Movies News Talk
Steering wheels—a contentious feature absent from The Mandalorian—have quietly returned in the latest Star Wars series, The Acolyte. This apparently small detail begs problems about the direction of the Star Wars series and its readiness to close the distance between its fictional universe and actual standards.
George Lucas purposefully deleted steering wheels from Luke Skywalker's landspeeder in A New Hope in the original Star Wars trilogy. This choice was probably motivated by a wish to preserve the fanciful character of the galaxy far, far away and steer clear of any components that might ground the narrative in contemporary technologies. This technique evolved into a defining feature of Star Wars's distinctive look, setting it apart from other science fiction projects.
But The Mandalorian season 3 brought Star Wars canon steering wheels. The pirate king Gorian Shard was shown flying his ship with a wheel that quite closely matches those of actual ships. Particularly for those who valued the unique approach taken in the original trilogy, this departure from accepted canon was seen as a startling and divisive one. While some supporters welcomed the modification as a means of giving the portrayal of pirates more realism, others saw it as an unneeded divergence from the franchise's accepted look.
The sixth Acolyte episode expanded on this trend by mentioning a steering wheel just fleetingly. Following a horrific fight, Jedi Master Sol tells Mae, "Take the wheel." But this apparently little line has generated debates among fans and begs issues about whether this is a deliberate attempt to include steering wheels into the Star Wars universe.
The Mandalorian and The Acolyte's steering wheels point to a change in how Star Wars approaches its universe. While some supporters believe this is a necessary step to bring realism and ground the narrative, others worry it might compromise the franchise's distinctive visual language and character. Whether steering wheels will become a permanent feature in the Star Wars galaxy or whether this is only a passing variation from the accepted canon is yet unknown.
Both The Acolyte and The Mandalorian have added to the always growing Star Wars universe. Set 100 years before Episode I, the Acolyte looks at the fall of the Jedi order and the rise of the Sith. Set following the fall of the Empire, The Mandalorian centers on a lone gunfighter negotiating the far reaches of the galaxy. These shows have a common thread despite their different chronology and emphasis: their eagerness to challenge the accepted canon and investigate fresh directions inside the Star Wars universe.
The comeback of steering wheels in Star Wars, in both The Mandalorian and The Acolyte, marks a possible change in the franchise's attitude to its universe. This apparently little modification could have major effects on the direction Star Wars is headed as well as on the narrative technique. Only time will reveal whether this is a transient variation or a permanent alteration to the far, far distant galaxy.