Consistency in the Star Wars universe

The Star Wars universe is so vast that consistency is a real issue for the many folks who create content for it, ranging from novels to comics to video games. This article looks at the fictional universe and how complexity emerges from the creation of the fictional universe. It is certainly an interesting read for the hardcore fans who constantly look for plot contradictions.

Still, some of the tinier details of the plot might easily enough lead to contradictions. Luke Skywalker’s mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, seemed unaware of the existence of Luke’s sister Leia in 1980’s Episode V. But Kenobi, played by Ewan McGregor in Episodes I–III, is likely to be quite actively involved in the whole plot about Vader and his estranged children. Will Kenobi indeed be kept in the dark about Leia’s existence, or will a contradiction be introduced? Will the loyal droids C-3PO and R2-D2 witness all of these events unfolding—despite appearing to have no prior knowledge of Kenobi or Vader in Episodes IV–VI? Or, since 1999’s Episode I introduced the strange idea that C-3PO was actually built by the child Anakin Skywalker (long before he became the armored villain Vader), how can C-3PO be ignorant in Episodes IV–VI about Vader being Anakin and thus being Luke Skywalker’s father? (And will there be a moment of revelation in Episode III in which Vader tells C-3PO: “I created you—I am your father”?)