‘Star Wars: A New Hope’ Mistakes You’ll Never Be Able to Unsee

From doors bonking helmets to props that bend when they shouldn’t, ‘Star Wars: A New Hope’ is packed with tiny hiccups that slipped through the Kessel Run of editing. These aren’t nitpicks about lore—they’re on-screen glitches, continuity blips, and effects seams you can spot with a careful rewatch. Most are easy to find once you know where to look, especially in well-lit or slowed-down scenes. Here are ten widely noted goofs that fans have been pointing out for years.

The Stormtrooper Who Smacks His Head on the Doorframe

On the Death Star, a squad of stormtroopers rushes through a low doorway and one trooper famously clips his helmet on the rising door. The moment happens quickly but the helmet thunk and slight stumble are visible as the line files in. Later home releases even emphasized the beat with an added sound effect, making it easier to catch. It’s one of the clearest background bloopers in the film.

Landspeeder “Hover” Smears and Wheel Shadows

Luke’s landspeeder was made to “hover” by hiding the wheels with an optical smear on the film. In several shots, you can see a soft, blobby blur hanging beneath the vehicle as it glides across Tatooine. In a few angles, subtle wheel shadows or matte lines peek through despite the effect. Special Edition updates reduced some artifacts, but traces of the original trick remain in certain shots.

Cantina Shootout Blaster Timing Oddities

The Han–Greedo exchange in the cantina has been altered across different releases, leading to awkward timing and trajectory cues. In some versions, the angle of the blaster bolts and Han’s sudden head jerk create an unnatural-looking dodge. Frame-by-frame rewatching shows the shot order and spacing changing between editions. These tweaks leave small continuity quirks in an otherwise tight scene.

Obi-Wan’s Vanishing Act Leaves Prop Confusion

During the duel with Vader, Obi-Wan disappears, leaving his cloak and lightsaber hilt on the floor—except the arrangement doesn’t stay consistent. In some cuts, the hilt’s position shifts or appears to go missing between angles. The cloak’s folds noticeably change shape from shot to shot as the fight aftermath is covered. It’s a classic continuity shuffle in a pivotal moment.

Death Star Officer Rank Badges That Don’t Match

Imperial officers wear rectangular rank plaques with colored squares—but their configurations don’t always stay consistent. In the conference room scenes, certain officers appear with badges that change layout between cuts. Comparing sequential shots reveals swapped rows or different color counts that don’t align. It’s a small wardrobe continuity slip that becomes obvious on a pause-and-check.

English-Language Readouts on a Galaxy Far, Far Away

Close-ups of the Death Star’s tractor-beam controls and other panels sometimes display English lettering. The labels and readouts can show familiar Latin characters and recognizable words on buttons and screens. Later ‘Star Wars’ entries standardized fictional script, but here, several interfaces still read like Earth tech. These quick glimpses stand out during zoomed or freeze-framed viewing.

Sandtrooper Pauldron and Gear Switch-Ups in Mos Eisley

At the Mos Eisley checkpoint, the sandtrooper commander’s orange pauldron isn’t perfectly consistent between shots. In some angles, the pauldron color and the placement of ammo pouches or shoulder gear subtly differ. Cut-to-cut comparisons show swaps that can’t be explained by movement alone. The sequence’s intercut coverage makes these wardrobe shifts easier to spot.

The Garbage Compactor’s Bendy Metal Pole

In the trash compactor, the heroes brace the closing walls with a metal pole that visibly flexes like foam. As the pressure mounts, the prop bends in a way real metal wouldn’t. In subsequent cuts, the pole’s angle and rigidity vary, betraying its lightweight construction. Once the danger ends, the prop continuity around the pole also jumps slightly between shots.

Lightsaber Color and Blade Artifacts

Luke’s training aboard the Millennium Falcon reveals several lightsaber inconsistencies. The blade flickers between hues and brightness levels, sometimes appearing nearly white, other times clearly blue. On close inspection, the practical rod used for the effect can show through in a handful of frames. Vader’s saber on the Death Star also shifts tone in different shots due to effects and timing limitations.

The Chasm Swing’s Pre-Set Cable and Harness Glimpses

When Luke and Leia swing across the Death Star chasm, you can catch hints that the stunt was prepped. In certain frames, evidence of the cable being anchored in advance is visible before the grappling shot is fired. You can also glimpse harness or rigging tells depending on the transfer and brightness. The quick cut-through energy of the scene usually hides it, but the setup peeks out if you look.

Got another blink-and-you’ll-miss-it goof from ‘Star Wars: A New Hope’? Drop your spot in the comments so fellow fans can check it out!