Star Wars fandom is at peak levels after Star Wars Celebration last weekend with the event not only looking forward to future movies but also looking back on when it all started. 2017 marks the 40th anniversary of the original Star Wars – which would later become known as A New Hope – and the anniversary panel at Celebration was a memorable and fun event. Those hoping for an announcement of a Blu-ray release of the theatrical versions of the original trilogy were disappointed but something else was announced to celebrate this occasion in the run up to Celebration. Later this year Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View will be released which is a book comprising of 40 short stories written by 40 different authors about 40 ancillary characters from A New Hope as we see the events of the classic film through their unique point of view. No point-of-view characters have been announced yet and so let’s take the time to explore who I would love to see take centre stage in their own short story.
Ponda Baba and Dr Evazan
The criminal surgeon and his thug pal, Dr Evazan and Ponda Baba are the two unwitting cronies who decide to pick on Luke in the Cantina only for Ben Kenobi to cut off Baba’s arm. A short story could feature why the two decided to have a go at Luke and was Ponda Baba actually saying what Dr Evazan claimed or was it as Robot Chicken suggested and just a joke that got out of hand (pun intended). Let’s not forget that the dangerous duo appeared in Rogue One on Jedha and it would be interesting to find out why and how they left the moon and why Mos Eisley was their chosen destination.
Owen and Beru
Luke’s Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru die off-screen in A New Hope and it would be interesting to see how their final moments played out. We know that they were killed by Stormtroopers who were looking for the droids but Owen and Beru wouldn’t know this and probably thought the Imperials were there for Luke and that his true identity had been discovered. We could explore their feelings about having to harbour Luke for all these years while Obi-Wan watched. Did they actually know Anakin’s true fate or did they truly believe he died in the Clone Wars? What were their last seconds like? Did they go down fighting or did the troopers get the drop on them? It would be cool to finally find out.
Garindan the Imperial spy
Garindan is the hooded long-snouted squeaky-voiced Imperial spy that follows Ben and company to the Millennium Falcon in Mos Eisley and that is literally everything we know about the character in the current canon. Maybe there isn’t much else to learn but I’ve always been intrigued by the character and it would be cool to learn just what his job is. Does he sneak around the wretched hive of scum and villainy all day looking for anyone on the Empire’s most wanted list because if so that could make for a pretty neat story. Or is he just a guy in the right place at the right time by following and then ratting out our heroes to the Empire to make a couple of space bucks?
The crew of The Ghost
Okay, so maybe I’m breaking the rules by including these guys considering they aren’t actually in A New Hope but with Rebels ending with season 4 which is set mere months before Rogue One and Episode 4 this could be the place to explain where the crew of The Ghost was during the original Star Wars. Maybe they were at Yavin 4 but couldn’t get involved because they were getting ready to go on their own mission or possibly the ship was broken and that’s why they weren’t a part of the Death Star assault. I am presuming that the characters don’t die in the final season of Rebels, I think Kanan is definitely dead by this point however, and Hera and Chopper are in Rogue One so it makes sense they are alive in A New Hope unless they died above Scarif. Since Rebels debuted people have asked where the characters are during the Original Trilogy and this could be the best place to provide that answer.
Guy on the Yavin 4 tower
This nameless rebel is etched into all of our memories because he’s in the foreground of a multitude of cool shots of ships entering and leaving Yavin base in A New Hope and more recently in Rogue One. His job is to use his handheld device to scan and read information about the incoming ships which with scanners and sensors in the base seems a pretty useless job so why is he up there? Is it the same guy throughout or do they take turns standing up on that tower? Could it be a form of punishment or is it a coveted position? Maybe most people don’t care but I’ve always been intrigued.
Bail Organa
A short story featuring Bail is what I want most from Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View. Even upon his death his affiliation with the Rebel Alliance is secret and his final moments must have been truly harrowing. He must have learned of his daughter’s captivity and yet not been able to do anything about it because the Empire would no doubt be watching him in case he tries to contact any rebels to help get her back and he would be one of the very few Alderaanians to know what the Death Star was and what was about to happen when it appeared above the planet. He probably died thinking the Empire had won and the Rebels defeated with the events of Rogue One being in vain because he would no doubt presume the Empire had acquired the stolen plans. A dark and fascinating tale which needs to be told.
Who do you want to see have a short story in the upcoming book From a Certain Point of View? Let me know in the comments and geek out with me about Star Wars on Twitter @kylebrrtt.
