When it comes to expanding the Star Wars galaxy, George Lucas didn’t exactly have a rigid rulebook. Most of his “rules” were really more creative guidelines, meant to maintain the saga’s tone, mythology, and timeless quality.

Since the dawn of the Disney era, some of Star Wars’ long-standing rules have been bent, circumvented, or outright broken. However, that hasn’t always been a bad thing, as sometimes it’s led to more compelling stories and themes. Either way, here are 10 George Lucas “rules” we’ve seen broken or bent in the Disney era as the Star Wars galaxy has evolved.

Wookiee Jedi

Although George Lucas reportedly didn’t like the idea of Wookiees as Jedi Knights, a few popped up in the Expanded Universe even before Disney took over in 2012. Additionally, Lucas eventually approved the debut of a Wookiee Jedi Padawan (Gungi) during The Clone Wars.

Likewise, more Force-sensitive Wookiees have debuted more recently with characters like The High Republic’s Burryaga and The Acolyte’s Kelnacca. Incredibly strong and quite imposing, Wookiee Jedi are admittedly fascinating. Burryaga viewed the Force as a massive forest with individuals representing leaves and roots connected to the same great network of trees. Likewise, Gungi’s wooden lightsaber hilt is all kinds of cool.

No Zippers, Paper, Buttons

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Lucas tried to keep a collection of modern Earth aesthetics out of Star Wars. That meant no visible inclusions of zippers, buttons, paper, or other conventional elements that might ground the galaxy too closely in reality.

Under Disney, those guidelines have largely been maintained, but sometimes loosened in certain cases. Case in point, Andor and Skeleton Crew both feature cereal (both having the express intent to parallel reality). Also, the treasure-hunting Skeleton Crew series circumvents the paper rule by featuring ancient maps on old parchment. Zippers and buttons have appeared occasionally, though largely unnoticed by most viewers.

Glasses Were Off-Limits

While he had seen things like goggles and more involved protective eyewear, basic glasses had not been seen in Star Wars. Like the above elements, Lucas felt glasses were too modern and likely too visually distracting as a result.

However, that eventually changed under Disney. The Mandalorian and Skeleton Crew both introduced characters who wear glasses with Doctor Pershing and Wim’s father, Wendle. Likewise, Andor season 2 even saw Diego Luna’s Cassian wearing sunglasses as part of his fashion designer disguise on Ghorman.

Seatbelts

The Disney Junior animated series Young Jedi Adventures prominently features seatbelts, as it’s a good idea to emphasize safety for younger viewers.

However, the number of times seatbelts on ships can be found in Star Wars before this series can likely be counted on one hand (though one notable case can be found with Jango Fett and young Boba in Attack of the Clones). Safety first!

Bending The Sith’s Rule of Two

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In Lucas’ movies, Darth Bane’s Rule of Two was presented as absolute: one Sith master, one Sith apprentice.

However, it was eventually established that the succession of the apprentice required an acolyte to aid in their overthrow of the master. Likewise, it’s been confirmed that Palpatine very much disregarded the Rule of Two, with newer stories helping to confirm that there was some key overlap with apprentices like Dooku and Maul.

No Sequel Heroes Lose A Hand

A Star Wars character losing a hand or a full limb was once a key tradition in George Lucas’ Star Wars films. However, Disney’s sequel trilogy unfortunately breaks the tradition entirely. No major hero or villain loses a limb in The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, or Rise of Skywalker (Snoke only sort of counts).

Disney Introduced Non Skywalker Saga Stories

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Lucas believed the saga was fundamentally the Skywalker family’s story. Everything else existed to support that central narrative across his six films. While Disney continued the Skywalker saga with Episodes VII-IX, they produced new projects apart from the direct Skywalker story with movies and shows like Rogue One, Andor, Solo, The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, and more stories proving Star Wars can thrive without Skywalkers.

Expanding Beyond The Galaxy Far, Far Away

For decades, everything in the franchise happened within one singular galaxy far, far away. However, 2023’s Ahsoka featured a major first, deviating from the main galaxy by traveling to a completely new galaxy entirely with the world of Peridea, the original homeworld of the Dathomiri Force Witches known as the Nightsisters, while also having major connections to the Force gods of Mortis as well.

Challenging The Idea Of “Balance in the Force”

It’s also worth noting that more Disney-era Star Wars stories have been exploring true balance in the Force, not just the light overcoming the dark. Force dyads and the need for both light and dark have been fascinating new concepts worth exploring in recent years.

Deviating From The Hero’s Journey

It’s also worth noting that Disney has increasingly deviated from the original Skywalker saga structure of the typical hero’s journey and the core themes of corruption and redemption of said heroes.

As epic and franchise-defining as those narratives are, we’re also starting to see more nuanced, darker, and overall more complicated Star Wars projects. Case in point, this year’s Maul: Shadow Lord will be the first Star Wars show ever to have a classic villain in the lead and in the title.

Cast

Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, David Prowse, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Ian McDiarmid, Ewan McGregor, Rosario Dawson, Lars Mikkelsen, Rupert Friend, Moses Ingram, Frank Oz, Pedro Pascal

TV Show(s)

The Mandalorian, Andor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, The Acolyte, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Lando, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Star Wars: Resistance, Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, Star Wars: Visions

Movie(s)

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, Star Wars: Episode IX- The Rise of Skywalker, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi, Star Wars: New Jedi Order

Character(s)

Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Rey Skywalker, Emperor Palpatine / Darth Sidious, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, Grand Admiral Thrawn, Grand Inquisitor, Reva (The Third Sister), The Fifth Brother, The Seventh Sister, The Eighth Brother, Yoda, Din Djarin, Grogu, Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, Leia Organa, Ben Solo/Kylo Ren