Yoda’s Lightsaber Plot Hole Proves Star Wars Fans Misunderstand Continuity

Recently, Star Wars fixed a major plot hole involving Yoda’s lightsaber – and the ease with which it was done proves fans completely misunderstand canon and continuity. When Disney acquired Lucasfilm back in 2012, they erased the old Expanded Universe from continuity. That decision came with a promise; that from this point on, everything would be equally canon. Unfortunately, Disney’s Star Wars keeps breaking its own continuity, leading to claims Star Wars canon is now meaningless.

Infamously, The Book of Boba Fett raised a major plot hole. One scene saw Jedi Master Luke Skywalker present Grogu with a choice between the way of the Jedi and the way of the Mandalorian – symbolized by choosing between beskar armor and Yoda’s lightsaber. The core problem is that previous comics had established Yoda lost his lightsaber after his duel with Palpatine in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, and it was publicly destroyed by the Empire. But this apparently canon-destroying plot hole was fixed by Charles Soule and Steven Cummings’ Star Wars: Crimson Reign #3, in a remarkably simple way; the issue established Yoda had more than one lightsaber.

The ease with which Star Wars has fixed Yoda’s lightsaber plot hole indicates fans completely misunderstand how canon and continuity work in this franchise. It’s best to think of continuity as a tapestry that’s still in progress; sometimes a thread may seem out of place, but it can always be fixed. What’s more, when viewers focus on the individual threads, all too often they forget to take a step back and enjoy the big picture. That’s why Yoda’s lightsaber plot hole wasn’t really as big an issue as many fans believed; Lucasfilm knew the story they wanted to tell, it would only cause a minor contradiction, and any issues could be fixed at a later date.

In truth, this is the best way to handle Star Wars – a trailblazing transmedia franchise that hops around the timeline with impunity. It’s actually the approach George Lucas himself took, because under Lucas Star Wars was always changing shape; the idea of Darth Vader as Luke Skywalker’s father emerged in the second draft of The Empire Strikes Back, the focus of the entire saga shifted to Anakin when Lucas launched the prequel trilogy, and the introduction of Ahsoka in Star Wars: The Clone Wars subtly rewrites Anakin’s arc as a Jedi. Disney’s approach to canon and continuity is a lot more similar to Lucas’ than many realize.

All this means talk of canon being broken or meaningless is, in truth, a misunderstanding of what these concepts actually mean to the franchise. All too often, fans are focusing on the individual threads rather than on the big picture; worse still, sometimes they turn the tapestry over and look at the wrong side. Canon and continuity in Star Wars are a lot more dynamic than many realize.

About The Author

Thomas Bacon
(4899 Articles Published)

Tom Bacon is one of Screen Rant’s staff writers, as well as a Peer Mentor for new writers and a member of the Care Team, offering support and a listening ear to members of the Comics group. A lifelong fan of major franchises including Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Marvel, Tom is delighted his childhood is back – and this time it’s cool. You can find him on Twitter @TomABacon.

A graduate of Edge Hill University, Tom remains strongly connected with his alma mater as a volunteer chaplain. He’s heavily involved with his local church, and anyone who checks him out on Twitter will swiftly learn he’s into British politics too.

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