Admiral Ackbar evolved into a fan-favorite character. That he died in such a nonchalant way drew negative reactions. Both fans and the actor-puppeteer who played Ackbar thought he deserved a better death to provide some tribute to a character who became central to Star Wars lore. The death scene could have added to the drama in The Last Jedi.
Fan Reactions to Admiral Ackbar’s Death
To most fans, Admiral Ackbar is a unique character who has taken on larger proportions since his debut in Return of the Jedi. Many felt that to have him die the way he did in The Last Jedi was undeserving. As one Reddit post stated, it was a “very bad way for an iconic character to go out.”
If we rewatch this compilation of Ackbar scenes, we get a sense of how much the character grew in significance. We see and hear his most famous line, “It’s a trap!” from Return, and Ackbar voicing a crucial question about the Starkiller Base in The Force Awakens, “How is it possible to power a weapon of that size?”
Before his death, the Admiral worked alongside Leia on the bridge to try to avert disaster. Yet, at the moment of his demise, Ackbar is only in the background as one of those blown into space. We may even consider it an off-screen death.
As this article from the time of the movie emphasized, we “didn’t get to see Gial Ackbar’s final moments”, and some audience members “missed the fact that he died altogether.” Disappointment has resonated out since the release of the second sequel, especially because his death is really only “mentioned in one throwaway line of dialogue.”
Many fans agree and think that Ackbar deserved a better death. Echoing the above Reddit comment, another post expressed how “it was exceptionally disappointing and a waste of such an iconic character.” The afterthought-type of death added to criticisms of the sequels.
Some fans have taken a more measured view and indicated how the comics help convey Ackbar’s death better. In addition, the focus of the scene was on “the connection between Leia and her son,” so cutting away to show Ackbar’s death may have undercut the emotion.
Yet, it seems that something more tributary and thought-out could have been done. At least, that’s the sentiment of the actor-puppeteer who played Ackbar.
How the Actor Was Disappointed
Actor and puppeteer Tim Rose also expressed disappointment over the quick end to Ackbar. Rose commented that “after waiting 30 years to reprise Ackbar,” he was first disappointed that this character’s role was largely cut out in The Force Awakens.
Then, in the second sequel, he was “quite looking forward to maybe them giving him something more juicy.” Yet, when he was given the script, only on the day of shooting, he was shocked and saddened to see how much the character would be reduced. Moreover, after the scene, the film team didn’t even acknowledge his contributions, but instead asked him to hold up a Millennium Falcon sign and say, “It’s a wrap!”
In this video, Rose explains how he used both a full-body suit and a puppet to carry out the role of Ackbar. He also reveals how Ackbar’s death scene could have heightened the explosion scene. Stunt actors were brought in for it with “flameproof costumes” and were blown across the set. Rose thought it was “totally spectacular,” and we may have too, if it had been included.
This Star Wars Net News article indicates that the editor of the film, Bob Ducsay, thought afterward that Ackbar’s death was possibly “too incidental.” We can also read how the voice actor Erik Bauersfeld died during filming, adding weight to the idea of providing a better ending for the character.
Ackbar’s Death Could Have Been Better
Between fan, production, and writer comments, we get a sense of how Admiral Ackbar’s death could have been handled better. Even without making it prominent, this character could have come forward from the background, as he did in the franchise.