Use of the term "Star Wars Physics" by GL

Stravo · Post by **Stravo** » 2005-04-22 11:01pm

In the AOTC commentray there is this recurring phrase uttered by GL and especially used by McCallum "Star Wars Physics" when analyzing certain events and visuals. They admit that weapons effects, things like Anakin slamming into the speeder really hard, the way things fall, Dooku's solar sail, etc, are all examples of Star Wars physics. That when real world physics don't work for what the vision of the movie require they substitute Star Wars physics.

How do we use this fact when analyzing and iterpretting onscreen evidence?

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2005-04-22 11:03pm

Ignore it, since it more or less falls under SoD. Virtually all films do stuff like that.

Praxis · Post by **Praxis** » 2005-04-22 11:52pm

You can explain them all by two words:
Force powers.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2005-04-22 11:58pm

Even the Solar Sailer?

Praxis · Post by **Praxis** » 2005-04-23 12:28am

Alien technology. Still two words :p

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2005-04-23 12:32am

I prefer the one-word solution: SoD.

And it really works, too.

Morilore · Post by **Morilore** » 2005-04-23 12:35am

Now is that actually one "word," or three letters?

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2005-04-23 12:40am

It's a two-for-one special.

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2005-04-23 01:33am

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:Even the Solar Sailer?

It is powered by an interstellar array of satellites emitting superluminal "pusher" beams. If this is an ancient long-dormant array erected by the Gree, so be it. This is simply necessitated, even if LFL does not awknowledge it.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2005-04-23 01:39am

Yeah, I know. I was just mocking Praxis.

SPOOFE · Post by **SPOOFE** » 2005-04-23 01:39am

Considering that the Star Wars universe has a whole 'nother apparently fundamental force (y'know, the Force) that exists everywhere, violates causality, thermodynamics, etc. etc.... of COURSE there's gonna be some different physics.

Everything else seems to behave pretty consistently with real, known physics. Y'know, people walk instead of fly, blue skies instead of green, oxygen-breathers...

FTeik · Post by **FTeik** » 2005-04-23 04:34am

Those parts of SW-physics to far advanced to be known to us.

Drooling Iguana · Post by **Drooling Iguana** » 2005-04-23 02:35pm

I thought that the official explanation for Dooku's ship was that the "sail" was just decorative.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2005-04-23 02:37pm

No, it's that it works through an unknown mechanism, although that mechanism is hinted at in the ICS.

Crazedwraith · Post by **Crazedwraith** » 2005-04-23 05:00pm

Drooling Iguana wrote:I thought that the official explanation for Dooku's ship was that the "sail" was just decorative.

The ISC explanation is that it isn't deed a sail but not a solar one. It in fact id propelled by unobtainium particles.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2005-04-23 05:09pm

It says that it was salvaged from some equipment of the Gree Enclave, which even in SW terms means that it might as well be magic.

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2005-04-23 05:11pm

Yeah, but by implication of the sail's existance and basic sense, we know it must be powered by a network of long-forgotten but still-functioning stations using pusher beams of superluminal particles.

Post by **NecronLord** » 2005-04-23 05:33pm

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:It says that it was salvaged from some equipment of the Gree Enclave, which even in SW terms means that it might as well be magic.

I don't have a verisimiltude problem with that. After I start accepting the Force as an in-universe concept, this is nothing.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2005-04-23 05:34pm

Nor do I have a problem with it, either.

Crossroads Inc. · Post by **Crossroads Inc.** » 2005-04-23 06:24pm

When in doubt, "A Wizard Did it" or in this case, Magic Ancient Tech