Since exploding onto the scene in 1978, Star Wars has become a plateau of science fiction, reviving classic sci-fi concepts from the works of Flash Gordon and other pulp/space opera works. However, another genre that heavily inspired George Lucas' famous saga is the Western as it was also a popular form of film and media in his time and continues to be an inspiring factor in Star Wars works today.

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From the rolling dusty trails to the great beyond, Star Wars has managed to fuse a wide variety of themes into something new that remains timeless nearly fifty years after its initial release.

10 Western: A Cruel & Unforgiving Setting

Star Wars Tatooine Concept ArtStar Wars Tatooine Concept Art

Many Westerns use the vast, open, and desolate setting of the wild west as a metaphor for the cruel and unforgiving nature of the world, and Star Wars is no different. From the oppressive grip of the empire to the dog-eat-dog world of the outer rim where Luke and Anakin come from, every moment seems like a fight for survival.

Luke's home planet of Tatooine is a vast, empty desert world with little resources and a huge mafia presence as the Hutt clans rule the planet like kings.

9 Sci-Fi: The Universe Is Massive

Star Wars The Clone Wars Dathomir

The Star Wars universe is sometimes too big to comprehend. With dozens, if not hundreds, of alien races, planets, weapons, and ships spanning from the original Legends timeline to the newer canon timeline, Star Wars presents a truly infinite galaxy of ideas that allows for any kind of story a writer wishes.

With a history that spans thousands of years with so many memorable characters, storylines, and societies that encompasses so much more than just the civil war between the rebels and the empire, the Star Wars setting alone makes it the very definition of sci-fi.

8 Western: It's A Typical Revenge Story

Star Wars A New Hope Luke Skywalker Mark Hamill

A classic story for Westerns is a revenge story: A gunslinger that roams that badlands in search of the person/people who killed their family. Luke's motivation for joining Ben Kenobi in his quest to become a Jedi is solidified when he sees that the empire's stormtroopers have burned down his family farm and killed his adoptive parents.

Though Luke's motivations for fighting in the rebellion do change as the saga continues, his initial reason for fighting is to avenge the death of his family and track down their killers.

7 Sci-Fi: Their Society Is So Far Beyond Our Own

Star Wars Jedi Starfighter

The Star Wars universe is so far beyond our own that planets seem small. Planets such as Naboo from Episode 1 are reduced to just the city of Theed and the Gungan civilization. Faster than light travel is available not just for ships such as Star Destroyers, but for smaller ships such as the Millenium Falcon and even the X-wing fighter.

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Society is so advanced that bullets are never fired throughout the saga; instead, every weapon uses energy-based ammunition. The incredible amount of evolution the Star Wars setting has is so advanced that they could only exist within a sci-fi story.

6 Western: Han Solo Is The Definition Of A Gunslinger

Han Solo holding his Blaster

Han Solo himself is clearly inspired by the classic gunslinger archetype. The cold smuggler with a heart of gold, who slowly aligns himself with the rebel's cause— not for money, but to do what's right.

His many criminal underworld ties and bounties make him the perfect lone ranger type (minus Chewbacca) who does what he needs to survive. And Han's backstory in the movie Solo, as a nobody who fell into the smuggler's life by being taken advantage of by criminals around him, only reinforces this idea.

5 Sci-Fi: A Variety Of Alien Races

Mos Eisley Cantina in Star Wars

The sheer amount of unique alien races throughout Star Wars that have perfectly integrated into society to the point that their appearances are not questioned is a huge part of Sci-Fi media. From Wookies to Ithorians, everyone is given a place within the known regions of space.

The number of different aliens present in the iconic cantina scene from A New Hope alone shows how wide and varied the universe is, and how normalized the concept of space and extra-terrestrial travel has become over the course of Star Wars' vast history.

4 Western: Business Is Business Is Business

Watto & Qui Gonjin Episode 1

The markets primarily within the empire/republic's outer rim mimic that of the old west. People would rather barter goods than use credits, and marketing scrap, slaves and bounty hunting are all viable means of earning a living.

Gambling is also hugely common amongst the outer rim. Anakin's former master, Watto, takes a huge bet over his ownership of Anakin and some ship parts in a game of chance. And in the sequel trilogy, Rey makes her living off of pulling old pieces of scrap from a wrecked imperial star destroyer on Jakku.

3 Sci-Fi: It's A Classic Space Opera

Star Wars Original Trilogy Poster Set

Star Wars is the definition of a Space Opera with its large-scale wars between the cruel and oppressive empire and the virtuous and hopeful rebellion in a completely idealized pulp science fiction setting.

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The daring adventures made by Luke, Leia, and Han reflect the kind of stories from classic Space Opera the many worlds and galaxies as they infiltrate massive enemy space stations and defend rebel outposts in encounters where the odds are always in the empire's favor. The family drama of the Skywalkers that erupt across the saga shapes the flow of the civil war.

2 Western: The Mandalorian Is A Western Tribute Series

Baby Yoda & The Mandalorian Star Wars

The Mandalorian TV series is a tribute to classic westerns through the view of the Star Wars setting. Din Djarin, the Mandalorian, follows the classic "lone wolf finds a cub" trope where a dark and jaded gunslinger/wanderer finds an abandoned child and forms a parental bond with them, leading to the evolution and eventual redemption of their character over the course of the story.

The series' repeated use of desert planets like Tatooine, bar/tavern settings, gunfights, and characters who have been scarred by the world around them only helps to reinforce this point.

1 Sci-Fi: Star Wars Is Forever Timeless

Star Wars Original trilogy poster

Whether someone first viewed Star Wars in theaters in 1978 or didn't discover the franchise until recently, the themes, stories, and characters remain timeless. The complete detachment from our world and placement into the realm of science fiction allows Star Wars to never be dated by the times.

A Western, or an adventure story set in a more realistic time such as the late '70s or '80s would be completely dated by today's standards. However, since Star Wars refuses to be realistic and instead prioritizes fun and adventure, it can remain timeless and appeal to viewers of any generation.

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