10 Star Wars Theories That Will Change How You Watch It

Star Wars generates more conversations than almost any other franchise, with good reason. The original three movies offered a sweeping, epic storyline defined by some pretty compelling mysteries. In those early days, how could there not be theories about who Darth Vader really was and how the trilogy would end?

The existence of the prequel movies and spin-off series has only seen that culture grow. Fans tend to come up with theories to explain plot events that don’t make sense or that they don’t like or why certain characters are prominent. Several theories would completely change the canon if proven to be true, making them especially fascinating.

10) Palpatine Let Mace Windu Win on Purpose

Palpatine’s behavior during the duel with Mace Windu in Revenge of the Sith has led to one of the biggest fan controversies in Star Wars history. Although the two fighters are evenly matched, Windu disarms Palpatine, leaving the evil emperor almost helpless and forcing him to beg Anakin to turn to the dark side and help him.

To many fans, Palpatine’s behavior is out of character — he is not supposed to act like a helpless victim, and he is a strong fighter who shouldn’t have been disarmed. However, if Palpatine lost to Windu on purpose, that completely changes this scene, and the theory is plausible because Palpatine later is shown to have a second lightsaber that he didn’t try to use with Windu.

This theory suggests that Palpatine had a cunning plan to manipulate Anakin to go to the dark side, and that when he sensed Anakin’s presence, he purposely lost the battle so that Anakin would have a reason to help him. This fan theory would suggest that Palpatine deliberately engineered the situation for his own benefit, making him an even more horrific villain.

9) Jar Jar Binks Was Secretly a Sith Lord

Jar Jar Binks is somewhat of a controversial character because some fans find him to be too silly, annoying, or a distraction, and don’t understand why so much screen time was devoted to him. However, George Lucas initially planned for a bigger role for Jar Jar and changed his mind due to fan backlash, which has given rise to a fan theory that Jar Jar was secretly a Sith Lord whose clumsy behavior was merely an act.

Fans pointed to the fact that Jar Jar always won every battle he was in despite his clumsiness, suggesting that more than luck was at play. This reading of Jar Jar’s character completely changes the way he is perceived. Someone within LucasFilm enjoyed the idea so much, Darth Jar Jar eventually became a non-canon character in LEGO Star Wars Rebuild The Galaxy.

If it’s true that Jar Jar is secretly a Sith Lord, then every comic scene he’s in can be viewed suspiciously or with more meaning than these more lighthearted scenes suggest. Additionally, this theory suggests a shift in the good vs. evil nature of the central battle, because if Jar Jar was secretly a Sith Lord, the fall of the Republic began when everyone thought he was too silly to pay any attention to.

8) Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader Are Two Separate Beings

The entire film series is based on the idea that Anakin became the evil Darth Vader when he turned to the dark side, and the prequel trilogy was meant to explain how that transformation happened. However, the change in Anakin’s personality between Clone Wars and Revenge of the Sith has given rise to the theory that the version of Anakin who became Darth Vader is not the same person who is featured in the earlier parts of the trilogy.

Opponents of this theory argue that Anakin is only metaphorically different than Darth Vader and that he chose to change for the worse and embrace his identity as Darth Vader, and that this is what Yoda and Obi-Wan meant when they described Anakin as “gone” or “consumed by darkness.” However, the existence of clone technology suggests that Anakin and Darth Vader could literally be two different people.

If this is the case, then the whole rise of Vader occurs because of a clone hijacking Anakin’s life while the real Anakin was powerless to stop it — a very different story than the one that played out on screen.

7) Palpatine Wanted to Possess Luke in Return of the Jedi

The showdown between Palpatine and Luke in Return of the Jedi is one of the most discussed scenes in the franchise. Palpatine dares Luke to “give in to his anger” and kill him, which would presumably turn Luke to the dark side like his father. Some fans also think Palpatine just wanted to watch Luke and Darth Vader fight and knew his words would provoke the battle that ensued.

However, the events of The Rise of Skywalker suggest an even darker theory. Palpatine was near death, and he knew it, so in his weakened state, he needed Luke to cross over to the dark side in order to be able to bind his spirit to him. This theory is supported by the similarity between Palpatine’s taunts of Luke and his words to Rey later.

This darker reading of events would suggest Palpatine saw Luke as merely a vessel for his own immortality, making him more evil than ever. It also makes Darth Vader’s sacrifice of his own life even more powerful. If this theory is correct, Vader didn’t just want to save Luke’s life, but also his soul, which makes his final transformation back into Anakin Skywalker even more poignant.

6) Darth Bane Transferred His Essence To Each New Sith

It is well known that, according to Sith lore, apprentices absorb their masters’ knowledge. Like the two Anakins theory, this fact is widely assumed to be metaphorical, which would make sense in the context of the franchise.

However, if the absorption is literal, meaning that each new apprentice absorbs the soul of their master, then Darth Bane is more or less immortal, transferring his essence from one apprentice to another through generations of Sith training. This theory would explain why Sidious lives for so long — he’s the culmination of each of Bane’s lifetimes. This reading of the lore suggests that the entire idea of training Siths is a con game by Bane to make himself immortal.

5) R2-D2 Is Secretly A Galactic Puppet Master

R2-D2 is a beloved character, but some fans have a darker theory for why he appears at almost every crucial moment in the war between the Empire and the Rebels: he is secretly the puppet master who is controlling both sides of the battle.

This seemingly bizarre theory is supported by the fact that R2-D2 avoids having his memory wiped throughout the entire saga, which allows him to share information about the entire Skywalker family and the rise of the Empire as needed. Furthermore, he often makes independent decisions, such as playing Leia’s message to Luke to convince Luke to train Rey, and this behavior seems like it is beyond the capabilities of an astromech droid.

This theory changes the entire saga. R2D2 would no longer be simply a loyal servant of the Jedis, but a puppet master who orchestrated the fall of the Empire for his own reasons. Additionally, some fans take it a step further, suggesting R2D2 is the vessel for Darth Plagueis and is seeking revenge on Palpatine. This theory would make the droid’s scenes take a dark turn that completely changes their meaning.

4) The Knights of Ren Were Luke’s Surviving Students

The Knights of Ren are portrayed on-screen as a villainous religious order that is dedicated to serving Kylo Ren and destroying the Jedi’s, but if they were Luke’s surviving students, they are more tragic than evil.

Supposedly, the Knights are untrained, while Ben Solo was trained by Luke Skywalker before turning to the dark side. However, the sequel trilogy suggests that Luke had other trainees. Thus, many fans theorize that the Knights were students that Kylo Ren convinced to join him and who thus turned to the dark side with him. This would suggest that Kylo Ren’s squad is made up of friends who have also fallen to the dark side, adding emotional depth to the Knights of Ren saga.

3) Grogu is Yoda and Yaddle’s Son

Grogu is one of the most powerful members of the Force despite being portrayed as an intelligent toddler in The Mandalorian. He is of the same species as Yoda, but his parentage is unknown; however, fans have a theory that would change his status and Yoda’s arc.

Since Yaddle disappears from the Jedi Council around the time that Grogu should have been born, many fans assume Grogu is the product of Yoda and Yaddle. This theory would suggest that Yoda’s species had a secret lineage. It would also make Grogu into Yoda’s legacy rather than being an anomaly whose presence is mostly unexplained. That said, this arc would also mean that Yoda broke the Jedi code forbidding romantic relationships, which would change his character.

2) Rey Was Meant to Literally Replace Palpatine

The Rise of Skywalker established that Rey was Palpatine’s granddaughter and that he expected her to continue the Palpatine line after his death, which was thwarted when she rejected his heritage and became a Skywalker instead.

However, this film also established the idea that Palpatine could possess someone. Thus, many fans believe that Palpatine was hoping to bind his essence to his granddaughter’s body so that he could continue to live after his physical body was gone.

This theory would make Rey’s decision to reject her Palpatine heritage even more poignant. As it is, she is the mirror image of Anakin, as she is born into the Empire’s ruling family but chooses to reject it. But if she rejected not only the opportunity to be the new Empress but the use of her body as a vessel for her grandfather’s spirit, the strength of this theme is even stronger.

1) Darth Sidious Was Behind the Clone Wars Long Before Episode I

It’s well-known that Darth Sidious planned to use clones to help him cause a war and set himself up as Galactic Emperor. However, his plan has impeccable timing, with the Kamino clone army rapidly becoming ready to fight, and everything seems almost too smoothly orchestrated.

Many fans explain this by theorizing that Darth Sidious’ plan began long before anything that was seen on screen. Under this theory, the prequel trilogy isn’t about an improvised plan to spark a war between the Jedi and Sith. Instead, the trilogy is the end stage of a long game that has gone on for centuries, making Sidious’ plans even more chilling.

What is your favorite Star Wars theory? Leave a comment and join the conversation at the ComicBook Forum.

10 Star Wars Fan Theories That Will Change How You Watch the Franchise