Starkiller Will Not Appear In ‘Star Wars Rebels’

Actor Sam Witwer has portrayed a few iconic characters in the Star Wars universe, but he had his first major break in the galaxy far, far away when he provided the voice for Starkiller in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. Though the adventures of Darth Vader’s protege are non-canonical, the character almost made an appearance on Star Wars Rebels.

Witwer set the internet ablaze when he revealed the news on a Twitch stream while playing the game alongside fellow voice actor David Collins.

“Dave [Filoni, EP of Rebels] did share with me, by the way, he considered making Starkiller an Inquisitor in Star Wars Rebels,” Witwer said. “It didn’t quite fit the story that they were telling, but he did think about it because he thought that would be interesting.”

We managed to speak with Witwer about the possibility of Starkiller appearing in Star Wars Rebels, and whether there’s a chance for him to pop up somewhere else.

“I have no idea. Rebels is closing out on this fourth season, so I can tell you right now, Starkiller isn’t in Rebels Season Four,” Witwer said. “It all comes down to what story they need to tell.”

The actor provided some insight into how previously established characters came to be included in Rebels, using Grand Admiral Thrawn as an example.

“Thrawn came aboard the show because they needed, you know, they’d already done two Dark side villains, right? They’d done the Inquisitor and then they did Darth Maul,” Witwer said. “The needed an Imperial officer who was supremely competent; they needed someone who was really good at their job, could make the Empire, the Imperial military, a bigger threat, and instead of inventing that officer, they asked themselves, ‘Well, do we already have that somewhere in Star Wars history?’ And that’s why Thrawn came in. So, ultimately Thrawn coming into the show was because the story needed it to happen.

“By the time you get to Episode IV, Grand Moff Tarkin says, you know, ‘The fire has gone out from the galaxy. You, my friend, are all that’s left of their religion.’ Well, that also includes any lightsaber-wielding people, all of that is gone by the time you get to Episode IV. So, if you’re following Rebels, the threat has to change to the Imperial Military, and that’s why Thrawn happened. Why not? It’s the perfect opportunity for that character.”

Witwer said there was an idea for Starkiller before, given that he is almost like the prototype for the Inquisitors in Star Wars Rebels. The actor revealed that he would have appeared alongside those Force-sensitive Jedi hunters, until the idea was nixed.

“So Starkiller, there would have to be a need for that character, and I don’t know. I don’t know what the need for the character would be going forward,” Witwer said. “If the story needs it, then they will look and then, ‘Oh, you know what? Starkiller’s perfect for that.’ But if not, I don’t think they’re gonna go out of their way to bring Starkiller into something.”

Star Wars Rebels Season Three is now available on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD.

Season Four premieres Monday, October 16 on Disney XD.