Star Wars has been a beloved movie franchise for many of us, capturing our imaginations with its epic tales of good versus evil.
But ever since Disney took over, things have been a bit… different, haven’t they? Some changes have been great, but others, not so much.
In this article, we’re going to talk about 10 ways Disney may have dropped the ball with Star Wars.
Now, remember, this is all in good fun and everyone’s entitled to their own opinion. So, let’s buckle up and jump to lightspeed as we explore this together!
Table of Contents
10. Ruin Han Solo
Han Solo is a big part of Star Wars. He’s cool, but he’s always in some kind of mess. He doesn’t have money, he’s always trying to escape from something.
But as the original movies continue, we see Han caring more about his friends. He even becomes a hero.
But in Disney’s “The Force Awakens”, they change Han’s story. It feels like they’re undoing his past, turning his wins into losses.
In this movie, Han loses so much – his job, his love, his son, and even his ship, the Millennium Falcon.
The saddest part is how Han dies. It’s not that characters can’t die, but the way Han dies in the movie doesn’t feel right.
He’s alone when he dies, and the only people there are two strangers. It doesn’t seem fair for such a loved character.
9. Disregarding the Expanded Universe
When Disney took over Star Wars, they made a decision that was met with controversy: declaring the Expanded Universe (EU) non-canon.
The EU, a vast collection of Star Wars lore developed over decades through novels, comics, and games, was suddenly dismissed. This meant that many beloved characters and narratives were erased from the official Star Wars storyline.
One significant instance is the character Chewbacca.
In the EU, Chewbacca had a heroic death, tragically crushed by a moon. However, this was undone in the new films to bring the character back.
This move was seen by some fans as a disregard for the creative efforts and passion that went into the EU.
While this gave Disney a fresh start with the franchise, it also erased a large part of Star Wars history that was cherished by many fans.
8. Recycled Plots
A significant critique of the Disney Star Wars films is their apparent recycling of plot elements from the original trilogy.
The most glaring example is “The Force Awakens”, which bears a striking resemblance to “A New Hope”.
In both films, the story begins with a droid carrying crucial information, left stranded on a desert planet.
The narrative then introduces us to a young orphan who is unaware of their latent Force abilities.
As the story unfolds, we learn of a superweapon capable of annihilating entire planets – the Death Star in “A New Hope” and Starkiller Base in “The Force Awakens”.
This mirroring of plot elements could be interpreted as a homage to the original film. However, some fans argue that it signifies a lack of originality and innovation.
They believe that the storyline feels overly familiar, lacking the freshness and creativity that they associate with the Star Wars universe.
This sense of déjà vu has led to disappointment among fans who were eagerly anticipating new and unique adventures and narratives in the Star Wars saga.
7. Ignoring the Star Wars Video Games
There was a time when Star Wars video games were a staple in the gaming world.
Regardless of whether a new movie was being released, you could always find a Star Wars game to immerse yourself in.
Each new movie release was accompanied by a game that allowed fans to experience the adventure firsthand action.
Disney and EA has created this baffling video game vacuum with the Star Wars franchise, and it has helped diminish the brand.
At one point, video games were the primary way the Star Wars franchise was represented in the market. Now, despite Disney releasing film after film, there’s a noticeable lack of new game releases.
Unfortunately, Disney and EA seem to have created a void in the Star Wars video game landscape, which has arguably weakened the brand.
6. The Sequel Trilogy
The Disney-made Sequel Trilogy of Star Wars has faced some backlash from fans. Some fans felt the characters weren’t developed well.
For example, Finn’s interesting past wasn’t explored much, and Luke Skywalker’s character seemed different from before.
The story in the three films also seemed to lack a clear direction. Some fans felt the films relied too much on old characters and didn’t focus enough on new ones.
There were also storylines introduced that were left unfinished, which left some fans feeling unsatisfied.
Also, Snoke was supposed to be a big bad guy, but his story ended quickly and left many questions.
On top of that, Palpatine came back all of a sudden without any warning, which was a letdown in the story.
While these views do not represent the entire fanbase, they do highlight some of the reasons behind the disappointment expressed by a segment of the audience.
5. Ruin Luke Skywalker
Many fans were taken aback by Luke Skywalker’s portrayal in “The Last Jedi”, feeling it was inconsistent with the hero they knew.
They struggled to accept that Luke could abandon the Jedi principles and, in a moment of weakness, nearly harm his nephew due to his fear of Ben’s emerging darkness.
However, these critics often overlook the fact that Luke, like all of us, is human and thus prone to mistakes.
He grapples with the light and dark sides of the Force, just as anyone would. According to his account, he was momentarily swayed by the dark side before snapping back to reality – but by then, the damage was done.
It seems like with “The Mandalorian”, Disney really hit the mark on Luke Skywalker’s character.
Fans got to see the Luke they remembered from the original trilogy – a powerful Jedi Knight who isn’t afraid to take on the forces of evil.
This portrayal was widely appreciated and it felt like a return to form for the character.
4. New Force Powers
The Disney Star Wars films introduced several new Force abilities that left many fans puzzled.
For instance, in “The Force Awakens”, Rey, a newcomer to the Force, astonishingly defeats Kylo Ren in a lightsaber duel, leading many to speculate about her possessing a unique Force power.
In “The Last Jedi”, Rey and Kylo Ren exhibit the ability to communicate telepathically and visually through the Force, while Luke Skywalker demonstrates the ability to project his image across the galaxy.
Rey’s rapid mastery of the Force in the Disney Star Wars films, despite her being a newcomer, has left many fans puzzled.
Her unexpected victory over Kylo Ren in a lightsaber duel and her ability to communicate telepathically and visually with Kylo Ren, despite her limited training, has led to speculation about her possessing unique Force powers.
These sudden and unexplained developments have led to a sense of disconnect among long-time fans, contributing to the sentiment that Disney’s interpretation has, in some ways, ‘ruined’ Star Wars.
3. Lack of Character Development
One of the main criticisms of Disney’s Star Wars films is the lack of character development.
Characters like Finn and Poe Dameron were introduced with much potential, but their story arcs were not fully explored or developed.
Finn’s backstory as a stormtrooper who defects from the First Order was a unique concept, but his character was relegated to comedic relief in subsequent films.
Similarly, Poe Dameron’s role as a hotshot pilot with a rebellious streak was not fully fleshed out, leaving audiences wanting more.
2. Poor Dialogue
The discourse in the Star Wars films under Disney’s stewardship has been criticized for its lack of depth and sophistication compared to the original trilogy.
Critics argue that the dialogue often oversimplifies the narrative and fails to capture the complexity of the characters or the expansive Star Wars universe.
Furthermore, the humor attempted in the dialogue often misses the mark, creating a jarring disconnect within the traditionally serious and epic saga of Star Wars.
There’s a scene where General Hux says, “Do you think you got him?” after they’ve fired a massive amount of weaponry at Luke Skywalker.
This line was seen by some as an attempt at humor that didn’t fit the serious tone of the scene.
1. Ruin the Iconic Character: Darth Vader
The prequel trilogy established Anakin Skywalker’s transformation into Darth Vader as a tragic fall from grace.
However, some fans feel that Disney’s portrayal of Darth Vader, particularly in “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”, undermines this tragic narrative.
The scene where Darth Vader makes a pun “Don’t choke on your aspirations” is often cited as an example of Disney’s mishandling of the character.
Instead of the feared Sith Lord, Darth Vader comes off as a character who cracks jokes, which detracts from his menacing presence.