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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Full Series Early Star Wars (1974 - 1979) Influence in Rebels

Discussion in 'Star Wars TV- Completed Shows' started by Dark Lord Tarkas, Feb 12, 2014.

  1. Dark Lord Tarkas

    Dark Lord Tarkas Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Apr 29, 2011
    If you look at the Stormtrooper action figure from the very first Star Wars film (circa 1977 - 1978):

    [​IMG][​IMG]

    ... and depictions of Stormtroopers in pre-Empire Strikes Back Marvel comics (which I theorize were based on the action figure since they differ from the helmets used in the film in similar ways):

    [​IMG][​IMG]

    ... in that compared to the helmets used in the film, both the early action figure and comics have Stormtrooper helmets with larger mouths that go down farther and at a sharper angle:

    [​IMG]

    ... and now when I see the stylized Stormtrooper design for Rebels:

    [​IMG][​IMG]

    ... it looks to me like they may have been inspired by or even paying homage to the slightly altered look of the helmet from the very first Star Wars action figures and comics. I know in one of the interviews I read about it lately the person working on the show said they wanted to give younger Star Wars fans a taste of what it was like for those first few years and this would make sense with that.

    Thoughts?
     
  2. purplerain

    purplerain Jedi Knight star 4

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    Sep 14, 2013
    A definite possibility. It fits everything we've been told quite well. I wonder if we'll hear the term "Hammerhead".
     
  3. Dark Lord Tarkas

    Dark Lord Tarkas Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Apr 29, 2011
    There are a lot of pictures of the Stormtroopers in the comics that could make the point much better but all I can find is the covers.
     
  4. Mia Mesharad

    Mia Mesharad Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Sep 2, 2012
    The team behind Rebels does seem to love the old toys, as well as the toys' own inspiration in McQuarrie concept art. Of course, TCW itself took nods from the earlier micro-series designs for its early cast, and the Mandalorian helmets were based more on the slightly elongated style of the Holiday Special Boba Fett cartoon than the make of the film helmets; a good chunk of that team's now working on Rebels, too. With all that in mind, the action figure inspiration for the stormtrooper helmets would certainly be consistent with their tendency to homage these past ideas in new ways.
     
  5. Revanfan1

    Revanfan1 Force Ghost star 6

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    Jun 3, 2013
    Looking at that picture of the stormtrooper from Rebels...the detail on the rifle is insane!
     
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  6. Erik_B

    Erik_B Jedi Padawan star 1

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    Feb 11, 2014
    I am pretty sure I remember someone at the comic con panel saying that they gave the stormtrooper blasters in Rebels a hump on top of their barrel because the old kenner action figures had one.
     
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  7. Dark Lord Tarkas

    Dark Lord Tarkas Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Apr 29, 2011
    That would make sense since the toy gun from 1977/1978:

    [​IMG]

    ... does have a little hump at the end of the barrel like the one in the Rebels pic I posted above, unlike the actual Stormtrooper blaster from the film:

    [​IMG]

    Thanks a lot for pointing that out! So both the stylization of the helmet and blaster look awfully similar to the 1977 - 1978 action figure. The evidence mounts!
     
  8. Dark Lord Tarkas

    Dark Lord Tarkas Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Apr 29, 2011
    Todd the Jedi TaradosGon Seerow AkashKedavra_93 please change title of this thread to "Early Star Wars (1974 - 1979) Influence in Rebels" thank you!



    Zeb looking so much like this version of Chewbacca was really obvious to me, but you exploded my mind when you connected Kanan's armor on one arm to Kane having one cyborg arm. When I first read the name "Kanan" I thought it would be pronounced like "can-in" but then I heard it said as "cane-in" by everyone in the video about him. His freaking name even starts out with "Kane." Now it all makes sense. I think you made a brilliant call right there. And as you point out, though he's no where near as old as Kane Starkiller, he's still in the role as Force mentor. So the character dynamics as well as personal specifics are all there. I was already getting this kind of vibe but now you really have me excited about it.

    You are absolutely right about the Inquisitor and I will be posting about that later tonight after I get more homework done!
     
  9. Sir Chem

    Sir Chem Jedi Knight star 1

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    Dec 26, 2013
    I love the pulpy, more classic sci-fi aesthetic that they're going with for the show. I've gotten kind of tired of the super shiny, holographic interfaces everywhere type sci-fi that's become most prevalent. The whole look just feels like a breath of fresh air to me, and all they did was go backwards.
     
  10. Vthuil

    Vthuil Force Ghost star 5

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    Jan 3, 2013
  11. Dark Lord Tarkas

    Dark Lord Tarkas Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Apr 29, 2011
    Too tired to make a substantive post at this point, but here's Ralph McQuarrie's earliest work on Chewbacca:

    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]

    and here is the new character Zeb from Rebels:

    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]

    ... almost everything about the head is the same. And they're both really tall and wield blaster rifles. And they both have short sleeves, shorts, and a belt.


    And if you're digging the Inquisitor's shield which was just revealed:

    [​IMG]

    ... you might find the shields the Stormtroopers have in this mid-70's McQuarrie concept art fascinating:

    [​IMG]
     
  12. darthzac14

    darthzac14 Jedi Master star 4

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    Nov 8, 2012
    On the box its says "Inquisitor" and he has a helmet. He may not have a name
     
  13. Krueger

    Krueger Chosen One star 5

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    Aug 9, 2004
    Wow. I've never, ever seen this before. Where did you obtain it?
     
  14. The Shadow Emperor

    The Shadow Emperor Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Sep 29, 2012
    Kind of off-topic, but they actually released figures of those original stormtrooper designs.

    [​IMG]

    I'm the proud owner of both. :D
     
  15. Todd the Jedi

    Todd the Jedi Mod and Loving Tyrant of SWTV, Lit, & Collecting star 6 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Oct 16, 2008
    Right, they made figures for a bunch of the McQuarrie designs. It'll be interesting to do a side-by-side comparison between those and new figures based on Rebels characters.

    And I'm loving all the vehicle designs for Rebels. The TIEs that are more in line with McQuarrie's sketches look great. It makes sense that they'd change the design every few years. That's one thing the EU didn't do too much at all, just continually using X-Wings and Star Destroyers and such until Legacy.

    I also wonder if we'll see more examples of the type of helmet Rako Hardeen wore, which was based on the original sketches for Boba Fett.
    [​IMG]
     
  16. Dark Lord Tarkas

    Dark Lord Tarkas Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Apr 29, 2011
    I just watched the video for Rebels' droid character Chopper for the first time because, frankly, I don't get very excited about droid characters, and they specifically talk about how some of the influence for the character came from early McQuarrie concept art:



    Apparently he's going to be using his "arms" a lot more than we're used to seeing from astromech droids which they say is part of the McQuarrie influence and they show this classic picture in the video for reference:

    [​IMG]

    ... you also notice it in the early McQuarrie concept art already posted in this thread:

    [​IMG]

    Chopper:

    [​IMG]

    It's purely superficial but I love the idea of them taking so much from GL's early "The Star Wars" drafts and earliest EU enough for me to care more now, :p
     
  17. Dark Lord Tarkas

    Dark Lord Tarkas Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Apr 29, 2011
    Taken from Rebels main discussion thread:

     
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  18. Lt.Cmdr.Thrawn

    Lt.Cmdr.Thrawn Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Sep 23, 1999
    Actually, that's fan art by a VFX artist named Daniel James Cox, who was interested in what the first scene in SW might have looked like if the costumes were more faithful to McQuarrie's original designs.
     
  19. Dark Lord Tarkas

    Dark Lord Tarkas Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Apr 29, 2011
    Thanks a lot for the clarification Lt.Cmdr.Thrawn that's really interesting. I had my doubts so it's nice to know for sure. But the shield design is definitely still McQuarrie's so it's still relevant to the discussion. You just can't see it quite as good in this picture of his:

    [​IMG]
     
  20. Krueger

    Krueger Chosen One star 5

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    Aug 9, 2004
    Ah, thank you. May be sinful to say, but I have actually always preferred this design for Vader.
     
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  21. Dark Lord Tarkas

    Dark Lord Tarkas Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Apr 29, 2011
    We still haven't seen what Darth Vader's design for the series will be, if he's in it at all. I wonder if there will be any slight nods to 1974 - 1979 Star Wars in the way he's stylized like what I noted with the Stormtroopers up top.
     
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  22. KitsterAKABobaFett

    KitsterAKABobaFett Jedi Grand Master star 3

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    May 31, 2007
    I would love to see characters with Flash Gordon-esque costumes like those in this show.
     
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  23. Dark Lord Tarkas

    Dark Lord Tarkas Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Apr 29, 2011
    KitsterAKABobaFett I'd say those outfits are more akin to Buck Rogers:

    [​IMG]

    ... than Flash Gordon:

    [​IMG]

    ... but yeah totally agree I'd love to see outfits on Rebels like what's in the old McQuarrie concept art.
     
  24. Krueger

    Krueger Chosen One star 5

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    Aug 9, 2004
    I never thought of that. I hope they go down the same route as with the Stormtroopers. I’ve always wanted a more “stylised” Vader.
     
  25. Dark Lord Tarkas

    Dark Lord Tarkas Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Apr 29, 2011
    Krueger yeah I wouldn't want him to look completely like this:

    [​IMG]

    ... but some small nod to that design would be really cool.
     
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