant junior grade or lieutenant commander. ( Star Trek: The Magazine  Volume 3, Issue 11 , p. 42) Neither rank is used during Star Trek: Enterprise .

Apocrypha [ ]

The role-playing game supplement Star Trek: The Next Generation Officer's Manual discusses ranks.

Starfleet officers in the late 2230s

Star Trek: Countdown to Darkness , Issue 2 depicts that a style of uniform was in use by 2239 . This would make it seem that a few versions of the prime reality uniform were never adopted in the alternate reality, unless they was used very briefly after 2233 .

A rank senior to fleet admiral was first referenced in " The Wormhole Connection ". The rank of grand admiral is said to have existed in 2285 and has a special uniform with shoulder boards worn on the red maroon jacket uniform. The rank also appeared in the novel The Sorrows of Empire , held first by the counterpart Garth , then by the counterpart Matt Decker and then by Spock , before he becomes Emperor of the Terran Empire .

A "flag admiral" pin used as one of Data's medals

A "flag admiral" insignia design (a six pointed starburst) from the fan-published Klingon Covert Operations Manual was used as one of Data's medals in " The Most Toys ".

External links [ ]

• Earth Starfleet ranks at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Federation Starfleet ranks at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• 1 Nick Locarno
• 2 Sito Jaxa
• 3 Old Friends, New Planets (episode)

Titles and Abbreviations of Star Trek Series and Movies

Star Trek Series Star Trek Movies

The titles of Star Trek TV and movie productions, the numbering of the movies and the abbreviations or acronyms used for the series are not consistent in all publications. The different way to refer to certain series or movies may cause confusion. Sometimes it even gives rise to controversial debates about what is the rightful title or abbreviation.

The following is a concise naming guide, based on official sources and on what is customary in the fandom.

Star Trek Series

This list includes all names and abbreviations/acronyms as they are used by official sources and as they are common on fan sites.

Annotations

• Regarding the full titles of the Star Trek series, depending on the context, it is very common to simply omit the "Star Trek" from their names.
• A full series title should usually include a colon. Well, at EAS this is not quite consistent because I admit it is tempting to drop the colon from short names such as in "Star Trek Picard", as opposed to "Star Trek: The Next Generation" where the colon has a clear purpose.
• Policy at EAS: One- and two-word series names are represented by an abbreviation, always made up of the first three letters. An acronym is used for longer titles.
• Policy at Memory Alpha: One-word series names are represented by an abbreviation, always made up of the first three letters. An acronym is used for longer titles.
• Apparent official policy: One- and two-word series names are represented by an abbreviation. Sometimes this is a contracted "consonant-style" abbreviation like in "DSC" or "LDS", sometimes it consists of the first three letters like in "ENT" or "PIC". An acronym is used for longer titles.

The disagreement about the short forms for Discovery and Lower Decks likely won't be settled in the near future. CBS and John Van Citters may have the authority to stipulate "DSC" and "LDS" for startrek.com and other official publications, but fan sites such as EAS or MA use series abbreviations far more often and simply have their own system for them.

It is debatable anyway whether there is anything such as an "official" series abbreviation. Most likely neither "VGR" nor "VOY" was used during the production of Star Trek: Voyager; the series was commonly called "Voyager" in production documents. The usefulness of the three-letter abbreviation only came into play as soon as people began to refer to episodes of the series, with the fandom "VOY" eventually overruling the "VGR" that was chosen for the Encyclopedia II .

Star Trek Movies

The following list shows how the Star Trek movies are commonly referred to by official sources and in the fandom.

• Only the first six Star Trek movies (the ones with the complete TOS crew) are officially referred to with Roman numerals. The TNG movies are only informally assigned the numbers VII to X, notably in the Blu-ray collections in which they are sold together with the TOS movies I to VI.
• Some sources, such as Memory Alpha, prefer the full name of the movies over any abbreviations. For the TOS movies, EAS sometimes uses the "Star Trek {Roman numeral}" format as a short name, rather than the acronym.
• The film acronyms are common in the fandom and in some official publications. The Star Trek Encyclopedia uses the full acronym with "ST" for Star Trek and the colon, which are often omitted in other sources.
• The typography of the big letters on movie posters usually does not give away whether there is supposed to be a colon between "Star Trek" and the movie title, and in normal typesetting there are sometimes slight variations. Among the Star Trek movies, "Star Trek Into Darkness" and "Star Trek Beyond" are always spelled without a colon, consistent with the marketing campaign since the very first announcement. Among the Prime Universe movies, it is customary to omit the colon from "Star Trek Generations" and "Star Trek Nemesis" but not from "Star Trek: Insurrection". "Star Trek - The Motion Picture" and "Star Trek V - The Final Frontier" are two movies with a dash in the title in the fine print of the movie poster, but this is almost always replaced with a colon today.
• At EAS, all episode titles and all movie titles are in quotes (except if they appear in HTML headings). This is the style recommended in the Associated Press Stylebook . Some other sources put series and movie titles in italics.

Production Timeline - illustrated and clickable timeline from 1964 to today

Acronyms and Abbreviations - as they are customary in fandom as well as by TPTB

Thanks to Joshua J. Slone for the hint about the numbered TNG movies on Blu-ray. Thanks to Roger McCoy for pointing out some more exceptions.

https://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/database/series-titles.htm

Last modified: 13 May 2023

© Ex Astris Scientia 1998-2023, Legal Terms

This website is not endorsed, sponsored or affiliated with CBS Studios Inc. or the Star Trek franchise.

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Star Trek ( 1966 )

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12 star trek episodes with shakespeare titles.

Star Trek continues to be inspired by the words of William Shakespeare. Here are 12 Trek episodes with Shakespearean titles.

Since its inception in 1966, Star Trek has looked to the works of William Shakespeare for inspiration, and many episodes have titles borrowed from his works. Following the adventures of Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and his crew aboard the USS Enterprise, Star Trek: The Original Series has the most episodes titled after Shakespeare's works. Throughout the many other Star Trek properties, characters often quote Shakespeare, perform his plays, or otherwise reference the works of the Bard.

Many storylines, as well as episode titles, across the Star Trek shows and movies have been adapted from the works of Shakespeare. As one of the world's most popular and enduring writers, it makes sense that modern minds continue to be inspired by his plays and poems. Little did Shakespeare know that over 400 years after his death, his words would become so closely associated with one of the most popular science fiction franchises of all time. Here are 12 Star Trek episodes with titles taken from Shakespeare's works.

12 Star Trek: The Original Series - "Dagger of the Mind"

As Macbeth plots to kill the King of Scotland in Macbeth , he envisions a dagger before him, musing: "Art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation?" Though this Star Trek: The Original Series episode does not feature any imaginary daggers, it does feature a machine that stabs into the mind of patients. When Kirk and his crew visit a Federation penal colony to drop off supplies, they discover that the lead psychiatrist of the facility has been using a machine known as a "neural neutralizer" to subdue and experiment on his patients. Like Macbeth , this episode investigates mental anguish and how frightening it would be to lose one's mind.

11 Star Trek: The Original Series - "The Conscience of the King"

Perhaps the most Shakespearean episode of Star Trek , this episode not only takes its title from the play Hamlet but also features a Shakespearean acting troupe and a rather Shakespearean-style plotline. The phrase used for the episode's title comes at the end of Act 2 of Hamlet , when Hamlet declares: " The play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king." When Hamlet states these lines, he wishes to use a stage performance to determine whether his uncle Claudius is guilty of murdering his father. Similarly, in "The Conscience of the King," Captain Kirk tries to determine if Anton Karidian (Arnold Moss), the leader of the visiting acting troupe is really a mass murderer named Kodos the Executioner. Kirk also has a questionable romance with Lenore Karidian (Barbara Anderson), Anton's deranged daughter who accidentally kills her own father, which again, feels very Shakespearean.

10 Star Trek: The Original Series - "By Any Other Name"

When the Enterprise responds to a distress call on a supposedly uninhabited planet, they encounter humanoid aliens known as Kelvans who take them captive with a plan to steal the Enterprise. Over the course of the episode, Kirk discovers that the Kelvans have only recently taken human form. Because of this, they are not accustomed to the flood of human emotions and sensations they have begun to experience, and this allows Kirk to outwit them. The title of the episode comes from the famous balcony scene from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet , in which Juliet says: "That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Not only does Kirk quote this very line in the episode, but the Kelvans' progression from human in name to human in nature illustrates the quote's main idea.

9 Star Trek: The Original Series - "All Our Yesterdays"

Another title taken from Shakespeare's Macbeth , this one comes in the final act when Macbeth delivers his famous "Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow" speech. Halfway through the speech, Macbeth says: "And all our yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death." In this passage, Macbeth laments his past actions and the perceived pointlessness of his existence. With a storyline not quite as bleak, "All Our Yesterdays" focuses on a group of people from the dying planet Sarpeidon who use a portal to travel back into their past. The Shakespearean title here refers to the Sarpeidons' decision to return to their so-called yesterdays.

Related: How To Watch All Star Trek TV Shows In Timeline Order

8 Star Trek: The Next Generation - "Thine Own Self"

It makes sense that the only Star Trek: The Next Generation episode on this list would be one that prominently features the android Data (Brent Spiner). Throughout the series, Data explores his humanity by performing Shakespeare's plays. In season 7's "Thine Own Self," Data finds himself stranded in a small village with no memory of who he is or where he came from. The title comes from Hamlet and is spoken by Polonius, the councilor to the king. While offering supposed wisdom to his son, Polonius says: "This above all, to thine own self be true." Not only does Polonius not take his own advice, but he often speaks in meaningless platitudes. While this may complicate the meaning of the phrase as used in Hamlet , as the title of this TNG episode, it simply suggests that Data still behaves like Data even without his memories.

7 Star Trek: Voyager - "Mortal Coil"

In a heartbreaking Star Trek: Voyager story , the ship's Chef Neelix (Ethan Phillips) questions his will to live. After being killed on a mission, Neelix is brought back to life after nineteen hours. Troubled because he did not experience any kind of Afterlife, Neelix begins to question his beliefs and purpose in life. The title comes from one of Shakespeare's most famous passages, Hamlet's "To be, or not to be" soliloquy. As Hamlet ruminates on his own mortality, he questions: "For in that sleep of death, what dreams may come, when we have shuffled off this mortal coil?" Neelix, too, questions what comes after death and searches to find something worth living for.

6 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - "Once More Unto the Breach"

The last season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine focused largely on the Federation's war with the Dominion. In "Once More Unto the Breach," aging Klingon warrior Kor (John Colicos) appeals to Worf (Michael Dorn) for a ship to lead into battle against the Dominion. Though Kor does not get to command a Starship, he does achieve the warrior death he desired when he sacrifices himself to save Worf and break the enemy's formation. As one of the most famous calls to battle in the English language, the title of this episode makes perfect sense. The lines come from Henry V, and his stirring speech that begins: "Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more; or close the wall up with our English dead."

5 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - "The Dogs of War"

As the eighth episode in the nine-part Dominion War arc, "The Dogs of War" sets up several stories for the finale of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . The title of this episode originates from Julius Caesar, in a speech delivered by Marc Antony. After the murder of Caesar, Mark Antony vows revenge against the traitorous senators who committed the murder, proclaiming that Caesar's spirit will "Cry 'Havoc!' and let slip the dogs of war." As the finale of DS9 will see the Federation unleash their final offensive against the Dominion, this call to war feels fitting for the penultimate episode.

4 Star Trek: Discovery - "Such Sweet Sorrow, Parts 1 & 2"

In the two-part finale for Star Trek: Discovery season 2, Commander Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the crew of the USS Discovery must travel 930 years into the future to prevent the artificially intelligent Control from taking over. The titles for these episodes come from Romeo and Juliet , in lines spoken by Juliet from her balcony. As Romeo must leave for the night, Juliet says: "Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow." In the second part of this episode, Michael parts with her brother Spock (Ethan Peck) for the last time, and the rest of the characters leave their past lives behind. These are likely the sorrowful goodbyes to which the title refers.

3 Star Trek: Discovery - "There is a Tide..."

In the Star Trek: Discovery season 3 episode, "There is a Tide...," Michael and her crew fight to regain control of the USS Discovery from Osyraa (Janet Kidder), the leader of the Emerald Chain syndicate. While Osyraa negotiates with the Federation's Admiral Vance (Oded Fehr), Michael leads the battle to take back the Discovery. The title for this one is spoken by Brutus in Julius Caesar: "There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune." Brutus has decided to take advantage of the situation he has found himself in, much like Michael does in this Discovery episode. (Also of note, Captain Picard recites this Brutus speech in the series finale of Star Trek: Picard .)

2 Star Trek: Lower Decks - "Where Pleasant Fountains Lie"

This season 2 episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks includes two different plotlines, one following the Chief Engineer of the USS Cerritos, Lt. Commander Andy Billups (Paul Scheer), and the other following Ensigns Boimler (Jack Quaid) and Mariner (Tawny Newsome). In a plotline rather risque for Star Trek , Engineer Billups mother tries to coerce him into losing his virginity, meaning he would then have to assume his place as king of their people. The title comes from an even more risque Shakespeare poem, Venus and Adonis, and the lines: "Graze on my lips, and if those hills be dry, stray lower, where the pleasant fountains lie."

1 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow"

The most recent Star Trek episode to borrow its title from Shakespeare comes from Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2. The episode, called "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow," follows Enterprise Chief of Security La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) as she travels back in time with an alternate universe Captain James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley) to repair the future. The title comes from a famous speech Macbeth delivers in the last act of his play. Though Macbeth is commenting on the tragedy and futility of his life, the Strange New Worlds episode posits that every life and every choice makes a difference. From its very beginnings, Star Trek has been inspired by the works of William Shakespeare, and that will likely continue long into the franchise's future.

• William Shatner as Capt. James Tiberius Kirk
• Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock
• DeForest Kelley as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy
• James Doohan as Lt. Cmdr. Montgomery "Scotty" Scott
• Nichelle Nichols as Lt. Nyota Uhura
• George Takei as Lt. Hikaru Sulu
• Majel Barrett as Nurse Christine Chapel
• Walter Koenig as Ensign Pavel Andreievich Chekov [ 2-3 ]
• Grace Lee Whitney as Yeoman Janice Rand [ 1 ]
• Star Trek: The Animated Series
• Star Trek: The Next Generation
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
• Star Trek: Voyager
• Star Trek: Enterprise

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• Single-word Star Trek episode titles

All articles in the series Star Trek episode titles :

• Analyzing Star Trek episode titles
• What is the shortest Star Trek episode title?
• Star Trek episode titles: an interlude
• Similar Star Trek episode titles
• An aside for the titles of Picard
• Star Trek episode title character miscellany
• Star Trek episode title word miscellany

My earlier post included a list of all single-word episode titles. That list is long enough that it could be analyzed in isolation and still produce some interesting results. Firstly, here is a summary:

Single-word titles by Series

It seems the number of single-word episode titles started low and increased over time, peaking with Voyager (although Enterprise was very close behind by percentage of total episodes).

The Original Series

The original Star Trek is the only series to have a season with no single-word titles at all (and it has two if you follow the convention that the original pilot, “The Cage” is part of its own “Season 0”).

Many titles from the original series were intentionally unusual, in the hope it would generate interest from people browsing TV listings (as explained more by Bruce Bennett ). This generally led to longer titles and is part of the reason there are so few with just one word.

The Animated Series

The animated series followed a similar naming style to the original, although in this case even the single world titles are pretty odd.

The Next Generation

TNG was clearly a transition point in the history of Star Trek. It was obviously more modern and naturally led into the later series with most of the new production staff staying with Star Trek.

It was also still led by Gene Roddenberry early on, along with some of the original writers. This meant that although there were a plenty of long and unusual titles, the preference for simpler ones was becoming established.

Looking at the list of titles we can see TNG has the first that might stretch the definition of “single word”, and that maybe 11001001 is not even be a word. By my established definition though, it counts.

Deep Space Nine

DS9 followed a similar pattern to TNG. Many single-word titles, but plenty of longer ones too.

It also has another title that is questionable as a single word (that is yet another Q pun) in Q-Less .

By the time Voyager was written, the preference for single-word titles is well established, peaking in season 2 in which 20 out of 26 have only one word, and includes two separate runs of seven consecutive episodes with single-word titles.

There is another Q pun with Q2 and a bit of controversy with 11:59 .

Enterprise titles continue the trend set in Voyager, despite dipping slightly.

If you wanted to be picky you might question the single-word status of Kir’Shara since not only does it contain an apsotrophe, but also a capital letter in the middle.

What about “the”

My anlysis has so far treated a leading “the” as a word. Repeating this while ignoring “the” may produce interesting results, and at the very least will increase the count in Voyager season 2.

Finally, while browsing the list one interesting pattern stood out. There are 8 episode titles ending in “ions”, including the longest Transfigurations , and a further 22 ending in “ion”.

Sadly, there are none from the animated series.