Few film franchises have generated more speculation than Star Wars. Ever since the saga kicked off with A New Hope way back in 1977, fans have been devising theories that concern their beloved galaxy far, far away, along with its inhabitants. Many of these guesses have been impressively plausible, so much so that it’s not surprising that many have turned out to be accurate, too. Having said that, quite a number of fan theories over the years have ranged from outlandish to flat-out bonkers. As you’d expect, these arguments tend not to have a strong track record of being proven right by the various Star Wars movies, TV shows, novels, comic books, and video games. Amazingly, though, some do wind up being endorsed by Disney/Lucasfilm, earning recognition within the series’ official canon.
Interestingly, although a handful of weird fan hypotheses have been incorporated into Star Wars canon over the last four decades (and twice as many have been debunked) quite a few are still effectively in limbo. In some cases, we highly doubt the theories involved will ever be given the thumbs up, but Disney/Lucasfilm haven’t taken the time to shut them down (yet). In other instances, we think there’s actually a reasonably solid chance that these ostensibly off-the-wall ideas might actually pay dividends at some point in the future. With all of this in mind, we’ve pulled together this list of 10 Wild Star Wars Fan Theories Confirmed To Be True (And 10 That Still Could Be), and who knows, the saga’s next big reveal just might have made the cut!
Could Be: Rey's Real Parents Are Han And Qi'ra
A vocal contingent of Star Wars fans were quite miffed by the arguably underwhelming revelation regarding the true identity of Rey’s parents in The Last Jedi. After all, if Kylo Ren is telling the truth (and given he’s a baddie), Rey’s folks were junk trader nobodies. This stands in stark contrast to what many devotees of the saga were expecting, namely, that either her mom or her pops (or both) would turn out to be a “big name” character.
That’s probably why a theory currently doing the rounds online is gaining so much traction: that Han Solo and his first love, Qi’ra, are really Rey’s parents. This theory alleges that forthcoming sequel, Episode IX, will dismiss Kylo Ren’s remarks as a fake-out in favor of the Han/Qi’ra angle, which seems farfetched, but who knows?
Confirmed: Kylo Ren Will Betray Supreme Leader Snoke
Although The Force Awakens was generally well-received by critics and audiences alike, one of the main criticisms leveled at the film is that it’s the Star Wars equivalent of a “greatest hits” album. Given how closely director J.J. Abrams followed the formula established in the original Star Wars movies, fans immediately became convinced they had the sequel trilogy’s entire plot figured out.
One such development that many long-time viewers were certain of was that Kylo Ren would ultimately overthrow his shadowy master, Supreme Leader Snoke. And they were right… kinda. Rather than taking place at the climax of Episode IX as anticipated, Snoke’s downfall occurred midway through The Last Jedi. What’s more, Kylo’s betrayal of Snoke wasn’t motivated by a desire for redemption, but was instead driven by the one-time Jedi pupil’s dark impulses!
Could Be: Finn Is Lando's Son
Although Disney/Lucasfilm have made genuine efforts to improve the diversity among the ranks of Star Wars’ heroes and villains, this hasn’t always been the case. On the contrary, other than a handful of notable characters, until recently, the most important figures in a galaxy far, far away have been predominately white and male.
A direct consequence of this is that when it came time for fans to debate who Finn’s mysterious parents could be, there weren’t really that many options to choose from. Assuming that our guy’s parents actually are famous, the obvious (read: “only”) candidate to be his father is key supporting player Lando Calrissian. With Billy Dee Wiliams set to reprise the role in Episode IX, it’s possible – albeit somewhat unlikely – that he will turn out to be Finn’s long-lost biological father.
Confirmed: Luke Went Into Self-Imposed Exile
The trouble with being a filmmaker is that it’s impossible to keep every single fan in the dark, no matter how smart you are, there’s always at least one person who’ll work out what you’ve planned. Take J.J. Abrams’ attempts to keep Luke Skywalker’s role in The Force Awakens under wraps. Although nearly everyone guessed wrong, succumbing to the Dark Side, guarding a Sith tomb, and even no longer being alive were all popular theories, but one fan correctly predicted the truth.
Blogger Jason Ward was spot-on when he suggested that Luke’s then-rumored minor role in The Force Awakens was the result of the legendary Jedi Master going into self-imposed exile. Impressively, Ward also forecast Luke’s surprisingly jaded view of the Jedi Order and his shift from idealistic Rebel hero to bitter recluse, which can be seen in the follow-up, The Last Jedi!
Could Be: Hux Is A Double Agent Working For The Resistance
As we already mentioned in the introduction to this list, some Star Wars theories are almost certain to be erroneous, we just don’t have enough concrete information to know that for sure. The theory that General Hux is a double agent spying on the First Order for the Resistance lands squarely in this category.
True, nothing viewers saw in The Last Jedi backed-up this idea, and it seems fairly clear that Hux wasn’t working on orders from Luke Skywalker, much less that he was Luke’s son! But, it’s also virtually impossible to completely rule this one out, given Episode IX is still a year away. Without having yet seen the final chapter in the sequel trilogy, we can’t definitively say that Hux isn’t operating under orders from someone connected to the good guys, even as implausible as it seems.
Confirmed: Darth Vader Is Pathologically Incapable Of Returning To Tatooine
The rationale behind half of all Star Wars theories is fans’ desire to fill-in plot holes that have sprung up throughout the franchise’s history. Certainly, it was the genesis of this entry, which tackles a doozy of a conundrum: why didn’t Darth Vader ever search for Luke on Tatooine? It’s kinda weird that he didn’t, after all, the Sith Lord had family there, so surely he’d check to see if that’s where Obi-Wan had stashed his son?
The theory here was that Vader’s painful memories of his life on Tatooine (his childhood as a slave and his mother’s tragic demise) are the reason why Vader can’t bring himself to think about (much less visit) his homeworld. It’s a solid enough line of logic, which explains why it found its way into the pages of the Darth Vader comic books!
Could Be: Darth Vader's Castle Is Now Kylo Ren's Base Of Operations
Spin-off Rogue One: A Star Wars Story features Darth Vader in a minor (but memorable) role. Not only do we get to see the iconic villain at last cut loose with his powers on screen, but this flick also boasts the debut of Vader’s insanely cool fortress on volcanic planet Mustafar. Since the castle’s first on-screen appearance, fans have wondered who its current occupant might be, now that Vader is no more.
Of course, it’s quite likely that Vader’s castle was left abandoned once he became one with the Force. But, we like the theory that Kylo Ren moved into the vacant, lavaside property. As the galaxy’s #1 Vader fanboy, setting up shop in his idol’s former digs would be in character for Ren, but only time (and Episode IX and its supporting media) will tell if he actually did!
Confirmed: TR-8R And Finn Used To Be Pals
A couple of things happened after Star Wars fans witnessed the showdown between Finn and First Order stormtrooper FN-2199 in The Force Awakens. The first is that he was given the affectionate nickname “TR-8R” – a reference to his passionate roar of “Traitor!” before clashing with our hero.
The second is that fans began to question the level of outrage displayed by this minor antagonist, who seemed to react to Finn’s defection to the Resistance in disarmingly personal fashion. As a result, a theory was born that FN-2199 and Finn had a shared past, with fans devising a backstory that established the pair as former friends who bonded during basic training. Well, they weren’t that wide off the mark, in fact, all they really got wrong was the guy’s name!
Could Be: The Asteroid Field Is The Remains Of A Destroyed Planet
Of all the unconventional Star Wars-related hypotheses to crop up over the past five years, Disney/Lucasfilm could do a lot worse than validate this one. It goes like this: the asteroid field that the crew of the Millennium Falcon is forced to navigate in The Empire Strikes Back is actually the debris of a planet destroyed by the first Death Star!
It’s not inconceivable, either: Rogue One made it clear that at least one other world (idyllic planet Scarif) was targeted by the super weapon prior to the destruction of Alderaan in A New Hope. At the very least, this would explain a few anomalies with the asteroids in Empire (like their capacity to foster gigantic space slugs) that set them apart from their real-world counterparts.
Confirmed: Star Wars And E.T. Are Set In The Same Universe
Ever since Steven Spielberg included a cute wink to the Star Wars franchise, which was created by his good friend, George Lucas, in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, fans have posited a connection between both properties. That said, nobody took it all that seriously, considering that the Easter egg in E.T. amounted to little more than a child in a Yoda costume on Halloween.
However, the notion that these two fictional universes might actually be one and the same place got a whole lot less ridiculous with the release of The Phantom Menace in 1999. In that film, a group of aliens belonging to the same species as E.T. can be spotted among the many otherworldly life forms in the senate. So, it looks like Star Wars’ whole “galaxy far, far away” setting was a bit of an exaggeration!
Could Be: The Force Is The Reason Why Stormtroopers Can't Aim
For the supposedly elite footsoldiers of a violent intergalactic regime, stormtroopers have notoriously shoddy aim. Seriously, the entire Star Wars saga could have been over as early as A New Hope… if only one of these grunts had proven to be an even vaguely competent marksman. The stormtroopers’ exceptionally poor shooting skills have been a major source of frustration for fans for a while now, to the point where theories have developed to explain them away.
One theory we could imagine Disney/Lucasfilm getting onboard with is based around Rogue One’s Chirrut Îmwe, a blind martial artist who is able to evade blaster fire despite his disability. The theory is that the Force (in which Îmwe is a staunch believer) is actually disrupting his attackers’ aim, which could also be used to address other instances where stormtroopers fail to hit their target.
Confirmed: Rey Is A Nobody
Even before The Force Awakens was released, fans were trying to tease out the identity of Rey’s parents, and this only intensified after the movie landed in theaters. It seemed everybody had Rey pegged as the offspring of two of the Star Wars saga’s iconic characters, with Luke Skywalker most commonly touted to be her father.
Even so, a small number of fans anticipated what we all now know thanks to the reveal in The Last Jedi, where it was said that Rey’s parents were junk traders, making her basically a “nobody.” Admittedly, this could change when Episode IX comes out, after all, we only have baddie Kylo Ren’s word for it that this intel is accurate. However, when you consider the message that underpins Rey’s lack of legendary lineage, that anyone can be a hero, there’s a good chance this plot twist won’t be reversed.
Could Be: Darth Vader's Turn Wasn't Complete Until Empire Strikes Back
Something casual Star Wars fans tend to overlook is that Darth Vader is essentially a supporting villain in A New Hope, he even takes orders from Grand Moff Tarkin! It’s not until The Empire Strikes Back that he graduates to primary antagonist status, and naturally, there’s a fan theory that seeks to justify Vader’s sudden jump to the big leagues.
This theory alleges that the embarrassing setbacks the Sith Lord experienced in Rogue One and A New Hope (dude failed to secure the Death Star plans twice, and then allowed it to be blown up) drove him to embrace the Dark Side even further. So, by the time Episode V rolls around, Vader is more sinister than ever. With Marvel Comics currently exploring (and reinterpreting) Vader’s backstory, it’s highly possible they’ll work this concept into his revised character arc.
Confirmed: Ewoks Eat Humans
The Ewoks have been derided by fans for their cuteness ever since they joined forces with Luke, Leia, and Han against the Empire in Return of the Jedi, and it’s not hard to see why, either. The idea that this diminutive alien race of teddy bears could stand up to “an entire legion” of the Emperor’s best troops is objectively absurd.
All the same, there’s more to these terminally cute critters than meets the eye. For one thing, they’re disarmingly fierce carnivores with an appetite for humans! Some viewers cottoned onto this fact when Jedi came out in 1983, noting that the Ewoks sure seemed keen on the idea of roasting our heroes over a roaring fire, and it was officially made canon in a recent online short.
Could Be: The Empire Discontinued The KX Series After Rogue One
You’ve gotta give it to Star Wars fans: they’re an undeniably imaginative bunch, capable of dreaming up inspired theories most people wouldn’t even think of. This includes one clever reddit user, garrusnogarrus, who has proposed that the Empire recalled all KX series droids following the events of Rogue One.
We’ve classed this theory as “wild,” not because it’s ludicrous, but rather because it’s brilliant in an unconventional way. Of course top Imperial brass would discontinue the KX series once they discovered how easily K2SO was infiltrated and reprogrammed by the Rebels. To be honest, Disney/Lucasfilm would be nuts not to find a way to work this little detail into the official canon via a tie-in novel or comic book. It’s only a small touch, but it contributes so much to overall Star Wars world building.
Confirmed: Obi-Wan Does Remember R2-D2
Here’s another continuity-related Star Wars theory, again trying to paper over an apparent discrepancy between the original trilogy and the prequels. When Obi-Wan first encounters R2-D2 in A New Hope, the elderly Jedi Master gives no indication that he’s ever met the plucky droid before. This doesn’t quite add-up, when you factor in the many adventures they shared together 19 years earlier!
General fan consensus has always been that the in-universe explanation for this is that Kenobi is (true to form) simply keeping his cards close to his chest, and that he does indeed recognize R2. The novel The Princess, the Scoundrel and the Farm Boy, which retells the events of A New Hope, makes it clear that fans were on the money here, with Obi-Wan acknowledging his “old friend” in a previously unseen moment.
Could Be: Darth Vader's Emotions Are Why Luke Was Able To Defeat Him
Return of the Jedi was released 35 years ago, and some fans still struggle to accept that someone with Luke Skywalker’s relatively non-existent (on screen) Jedi training could outfight Darth Vader. True, when Luke defeats his father in their final lightsaber duel, his powers are greatly amplified by his brief brush with the Dark Side. Nevertheless, Vader is one of the most powerful Force users ever and he’s had the benefit of decades of extensive tutelage.
That’s why these disgruntled fans have decided that Luke only triumphed because Vader was compromised by the emotional turmoil he was experiencing at the time. After all, the guy was not only grappling with his feelings for his son, but also just learned he had a daughter! If Disney/Lucasfilm ever retells this moment from Vader’s perspective, we could totally picture this theory becoming canon.
Confirmed: Darth Maul Is Still Alive
Darth Maul’s demise in The Phantom Menace seemed cut and dried to the majority of viewers: he wasn’t just sliced in half, but both halves then plummeted into a bottomless pit! We mean, let’s be real here: those aren’t exactly injuries you just shrug off. But, that didn’t stop fans from clinging to the hope that the double-bladed, lightsaber-wielding Sith Lord might’ve somehow lived to fight another day.
Amazingly, this unswerving loyalty to their favorite villain was rewarded, when Maul was revived in the Clone Wars animated TV series, sporting a new set of robot legs. The villain went on to star in follow-up series Rebels, before cementing his return with a live-action cameo in this year’s Solo: A Star Wars Story spin-off.
Could Be: Boba Fett Survived
Yes, we know: Boba Fett was officially confirmed to have survived his (rather humiliating) fate in Return of the Jedi years ago. However, that was in the Star Wars Expanded Universe canon, the vast majority of which (including Fett’s escape from the belly of the Sarlacc) was discarded when Disney acquired Lucasfilm.
Fans of the galaxy’s most feared bounty hunter are therefore still awaiting (nay, expecting!) news that Fett is still alive and kicking in the updated continuity, as well. Frankly, it’s only a matter of time before this happens. Given Fett’s popularity, Disney/Lucasfilm will definitely have plans to bring him back as a spin-off film was in the pipeline, until recently, regardless of how permanent his departure may have appeared.
Confirmed: Palpatine Is Anakin's “Father”
The Phantom Menace revealed that Anakin Skywalker, the future Darth Vader, was conceived through apparently mystical means, with his mother Shmi stating that he had no father. Dissatisfied with the explanation that Anakin was brought into being by the Force itself, many fans suspected that Star Wars Big Bad, Emperor Palpatine, used his Dark Side powers to impregnate Shmi remotely, instead.
Intriguingly, series creator George Lucas toyed with the idea of including this as a plot point in Revenge of the Sith, before deciding to leave things more ambiguous. Fortunately, the Darth Vader comic book recently cleared this mystery up once and for all, officially confirming that Palpatine is Anakin’s “father.” So, although Anakin was the Jedi Order’s Chosen One, he was also very much a living weapon engineered by the Sith, too.
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Did we miss any wild Star Wars theories that have been confirmed to be true (or still could be)? Let us know in the comments!