Entertainment

11 'Star Wars' Easter Eggs In 'The Last Jedi' That You May Have Missed

by Mary Kate McGrath

WARNING: Star Wars: The Last Jedi SPOILERS AHEAD. Star Wars fans have been anticipating the new movie for a year, and director Rian Johnson's latest installment has proved to be worth the wait. In The Last Jedi, Johnson reacquainted us with Luke Skywalker, introduced changes in the power of the Force, and provided plenty of weird (and often adorable) alien creatures. The director also hid plenty of Star Wars Easter eggs and callbacks in The Last Jedi, but fans will have to be extra vigilant to catch them all. When the last episode of this Star Wars story left off, Rey was climbing the mountains of planet Ahch-To. There, she found Luke Skywalker. All three of the original Star Wars team — Harrison Ford's Han Solo, Carrie Fisher's General Leia Organo, and now, Luke Skywalker, have made an appearance. The film takes the opportunity to hide callbacks to their original storylines, it just might require some digging to find the clues.

In The Force Awakens, J.J. Abrams made it a point pay homage to George Lucas' original films. The movie made plenty of pointed references to the classic films, but it also followed the plot of Episode IV: A New Hope almost beat for beat. Many fans and critics expected The Last Jedi to do the same, and act as a simple recreation of Lucas' second film. Johnson went off script and moved away from this structure. As a result, his nods to past Star Wars films are more subtle. If you watch the movie closely, however, fans can still pick up on hidden references.

Here are some of the best Easter eggs and callbacks.

1. "I have a bad feeling about this"

There's a classic gag in the Star Wars franchise where one character will state "I have a a bad feeling about this" before, well, something bad happens. The line has appeared in every single film, but you have to squint to find it in the The Last Jedi. When one concerned fan reached out to the Johnson on Twitter, the director promised the line was included in the film.

In a recent interview with The Huffington Post, Johnson confirmed that the line actually comes from BB-8. It can be found near the beginning of the movie, as Poe Dameron flies into battle with the First Order. The droid beeps the line in a blink-and-you'll miss it moment. It's no surprise the publication caught the reference as in 2016, they translated the BB-8's whirs and beeps in The Force Awakens.

2. The Gold Dice

In one scene toward the end of The Last Jedi, Leia confides in Luke that her son Ben (Kylo Ren) is truly gone. Kylo will never come back to the light side, and the outlook is bleak for the Resistance. "No one is ever really gone," Luke says to Leia, and hands her the set of gold dice he retrieved from the Millenium Falcon on Ahch-To. According to Lucasfilm Story Group member Pablo Hidalgo, the dice belonged to noted space gambler Han Solo, who used them to win the Millenium Falcon from Lando Calrissian.

3. The Blue Milk

In 1977, George Lucas' budget was tighter and CGI special effects were not as good as they are now. The production team had to find creative ways to make the alien world more convincing, and one was blue milk. Luke Skywalker sits down for a meal with his adoptive family, and pours himself a cup of the space beverage. In The Last Jedi, Luke harvests green milk from the aliens of Ahch-To as a clear reference to his youth on Tatooine. It's official: Luke Skwalker is not a vegan.

3. These Apologies

When Luke confronts Kylo Ren in a final battle, he tells his nephew that he failed him. In Revenge of the Sith, Obi-Wan Kenobi tells Anakin Skywalker (aka Darth Vader) that he's failed him. It has to make you wonder if anyone in outer space knows how to be a good mentor.

4. The Ship Named For Admiral Raddus

In The Last Jedi, the Resistance's main ship is named for Admiral Raddus. This is a reference to the Rogue One character, who was a member of the Rebellion and leader of the Alliance fleet. He's known for going over the Rebel Council's head and leading a mission to support Rogue One. He was killed by Darth Vader, but not before he had the opportunity hand the plans for the Death Star over to Leia. It's no wonder why she would name one of her ships in his honor.

5. Kylo Ren And General Hux

The audience might sympathize with Kylo Ren's backstory, but we are meant only to hate General Hux, who is played to greasy perfection by Dohmnall Gleason. It turns out the First Order leader drives his commander just as crazy, and in one scene Kylo Ren puts Hux in a chokehold with the force. This move was a favorite of his grandfather Darth Vader, who often used this maneuver when his evil admirals stepped out of line.

6. The Royal Cameo

Johnson started teasing a Prince Harry and Prince William cameo since the early in the production process. The two royals do make a masked appearance in the film - after the Resistance spies are discovered, they are taken away by stormtroopers. The two princes are part of the escort, hidden by troopers masks.

7. A Familiar Offer

Rey comes face to face with Kylo Ren and Snoke, and in a surprising twist, Kylo betrays the evil leader. This scene is reminiscent of Luke's confrontation of the Emperor, the mastermind behind Darth Vader. Kylo's plea to rule the universe with Rey is also a callback, as Darth made a similar offer to Luke. Decisions, decisions!

8. The Cantina Song

This film paid homage to John William's iconic Cantina Band music. On the casino planet Canto Bight a variation of the track is playing, cuing in the drunk and partying aliens. The Force Awakens also featured a twist on the track, so it may continue to make appearances in the franchise's films.

9. Two Suns, One Luke Skywalker

This movie sees the end of Luke Skywalker, and just before his death, he witnesses a familiar sunset. The two moons over Ahch-To are meant to resemble the sunset in Tattooine, which was the beginning of the Jedi's adventure. This time, the two suns symbolize an ending.

10. A Handful of Cameos

Princes William and Harry weren't the only significant cameo in the film, and Johnson worked in several significant actors from his directing past. In addition to this Star Wars installment, Johnson is behind Brick, Looper, and The Brother's Bloom. Joseph-Gordon-Levitt voices Slowen Lo, making him the only actor who has appeared in all of Johnson's films. The Leftover's Justin Theroux, Ellie Goulding, Lily Cole, Tom Hardy also make high-profile appearances.

11. A Dog Named Gary

In the Canto Bight scene, Johnson introduced lots of new alien species. However, he also included a very special alien dog. This dog is based on Carrie Fisher's beloved french bulldog Gary, who is well-known for his tongue dangling unmistakably out of one side of his mouth. The alien Gary is a clear homage to Fisher's canine companion.

When creating this episode of the Star Wars trilogy, Johnson put a lot of thought into intricate references. The next movie will once again be directed by J.J. Abrams, who will have to choose which of these callback plot points and moments to use in the third film. The Lost director is known for having a more heavy handed approach, but also for not answering any of the audience's questions. Only time will tell what Easter eggs will be hidden in future Star Wars films.