Editor’s Note: The following accommodates gentle spoilers for Andor. In one of many extra amusingly awkward scenes within the fifth episode of Andor, “The Axe Forgets,” the previous Pre-Mor officer Syril Karn (Kyle Soller) returns residence to his mom, Eedy (Kathryn Hunter). Syril is embarrassed, as he’s been blamed for the disaster on Ferrix. He’s simply searching for a way of consolation, however he doesn’t precisely discover this from his mother. As Syril tries to place his thoughts comfy, his mom lectures him on the significance of making use of himself and means that he attain out to his Uncle Harlo to discover a new place.
Star Wars followers might have observed that Syril is chowing down on a considerably acquainted breakfast meals: cereal with blue milk. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) drinks a glass of blue milk throughout a equally awkward scene again in Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope. Luke is within the precise reverse place that Syril finds himself in. Luke makes use of the household gathering to ask his Uncle Owen Lars (Phil Brown) about becoming a member of the Imperial Academy, however he’s instructed to easily keep at residence and keep away from any galactic adventures.
In the unique movie, that is only a small element meant to make the Star Wars universe really feel like a barely warped model of one thing audiences might relate to. It’s really one of many causes the primary movie grew to become such a phenomenon; Luke was a relatable character for youthful viewers as a result of he was going by way of the identical existential teenage struggles that they have been. However, blue milk has step by step turn into a recurring in-joke within the Star Wars universe that has appeared within the Expanded Universe and several other amusing parodies.
Blue Milk Tasted Awful on Set Originally
On set, the drink itself was not a straightforward one for Hamill to abdomen. He said that “the warm, oily, sickly-sweet milk dyed blue from the movie was gag-inducing.” Since the unique movie was shot in Tunisia, the crew needed to use “lifelong milk” that didn’t must be refrigerated and may very well be introduced on tenting journeys. Although Hamill was instructed that he didn’t must drink the combination on digital camera, he felt that as an unknown actor, he wanted to suggest his dedication to the function. Hamill admitted that he pretended to love the style, though it “triggered your gag reflex.”
The early Star Wars Expanded Universe novels established that blue milk was a standard family merchandise in-universe. It’s referred to by just a few totally different names; The Truce At Bakura mentions that it comes from Tatooine’s banthas, and Rogue Planet identifies it particularly as “Tatooine milk.” However, novel collection like The New Jedi Order clarify that blue milk is discovered all through the galaxy, and never simply on backwater desert planets like Tatooine.
In order to maintain every thing inside the identical continuity, George Lucas introduced again blue milk for Star Wars: Episode II- Attack of the Clones. Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) and Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman) are served blue milk once they return to the Lars Family Homestead trying to find Anakin’s mom, Shmi (Pernilla August). An interactive feature on the official Star Wars web site indicated that blue milk was additionally served at Dexter’s Diner, the Nineteen Fifties-style restaurant that Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) visits searching for data.
Blue Milk Has Been Parodied Often
Blue milk has additionally impressed among the most artistic Star Wars parodies. A parodical short film entitled “Blue Milk” that parodied a preferred Welch’s grape juice business received the “best parody” class on the 2006 Star Wars Fan Film Awards hosted by AtomFilms. Blue milk pops up in lots of the Lucasfilm-sponsored satires; Phineas and Ferb have some “blue ice cream” in 2014’s Phineas and Ferb: Star Wars, and “Gary the Stormtrooper” has a glass within the Star Wars: Robot Chicken tv particular.
Disney has made blue milk a mainstay within the new canon, with a number of references to the drink in Star Wars Rebels, The High Republic challenge, and Andor’s predecessor, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. In 2017, Lucasfilm celebrated the fortieth anniversary of the unique movie with the anthology novel From A Certain Point of View. From A Certain Point of View retold occasions surrounding A New Hope from the attitude of background characters; it was promoted utilizing #OperationBlueMilk.
The most blatant callback got here in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the place the older Luke appears to stay together with his favourite childhood beverage. When Rey (Daisy Ridley) visits Luke on Ach-To, he milks a thala-siren to provide a inexperienced liquid. It was fortunately a tastier expertise for Hamill; he stated that the inexperienced milk was produced from coconut milk with inexperienced meals coloring.
Star Wars followers who wish to strive the drink for themselves are in luck. The Galaxy’s Edge theme park at Disney serves each a frozen plant-based mix of coconut and rice “Blue Milk,” an alcoholic “Blue Milk Cooler,” and a non-alcoholic “Blue Bantha” cocktail. Hamill got to try the milkshake for himself and gave it his signal of approval.
