Fanatics have existed for pretty much as long as there has been any sort of entertainment that is worth getting excited over, but it's a fairly undeniable fact that fanboys and fangirls leaped to a whole other level within the overall global pop culture once Star Wars became the icon that it is. Star Wars was a space story unlike any other, and it essentially took fandom that was relegated to nerds and weirdos and made it downright mainstream.
In the intervening years since it was first released, Star Wars has only gotten more and more popular, and it's fan base has only gotten more enthusiastic and more creative. And what is one of the easiest ways to distinguish oneself as a fan who loves something more than almost anyone else? Well by getting a tattoo in that thing's honor, of course! So here are 10 of the most iconic Star Wars original trilogy tattoos in the world, and what they mean.
A Colorful Homage
Considering how long that Boba Fett's actual appearance is in the Star Wars franchise, it's actually impressive that he managed to become one of the most iconic characters in the series. But it's also easy to see why so many people became fans, because who isn't going to love the baddest bounty hunter in all of the galaxy?
Boba is definitely badass enough to make for a pretty cool tattoo subject, but to be honest his appearance in the movies is a bit blah. However, the artist and owner of this tattoo came up with a brilliant solution, making Boba into a beautiful watercolor character instead.
Red Leader
Everyone who considers themselves to be a true fan of the Star Wars saga already knows whether or not they're on the side of the Rebel Alliance or on the side of the Galactic Empire, and it couldn't be clearer where this particular fan lands in the never ending war of good guys versus bad guys.
The bright red sigil of the Rebel Alliance is pretty hard to miss, and the squadron of X-Wings flying in formation above it are even harder to miss. Most Star Wars fans would like to imagine themselves as a part of the rebellion, but a tattoo like this obviously shows where this fan's loyalties lie.
Representing Your Alliance
What's so cool about this particular Star Wars tattoo is that to an outside observer who isn't as well versed in the series, it would just look like some black and white geometric shapes. And it's pretty enough just as it's own illustration, but the symbolism behind it is obviously what attracted this fan into getting it permanently inked on their body.
The stark black background clearly makes the symbol of the Rebel Alliance stand out spectacularly well, and then the Millennium Falcon at the bottom is something that is hard to discern unless you already know what you're looking at, making this tattoo a signal to only the true SW fans.
True Love
Usually it doesn't seem like the best idea to get matching tattoos with your significant other, because it seems to be some kind of dark portent of doom for most relationships. But this is a couple tattoo concept that we can really get behind.
The classic style of these tattoos are a really fun option instead the more futuristic styles that most Star Wars fans tend to lean towards, and the symbol of the rebel alliance with Han and Leia's weapons of choice as well as the pair's most iconic quotes overlaid on them makes for a stunning tattoo duo.
A Striking Silhouette
Within the world of Star Wars, there are few things that are more iconic than Luke Skywalker and his long lost father Darth Vader facing off with their lightsabers.
The black silhouette of these two characters facing off with their bright, shining swords clashing in vibrant color was a brilliant way of capturing this particular scene in tattoo form, and the backdrop behind them is a beautifully stippled version of the sign of the Galactic Empire and the sign of the Rebel Alliance blended together. Of course Star Wars is an actual war, but Luke fighting Darth Vader is a microcosm for that conflict, and this tattoo totally nails that theme.
Beautiful Blueprints
Every tattoo artist as well as everyone who has and loves tattoos is bound to have a specific style of artwork that they especially enjoy. And as tattooing has become a more common and more explored art form, the types of artwork that make up tattoos has grown and evolved over time as well.
This particular sketch artist style that almost looks reminiscent of blueprints is an especially unique and visually appealing style, that evidently lends itself very well to Star Wars. These symmetrical, geometric interpretations of some of the most famous Star Wars ships is simple but detailed, and restrained but still very beautiful.
The Dark Side, Or The Light?
There is definitely something to be said for the more classic and simpler styles of tattoos, but when anyone sees the colorful illustrations that some artists are capable of committing to human skin, it's hard to deny that detailed and vibrant work is incredibly appealing and impressive.
Obviously Darth Vader is one of the most popular fictional villains of all time, and there's no shock that plenty of Star Wars fanatics are more than happy to memorialize his image in a tattoo. But these tattoos are particularly stunning, because they manage to make this shiny, black monolith and make him into something colorful and rich.
A Powerful Force
So it would seem that this specific Star Wars fan prefers the Empire over the Rebellion. Or perhaps it's just that a lot of the more iconic ships and characters from the dark side of the Force look really good when they're illustrated solely in black and white.
But regardless of what made this tattoo junkie decide on the specific subjects for his tattoo, what's hard to deny is how wonderfully detailed all of the elements of this tattoo are. Darth Vader, the X-Wing, and the Stormtrooper are all fantastic, but the detailing on the half-constructed Death Star is what is truly exceptional.
A Deadly Enemy
Pretty much every little bit of Star Wars has become iconic in it's own right, but it's always neat to see someone put a more unique spin on one of the many super recognizable elements of the monstrous movie franchise. Darth Vader and the entire Galactic Empire is one of the most intimidating evil forces in movie history, and fans of the original Star Wars trilogy literally spent years wondering what exactly was hiding beneath that black mask.
The tattoo artist who created this extremely rich and colorful Star Wars tattoo obviously took liberties with the real Anakin Skywalker that was hiding beneath the helmet, but this skeletal interpretation is as beautiful as it is unique.
It's A Space Station
Every style of tattooing artwork has it's own place in the constantly expanding world of tattoos, but who could deny the appeal of the most classic tattoo styles of them all? This two dimensional black and white tattoo is something that is going to age wonderfully, because it's a motif that just never goes out of style.
And it is obviously never going to go out of Star Wars style either, since this particular iconography and the quote that goes along with it are absolute classics in the world of this space opera. That's no moon, it's a space station.