The Star Wars sequel trilogy blesses fans with many terrific Easter eggs, facts, and callbacks that help tie the films into the Star Wars universe. For example, Kylo Ren's mask references his grandfather Darth Vader's mask from the original Star Wars trilogy. Here is an excellent list of treasures that aren't so obvious!
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Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the sequel to Return of the Jedi (1983) from the original trilogy and picks up thirty years after the events of that film. It is the seventh movie in the “Skywalker Saga.” Here are some exciting Easter eggs.
1. Flags at Maz Kanata's Castle
Maz Kanata's Castle has several flag Easter eggs for the avid eye. Two flags are nodding to Boba Fett. One bears the Mythosaur Skull, while the other depicts the Wheat Insignia Clan Fett symbol. Both appear on Fett's armor.
The Phantom Menace Podracing Scene Flags
Several other flags at Maz Kanata's castle on the planet Takodana depict flags in the podracing scene in The Phantom Menace. Additionally, a Mandalorian flag hangs, and a nod to the real-life 501st Legion of Star Wars cosplayers received a variation of their logo among the other Easter eggs. Very cool!
2. Starkiller Base Took Its Name From Luke Skywalker's Original Surname
Our favorite Tatooine farmboy, Luke Skywalker, was originally going to be named Luke Starkiller, but George Lucas decided on Skywalker due to “Unpleasant connotations” associated with Charles Manson, the Manson family, and the Sharon Tate murder. Nonetheless, Mark Hamill tweeted mild sadness about losing the name Starkiller.
3. Daniel Craig Cameo as a First Order Stormtrooper
Ok, this is a famously known fact, but fun Easter egg, nonetheless. Daniel Craig, Mr. James Bond, has a cameo as a First Order Stormtrooper guarding Rey in The Force Awakens. While his official guard Stormtrooper ID number was FN-1824, fans nicknamed him JB-007.
4. Simon Pegg Played Unkar Plutt
Perhaps a lesser-known cameo is Simon Pegg as an unrecognizable Unkar Plutt, a Crolute junk boss on the remote desert planet of Jakku. Pegg voiced Unkur Plutt in the Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens video game. But he also played Dengar the Demolisher, a dangerous Corellian bounty hunter in an episode of The Clone Wars and the Star Wars: Battlefront video game.
5. Carrie Fisher's Daughter, Billie Lourd, Played Lieutenant Connix
Billie Lourd is Carrie Fisher‘s real-life daughter. She originally auditioned to play Rey in the sequel trilogy but lost to Daisy Ridley. As a result, director J.J. Abrams created Connix's character specifically for Lourd.
6. Comedians Bill Hader and Ben Schwartz Voice BB-8
Saturday Night Live alum Bill Hader and comedian Ben Schwartz are responsible for helping voice BB-8, the lovable little droid from the sequel trilogy.
BB-8 speaks in “Sounds of the Resistance,” from Star Wars #TheForceAwakens Collector's Edition. https://t.co/vOOTyXzurL pic.twitter.com/z1NUjT7nic
— Star Wars | Andor & Tales of the Jedi On Disney+ (@starwars) November 15, 2016
7. Warwick Davis Played Wollivan
Warwick Davis plays various roles throughout the Star Wars franchise, most notably as Ewok Wicket W. Warrick in Return Of The Jedi (he later reprises in The Rise Of Skywalker) and Weazel. However, he also plays Wollivan, a Blarina Wollivan who frequents Maz Kanata's cantina.
8. The Famous Star Wars Line Returns to Han Solo
It's a running joke to include the line of dialogue, “I have a bad feeling about this,” in the Star Wars media franchise. Multiple characters have used variations throughout the franchise, including Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin, but Han Solo most often utters it. So it's no surprise that he delivers the famous line after discovering the Rathtars have been set loose on his Eravana freighter.
9. This Is a Rescue
In addition to the traditional “I've got a bad feeling about this,” J.J. Abrams snuck another nod back to A New Hope in the dialogue. When Finn saves Poe, he explains, “This is a rescue,” echoing Luke Skywalker's line, “I'm here to rescue you,” when saving Princess Leia.
10. Dejarik Throwback in The Millennium Falcon
Finn accidentally bumps into the Hologram Table and inadvertently sets it off while rummaging through the Millennium Falcon. This scene is a fun Star Wars Easter egg and nods back to the first time it appeared in A New Hope.
Playing Holochess in a New Hope
Dejarik, also known as Holochess, was a popular game that originated as a Jedi game and evolved throughout Star Wars media. There is a fifteen-second scene in A New Hope shows C-3PO watching R2-D2 and Chewbacca playing Dejarik aboard the Millennium Falcon.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is the second installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy and the eighth episode of the nine-part “Skywalker saga.” Here are ten fantastic Easter eggs, facts, and callbacks from the film.
11. Carrie Fisher's Dog, Gary, Has a Cameo in The Last Jedi
Gary, Carrie Fisher's French bulldog, is visible in the Canto Bight casino scene. He's the pooch of a gambler drinking hooch at the bar. Or, perhaps, he is playing a game; a significant stack of chips is sitting beside his glass.
12. Gareth Edwards Has a Cameo
Rogue One director Gareth Edwards has a small cameo in The Last Jedi. He stars as one of the few remaining Resistance fighters during the battle on Crait. He detached the Tantive IV from the Profundity and is spotted in the trenches standing next to Resistance Trench Sergeant Salty.
13. The Force Is Not About Lifting Rocks
When Luke Skywalker is training Rey in the ways of the Jedi, he explains that the Force is “Not about lifting rocks.” This statement nods back to the Jedi training with Master Yoda on Dagobah when he had Skywalker stack rocks with the Force. So naturally, Rey lifts a pile of boulders for extra fun in the film's final moments.
14. From Blue Milk in A New Hope
Blue Milk, also known as Bantha milk, first appears in A New Hope when Luke Skywalker discusses R2-D2 and C-3PO with his aunt and uncle. After aunt Beru pours the Bantha milk into a white canister, Luke pours a glass. Blue Milk became a part of Star Wars lore.
However, Mark Hamill shared in a tweet, “Blue milk was Long Life milk (used by campers because no refrigeration is needed) w/ blue food coloring. Oily, warm & slightly sweet, it literally made me gag, but I was determined to drink it on camera. It was an acting challenge to appear as though I enjoyed it.”
To Green Milk in The Last Jedi
Green milk debuted in The Last Jedi. Luke Skywalker takes the milk directly from one of the female Thala-Sirens and drinks it immediately. Hamill clarified in another tweet that “Green Milk was non-dairy coconut water dyed that color in post-production: cool, tasty, and refreshing!”
15. Luke Skywalker Connects The Prequels to The Sequels
Luke connects the sequels to the prequels when he tells Rey about Darth Sidious, the Emperor's Sith known only as Emporer of the Galactic Empire in the original trilogy.
16. Luke's Robot Hand in The Last Jedi
The attention to detail has Star Wars fans giddy about the damage to Luke's robot hand in The Last Jedi when he accepts the lightsaber from Rey. This detail documents when Luke's hand was hit and damaged by a blaster escaping from the Sarlac Pitt in Return of the Jedi.
17. Luke Skywalker Mirrors Obi-Wan Kenobi
While confronting his nephew Kylo Ren in the final battle, Luke Skywalker says, “I failed you, Ben. I'm sorry.” That dialogue mirrors what Obi-Wan Kenobi says to Anakin Skywalker in the final battle of Revenge of the Sith, “I have failed you, Anakin. I have failed you.”
18. The Raddus Resistance Ship
The Resistance's main ship, the Raddus (MC85 Star Cruiser), is named for Admiral Raddus, a Rogue One member of the Rebellion and leader of the Alliance fleet. Before Darth Vader kills him, he gives Leia the plans for the Death Star. So it's no surprise she would name her ship to honor him.
19. Royal Cameos That Were Ultimately Cut
Prince Harry and Prince William have cameos as First Order Stormtroopers in The Last Jedi. Unfortunately, the footage was cut from the final film but released in deleted scenes footage. Additionally, Tom Hardy (Venom) was in the cameo as a Stormtrooper with the Princes, so he got cut too.
20. Joseph Gordon Levitt Voiced Slowen Lo
While creature and droid performer Dee Tails physically portrayed Slowen Lo, Joseph Gordon-Levitt provided the voice. Side Note: Joseph Gordon-Levitt tweeted that he has appeared in every film from Rian Johnson.
The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is the third installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy and the final episode of the nine-part “Skywalker saga.” Here are the final Easter eggs, facts, and callbacks from the sequel trilogy.
21. John Williams Played Oma Tres
John Williams, the revered composer of nine Skywalker Saga films, and themes for Rogue One and Solo, finally has a cameo. He plays Oma Tres, a bartender on planet Kijimi. Fun fact, if you rearrange the letters to Oma Tres, you can spell Maestro.”
22. Lando Calrissian Returns After 36 Years
Lando Calrissian, portrayed by Billy Dee Williams, first appeared in The Empire Strikes Back. However, he returned after 36 years to star in The Rise of Skywalker in one of the longest intervals between portrayals of a character by the same actor in Hollywood history.
23. Padmé Amidala Musical Easter Egg
After Disney released the digital edition of The Rise of the Skywalker, Star Wars fans discovered a musical Easter egg that reflects Padmé and Anakin's relationship blossoming in Attack of the Clones. The Attack of the Clones music appears when Poe and Zorri talk on the roof and again when Kylo Ren and Rey face Palpatine.
24. The Sith Temple on Exegol Is Familiar
While Kylo Ren hunts Palpatine on Exegol, the Sith planet, Star Wars Rebels fans will notice the Sith Temple resembles the Sith Temple previously discovered on planet Malachor. Additionally, inside the temple, one of the statues of ancient Sith bears the mask of Darth Nihilus, a significant villain in the video game Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
