5 Star Wars Heroes Who Have Only Gotten Worse Over Time

A galaxy far, far away is home to some of the most iconic heroes of all time. From Luke Skywalker to Obi-Wan Kenobi, Star Wars‘ good guys fight to protect the innocent and keep those they care about safe. However, with the franchise having as much material as it has, there are a few do-gooders who just fall flat, never really making the most of their opportunities. But the only thing worse than a character never living up to their potential is doing it initially, only to regress and end up in a bad spot. Star Wars has plenty of characters that fall into the category, and a few of them are pretty well-known.

The easy way that Star Wars hurts its heroes’ reputations is by doing too much. Early on, these characters are great and bring a lot to the table, but after being tasked with a lot of heavy lifting, they end up dropping everything and never really return to form.

1) Yoda

Yoda’s reputation precedes him in the original trilogy. Obi-Wan tells Luke about this mysterious Jedi who can teach him the ways of the Force, but once the young hero finds him, he’s out of his mind. Of course, Yoda’s attitude turns out to be a test, and after a bit of back and forth, he becomes the wise mentor that Luke needs.

When Yoda returns in the prequels, he feels like the same character from the ’80s. However, as Palpatine slowly begins to reveal his plan, it becomes clear that the leader of the Jedi Order isn’t nearly as smart as he lets on. He constantly talks a big game in the prequels but fails to act, leading to the fall of the Jedi and his exile.

2) Mace Windu

Another prequel-era Jedi, Mace Windu starts off on rocky footing in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. Fortunately, Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: The Clone Wars do a lot to repair his image, showing his skills outside of the Jedi Council Chambers. It becomes very clear why Windu has the ear of Yoda, even if he’s a bit hard-headed at times.

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith undoes all that hard work, making Windu just another pawn in Palpatine’s scheme. While he has the Sith Lord dead to rights, his poor treatment of Anakin Skywalker comes back to haunt him when the young Jedi arrives and chooses to embrace the Dark Side. Barring another appearance, Windu’s tenure in Star Wars ends as a major disappointment.

3) Han Solo

Han Solo has one of the most iconic entrances in all of Star Wars, sitting in the cantina on Tatooine when Luke and Obi-Wan show up looking for a ride. Their quick interaction sets the stage for a wonderful arc that sees Han go from scoundrel to full-blown Rebellion hero, helping take down both of the Death Stars.

By the time Han returns in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, he’s back to being the kind of guy who runs away from his problems. Sure, losing his son to the Dark Side probably doesn’t help, but he gives up the rest of his family and the fight against the First Order despite knowing how important it all is.

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4) Rey Skywalker

Rey takes to her role as the face of the sequel trilogy pretty quickly. After finding herself in the middle of a conflict between the First Order and the Resistance, she does everything she can to help the good guys, even going as far as to face Kylo Ren in a lightsaber duel despite having no training. By the end of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Rey looks ready to become a hero on the level of Luke and Anakin.

Sadly, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker can’t help itself and retcons Rey’s origins. Once it becomes clear she’s part of Palpatine’s bloodline, Rey’s character suffers as she grapples with her true heritage. The whole situation makes the end of her story in the sequels feel out of place, and while her taking the “Skywalker” name makes sense in some ways, it feels like it’s out of necessity more than anything.

5) Sabine Wren

Sabine Wren joins the crew of the Ghost and never looks back in Star Wars Rebels. She’s a headstrong Mandalorian, but unlike some of her colleagues, she works well with others and proves to be instrumental in the Rebellion’s fight against the Empire. However, Star Wars can’t leave well enough alone because Sabine isn’t the same character when she returns in Star Wars: Ahsoka.

Ahsoka’s solo series focuses on her fight against the remnants of the Empire, including Grand Admiral Thrawn. The former Jedi has been busy in the years since her last appearance, though, spending some time training Sabine in the ways of the Force. But the Mandalorian doesn’t end up being a great student, and by the time she reunites with her former master, she’s much less mature than she was in Rebels, being able to see the big picture despite having fought in the Galactic Civil War.

Do you agree that these Star Wars heroes have gotten worse? Who else do you think deserves a spot on this list? Let us know in the comments below!