This Christmas season, all I really want is for Star Wars to fix these 10 decisions in Star Wars movies and TV shows that the franchise got totally wrong. Throughout the Star Wars timeline, certain plot points, character deaths, and updates have proven quite disappointing. Yes, some of that has to do with the Star Wars sequel trilogy—which many still view as some of Star Wars’ worst movies—but, truthfully, there have been issues from the very beginning.
In fact, even some of Star Wars’ best characters have had a few unfortunate storylines. While not every problem in Star Wars can be fixed, these 10 mistakes could be improved in upcoming projects with some creative storytelling. This Christmas, all I’m asking for is an update to these 10 Star Wars missteps that I’m still not over.
Ben Solo’s Death Wasn’t Given Enough Respect
None Of Ben’s Family Members Appeared As He Died
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is perhaps the single most criticized Star Wars project, and while I do take issue with many of the most controversial choices the movie made, one of my biggest grievances with The Rise of Skywalker is actually the handling of Ben Solo’s death. Kylo Ren/Ben Solo was arguably one of the most compelling characters in the sequels, and that wasn’t only because he was a Skywalker by bloodline. Although this was yet another controversial aspect of the sequels, I enjoyed Kylo Ren’s emotional outbursts and unpredictable behavior.
What I found terrible, though, was Ben Solo’s death—specifically the conditions in which he died. The Rise of Skywalker’s title heavily hinted that Ben Solo would be redeemed (which he ultimately was) and would have an incredible arc, perhaps seeing him take up the mantle of his family’s legacy. Instead, Ben died after saving Rey’s life, thereby ending the Skywalker bloodline. What made Ben’s death truly unforgivable was the fact that Ben died without Luke, Leia, or Anakin appearing as a Force ghost to comfort him.
What made Ben’s death truly unforgivable was the fact that Ben died without Luke, Leia, or Anakin appearing as a Force ghost to comfort him.
This was especially insulting because the story of Star Wars has long been that anyone can be redeemed. Ben had certainly never done anything close to all that Darth Vader had done, yet he seemingly wasn’t forgiven in the same way Vader/Anakin was. Worse still, Luke and Leia appeared on Tatooine at the end of The Rise of Skywalker just to watch Rey bury Leia and Anakin’s lightsabers. This was the ultimate insult to Ben.
Obviously, Star Wars can’t bring Ben back from the dead—or, at least, hopefully the franchise wouldn’t do so after the fallout from Palpatine’s resurrection. However, Rey’s upcoming Star Wars movie could at least honor him in some way. Whether that looks like a Force ghost appearance by Ben himself or some other plot point is of course not yet known, but hopefully, Star Wars will honor Ben’s legacy and his sacrifice in some way moving forward.
The Acolyte Was Canceled When It Was Just Getting Started
The Acolyte Wasn’t Given A Fair Chance
The Acolyte faced a shocking amount of backlash and controversy, much of it before the show had even premiered. The most jarring aspect of this response was the vitriol, hate, and harassment directed at the show’s actors and creators, especially on social media. Lucasfilm should have had the backs of the actors, writers, and creators, but instead, they stayed largely silent when it came to the seriousness of this behavior from the fanbase and, bewilderingly, canceled the show very soon after the last episode was released.
Related
Star Wars: The Acolyte Season 2: Cancelation, Franchise Future, & Everything We Know
Will The Acolyte season 2 happen, and if it does then what’s next for this ultimate Star Wars prequel? Here’s everything we know to date!
While I had my own issues with The Acolyte, I was genuinely surprised to see the show canceled so quickly. The Acolyte finale had left the door open to thrilling possibilities for season 2, including an arc for Darth Plagueis, who appeared on screen in Star Wars for the very first time in the last episode of season 1. I truly believe this cancelation was a misstep, as season 2 could have made the show so much better, and while Lucasfilm may not have canceled The Acolyte because of the backlash, it was nevertheless a bad look for the franchise.
There are myriad things Star Wars could do to make this better. Star Wars could obviously renew The Acolyte, which many in the fanbase continue to advocate for, but the likelihood of that seems to get slighter and slighter as time goes by. At a minimum, Lucasfilm could make a much better effort to protect its actors and creators, which would at least mean avoiding a repeat of this situation in the future.
Padmé’s Awful Reaction To Anakin’s Tusken Raider Massacre Has Never Been Explained
Padmé’s Worst Moment Still Needs Proper Justification
Padmé is one of Star Wars’ best characters, and throughout the prequels and Star Wars: The Clone Wars, she proved how kind, intelligent, and compassionate she was. That made it all the more confounding when, in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, she had almost no reaction to Anakin’s confession that he had massacred all the men, women, and children at the Tusken Raider camp. This was a major betrayal of the person she had been in Star Wars, and the franchise has never offered a solid explanation for this major moral failing on her part.
It’s difficult to imagine when or how Star Wars could correct this problem, especially given it happened so long ago. However, with a character as significant as Padmé, it is worth the effort. Star Wars shows have also continued to connect back to the prequel trilogy and the Clone Wars era, which could extend to this moment between Padmé and Anakin. It’s unclear what sort of explanation could make this plot point ‘work,’ but audiences (and Padmé herself) deserve some sort of explanation for this bizarre, disappointing reaction.
Satine Kryze Has Been All But Forgotten
Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Love Interest Deserves Better
The Clone Wars introduced a number of brilliant characters and storylines, and one of the most shocking (but delightful) was Satine Kryze, who was revealed to be Obi-Wan Kenobi’s love interest. Although many bristled at the notion that Obi-Wan would have had a love interest, because he was so dedicated to the Jedi way and so clearly against Anakin and Padmé’s relationship, this story made perfect sense. Obi-Wan had always struggled with attachment, albeit in a very different way than Anakin had.
This is part of why he grieved both Qui-Gon Jinn and Anakin himself so extensively. Moreover, Obi-Wan and Satine had clearly never really acted on their feelings for one another, and Obi-Wan had no intention of betraying the Jedi Order. After all, he told Satine that, had she asked, he would have left the Order for her, proving that he was well aware he needed to either choose Satine or the Order—he couldn’t have both. Despite how exciting this reveal was, Satine Kryze has been all but forgotten in other Star Wars projects.
After her death in The Clone Wars at the hands of Darth Maul, Satine hasn’t really been mentioned. What makes this so much worse is that, in addition to being Obi-Wan’s secret love interest, Satine was also Bo-Katan Kryze’s sister. Truthfully, it feels much more egregious that Bo-Katan hasn’t acknowledged her sister’s memory or legacy in any way since The Clone Wars.
This is an easy enough fix, though. Either in The Mandalorian & Grogu (assuming Bo-Katan will appear in the movie) or in another upcoming project featuring Bo-Katan, she can finally speak about her sister. Given Bo-Katan’s apparent new role as the leader of Mandalore following The Mandalorian season 3 ending, this is the perfect time to make this connection. As her sister had been the Duchess of Mandalore, it would make sense for Bo-Katan to reflect on her sister’s memory now more than ever. Of course, an Obi-Wan plotline involving Satine would also be brilliant.
Rey’s “Nobody” Background Was Dropped In Favor Of A Plot Twist
The Original Plan For Rey Was So Much Better
Rey’s arc in the Star Wars sequel trilogy was also among the biggest complaints about the movies. This was true for myriad reasons, but one of the most significant was her blood relation to Palpatine, which was revealed in The Rise of Skywalker. This was an issue for many not only because it meant Palpatine’s bewildering and minimally explained resurrection but also because this overwrote the revelation in Star Wars: The Last Jedi that Rey was a ‘nobody’ in the Skywalker Saga.
While there had been plenty of speculation about Rey’s origins since Star Wars: The Force Awakens, with popular theories including that she was Luke Skywalker’s daughter or somehow a Kenobi, in The Last Jedi, Kylo Ren confirmed that the parents she had been searching for since she was young were only filthy junk traders who had sold her for drinking money. This was a truly shocking twist, but it was also absolutely perfect.
For too long, Star Wars has found ways to connect main characters to the Skywalkers, the Jedi, and/or the Sith. Making Rey a true nobody finally reinforced Star Wars’ original message, that powerful Force-users and heroes can come from anywhere. Instead, Star Wars fell back on old, recycled patterns, giving Rey a connection to one of the most powerful Sith in Star Wars.
Star Wars cannot now undo that connection, but there are ways to improve upon this story. For one, the history of Rey’s mother has yet to fully be disclosed, which may mean an alternative blood relation for Rey could be explored and prove interesting. The next project featuring Rey could also make better use of Rey’s relationship to Palpatine than The Rise of Skywalker did, perhaps exploring in greater detail what that relation means for Rey’s future as a Jedi or, more interestingly, a leader of the Jedi.
Hera Syndulla And Ezra Bridger Didn’t Have The Reunion We All Expected
Hera And Ezra Should Have Run To Each Other, But They Both Kept Their Distance
Star Wars Rebels is widely considered one of Star Wars’ best TV shows, and the Rebels characters are incredibly beloved. This made audiences all the more excited for the characters’ live-action debuts in the Ahsoka show. Even more exciting, the Ahsoka ending revealed that Ezra was headed back to the main Star Wars galaxy, where he would finally be reunited with Hera Syndulla, who had been like a mother to him. Despite going years without seeing each other, though, the reunion between Hera and Ezra in Ahsoka was massively underwhelming.
Rather than running to and embracing each other, as many had expected would be the case, Hera and Ezra stood across a hanger bay, staring at each other. That initial shock is understandable, especially on Hera’s part, but it never morphed into the type of jubilant celebration that would have been appropriate for these ‘found family’ members. With Ahsoka season 2, hopefully Star Wars will improve upon this mistake. Obviously, the reunion cannot be entirely undone. However, showing the two deepening their bond and reminiscing about the good times in the new season would resolve this issue somewhat.
Related
Ahsoka Season 2: Story, Updates, Everything We Know
Ahsoka season 2 has finally been confirmed by Star Wars, and the story is now in development. Here’s everything we know about the project.
Star Wars Hasn’t Given Padmé’s Death A Better Explanation
The Way Padmé Died Was So Disappointing
Padmé has perhaps the single most disappointing death in all of Star Wars. Padmé’s death was expected in the prequels, as the original trilogy had confirmed neither twin grew up with their mother (although Leia initially seemed to have spent her early years with her). However, the way in which she died in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith was a major letdown.
After being one of the fiercest and bravest characters in the first two prequel trilogy movies, even serving as a teenage queen, Revenge of the Sith heavily implied that Padmé simply gave up on life. Part of the problem with this explanation is that it undermines the character Padmé was. She never gave up, even in the face of the most hopeless situations. It was a massive disservice to her character that she died in a way that suggested otherwise.
Worse still, the perception of Padmé’s death has long been that she ‘died of a broken heart.’ While Revenge of the Sith never stated that, it has become a widely-held belief, again betraying her character. Star Wars must address this theory head on by confirming what truly killed Padmé. Ideally, an upcoming Star Wars show, movie, or book would confirm that Palpatine had drained Padmé’s life force to save Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader. This explanation is both logical and serves to explain Padmé’s death in a way that maintains the integrity of her character.
Related
19 Years After Revenge Of The Sith, I’m Still Convinced Padme’s Death Was A Big Mistake
While Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith is an excellent movie, the manner of Padme’s death was nevertheless a major mistake in Star Wars.
Palpatine’s Resurrection Is Still Largely Unexplained
The Rise Of Skywalker Made A Horrible Decision Star Wars Is Still Struggling With
Of course, one of the biggest complaints about Star Wars in recent memory is regarding Palpatine’s rushed resurrection in The Rise of Skywalker. This storyline could have worked had it been done differently. After all, this story was first seen in Star Wars Legends, which saw Palpatine come back to life via clones of himself—very similar to the sequels. The problem was, this plot in The Rise of Skywalker felt very much like an afterthought and a last-ditch effort to bring the sequel movies’ arcs together after so much back-and-forth.
This plot in The Rise of Skywalker felt very much like an afterthought and a last-ditch effort to bring the sequel movies’ arcs together after so much back-and-forth.
Star Wars can resolve this issue, at least in part, by providing considerably more background and context in other movies, shows, and books. That work has been done somewhat, such as with Project Necromancer, but the franchise has yet to elucidate precisely how this was done. To really make this odd left turn work, Star Wars must provide more information, in a way that makes this choice believable and a bit easier to swallow.
Finn Wasn’t Made A Jedi
The Sequel Trilogy Ended Up Snubbing Finn In The Worst Way
One of the worst mistakes in the Star Wars sequel trilogy was the sidelining of Finn, which was increasingly true as the movies went on. Finn was heavily marketed as the Jedi of the sequel movies, with multiple promotional materials showing him wielding Anakin Skywalker’s iconic blue lightsaber. While that hadn’t been entirely fabricated, as Finn did wield the lightsaber more than once in The Force Awakens, he was never fully confirmed to be a Jedi in the movies.
The obvious solution is for Star Wars to make Finn a Jedi in Rey’s upcoming Star Wars movie or perhaps even in Simon Kinberg’s trilogy. The issue is, Finn actor John Boyega has been clear (and very rightly so) that he was very disappointed in and frustrated by how the franchise treated Finn and his story arc, especially when it came to teasing him as a Jedi and then pulling away from that in the long term. Because of that, Finn may not return in Star Wars movies moving forward, meaning this would never be resolved.
Star Wars Declared The Skywalker Saga “Over”
Star Wars Doesn’t Seem To Know What This Declaration Means
Of all Star Wars’ missteps in the last few decades, the biggest head scratcher has been the franchise’s declaration that the Skywalker Saga is ‘over.’ The problem is, what exactly that means has yet to be clearly defined. Members of the Skywalker family tree have continued to appear in Star Wars movies and shows, as recently as 2023, with Anakin’s return in Ahsoka, and it’s unlikely that’s going to stop any time soon. The Rise of Skywalker also saw the end of the Skywalker bloodline, making this assertion make sense, but almost immediately, Rey then adopted the name Skywalker herself.
As Rey’s Star Wars story is going to continue, it seems safe to assume the Skywalker Saga will continue through her. Even if the Skywalker Saga referred only to the episodic trilogies, there has already been heavy speculation that Kinberg’s trilogy will be episodes 10-12, meaning that, too, would be proven false. With so much up in the air about Star Wars’ future, the franchise must make it clear what the conclusion of the Skywalker Saga really means. These 10 issues certainly represent mistakes in Star Wars, but there are opportunities to fix them moving forward.