When it comes to the galaxy far, far away, Star Wars isn’t just about epic lightsaber duels and dramatic space battles.
Many characters in this universe live through some seriously heartbreaking moments, especially as they age.
Some of them, after starting with hope and strength, ended up in incredibly tragic situations.
In this article, we’ll look at a few of those characters whose later years were especially depressing, exploring what makes their fates so hard to accept.
Table of Contents
Dexter Jettster: Guilt and Isolation After Order 66
Let’s start with Dexter Jettster, the friendly diner owner from Attack of the Clones. After the Clone Wars and Order 66, Dex’s life took a downward turn.
He lost his beloved diner, and with his droid breaking down, he found himself completely alone. But what makes Dex’s later years especially sad isn’t just the loss of his business, it’s the guilt.
He blamed himself for the Clone Wars escalating to the extent they did because he gave Obi-Wan Kenobi the critical information about Kamino, which ultimately led to the creation of the Grand Army of the Republic.
Dex believed this army, which he helped bring to light, was responsible for the destruction of the Jedi and the suffering of the galaxy.
To make things worse, he didn’t know that Obi-Wan had survived the Jedi Purge, so in his mind, he might have contributed to his friend’s death.
That’s a heavy burden to carry, and it shaped Dex’s later years into a life filled with regret and loneliness.
Jar Jar Binks: From Hero to Outcast
Next up is Jar Jar Binks. Yes, the clumsy Gungan we first met in The Phantom Menace.
Jar Jar started as a bumbling outcast but somehow found his way to becoming a war hero and even a senator.
But, as we know, his well-meaning but naive actions contributed to one of the galaxy’s darkest moments, he was the one who suggested giving emergency powers to Chancellor Palpatine, unknowingly setting the stage for the rise of the Empire.
In his later years, Jar Jar was banished once again from Gungan society and became a street performer on Naboo.
Adults scorned him for his role in causing the rise of the Empire, but children still found his antics entertaining.
The image of a once-prominent politician reduced to performing tricks for survival, hated by most people, is undeniably sad.
Jar Jar, who never fully understood the weight of his actions, lived out his days shunned and isolated.
The Clones: Betrayers and Forgotten Soldiers
Few characters have a more tragic end than the Clone Troopers. They were bred for one purpose: to fight for the Republic.
But after Order 66, they were discarded by the Empire, left to age rapidly and fend for themselves. These clones, once proud soldiers, were suddenly no longer needed.
As we see in The Bad Batch and even Rebels, many of the clones lived in regret and confusion once their inhibitor chips wore off.
They slowly realized that they were part of a betrayal, forced to execute their Jedi leaders, the leaders they had respected and even called friends.
This realization hit hard, leaving many clones feeling lost and purposeless. Some were even subjected to experimentation by the Empire.
For characters like Captain Rex and others who survived, their later years were filled with a deep sense of loss and abandonment, making their fate one of the most tragic in the Star Wars universe.
Obi-Wan Kenobi: Exile and Grief
Obi-Wan Kenobi, the legendary Jedi Master, also had a rough time after Order 66. Following the fall of the Jedi Order, he went into hiding on Tatooine.
But his time there wasn’t just about protecting young Luke Skywalker; it was about living with the immense grief and trauma of losing his friends, his Order, and his way of life.
Obi-Wan spent years in isolation, grappling with the memories of his failure to save Anakin Skywalker from falling to the dark side.
While Obi-Wan Kenobi hints that he eventually came to terms with his past, the years of loneliness and the weight of his losses made his later life difficult.
For someone who had dedicated his entire life to the Jedi cause, those final years of exile must have been filled with reflection and sorrow.
Darth Vader: A Life of Pain and Regret
Speaking of Anakin, we can’t talk about tragic characters without mentioning Darth Vader.
Anakin Skywalker’s transformation into Darth Vader marked the beginning of a life filled with pain, both physical and emotional.
After losing Padmé, who he believed he had killed, Vader was consumed by regret.
His life became one of servitude to Palpatine, whom he knew cared nothing for him beyond his usefulness.
Vader’s later years were spent in constant physical pain due to the injuries he sustained on Mustafar.
His life-support suit was as much a prison as it was a means to keep him alive. On top of that, he had to live with the knowledge that he had betrayed everything he once stood for.
His interactions with Luke Skywalker eventually offered some redemption, but up until those final moments, Vader’s life was one of deep suffering.
Maul: A Lifetime of Loss
Maul’s journey from a Sith apprentice to a vengeful, broken man is one of the saddest in Star Wars.
He lived for revenge against Obi-Wan Kenobi after being defeated in The Phantom Menace, and while he did claw his way back to power multiple times, it was always temporary.
Every time he gained something, he lost it. He lost his place as a Sith Lord, his chance at revenge, and ultimately, his sanity.
In his final moments in Star Wars: Rebels, Maul’s last bit of peace came from the compassion Obi-Wan showed him.
Maul’s entire life had been about hatred and revenge, and seeing him finally find some rest as he died in Kenobi’s arms is what makes his journey both tragic and touching.
