The Star Wars franchise is no stranger to intense backlash and criticism, yet these 10 examples suggest that some controversies about Star Wars movies and TV shows were due to audiences missing the point. The Star Wars timeline has expanded rapidly since the franchise began with A New Hope, then just called Star Wars, in 1977. However, as exciting as many of these additions have been, new Star Wars projects increasingly seem to be met with harsh criticism, online hate, and even review-bombing.
The backlash to The Acolyte is an excellent example, and, sadly, the show’s turbulent reception no doubt contributed to The Acolyte’s cancelation quite recently. Yet, as The Acolyte itself proved, at times, controversies regarding Star Wars shows and movies stem from misunderstandings. These 10 Star Wars controversies reveal that, sometimes, audiences misinterpret the choices the franchise’s movies and shows make, leading to criticism that misses the mark.
Related 10 Greatest Complaints About The Prequel Trilogy (& Whether They Make Sense)
There have been many complaints about the Star Wars prequel trilogy over the years, and these 10 are the most pervasive—but not all of them are valid.
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10 Anakin Skywalker’s Immaculate Conception “Breaks” Star Wars
Many Viewers Found That Anakin Being Born Without A Father Took Things Too Far
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Anakin Skywalker’s status as the Chosen One is now an established part of Star Wars, and many younger fans would likely have a difficult time imagining what the franchise would look like without this origin story for Anakin. However, when this prophecy was introduced, it was not well-received. Specifically, in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Anakin Skywalker was revealed to have been born without a father—something that became integral to him fulfilling the Chosen One prophecy.
Anakin being the Chosen One is a pivotal part of
Star Wars
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Initially, though, audiences found that this choice altered Star Wars too significantly, making it something overly religious or mystical, particularly because Anakin was essentially immaculately conceived. However, Anakin being the Chosen One is a pivotal part of Star Wars, and rather than deviating from what Star Wars was intended to be, this reinforced it. The Jedi and the Force itself always had a religious/mystical quality. Yes, Anakin’s story became a bit reminiscent of the story of Jesus, but this prophecy didn’t ‘break’ Star Wars.
9 Why Did Anakin Skywalker Have To Be A Child In The Phantom Menace?
Audiences Still Argue That Anakin Should Not Have Been A Young Boy In The Phantom Menace
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Along with disappointment about Anakin’s miraculous birth, audiences generally disliked that Anakin was introduced as a child in The Phantom Menace. For many, the expectation had been that Darth Vader’s origins would be revealed, but that the origin story would include Vader’s path to incredible power, not his tragic backstory. Instead of showing a budding Sith Lord, though, The Phantom Menace revealed that Darth Vader was once a sweet young boy who lived as a slave with his mother on Tatooine.
Anakin is meant to show that even the most innocent can be corrupted by evil under the right circumstances.
However, this argument ignores the very message that Anakin is intended to represent in the franchise. Anakin is meant to show that even the most innocent can be corrupted by evil under the right circumstances. By beginning the prequel trilogy with the shocking reveal that Anakin was once a kind, friendly, empathetic young child, The Phantom Menace perfectly reinforced that message. This also makes Anakin’s redemption in Return of the Jedi that much more meaningful.
8 How Dare Lucas Add Hayden Christensen To Return Of The Jedi
Hayden Christensen Becoming Anakin’s Force Ghost Was Extremely Controversial
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Following the prequel trilogy, George Lucas decided to make one major change to Return of the Jedi that many viewers disliked. Rather than Anakin Skywalker’s Force ghost being portrayed by Sebastian L. Shaw, as was originally the case, Lucas swapped Hayden Christensen in as Anakin’s Force ghost in Return of the Jedi. This move was highly criticized, as many argued that it made little sense for Anakin to suddenly be young again (especially because Obi-Wan’s Force ghost did not become Ewan McGregor).
However, having Hayden Christensen step in as Anakin’s Force ghost in Return of the Jedi was meant to reflect that Anakin truly had returned to the Jedi he once had been. Yes, seeing Anakin outside the Darth Vader suit as a Force ghost was undoubtedly meaningful when Return of the Jedi was first released, but the prequel trilogy had added context that made Christensen’s appearance a moment of beautiful closure. Moreover, this enabled Christensen to return as a Force ghost later on, as he did in Ahsoka.
7 The Death Of Han Solo Was Incredibly Controversial
Viewers Were Outraged At How The Original Trilogy Hero Was Cut Down
Adam Driver has shared that he still receives comments, jokes, and outright anger from fans who are displeased with the fact that Kylo Ren killed Han Solo in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. That anger is obviously misdirected, as Driver was simply playing the role, but even so, the response to Han Solo’s death is yet another example of audiences missing the point. While it may have been difficult to see the original trilogy hero cut down (which was no doubt compounded by Luke and Leia also dying in the sequels), this moment perfectly represents Star Wars’ themes.
Since the beginning, Star Wars has been about family, especially fathers and sons. In fact, even before the incredible twist in The Empire Strikes Back that Darth Vader was actually Luke’s father, Luke Skywalker’s Jedi journey was shaped by his father’s legacy. Kylo Ren’s arc repeated this narrative in a new era without being too on-the-nose. Moreover, Kylo Ren’s need to kill his father proved that it isn’t only light side Force-users who are affected by attachments. Sure, it was a shame the original trio never reunited, but Kylo Ren killing his father wasn’t the problem.
6 Is Rey A Mary Sue?
Rey Was Naturally Strong In The Force, Which Led To One Heavily Gendered Accusation
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The sequels are unfortunately still considered some of Star Wars’ worst movies, and the actors often bore the brunt of that negative reception. In fact, Finn actor John Boyega has been very forthcoming about his experience in Star Wars and how racism shaped that experience and his character’s arc. Similarly, Rey actress Daisy Ridley was subjected to vitriol from Star Wars audiences, much of it having to do with her gender.
While some may argue that the disdain for Rey didn’t have anything to do with sexism, the common use of the term ‘Mary Sue’ to describe Rey makes it clear that the backlash had plenty to do with Rey being a woman. While, sure, other female characters are well-liked in the franchise, that doesn’t negate what this derogatory, heavily gendered term represents. A ‘Mary Sue’ refers to a woman who is naturally skilled in many areas; in Rey’s case, this included her strength in the Force, piloting skills, and other abilities.
However, nothing about Rey was something that had never been seen in Star Wars before. Luke Skywalker, like Rey, had been minimally trained yet was extremely powerful. In the end, this criticism ignores the long history of Star Wars characters who are naturally gifted with the Force. After all, Anakin was a 9-year-old who used the Force to win a podrace (something no other human ever even completed), and he hadn’t exactly spent his first 9 years learning the ways of the Jedi—he spent it working as a slave in a junk shop.
5 Leia’s Mary Poppins Impersonation Divided Fans
Viewers Took To Social Media To Compare Leia’s Force Feat In The Last Jedi To Mary Poppins
Star Wars: The Last Jedi proved just as controversial as The Force Awakens, if not more so, which was unfortunately a trend for all installments of the sequel trilogy. While much of the criticism about The Last Jedi had to do with Luke Skywalker’s arc (as many felt the sequels ‘ruined’ the character), Leia’s ability to use the Force to move through space and get safely back to her ship received considerable backlash. Oddly, this turned into a trend on social media that compared Princess Leia to the Disney character Mary Poppins.
It’s true that the sequel trilogy had many problems, several of them having to do with inconsistent storytelling (no doubt due in large part to the trilogy changing hands multiple times). However, Leia’s Force feat wasn’t that out of the ordinary in Star Wars. Yes, this particular ability hadn’t been seen before, but new movies and shows are constantly adding to Star Wars’ Force abilities. Despite the flood of memes likening Leia to Mary Poppins, this moment isn’t really any more absurd than other Star Wars Force feats—lest it be forgotten that Darth Maul had spider legs for years.
4 What Was The Last Jedi REALLY Saying About The Past?
Kylo Ren Was A Villain, But Many Thought The Sequel Trilogy Supported His Message
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One of the most surprising misunderstandings among Star Wars’ controversies was the notion that Kylo Ren’s perspective in the sequel trilogy was the message of the movies. Many believed that Kylo Ren’s desire to “let the past die” was the moral of the sequels, The Last Jedi in particular. However, this would make very little sense. While Star Wars villains are often sympathetic and reflect how complex the notions of good and evil are, Kylo Ren is not intended to be the voice of reason, nor is his view the one audiences are intended to share.
This would be akin to believing that the message of the original trilogy is that order really is worth the terror and loss of life caused by the Empire. Clearly, the dark side Force-users’ perspectives are skewed even when they think they have the best intentions. Yes, Kylo Ren believed that he was doing the right thing by insisting that the past must die, but he very clearly wasn’t. The fact that he killed his father was evidence enough of that.
3 Did Ahsoka “Break” The Force With Sabine?
Sabine Wren Being Ahsoka Tano’s Padawan Was Met With Significant Backlash
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The Ahsoka show surprised audiences by revealing that Star Wars Rebels character Sabine Wren had become Ahsoka Tano’s Jedi Padawan at some point between Rebels and Ahsoka. Viewers’ initial shock about this twist was understandable; there had been no indication in Rebels that Sabine had any Force-sensitivity, which presumably would have come up given how closely Sabine worked with Jedi Kanan Jarrus and Ezra Bridger. Nevertheless, the Ahsoka ending made it clear that Sabine was a Jedi Padawan and she could wield the Force.
Sabine explicitly using the Force was not enough for many viewers, though, and the show received considerable criticism for this choice. Many felt that this ‘retconned’ (or, in some cases, ‘ruined’) the Force because it meant that anyone could wield the Force no matter their natural Force-sensitivity. However, Sabine’s ability to use the Force is in keeping with what George Lucas intended. Star Wars has been clear from the very beginning that the Force connects all living things. It makes sense, in light of that, that with the proper training, anyone would be able to access the Force.
2 The Acolyte’s Jedi Are Just Too Flawed
The Acolyte Was Controversial For Many Reasons, The Jedi’s Flaws Among Them
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It’s no secret that The Acolyte proved to be incredibly controversial. Before the show even premiered, it was already being review-bombed, and criticism of The Acolyte remains loud even after the show’s conclusion and the confirmation that it will not be renewed for a second season. Admittedly, The Acolyte was not a perfect show. However, the backlash went far beyond viewers disliking the show, and some criticism of The Acolyte clearly reflected misunderstandings about Star Wars. Specifically, many viewers critiqued The Acolyte for making the Jedi too flawed.
The Jedi are not gods.
However, the Jedi’s flaws have been abundantly clear since the prequel trilogy. The Jedi worked side-by-side with a Sith Lord, entered a war despite being ‘peacekeepers,’ and allowed one of their own to become so corrupted that he decimated the entire Order. Clearly, the Jedi were flawed long before The Acolyte. Yes, it was difficult to swallow that Master Sol could have done so much harm and that Vernestra Rwoh covered it up, but the Jedi are not gods. They train to find peace and balance, but, naturally, they have shortcomings and don’t always succeed.
1 Mae & Osha Undermine The Chosen One Prophecy
Many Expressed Concern That Mae And Osha ‘Ruined’ Anakin Skywalker
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Despite how controversial Anakin Skywalker’s identity as the Chosen One was in the first place, viewers were very concerned that Osha and Mae were encroaching upon Anakin’s unique role in the franchise. Specifically, because Osha and Mae seem to have been created by Mother Aniseya using the Force, many felt their story too closely mirrored Anakin’s and muddied the waters of who really was the Chosen One after all. However, Star Wars has been clear multiple times that Anakin Skywalker was the one and only Chosen One.
Moreover, it seems likely that The Acolyte was gearing up to reveal that the creation of Mae and Osha helped Darth Plagueis discover the power to create life, which could have revealed Anakin’s very origins. Unfortunately, that may not ever be clarified given the show’s cancelation, but even so, Mae and Osha simply do not take away anything from Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars. Rather, this controversy, like the others on this list, proves that, at times, backlash to Star Wars stems from misconceptions.