DukeLeto69 Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 Hope this is in the right section mods? I know in the grand scheme of life this really doesn't matter but it totally peeved me when Star Wars Rebels TV series introduced "Inquisitors". There is no doubt in my mind that they ripped that off W40k. Now I know GW cannot trademark "Inquisitor" as it has historical context, but anyone familiar with both IPs will know that the SW gang stole that. They could have called them anything! And looks like they were going to do it again with a big planet busting weapon called the Warhammer! I won't post the link (in case against rules) but on theforce.net in the episode IX thread there are pictures of the concept art amongst the discussions about bringing Carrie Fisher back. Are there any other examples of this (and yep GW are somewhat guilty of this too, especially in terms of 2000AD). EDIT TO UPDATE MY POINT Decided to update this as many people responding are missing my point. This is probably my fault for not explaining it better so here goes... 1. Yes I am well aware that W40K (particularly in the early days of RT) was inspired by and borrowed from all manner of popular and historical culture. In the RT days it was very tongue in cheek (and cheeky with the references). 2. I didn't know until this thread that "Inquisitors" had appeared in a 1980s Star Wars RPG so they clearly got there first flipping the point on its head really LOL! 3. Yes lots of Sci Fi and Fantasy series, films, books, games etc all reference and borrow from each other to some degree as there are only so many tropes etc that can be used. 4. GW is big enough now (and a top performing FTSE250 company to boot) for other big brands such as Star Wars to be more than aware of them. 5. However, I maintain that "Inquisitors" are synonymous with W40k and have been for nearly 30years in a much higher profile way than in Star Wars. 6. When the Star Wars people decided to reintroduce the term "Inquisitor" there is no way they didn't know this would draw comparisons with W40K (but either didn't care or were doffing their hat). 7. Calling a new planet killer weopon a "Warhammer" is a step further into this territory. Yes a Warhammer is a historical weapon and not a trademarkable name, but it is completely synonymous with GW products and there is simply no way the SW gang didn't know this (perhaps that is why it didn't actually get used in the end but we shall see in IX)... ...basically this is the same as if GW had decided to call the Great Crusade the "Star War(s)" neither word being a trademarkable thing like "Warhammer". AND TO THE MAIN POINT OF MY THREAD... What other examples on either side (or in other IP) do you guys know of? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarriorFish Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 It's a well known thing, and comes in many different forms in various fictional universes. While the 40k incarnation also has great hats and comfy chairs, that doesn't make the Inquisition belong to 40k more than any other. Inquisitors do a certain thing in a certain way - calling such an organisation anything else doesn't make them any less of an inquisition ;) Such a term is well used for good reason :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skaorn Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 Because GW didn't take anything from SW among all the other sci-fi properties they borrowed from that came before it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lay Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 Star Wars Inquistors date back to the 80s. I think they're originally from West End Game's SW RPG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyD4rkPassenger Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 I would tend to agree it's now a common trope amongst sci-fi and fantasy worlds, and a parallel to the real inquisitions of history. At this point what else do you call an agency within a governing body that hunts down criminals with zealous enthusiasm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkaniss Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 As mentioned, the Inquisition was a historical thing which has been transposed into various works of fiction. Only the Catholic Church can lay claim to people ripping them off here ;) I think the main thing to be concerned about with Star Wars appropriating things they shouldn't is re-using a planet killer mcguffin for another film plot to revolve around... but that's another topic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sete Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 It's treason then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramell Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 The ability to speak does not make you intelligent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sete Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 Oh I don't think so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DukeLeto69 Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 Star Wars Inquistors date back to the 80s. I think they're originally from West End Game's SW RPG. Ha ha I didn't know that. Well that puts me back in my box LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azekai Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 Rogue trader featured an inquisitor named Obiwan Sherlock Clousseau, complete with laser sword. WHO IS RIPPING OF WHO NOW?? (Nobody, because lighthearted and silly references don’t hurt anyone). Inquisitor is an occupational trope, it’s like being an assassin or (dare l say it) a space marine. Lots of stories feature such characters. There are a lot of surface similarities- both types of inquisitors pursue traitors in the interest of an overbearing imperial government, and they often have sinister mind-powers to help root out dissenters. Beyond those general terms, though, the specifics are pretty different... and when comparing ‘rip offs’ the specifics matter more than the generalities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DukeLeto69 Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 Ok I hear you but... Always a but... Totally know W40k ripped off (or paid Homage) to so many different sources. One of the biggest influences on Rogue Trader was 2000AD, another was Dune (which SW most defninitely did borrow a LOT of ideas from). Been involved since the late 80s so yeah, I get that and see that. Also very familiar with the historical Catholic Church Inquisition. AND yep the Sentinals are a direct rip off of SW AT-ST. But the Inquisition/Inquisitors are a cornerstone of the 40k setting and far more prominent than they were in Star Wars (acknowledging inclusion in SW RPG as per above but that feels pretty low key to me). Is it really coincidence they also decided to name a big weopon "Warhammer". Again not a word that can be trademarked but come on, someone in the SW camp is having some GW related fun here right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sockwithaticket Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 So, Star Wars IP holders are mining obscure bits of their IP's past to bring in ''new" things.They may be copying GW after all...Warhammer as a descriptor for a weapon? That's not much to even hang poking fun on. War hammers are a thing and you can get to naming a weapon after one without even knowing GW exist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DukeLeto69 Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 Warhammer as a descriptor for a weapon? That's not much to even hang poking fun on. War hammers are a thing and you can get to naming a weapon after one without even knowing GW exist. Of course a Warhammer is a thing just as Inquisitors were a thing... But I don't believe a coincidence strikes twice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Casman Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 Since Games Workshop has been on a rise of late, I wouldn't be surprised if there were occasional shout-outs in other media/franchises. I mean, I would guess that people working on sci-fi films would have probably bumped into GW stuff before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toaae Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 (and yep GW are somewhat guilty of this too, especially in terms of 2000AD). Somewhat guilty? 40k is built on the DNA of every other science fiction out there. You're named Duke Leto, and GW owes more to Frank Herbert than Star Wars could possibly even attempt to copy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayvn26 Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 Don't forget the blatant rip off by GW from Starship Troopers. Clearly the Tyranids are The Arachnids. And no Starship Troopers didn't come after 40k. I have a first edition copy of the book from 1959. The look and tactics are so similar save for the devouring entire planets thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toaae Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 Don't forget the blatant rip off by GW from Starship Troopers. Clearly the Tyranids are The Arachnids. And no Starship Troopers didn't come after 40k. I have a first edition copy of the book from 1959. The look and tactics are so similar save for the devouring entire planets thing. I just choose to highlight one, but Games Workshop has always used literary and historical inspirations. Almost everything in 40k started off as a derivative reference to something else. If 40k has gotten to the point where it can be referenced in a similar way, that would be a fitting evolution of the setting. More likely, Star Wars is borrowing from some of the same sources GW has built their universes on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayvn26 Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 Yeah, man I agree. They're not doing it to be hurtful, it's actually common practice to barrow ideas and themes, and I'm not saying we grab our pitch forks and siege them or anything. I was merely pointing out that they do it too. Could be that Lucas Arts got inspiration from the Spanish Inquisition... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Rohr Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 As has been mentioned, Star Wars has had inquisitors as long as 40k has Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluntblade Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 (and yep GW are somewhat guilty of this too, especially in terms of 2000AD). Somewhat guilty? 40k is built on the DNA of every other science fiction out there. You're named Duke Leto, and GW owes more to Frank Herbert than Star Wars could possibly even attempt to copy. Not to mention that an FW and now BL book feature what are essentially AT-ATs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ishagu Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 Whist GW did indeed draw inspiration from a lot of sources in the early days, 40k has become very distinctive now. You'll know a rip off when you see it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sockwithaticket Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 Yeah, man I agree. They're not doing it to be hurtful, it's actually common practice to barrow ideas and themes, and I'm not saying we grab our pitch forks and siege them or anything. I was merely pointing out that they do it too. Could be that Lucas Arts got inspiration from the Spanish Inquisition... Anyone who has Inquisitors in their setting is directly or indirectly inspired by the OG Spanish crew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doghouse Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 I honestly don't think the original GW knew what 40k would grow to and it was heavily influenced by the tongue in cheek 2000ad which frequently gave little nods to other sci fi franchises and real life characters and events in their Dredd stories . You can see this a lot in the early days, I think Pedro Cantor was named after one of the friends of the studio and was Pete Cantor in real life. To me 40k is a Monty Python film that suddenly got taken seriously which is why we have the likes of the tongue in cheek Primarch names which are now taken deadly seriously as if they were historical figures. I still find this all wonderfully hilarious, angry ron and iron man. :D The impression I have had is that they were originally hippy nerds that had an interest in the english nerd/sci fi culture of the late seventies/early eighties and history so just borrowed from everything. I don't think they ever intended it to become the corporate monster it is now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiceGuyAdi Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 I think the OP’s just given a couple of examples of how transferable elements of pop culture are. Space Marines take some obvious design cues from SW stormtroopers, Abaddon has a planet killer with some clear points of reference to the Death Star. Lucas said before he made Star Wars that he was drawing heavily from 2001: A Space Odyssey. The Chaos gods have very H.G Wellsian tendencies. This isn’t limited to sci-fi. just look at the music industry and how often stories pop up about who ripped off someone else (sometimes true, sometimes not). This doesn’t cut just both ways, it cuts in every direction possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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