Star Wars

The Star Wars Logo

Futurama, being a comedy science fiction TV show, is bound to make references to other science fiction works. One of the most famous science fiction film sagas is the Star Wars series which is one the most referenced things in Futurama. Star Wars, too, has made references to Futurama several times. Following is a complete list of connections between Futurama and Star Wars. Most references are to the Original trilogy, though there are some to Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

(Image) : Indicates that it has a picture to the right.

Note: Most of the external links go to Wookieepedia, The Star Wars Wiki

Crew

Mark Hamill

There have been a number of people who work on both Star Wars (primarily Star Wars: Clone Wars, it being an animated TV series) and Futurama:

Voices

• John DiMaggio: Provided voice for General Grievous and Sha'a Gi for Chapter 20 of the Star Wars: Clone Wars. He has done many (namely Bender) voices for Futurama.
• Phil LaMarr: Provided voices for Gadon Thek & Additional Voices in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Riiken & Additional Voices in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords and Kit Fisto in "Lair of Grievous", an unknown Tactical droid in "Blue Shadow Virus", Amit Noloff in "Mystery of a Thousand Moons", Orn Free Taa in "Liberty on Ryloth" and "Hostage Crisis", Bail Prestor Organa and Philo in "Hostage Crisis" of Star Wars: The Clone Wars (3D). He has done many (namely Hermes) voices for Futurama.
• Mark Hamill: Best known for his portrayal of Luke Skywalker in the Original trilogy, though has done the character in other works. He voiced Chanukah Zombie in Bender's Big Score. (Image)

Other

Scott Vanzo

• Gabriel Calderón: "Digital Camera & Composite" for Star Wars: Clone Wars and Futurama.
• Mun Jeong Yu: "Supervising Overseas Animation Director" for Star Wars: Clone Wars. "Assistant Director" and "Overseas Supervisor" for Bender's Big Score.
• Chad Katona: "Digital Camera & Composite Supervisor" for Star Wars: Clone Wars and Futurama.
• Claudia Katz: "Producer" for Star Wars: Clone Wars and Futurama.
• Conan Low: "3D Animator" for Star Wars: Clone Wars and Futurama.
• Paul Mahotz: "Digital Camera & Composite" for Star Wars: Clone Wars. "Assistant Editor" for Futurama.
• Scott Vanzo: "Director of Computer Graphics" for Star Wars: Clone Wars. "Director of Computer Graphics" and "3D Director" for all Futurama episodes and Bender's Game, "Composite Supervisor" for Bender's Big Score and "Camera Composite" for A Terrifying Message from Al Gore. (Image)
• Eric Whited: "3D Animator" for Star Wars: Clone Wars and Futurama.

Star Wars in Futurama

Little Neptune - Cantina

Star Wars has appeared in Futurama on many occasions:

Season 1

Robot Hell - Jawa Holding Cell

X-Wing Helmet

Turret

Star Wars 9 -- Yoda's Bar Mitzvah

Galaxy Wars

Palpatine reminiscent hologram

"Space Pilot 3000" (1ACV01)

• The part where Fry gets hit in the head by the remote door is a possible reference to the scene in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, where one of the stormtroopers accidentally bumps his head into a similar gadget.
• A sign on the street says "AKBAR." Admiral Ackbar is a character in Star Wars. It is more likely to be a reference to Akbar, a character in Matt Groening's "Life in Hell" comic strip.
• A guy on a jet bike is wearing a helmet like Leia wore in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi on the Speeder bike.
• When the policemen are beating Fry with their lightsaber clubs Leela says: "There is no need to use force" as a reference to The Force in Star Wars.

"Love's Labours Lost in Space" (1ACV04)

• The crew escaping as Vergon 6 self-destructs is similar to the first Death Star's destruction in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.
• The hologram of Vergon 6 looks like the hologram for Endor in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. Both are green, translucent, and orbit slowly.

"Fear of a Bot Planet" (1ACV05)

• Hermes shows up in the form of a hologram, much like Princess Leia in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.

"My Three Suns" (1ACV07)

• The entire scene in Little Neptune seems to be a somewhat vague reference to Chalmun's Cantina scene in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Both seem seedy, have a menagerie of robot and alien denizens, and both feature the main characters going into a place that sell food. Also, the scene where Fry is saved by Leela from the Organ Dealer and his accomplice is similar to when Obi-Wan Kenobi saves Luke from Cornelius Evazan and Ponda Baba. (Image)

"Hell Is Other Robots" (1ACV09)

• The Robot Hell is somehow reminiscent of the Robot holding area in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope when C-3PO and R2-D2 are captured by the Jawas and see several Droids/Robots being tortured. (Image)

"A Flight to Remember" (1ACV10)

• When the crew rush to an escape pod, the Professor is seen on the back of Fry, a reference to Yoda on Luke's back during his training in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.

"When Aliens Attack" (1ACV12)

• The shot of the Planet Express Ship flying by is based on an identical shot in the re-released Star Wars (time 11:47).
• Fry wears a Rebel Alliance X-wing starfighter Pilot's helmet while flying the Planet Express Ship. (Image)
• The battle planning session (and battle) is very reminiscent of the scene in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.
• An un-spiky version of the Near Death Star from "A Clone of My Own" is believed (by fans) to have appeared after Fry spills beer on the transmitter and "zooms" into space; right after the Asteroid Belt and before Jupiter, a white ball-like structure can be seen with streaks like the Near Death Star.
• During the attack on the mother-ship, you see a turret swivelling while trying to shoot down a fighter. This is exactly the same as a small scene in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, during the attack on the Death Star. (Image)

"Fry and the Slurm Factory" (1ACV13)

• The translation of the Alien Language is:
  • The following species are ineligible: space wasps, space beavers, any other animal with the word 'space' in front of it, space chickens, and the elusive yak-face.
    • Yak face is a rare Star Wars figure of Saelt-Marae not released in the USA. Mint figures have sold for thousands of dollars. It was added because David X. Cohen owns one.

Season 2

Near Death Star

Fry with a lightsaber

Star Tours

Martian Bow and Arrows - lightsabers

"Brannigan, Begin Again" (2ACV02)

• At the start of the episode, Fry and Bender can be seen playing Dejarik, a game played by C-3PO and Chewbacca in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.

"The Lesser of Two Evils" (2ACV06)

• Star Wars 9 -- Yoda's Bar Mitzvah appears in Past-O-Rama. (Image)

"Raging Bender" (2ACV08)

• When the crew goes to the movies, Fry suggests that they see a historical documentary called "Galaxy Wars", an obvious reference to Star Wars, most likely Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. (Image)
  • Its movie poster also appears in "Bender Should Not Be Allowed on TV".

"A Bicyclops Built for Two" (2ACV09)

• The Professor's head appearing as a giant blue hologram could be a reference to Palpatine's appearance in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. (Image)

"A Clone of My Own" (2ACV10)

• Near Death Star parodies the Death Star. (Image)
• The hologram is based on Princess Leia's hologram in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, including looking to the side, turning off the recorder and Farnsworth's gesture at the end.
• The high-speed chase draws from each film of the Star Wars Original trilogy:
  • The start is based on the chase on the Moon of Endor in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.
  • The central part echoes the dramatic stories on the surface of the Death Star in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.
  • The end parallels the escape from Cloud City in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.

"The Deep South" (2ACV12)

• When the camera zooms in on Fry and Bender's bunks before Fry first talks to Umbriel, we see several things propped up against the wall. In the lower right corner, Fry's Rebel Alliance X-wing star-fighter Pilot's helmet appears, it was previously seen in "When Aliens Attack" (see above).

"War Is the H-Word" (2ACV17)

• The Piñata lightsaber scene parodies the scene where Obi-Wan Kenobi trains Luke Skywalker in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. (Image)
  • May, in the 2002 Futurama Calendar, depicts this scene.
  • This clip was also featured in "The Birth of the Lightsaber" featurette on the 25 anniversary trilogy DVD.

Season 3

Giant Space Slug

Bender with a lightsaber

C-3PO

The Infosphere - Death Star

"The Birdbot of Ice-Catraz" (3ACV05)

• After being thrown by the orca, Bender makes the same sound as R2-D2 from Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes after being spit out of the water by a creature in a swamp on Dagobah. His subsequent landing in the ice references when R2 got stunned by Jawas.

"That's Lobstertainment!" (3ACV08)

• Some of the main characters are riding a tour bus in Hollywood with the name Star Tours (a travel agency in Star Wars). Under the bus logo, a disclaimer reads "Note: Bus Does Not Leave Earth." (Image)
• The head (in a jar) of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace character Jar-Jar Binks is in the audience of the Oscars.

"Where the Buggalo Roam" (3ACV10)

• When the Martians take out bow and arrows, the arrows look like lightsaber blades (with similar sound effects). (Image)

"The Route of All Evil" (3ACV12)

• The dog chasing Dwight and Cubert (Awesome Express) as they fly through an asteroid field is eaten by a giant space slug extending from a asteroid, a parody of a scene in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, in which the Millennium Falcon flies out from inside a similar beast as it tries in vain to re-eat the ship. (Image)

"A Pharaoh to Remember" (3ACV17)

• While being carried shackled to a pole, Fry says to Leela "Call it a hunch but I've got a bad feeling about this." In Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, on Endor, Han Solo says almost the exact same thing while he and his friends are in a similar situation. "I have a bad feeling about this" is a line used in all the Star Wars films and some Expanded Universe.

"The 30% Iron Chef" (3ACV22)

• Helmut Spargle teaching Bender to peel a hover-potato with an energy blade is a modeled after a scene from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, when Obi-Wan Kenobi was teaching Luke to feel The Force and use a lightsaber using a training device. (Image)
• Spargel’s character and subsequent death are a parody of Yoda
• Spargel also mentions the "Dark side of cooking".

Season 4

Kif - Darth Maul

Remote-controlled solid gold Death Star

TIE Fighter

Greyfarn and Ignus Duel

Adoy - Yoda

"Kif Gets Knocked Up a Notch" (4ACV01)

• Zapp says he "feels a very sensual disturbance in the force".

"Crimes of the Hot" (4ACV08)

• One of the first robots Farnsworth designed at Mom's Friendly Robot Company was based on the droid C-3PO from Star Wars. It offers to kiss the professor on the forehead, then the professor destroys it by crushing it. As it is being crushed, it says "Oh Dear" several times. (Image)
• Later in the episode, the professor says "Ooh, the Jedis are going to feel this one..."
• When the mirror is being readied to fire the laser, the tracking system looks like the Death Star's tracking system.
• The medal ceremony is very reminiscent of the scene in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.

"Teenage Mutant Leela's Hurdles" (4ACV09)

• The race was inspired by Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace's Podracers.

"The Why of Fry" (4ACV10)

• The Infosphere resembles the Death Star from Star Wars. (Image)
• The mission to destroy the Infosphere (and destruction of it) is reminiscent of the mission to destroy the Death Star.
• Nibbler states "maybe she is the other" in reference to Leela, however nothing more about this statement is explained. It is likely it is a reference to Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi where Yoda mentions that "there is another" which too is never explained. While never explained, it is likely to assume he is referring to Princess Leia, however, it is doubtful that the writers of Futurama are trying to suggest that Fry and Leela are siblings.
• Nibbler also says "Knows not does he!" Again, this seems to be a reference to Yoda messing up grammatical structures in Star Wars movies.

"Where No Fan Has Gone Before" (4ACV11)

• When discussing the "Star Trek Wars," Zapp asks, "You mean the vast migration of Star Wars fans?" and then Nichelle Nichols answers, "No, that was the Star Wars Trek."

"The Sting" (4ACV12)

• When Hermes sees that Leela is awake, he exclaims, "Sweet Three-toed Sloth of Ice Planet Hoth! She's awake!", referring to the ice planet from Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.
  • There are some creatures in the Star Wars universe called Sloths that aren't similar to real Sloth's.
• As Leela and Fry escape the Bee Hive a bee hits a wall, then explodes; the ensuing scene is similar to Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi when the Millennium Falcon escapes from the second Death Star.

"Obsoletely Fabulous" (4ACV14)

• While Bender is playing with the scratch post, in the foreground we can see R2-D2 from Star Wars.

"Three Hundred Big Boys" (4ACV16)

• Kif defeated the Spiderians with a double-ended fly-swatter weapon. This is similar in design and the manner in which he uses it to Darth Maul's Double-bladed lightsaber in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. (Image)

"Spanish Fry" (4ACV17)

• A vehicle resembling a Sandcrawler from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope can be found in the parking lot.

Films

Yoda the crane operator

Smitty with a lightsaber

Elzar - Gormaanda

Bender's Big Score

• The magnifier Farnsworth uses to zoom in on Fry's butt has the sound of a lightsaber.
• The Scammer Aliens have bought several Remote-controlled solid gold Death Stars. (Image)
• Nixon says, "The Force is with us, but that is about it."
• Chanukah Zombie's ship is a TIE/ln starfighter. (Image)
• R2-D2 appears among the pile of valuable objects.

Bender's Game

• The fight between The Great Wizard Greyfarn and Ignus is a reversed parody of the duel between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. (Image) Even the quotes are similar:
  • Star Wars:
• Vader: Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father.
  Luke: He told me enough! He told me you killed him.
  Vader: No. I am your father.
  Luke: No. No. That's not true! That's impossible!
  Vader: Search your feelings. You know it to be true.
  Luke: No! No! No!
  • Futurama:
• Ignus: Mommy never told you about my father.
  Greyfarn: She said he was a foul He-demon.
  Ignus: Exactly. You are my father.
  Greyfarn: No. No, that's impossible.
  Ignus: Search your feelings. You know it to be true.
  Greyfarn: No! No!

Into the Wild Green Yonder

• The Feministas use a lightsaber-like device to cut a hole to get into the Planet Express Ship.
• The Legion of Mad Fellows and the Dark Ones abilities are similar to a Jedi and Sith's force powers.
  • When the Dark One kills Frida Waterfall, it is similar to Force Choking.
  • Both the Dark One and the League of Mad Fellows can read minds, like most force-sensitive beings.
  • The Dark One can persuade people to do things, such as Leo Wong, which is similar to Force Persuasion.

Video Game

Walt, Larry and Igner - Imperial Officers

Futurama (video game)

• In the end of Act I, the Chicken Walker is a reference to Star Wars.
• The initial meeting with Adoy (Image) on Bogad is a reference to a similar scene in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, when Luke Skywalker meets Yoda on Dagobah.
  • Additionally, the character and planet names in the game are the Star Wars names backwards.

Comics

New New York - Coruscant

January - 2001 Calendar

"Slaves of New New York!" (US#X03)

• Comic Book Guy mentions wanting a "metal slave bikini like Princess Leia's from Return of the Jedi."
• The first delivery the Simpsons tag along on is to "an ice planet in the Lucas galaxy", which turns out to be a parody of the Hoth sequence in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.

"Robot Robin Hood" (US#025)

• Yoda is parodied as a crane operator who lifts the ship out of the water, a reference to the scene in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. (Image)

"Attack of the 50-ft Amy" (US#033)

• Bender took on the personality of Yoda when he ate the pirated movie collection.

Other

• The police use sticks that resemble the lightsaber from Star Wars. Unlike their Star Wars counterparts, they are blunt weapons (like nightsticks/batons), rather than superheated blades. These appear in episodes/films in which they have to use force, such as "Space Pilot 3000", "Bender Gets Made", "Three Hundred Big Boys" and The Beast with a Billion Backs (Image)
• The character of Elzar is a reference to Gormaanda from The Star Wars Holiday Special. (Image)
• Mom's sons are dressed the same as Darth Vader's Imperial Officers from the original trilogy. (Image)
• In the Opening sequence, New New York is set out like Coruscant. The Planet Express Ship's entry, also seems to be a parody of the Millennium Falcon's entrance into Cloud City in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. (Image)
• January, in the 2001 Calendar, depicts Fry wearing a Slave Leia costume and has the Slurm Queen as Jabba the Hutt. (Image)

Futurama in Star Wars

The 'Bender Droid' in Junkheap Hero.

File:Xamar.JPG

A Jedi Decapodian?

Futurama has appeared in Star Wars (though no where near as much as Star Wars in Futurama) on several occasions:

• The droid HK-47 and other droids from the Star Wars expanded universe have been known to use Bender's phrase of 'Meatbag'.
• In the comic Skippy the Jedi Droid, Bender is seen making fun of Skippy.
• A droid with the name "Probulator" appears in the online game Star Wars Galaxies.
• Bender is also seen in the comic Junkheap Hero as a scrapped droid. (Image)
  • The "Bender Droid" also appeared in the novel Death Star. It is unknown if they are related.
• Bender was seen in the Star Wars parody Family Guy: Blue Harvest in the Chalmun's Cantina scene.
• Bendu Fry's name was probably derived from Bender and Fry.
• There are a few characters in the Star Wars Universe with names shared in Futurama:
  • Bender
  • Doctor Farnsworth
  • Fry
  • Leela
• Jedi Master Xamar's species, Khil, has been jokingly referred to as being the same species of Zoidberg, Decapodian. (Image)

See also

• In popular culture for connections to Futurama other than in Star Wars.
  • Simpsons connections for connections to Futurama and The Simpsons.