Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Cast Members Reportedly Avoid Saying "Younglings" Due to Anakin's Killings

UPDATE: While this story stated the phrase "younglings" is being avoided, various guests have confirmed that cast members within the park still use the term. The article as it initially ran continues below:

Fans still have to wait six more months before we get to see the conclusion of the Skywalker Saga in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, though Disneyland in Anaheim, California has officially opened its doors to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, an immersive experience that transports guests to the galaxy far, far away. As anyone who has ever been to any Disney park can tell you, the parks' cast members commit themselves to selling the tone of the areas in which they are located. One report claims that, in order to avoid the more macabre elements of the saga, the cast members avoid saying "younglings" due to their slaying in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith.

YouTuber Jenny Nicholson attended a press event ahead of the attraction's opening and reported on her experience. On Twitter, Nicholson revealed, "Also a cast member said 'kids' and I jokingly said 'oh, younglings?' and she blindsided me by telling me they're already scrubbing 'younglings' from the vocab. Parents didn't like it because one of the only times you hear it in the movies is the phrase 'killing younglings.' Fair."

It's unclear if this anecdotal information is official protocol from the park or if it is merely a suggestion, but we can't say we blame them. While using the term would likely immerse the guests further into the world, the use of the phrase in the films would immediately draw a connection to the scene in Revenge of the Sith where, under Palpatine's orders, Anakin Skywalker kills all of the younglings training at the Jedi Temple. With the attraction meant to be part of the "Happiest Place on Earth," inspiring thoughts of children being murdered likely isn't an image that the park would want to promote.

A contradictory report might complicate matters, as Disney Parks blog Inside the Magic claimed, prior to the park's opening, that "youngling" or "padawan" were the preferred terms to use at the park. The site offered advice on how to speak the lingo that cast members would be using at Galaxy's Edge, pointing out that "bright suns" served as a daytime greeting while "rising moons" was a nighttime salutation.

The site noted, "Children in Black Spire Outpost are referred to as 'younglings' or 'padawans,' if they are strong with the force. Small space travelers who can't walk around and need to be pushed in a stroller would refer to their baby buggy as 'youngling transport.'"

What is possible is that, for the park's press event, "youngling" was used and, after discovering the reactions from guests to the term was to think of the Revenge of the Sith moment, protocol changed.

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is currently open at Disneyland and opens at Walt Disney World on August 29th.

Are you looking forward to checking out the parks? Let us know in the comments below or hit up @TheWolfman on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!