Summary
Star Warshas come a long way sinceA New Hopepremiered in 1977, and these 10 changes to some ofStar Wars’biggest mistakes are the very best throughoutStar Warsmovies and TV shows.Star Wars’best movieshave given viewers plenty to love, but, in truth, the franchise has received significant criticism over the years as well. While some of the backlash has been underserved,Star Wars, like any franchise, has made some missteps over the years.
Luckily, astheStar Warstimelinehas grown, the franchise has found ways to ameliorate some of the damage done with earlier poor decisions. In fact, many ofStar Wars’most recent shows and movies have intentionally fixed prior mistakes. Here are the 10 changesStar Warshas made throughout its nearly five decades that I’ve been most delighted to see.
Twi’lek Characterization Was Problematic From The Beginning
The Bad Batch Subtly Fixed A 14-Year-Old Clone Wars Problem
14 years after it was first raised in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: The Bad Batch season 1 secretly fixed a glaring character flaw.
It’s no secret that Twi’leks inStar Warshave been sexualized from the very beginning. In fact, in the originalStar Warstrilogy, the Twi’lek woman Oola was Jabba’s slave before Leia, and her outfit was equally revealing—and her situation was equally degrading—as Leia’s came to be. However, while this was a one-off with Leia, it became a trait of Twi’leks in the franchise. Even in the prequel trilogy, whenStar Warsintroduced Twi’lek Jedi Aayla Secura, the sexualization continued.
While this was a one-off with Leia, it became a trait of Twi’leks in the franchise.
As recently asStar Wars: The Clone Wars, this remained the issue, as one of the clones, Cut Lawquane, deserted the Republic and married a Twi’lek woman, Suu Lawquane. Suu, like the Twi’lek women before her, was wearing incredibly revealing clothing. However,Star Wars: The Bad Batchcorrected this history with Suu, improving her outfit significantly. Even more than that,Star Wars Rebelsintroduced Hera Syndulla, a Twi’lek Rebel pilot, who not only wasn’t sexualized but also was incredibly fierce and talented.
Ahsoka Tano
Unfortunately, like many Twi’lek characters,when Ahsoka Tano was introduced in theStar Wars: The Clone Warsmovie, her outfit was very revealing. She was essentially wearing just a tube top and a skirt. Not only was this impractical because she was a Jedi who needed to fight in a war (reminiscent of Aayla Secura’s odd outfit choice in the same circumstances), but it was also extremely odd because she was just a teenager.
Thankfully, Ahsoka’s design improved with time. Her red tube top and skirt were replaced with a red outfit that covered significantly more skin, and, eventually, she acquired a completely new blue outfit that looked constructed for battle. Unfortunately, this new outfit didn’t come until after Ahsoka, like Leia, had a slave outfit of her own. I was grateful to see thatStar Warshas since improved Ahsoka’s look that much more with her Ahsoka the White outfit, reflecting her status as a true Jedi.
Star Warshas since improved Ahsoka’s appearance that much more, though, as she is now donning her Ahsoka the White outfit, reflecting her status as a true Jedi.
Ahsoka’s White Costume Explained: Star Wars History, Meaning & Retcon
Ahsoka episode 5 has provided its titular Jedi with a brand-new costume, and this is what that costume change means for her ongoing journey.
8The Clones Became More Than Just Obedient Soldiers
I’ve always viewed the clone troopers as an odd part ofStar Warsfor a number of reasons. For one, it’s always seemed strange that the Jedi so willingly accepted soldiers meant for them despite not understanding their true origins. However,the Jedi’s acceptance of the soldiers has also seemed odd because it doesn’t seem at all in keeping with the Jedi way.
With the clones having such little autonomy and effectively being created just to serve the Republic, it would make sense for the Jedi to reject the idea of using them. However, in the prequel trilogy, the Jedi accepted the clones readily and never addressed the moral issues with doing so. WhileThe Clone Warsthen fleshed the clones out somewhat, it wasn’t truly untilThe Bad Batchthat the clones received the full acknowledgment they truly deserved. In fact, as a major rarity inStar Wars,The Bad Batcheven gave many clones a happy ending.
Leia Organa
George Lucas' comment to Carrie Fisher that she couldn’t wear a bra because there is no underwear in space has become famous, but, while it’s funny now, it wasn’t a joke at the time. In fact, this was a legitimate rule George Lucas had, and it’s clear that it bothered Carrie Fisher enough that she continued to bring it up throughout her life. It’s also little surprise why she would have taken issue with it; the absence of a bra and the white dress Leia donned inA New Hopeis certainly enough cause for discomfort.
Luckily,Star Warshas long since abandoned this rule. In fact,outfits for live-action women inStar Warsmovies and TV shows have improved significantly. Not only Twi’lek women but also women throughout the franchise have begun to wear outfits more in keeping with their role inStar Wars, which has led to less sexualizing, revealing clothing overall.
6Star Wars Has Proven The Force Doesn’t Belong To The Jedi
Many Other Force-Sensitive Beings Have Emerged
Star Warshas been trending in this direction for quite some time, but more recent shows and movies have confirmed thatthe Force doesn’t belong to just the Jedi.The Clone WarsandRebelsdid considerable work in this area, including groups such asthe Nightsisters of Dathomirandthe Mortis Gods. Force-sensitive beings such as Bendu have also been introduced, further revealing how expansive the Force truly is.
Most recently,The Acolytehas also introduced a brand-new witch coven,the witches of Brendok, who, like the Nightsisters, wield the Force but fall outside the Jedi and Sith binary. I believe this to be the best aspect of the introduction of other Force-sensitive beings. These groups and characters reinforce that the Force is so much bigger than just the Jedi or the Sith, and it’s been thrilling to see what this can look like.
These groups and characters reinforce that the Force is so much bigger than just the Jedi or the Sith.
5The Acolyte Put All Jedi In The Same Outfits
The Acolyte’s Jedi Robes Resolved The Issues Of The Past
Although there are very slight variations, for the most part, the Jedi ofThe Acolyteall wear the same Jedi robes. Not only does this resolve the costume issues of the past—specifically with female Jedi of myriad ages wearing incredibly revealing, impractical clothing—but also, this change makes considerable sense. The Jedi are meant to dedicate their lives to the Force, not get caught up in the more materialistic concerns of clothing and style.
Moreover, the Jedi were discouraged from striking out too independently from the Jedi way; reinforcing one uniform style of dress would be one way to discourage individualism among the Jedi, including the Padawans. Arguably, unique styles could also lead to issues with vanity that would be entirely contrary to the Jedi way. While it’s too late for otherStar Warsmovies and shows to make this change, it at least is logical that an older, more traditional version of the Jedi Order would have had such a practice.
4Star Wars Invited Ahmed Best Back In A Better Role
The Treatment Of Jar Jar Binks/Ahmed Best In The Prequels Was Shocking
One of my favorite thingsStar Warshas ever done is bring Jar Jar Binks voice actor Ahmed Best back to the franchise. Through no fault of Best’s own, Jar Jar Binks was a highly controversial character in the prequel trilogy, with many finding his voice and personality annoying. Sadly, this led to very harsh criticism being directed not only at Jar Jar Binks but also at Best himself, which only added to the avalanche of backlash the prequels,Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menacein particular, were receiving.
One of the best thingsStar Warshas ever done is bring Jar Jar Binks voice actor Ahmed Best back to the franchise.
Thankfully,Star Warsrighted this history by having Ahmed Best return toStar Warsin a brand-new role. InThe Mandalorian, Ahmed Best played Kelleran Beq, the Jedi who saved Grogu during Order 66. While Ahmed Best clearly still has love for his first character, which is wonderful to see, it’s amazing that he got such a warm welcome back toStar Warsand, this time around, played a Jedi Master.
3The Acolyte Fixed The Neimoidians' Accents
In The Prequels, The Neimoidians Were Highly Controversial
In theStar Warsprequel trilogy andThe Clone Wars, the Neimoidians were frequently antagonists. The Neimoidians were introduced as the group looking to take control of Naboo inThe Phantom Menace, and they were immediately revealed to be in Palpatine’s pocket. The worst of them, Nute Gunray, also had a specific vendetta against Padmé, then the Queen of Naboo, who was just 14 at the time. However, these traits were far from the worst aspects of the portrayal of Neimoidians in the prequels.
Rather,the Neimoidians of the prequel trilogy had accents that many found offensive, as they seemed to be modeled off of stereotypes of Asian accents. Thankfully,The Acolyteaddressed this problem by getting rid of the prequel Neimoidians accents entirely. In addition to the change to their voices, the Neimoidians also came across as more capable and intelligent, a far cry from their portrayal in the prequel trilogy era, which I was delighted to see.
One Acolyte Detail Finally Fixes A 25-Year-Old Phantom Menace Problem
One subtle, easy-to-miss detail in The Acolyte fixes a 25-year-old Star Wars problem dating all the way back to the release of The Phantom Menace!
2The Tusken Raiders Were Finally Humanized
The Prequel Trilogy Literally Labeled The Tusken Raiders ‘Animals’
In theStar Warsprequel trilogy,the Tusken Raiders were quite literally dehumanized. After being seen only as faceless threats (which really began in the original trilogy), the Tusken Raiders abducted Anakin Skywalker’s mother for seemingly no reason and tortured her to death. When Anakin killed the Tusken Raiders—men, women, and children—he even explicitly called them"animals,“and Padmé did not condemn him for this or even react as though he was wrong.
However, this very flat representation of the Tusken Raiders has recently changed for the better inStar WarsTV shows. In fact, inThe Mandalorian, the Tusken Raiders seem entirely changed, particularly when Din Djarin reveals that he can communicate with them via a form of sign language and ultimately even calls upon them for help. Moreover, the Tusken Raiders appeared inThe Book of Boba Fett, working alongside Boba Fett, solidifying that there truly is much more to them than the movies showed.
1Jedi Have Become Truly Diverse
Representation Has Fundamentally Changed With The Jedi
Although it has been the subject of significant trolling online,the Jedi have become more diverse inStar Wars, and that’s a good thing. While this has often meant that the Jedi ranks are now more racially diverse and include more women, it has also meant diversity in a broader sense. AsStar Warshas proven with more recent shows and movies, the definition of who can be a Jedi has changed.
The definition of who can be a Jedi has changed.
This was made clear inAhsoka, which revealed that the Mandalorian Sabine Wren (who had previously shown no Force aptitude) had been trained as Ahsoka’s Padawan. More recently, inThe Acolyte,Star Warsreinforced that a Wookiee can be a Jedi, despite George Lucas' initial rejection of this idea, with the first live-action Wookiee Jedi Master, Kelnacca. Truly, throughout the decades,Star Warshas fixed a number of its mistakes, and these 10 reflect the very best changes of them all.
