That Time The Muppet Show Predicted The Future

 

The Muppet Show was very popular in 1980, and Star Wars was the biggest film franchise of the time, with The Empire Strikes Back about to hit theaters. So it was probably inevitable that the two would come together. It was a great chance to see our heroes from a galaxy far, far away again. It was a fun episode that showed some of Mark Hamill's other talents, like singing and dancing. Chewie even cuts a rug. But something that was impossible to know at the time was that this episode of the Muppet Show was telling the future for these two franchises.

The show starts with Luke Skywalker, C-3PO and R2-D2 crashing onto the Muppet set looking for Chewbacca. When Kermit asks Luke to do something for the show, Luke declines but offers up his cousin Mark Hamill. Kermit is unimpressed by Mark's singing and dancing. Mark insisted on appearing as himself on the show, because he didn't want to get typecast as Luke Skywalker, a fear that proved to be well founded for him. On a personal note, I love Luke's line "Remember Alderaan!" That was a cool nod to the uber fans in the audience.

Later in the show Luke hijacks the Swinetrek to find Chewie, who is being held by the evil Dearth Nadir played by Gonzo. There is a running gag in the show about Luke and Mark not being seen together. Of course Kermit suspects they are one and the same, and is surprised when they finally appear onstage together. This episode is a blast for fans of the Muppets and Star Wars alike, and if like me you are a fan of both this is one of the best episodes of television ever.

However, it is now after decades have passed that one bit in particular becomes significant. At the end of the show Mark Hamill, the droids and Chewbacca join the Muppets in singing When You Wish Upon A Star. A faux Disney castle pops up in the background. The reason this is significant is that at the time,Disney, the Muppets and Star Wars were three different franchises completely unrelated to one another. Disney would go on to buy the Muppets in 2004, and Lucasfilm (of which Star Wars is a part) in 2012. So this one segment seems to foreshadow the fate of both the Muppets and Star Wars. The only reasonable explanation is that Jim Henson was a warlock.