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Did anyone else think of Starwars When watching Eragon?

posted 14 years ago by hedauto
52 replies | jump to latest

I've not read 'Eragon' or its sequels but i intend to. I thouroughly enjoyed the film however i couldn't help but notice that it was basically a 'A New Hope' only replace the X-wings with 'dragon' Please allow me to explain.

'StarWars: A New Hope' i think was based on an old Asian legend/story so i won't call Eragon a rip-off by any stretch of the imagination but the plot seems to match perfectly.

a. Farmboy lives with uncle and close friend/relative leaves for odd reasons

1. Farmboy meets wizened old warrior/mentor and suspects hidden power/potential

2. Farmboy's family murdered by 'evil empire' due to him finding something of value

3. Farmboy goes on run with old guy and slowly learns about ancient power hidden within himself

4. Message hidden within a dream/droid leads to a prison break during which old mentor is killed by 'evil emperor/king's' lackey and princess is freed

4a. In attempt to find resistance movement the 'evil empire' is led to their hidden base in the Yavin mountains

5. Farmboy Joins resistance movement. Wins final showdown, lackey is defeated. Thus becoming Heroboy

Now replace x-wing with dragon, the force with magic, jedi with dragon-riders and we're essentially watching the same film.

This is not a criticism as i enjoyed both movies thoroly. Merely an observation and i wondered if anyone else picked up on it?

[–] tony23-3 11 years ago

Read the book, then read Eldest (the second book). As my daughter was reading it, I started predicting what would happen based on the "Empire Strikes Back" plot and ended up getting it EXACTLY right.

The third book was going to be called "Empire". Paolini (the author) was so humiliated by the Star Wars comparisons that he ended up scrapping it and reworking everything into two more books instead.

To be fair, he WAS only 15 when he wrote Eragon, so the blatant similarities can be excused by immature writing. But they're definitely there.

[–] bureau203 11 years ago

No, not immature writing, a ripoff. Immature writers don't just happen to copy another work scene for scene. It's clear to me that it was a deliberate copy, not him just being "influenced" by Star Wars.

"Influence" would explain why the stories were similar or the plots were very similar (most plots are similar to something, it's just what happens after making so many movies). But scene for scene duplication is not "influence".

"I've seen things that would make you want to write a book on how to puke."

[–] Fluffis 11 years ago

To be fair, he WAS only 15 when he started writing Eragon

FtFY

He finished it when he was 19.

Quidquid Latinae dictum sit, altum viditur.

[–] RbSnedlap 10 years ago

Read the book, then read Eldest (the second book). As my daughter was reading it, I started predicting what would happen based on the "Empire Strikes Back" plot and ended up getting it EXACTLY right.

The third book was going to be called "Empire". Paolini (the author) was so humiliated by the Star Wars comparisons that he ended up scrapping it and reworking everything into two more books instead.

To be fair, he WAS only 15 when he wrote Eragon, so the blatant similarities can be excused by immature writing. But they're definitely there.

I think that sums it up other than the only reason the early books were published in the form they were was because his family paid to have them published.
Had Paolini gone down the normal route and sent them to a regular publishing house they would never have released them in the form they were but would have suggested that they should be re-written to avoid the numerous Star Wars plot similarities.
At least Paolini had learned enough by the time he was writing the later books to find his own voice and take the story in a different direction.

"Any plan that involves losing your hat is a BAD plan.""

[–] tj19 11 years ago

Eragon is a straight rip-off of Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter.

[–] pwc-2 11 years ago

Definitely. Loved it....sad that either the ending was truncated (ran out of money?)or that a planned part two, ala Lord of the Rings/Harry Potter, never came into being. I wanted to see what happened!

[–] angelosdaughter 10 years ago

I know this is a very old thread.....
The book is very derivative of Star Wars. The second Book, Eldest, which is my favorite, shows the influence of Tolkien, but delves into the Elven world and culture more than Tolkien did. I haven't gotten around to reading the last two books. It is said that 'We stand on the shoulders of giants." and that "There is nothing new under the sun."

"..sure you won't change your mind? Why, is there something wrong with the one I have?"

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] urverksapelsin 10 years ago

this guy agrees
http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/new-talent/il-neige/45488-what-we-had-to-watch-eragon

[–] MydnightRose 8 years ago

I just watched some scenes and clips and it automatically screamed Star Wars, especially the scene of him running home to save his uncle because he senses he is in danger.

1. BVS 2. TWS 3. Avengers

[–] mikeserota 7 years ago

This is specifically acknowledged in the movie's trivia section on this website.