Soon, audiences will witness the state of the galaxy 100 years before the beginning of the Saga in the upcoming series The Acolyte, set to release sometime in 2023. Since the original film that started it all in 1977, the Star Wars franchise continues to stay fresh by introducing viewers to new corners of the galaxy in new series like The Mandalorian, heading into its third season.
As a sci-fi film series, technology has always been fundamental to Star Wars. While it does take place "a long time ago," the films have managed to give viewers a look into the future as to what kind of tech could be available, and there are some very cool gadgets that fans can't get enough of.
Jedi Training Remotes
First appearing in A New Hope in 1977, Jedi training remotes come in real handy for training young Jedi. While it offers a challenge for padawans, it can quickly become a nuisance, as it repeatedly fires a stun blaster.
While most force users hold a lightsaber while training with one to deflect the oncoming shots, Grogu took it a step further by using only his athletic abilities and the force to beat the remote.
Force Fields
Despite the name, these protective fields have nothing to do with the force! Force fields have been a useful tool in Star Wars for a long time. Not only do they keep people away or guard things, but they're also the most frustrating parts of Star Wars video games, with players having to find a way around them.
Force fields can be used in a multitude of ways and always come in handy during large-scale battles, as seen in the 2008 Clone Wars film and Genndy Tartakovsky's Clone Wars series.
Holocrons
Fans of The Force Unleashed are very familiar with holocrons as searching for them can be quite a chore. In Star Wars lore, holocrons are almost like USB keys in the way that they store data or valuable information.
Used by both the Jedi and Sith, these devices were used to store lessons, holographic messages, maps and more. Many holocrons were stored in the Great Library of the Jedi Temple. While not many have been seen in the films, they are a great source of intrigue as all the Jedi and Sith's secrets and history are stored on them.
Comlinks
While holograms seem to be the main source of communication between characters, comlinks are also valuable tools used by characters to communicate with each other. They are easily comparable to real-world walkie-talkies.
In Episode I, comlinks are used throughout by Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan and the props were hilariously just a repurposed Gilette for Women SensorExcel razor. Even toys based on it were released, looking nearly identical to the razor.
Jetpacks
There is quite possibly nothing cooler than the Jetpack-wearing Mandalorians. When most people think of jetpacks in the Star Wars galaxy, they usually attribute them to Mandalorians or Jet/Rocket Troopers within the Republic and Empire.
Even in Star Wars video games, playing as characters with jetpacks is always a blast - until the fuel runs out, that is. While the characters in the films always seem to have an unlimited supply of jetpack fuel, that definitely isn't the case in games.
Holograms
While holograms have been used in Star Trek as well, the technology is completely different, not very comparable, and it was Star Wars that made them iconic. Holograms in Star Wars are essentially the main way people communicate or send messages.
From the first appearance in A New Hope with Leia urging Obi-Wan to help the Rebels, holograms have become a staple in the franchise. At least one hologram has appeared in every Star Wars project to date!
Bacta Tanks
If it weren't for a bacta tank, Darth Vader would have been in a lot worse shape than he is. While most of the burns on his body were severe, using the bacta tanks considerably healed his wounds.
While the bacta tank was more or less just a throwaway tool for Luke in The Empire Strikes Back, Lucasfilm has been using it a lot lately in various projects - which makes sense. Many characters experience severe injuries, but usually they walk it off. The bacta tank offers a more realistic approach and allows the viewer to see the character in a more vulnerable state.
Cybernetic Limbs
Like bacta tanks, cybernetic limbs are very important for the Star Wars galaxy. For people living within the world, losing a limb doesn't seem to be all that bad. While the prices for these fancy cybernetics have never been shared, it seems these limbs are just accessible to everyone.
By the time of the original trilogy, the technology has advanced so much that the limbs look life-like with Luke's. Anakin was done dirty in Attack of the Clones with his scuffed metal hand compared to his son's.
Hyperdrive
In Star Wars, hyperdrive is the quintessential part of a ship that allows the pilot to go into hyperspace, a realm outside of space that travels faster than regular flying. The Last Jedi breaks lore by having Holdo's ship crash into the fleet of First Order star destroyers.
Technically, Holdo would have just disappeared into hyperspace, traveling into the alternate dimension of space-time. This tool gives pilots the luxury of traveling many light years in just seconds or minutes, making it one of the most important in the franchise.
Lightsabers
There's no weapon in film as iconic as a lightsaber. Inside, a crystal chosen by the force user powers the saber. While the saber itself is a useful weapon, it requires a lot of training to master.
There are seven forms of lightsaber combat in canon that offer different forms of offensive or defensive sword fighting. The duels that feature lightsabers in Star Wars are easily the best of the series and engraved in the franchise's DNA.