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The Book

The Secret History of Star Wars takes a bold new look at one of cinema's most lasting and influential works, examining the scripting and storytelling process of the Star Wars series, and how the films that more than two generations have grown up with were created. Examining early screenplay drafts, production artwork, vintage interviews with cast and crew, and more, Secret History of Star Wars weaves together over 400 different sources to give the first-ever history of all six films, placed in a historical context that is sure to bring a new perspective to readers.

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Introduction

Chapter I: The Beginning -- examines how George Lucas grew up inundated with comic books, pulp fiction and b-movies and stumbled into the film industry at a seminal point in American film history, creating a duo of films which led into the creation of a space adventure movie

Chapter II: The Star Wars -- examines how Lucas attempted to adapt Flash Gordon, then remade Akira Kurosawa's Hidden Fotress, and finally invented his own "superhero in space" adventure film, first as a complicated and convoluted comic book action film

Chapter III: Enter Luke Starkiller -- traces how Lucas took his convoluted first draft and struggled for years before he finally arrived at the simplified coming of age odyssey of protagonist Luke Starkiller.

Chapter IV: Purgatory and Beyond -- examines Lucas' earliest franchise plans, the tumultuous production, final release and the successful aftermath, where Star Wars became a series.

Chapter V: Revelations -- shows how Lucas took his simple space adventure and transformed it into a saga, first comprising of 12 and then 9 films, and how the fusion of Luke Skywalker's father and Darth Vader in early 1978 changed the course of the franchise forever

Chapter VI: The Wreckage -- examines how the production of Lucas' first sequel fell apart and how it impacted the future of the franchise

Chapter VII: Demons and Angels -- traces how Lucas redeemed Darth Vader and transformed him into a sympathetic character, and how the nine-episode plan was cut short

Chapter VIII: Endings -- examines the closure of the Star Wars trilogy and the collapse of Lucas' personal life

Chapter IX: The Beginning...Again -- examines how Lucas returned to the series and re-invented it with his decision to make his prequel trilogy

Chapter X: Returning Home -- Takes a look at the scripting of Episode I and the evolving plans for the trilogy.

Chapter XI: The Madness -- looks at the reaction of The Phantom Menace and Star Wars fandom

Chapter XII: Stitches -- examines how Lucas continued to shape the prequel story for the second episode

Chapter XIII: The Circle is Complete -- examines how Lucas altered his plans for Episode III multiple times and consolidated the trilogy as the personal story of Anakin Skywalker and solidified the new series he had been building

Conclusion

Appendix A: The Great Mystery of the Journal of the Whills -- finally de-mystifies this infamous document

Appendix B: Of Heroines, Wookies and Little People -- looks at some interesting draft variations of Star Wars

Appendix C: The Dark Father -- examines the validity of claims of Lucas developing "Father Vader" before 1978

Appendix D: The Legend of the Sequel Trilogy -- traces how the concept of sequels to Star Wars were formed and what happened to the infamous third trilogy that followed the original three films

Appendix E: Tales of Gary Kurtz -- examines some interesting comments made by the producer of Star Wars

Appendix F: Tales of Dale Pollock -- examines some interesting comments made by Lucas' only biographer

Appendix G: Tales of Jonathan Rinzler -- addresses common misconceptions found in Rinzler's book.

Appendix H: Script and Writing Sources -- lays out and tracks all of the scripts, treatments and materials Lucas created, from 1973 to 2005, in an easy-to-read reference timeline