Few fictional works have had a more significant impact than Star Wars. This sci-fi fantasy franchise captures the imagination with its laser swords, space battles, engaging characters, and intriguing mythology. These qualities make it beloved by audiences of all ages. That said, they also make it ripe for parody.
Star Wars has seen countless spoofs across movies and TV series. Oddly enough, many of those parodies stem from animated shows. These works don’t have to worry about cheap sets or other production values; the only limit is the creator’s imagination. As such, virtually anything is fair game. They can recreate the films’ visuals to a tee or go in a radically different direction. That freedom opens new avenues for humor. As a result, these animated satires can be funnier than their live-action counterparts.
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10 Family Guy
Arguably the most famous entry on the list, Family Guy has three TV episodes spoofing Star Wars. Each flick reenacts part of the original trilogy, with the show’s characters portraying the sci-fi icons. For instance, Peter Griffin is Han Solo, and Stewie is Darth Vader. That gimmick alone carries much of the humor.
Of course, the specials also stack on a gaggle of other jokes. These gags are all in Family Guy’s typical style of silly and dirty. Just look at the Battle of Hoth, where one of the Rebels stops mid-fight to go touch their “giant boob nipple gun.” The whole tale recreates these designs and tropes with loving detail while simultaneously poking fun at them.[1]
9 The Fairly OddParents
Many kids probably wish their toys came to life, but The Fairly OddParents shows the Dark Side (sorry) of that dream. In the episode “Hard Copy,” Timmy’s fairy godparents leave for a doctor’s visit. The kid worries about not having anyone to grant his wishes, so Wanda conjures a magical copier to manifest anything he scans. Unfortunately, activating the Life Size mode brings forth a sci-fi invasion.
Scanning an action figure of Dark Laser from Space Wars, Timmy unwittingly unleashes the Darth Vader wannabe on his town. The villain swiftly scans the rest of the toys from his catalog, bringing the full wrath of his empire down on Dimsdale. Timmy must fight magic with magic. Not only do the lightsabers spring from his fairies’ wands, but he flies a Rebel Y-Wing in the shape of a star. This aesthetic makes the slick sci-fi stuff look farcically frilly, which goes hand-in-hand with the show’s theatrical irony.[2]
8 The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius
Star Wars is a space opera with Shakespearean drama, so why not apply it to an actual Shakespeare play? The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius marries the two properties with entertaining results. “Out, Darn Spotlight” sees Jimmy’s school put on a production of Macbeth with an extraterrestrial edge. That’s not the only liberty taken, though.
The revised story concludes with Macbeth sword-fighting a space pirate. Thanks to Jimmy’s work with special effects, the duel unfolds with laser swords akin to lightsabers. The production values put most movies to shame, but the performers are still untrained kids. That fact inevitably leads to a few slip-ups, such as Jimmy accidentally losing his sword during the duel. The finished product somehow feels high-end and low-budget at the same time. Of course, children fumbling with advanced tech is par for the course with this series.[3]
7 Rugrats
You might wonder how a show about babies could parody anything, but the eponymous Rugrats have active imaginations. They often use make-believe to rationalize the world around them. Thus, when the stars start falling, the babies embark on a space adventure to set things right.
“Falling Star” contains a slew of sci-fi references, but Star Wars is the primary target. It turns out the culprit of the collapsing stars is the bratty Angelica, decked out like Darth Vader. While there’s no lightsaber duel, the scenario does lead to an “I am your father” moment where she reveals herself as Tommy’s cousin. That absurdity born from naivete is what gives Rugrats its charm.[4]
6 Pinky and the Brain
Being an animated skit show, both Animaniacs and Pinky and the Brain thrive on satire. It’s not a stretch to see them come together to spoof the original Star Wars. Their approach, however, is essentially the precursor to Family Guy’s take. “Star Warners” recreates the original film as a TV special, with the show’s stars filling out the cast. Wakko is Luke Skywalker; Slappy Squirrel is Obi-Wan Kenobi; Pinky and the Brain are the two droids; the list goes on. However, seeing these cartoon animals embody the roles is even wilder.
That unpredictability extends to the jokes. The episode continues the humor found in these ’90s Warner Bros. shows. That means plenty of slapstick mixed with referential gags. A memorable example comes when the Empire tortures Princess Leia by having her listen to Ben Stein. These zingers help the shows spoof all of pop culture. Considering Star Wars is a cultural phenomenon, that style is oddly appropriate.[5]
5 The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy
Despite its supernatural subject matter, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy has several Star Wars gags. The most blatant occurs in the episode “Brown Evil,” which involves Billy inadvertently baking an evil batch of brownies. Grim loves these pastries, but they also attract hordes of undead. This invasion draws monster hunter Hoss Delgado, who immediately zeroes in on Grim.
The resulting brawl is straight out of Star Wars. Hoss activates a green energy sword from his mechanized hand and slices the blade off Grim’s scythe. The Reaper then energizes what’s left of his staff, and the two fighters engage in a duel, complete with lightsaber sound effects. It ends when Grim slices off Hoss’s hand. Luckily, he still has a human hand and a heap of muscle. One punch knocks Grim’s head clean off. That mixture of gallows humor and gross-out gags is what Billy & Mandy does best.[6]
4 Robot Chicken
Here’s a no-brainer. Robot Chicken lives to poke fun at pop culture. This stop-motion sketch show acts out iconic movies and TV shows using action figures and dolls. That alone would be amusing enough, but the creators also splice some self-aware irony into the scripts. Basically, they show how these scenes would play out if the characters were juvenile fools who questioned every concept.
Star Wars is a natural treasure trove for that type of nitpicking. Sure enough, Robot Chicken lays out limitless skits based on this space opera. These bits typically pick on pivotal scenes. Luke and the Emperor get into a “yo momma” fight; Obi-Wan gives a long-winded speech about the “high ground” after slicing off Anakin’s legs; Chewie accidentally rips off Lando’s head and reattaches it backward. These gags are just the tip of the iceberg. Nothing is sacred in this silly show.[7]
3 Teen Titans
Going into the TV realm is a great excuse to lampoon pop culture’s most famous franchises. Teen Titans takes ample advantage of that in “Don’t Touch That Dial.” This episode involves geeky villain Control Freak constructing an advanced remote to travel into the city’s TV screen. To prevent his monopoly over the television realm, the Titans follow him into the televised dimension, making their way through countless recognizable IPs to catch the baddie.
This chase culminates in a sci-fi battle straight out of Star Wars. A “12th-Level Space Samurai,” Control Freak knocks aside the Darth Vader stand-in and takes his laser sword. Then, right on cue, he proclaims himself to be the hero’s father. Luckily, Beast Boy is a die-hard fan of this franchise. Although his attempted Jedi mind trick doesn’t work on the battle droids, he does pull off an ancient spell to trap Control Freak. Nerd knowledge saves the day thanks to the series’ trademark blend of tense action and wacky anime comedy.[8]
2 Phineas and Ferb
Wish fulfillment can be both comforting and hilarious. Phineas and Ferb always strives to prove that. Its titular kids constantly get into elaborate misadventures from their backyard. However, one of their greatest journeys occurs in their crossover with Star Wars. Once again, the story goes through the classic plot of A New Hope, with the show’s characters filling in for the film’s cast. That prospect might seem stale at this point, but the humor practically writes itself.
The appeal stems from how well the series’ stars fit the movie archetypes. Petty sister Candace is a Stormtrooper, Perry the platypus’s secret agent antics make him a Rebel sp, and the deranged Dr. Doofenshmirtz is an incompetent Sith Lord responsible for the Death Star’s fatal flaw. In turn, having these silly figures inhabit the top spots alters the tale in chuckle-worthy ways, such as the Empire building a Sith-inator to turn people evil. That’s exactly the type of goofy spin that you’d expect from a bunch of kids.[9]
1 Buzz Lightyear of Star Command
This joke has a big-screen precedent. Toy Story 2 depicts a fight between Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear and Evil Emperor Zurg. They melodramatically reenact their rivalry, which is all the funnier considering they’re both plastic toys. The cherry on top comes when Zurg proclaims that he’s Buzz’s father, to which Buzz responds by screaming “No!” in hammy fashion. That silly revelation makes things awkward in the spin-off show.
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command undoes this twist and uses it for a comedic callback. During the episode “Stranger Invasion,” the hero and villain once again fight for the fate of the universe. Zurg then distracts Buzz by repeating the movie’s reveal, which lets him get one over on the Space Ranger. He even mocks his enemy for being so gullible. Yep, the series parodies a parody. How fitting for this cheeky take on Buzz’s high-flying adventures.[10]