Spoilers here, obviously.
So there’s a scene in Solo where Emelia Clark, playing Han’s former flame Qi’ra, shows she’s a lot more dangerous than first thought by handing out a brutal beatdown to a bad guy.
That eventually happens a lot in the movie, so whatever, but it’s memorable the first time she does it because she explains that in the years between her and Han’s separation (the pair were childhood sweethearts, separated by the Empire) she’s been taught the art of Teräs Käsi.
It’s an easy line to throw away, but anyone who suffered through late-90s Lucasarts will remember the term as something more than just fancy-name filler in a 2018 movie.
The line is actually a reference to a martial art made “famous” by the 1997 video game Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi, considered by many to the absolute lowpoint of Lucasarts’ Star Wars output, which when you consider that roster also includes Force Commander is saying something.
Teräs Käsi – actually introduced by author Steve Perry in 1996’s Shadows of the Empire, and named for the Finnish words for “steel” and “hands” – was a 3D fighting game with almost no redeeming qualities.
I wrote about the game back in 2012:
As a fighter, it was terrible in that it was slow, clunky and unfairly balanced towards characters with lightsabers. As a Star Wars experience, it was even worse. Breaking canon in this universe isn’t a sin in itself – and can even be a blessing when done properly – but man, it was extra stupid here.
Its biggest problem, though, was that it tried to copy the 3D style of games like Tekken, when Lucasarts’ internal team of 2D artists could have done a much better-looking job with a fighting game.
Anyway, of all the 90s expanded universe video game things for a 2018 Star Wars movie to mention, Teräs Käsi was certainly one of the more unexpected. Maybe it’s the start of a trend, and the Boba Fett movie will kick off with a raid on the Azzameen family…
Comments
8 responses to “Solo Has A Weird Little Video Game Easter Egg”
Yeah when it said that I was like – Hmmm reminds me of that horrible star wars fighting game. This movie was more of a wink wink to people who are fans of the extended universe/games/shows
That’s right. It’s not exactly just a 1997 video game reference (although I suppose it can certainly be considered as such), but Teräs Käsi is a form of martial arts that’s mentioned in the expanded universe, such as the novels, comics as well as Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords.
they have been slowly reintegrating parts of the original EU into the new cannon, though i was disappointed on Rebels use of thrawn and the noghri.
That wasn’t the only video game easter egg. The film also included tie fighters, which were obviously in reference to the game tie fighter. I will admit that there is a remote possibility that it was instead a reference to other earlier uses of tie fighters in the Star Wars universe though.
I almost posted something like this, but laziness won out. I don’t feel like it’s a video game reference.
bwhahaha, this is so true, video game reference my ass
So the worst SW film is referencing the worst SW game? I can live with that.
It’s not even in the bottom 5 Star Wars films