Is “spice” really supposed to be an illegal drug in SW? At least, was that the intent in 1977? It’s likely a reference to the drug in Dune, but these lines from ANH have me wondering:
“My father didn’t fight in the wars. He was a navigator on a spice freighter.”
“That’s what your uncle told you. He didn’t hold with your father’s ideals, thought he should’ve stayed here and not gotten involved.”
If spice is a drug, why would Uncle Owen make up this lie that Father Skywalker was a smuggler/drug runner/criminal? It seems like if he were going to lie about his past, he’d make up something more mundane, like a navigator on a refuse barge or something. Make it seem like Father Skywalker was kind of a regular dude, something like a truck driver.
Even the way Luke says his line, I was always under the impression that it was a mundane job.
From the spice article on Wookieepedia: “The matter was brought up to George Lucas, who confirmed that spice is a drug.”
Thoughts?