5 Star Wars Characters Almost Ruined by the Prequel Trilogy

The original Star Wars trilogy is great from start to finish. The first movie in the franchise, Star Wars: A New Hope, establishes the threat of the evil Empire, which utilizes a superweapon known as the Death Star to destroy planets and demand respect. The Rebellion isn’t about to let the galaxy’s oppressors ride off into the sunset, though, so they fight back, taking down both versions of the Death Star and bringing peace to the galaxy for the first time in decades. It’s all quite simple, but the Star Wars prequel trilogy believes it can provide additional context that makes the series even richer.

While the prequels have noble intentions, they can’t get out of their own way, opting to focus more on trade routes than the battle between the Jedi and Sith. And it would be easy to forgive many of the trilogy’s mistakes, but it also tries to take down iconic figures in the process. Here are 5 Star Wars characters almost ruined by the prequel trilogy.

1) Emperor Palpatine

The version of Emperor Palpatine that appears in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi is the living embodiment of evil. He doesn’t explain his motivations beyond the fact that he wants to maintain control of the galaxy and is willing to kill anyone to achieve it. Luke Skywalker even has to fight off his advances because Palpatine is willing to accept him as his apprentice, ready to throw out Darth Vader without a second thought.

The prequels set out to explore Palpatine’s rise to power, and for the most part, they do a fantastic job. Watching the politician manipulate the entire galaxy into secretly doing his bidding is bone-chilling. However, near the end of Revenge of the Sith, when Mace Windu defeats the Sith Lord in a lightsaber duel, all of the allure around Palpatine disappears, as he needs Anakin Skywalker to rescue him.

2) Darth Vader

Speaking of Anakin, the original trilogy makes Darth Vader the most iconic villain in movie history. He’s ruthless and conniving, and his breathing is enough to make any character wallow in fear. Of course, in Return of the Jedi, Vader turns over a new leaf, saving his son, Luke, by killing Palpatine.

The entire story of the prequel trilogy focuses on Anakin’s fall to the dark side, revealing how the Jedi, including Obi-Wan Kenobi, fail him. It’s hard to root for Anakin, though, because he comes off like a whiny brat who takes everything for granted. The reality is that Star Wars: The Clone Wars does more for his character than the prequels do.

3) Yoda

When Luke looks to continue his Jedi training in The Empire Strikes Back, he meets Yoda, a wise yet strange creature who calls the swamp planet Dagobah home. The trials that Yoda puts Luke through are tough, but it’s clear that each one has a purpose, as the old Jedi has been around for centuries and learned all he can about the Force.

In the prequels, Yoda tosses all of his wisdom out of the window and plays into Palpatine’s hands at every opportunity. The movies even have him pull out a lightsaber and go a few rounds with Count Dooku and Palpatine. While it’s not surprising that Yoda knows how to use a lightsaber, the prequels would have been better off leaving his combat exploits to the imagination.

4) Chewbacca

There are few sequences as iconic as Obi-Wan and Luke visiting the Mos Eisley Cantina, where they meet plenty of scoundrels, including Han Solo and Chewbacca. The smuggler’s Wookie companion becomes an important part of the Rebellion, helping blow up the Death Star and fighting in the Battle of Endor. The only problem is that he knows more than he’s letting on.

To make up for Chewbacca not receiving a medal, George Lucas gives the character a role in Revenge of the Sith, having him lead the Wookie army on Kashyyyk. Fighting alongside Yoda doesn’t make Chewbacca look good, though, because he fails to mention anything about him or the Jedi in the original trilogy.

5) Boba Fett

Despite getting very little screen time in the original trilogy, Boba Fett is a standout character. It all starts when Darth Vader alludes to the fact that the bounty hunter is a stone-cold killer, willing to vaporize anyone who crosses him. While Boba gets a disappointing end in Return of the Jedi, there’s more positive than negative in his scenes.

Attack of the Clones doesn’t do the bounty hunter any favors. The fact that he’s a clone of another successful bounty hunter is fine, but his attitude isn’t anything to write home about. Boba is a whiny brat, and it makes his later appearances feel less special.

The Star Wars films are streaming on Disney+.

Do you think the prequel trilogy almost ruined these Star Wars characters? Are there any characters that it made better? Let us know in the comments below!

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