There are a LOT of really great aspects of Star Wars. George Lucas and company started up a whole universe of concepts and characters that has only grown with the comics and books and other Expanded Universe media tie-ins. That being said, many would agree that Star Wars has (especially from the movie prequels) had its share of clunkers. There are characters like those who don’t belong at the Disney theme parks, and others that wouldn’t fit in for a number of other reasons. Here are eight characters I believe would be particularly misplaced.
1. Anakin Skywalker
Darth Vader is great. Everyone can agree on that, right? We want to see a lot of Darth Vader at the Disney parks. But Anakin Skywalker as played by Jake Lloyd and Hayden Christensen? Not so much. The prequels (save for MAYBE Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, and even that’s debatable) leave a bad taste in most people’s mouths, and the protagonist of those films should be avoided at all costs by the Walt Disney Imagineers. A lot of Star Wars fans believe that the story of how Luke Skywalker’s father became Darth Vader was one that would have best been left untold. Hopefully Disney rectifies some of the damage LucasFilm did telling it by not adding Anakin pre-Episode IV to Disney World, Disneyland and the rest of the Disney parks.
2. Padmé Amidala
Just like young Anakin Skywalker isn’t a good addition to the Star Wars areas of the Disney parks, his love interest would feel similarly out of place. She wasn’t the biggest problem with the prequel films, but her romance with Anakin is up there with the series’ most significant flaws. The Star Wars universe is, sadly, pretty short on great female characters (excluding Princess Leia), but there have to be better options out there than Padmé Amidala.
3. Greedo
Image: Lucasfilm
I mostly include Greedo on this list for the sake of the cast member who would be putting on the costume. I can totally see diehard Star Wars fans bugging or even harassing the people wearing the Greedo outfit by continually insisting to them that Han Solo shot first. Even if it was only done as a prank, someone hounding Greedo about the subject is a joke that would grow old fast.
4. Obi-Wan Kenobi
This is a controversial one, I admit. But I believe Obi-Wan Kenobi would detract from the experience of Star Wars at Disney theme parks. His death is an integral part of the original trilogy, and seeing him roaming around alive and well at Tomorrowland and Hollywood Studios would feel very, very wrong to me. Best let him rest in peace, especially with all the other characters the Imagineers have to choose from.
5. Slave Leia
Image: Lucasfilm
Disney prides itself on very family friendly parks, and a sexualized version of one of the only great female characters from the movies would definitely not fit into that mold. I personally hate seeing Slave Leia’s at comic book conventions I attend, feeling sorry for the parents who have to shield their children’s eyes from something they don’t need to see. It would feel even more wrong for Princess Leia as a servant of Jabba the Hut to be found at a Disney theme park. Leia is absolutely someone who should be present at the parks; she’s a strong-willed, memorable character who bucks the damsel-in-distress trend. Slave Leia, though, definitely doesn’t belong anywhere near a family friendly theme park.
6. Too many humans
Too many human characters in general would be a poor use of the Disney parks’ resources. We can see cosplayers of Luke, Leia and Han anywhere that nerds congregate. It’s quite a bit less likely to come across a convincing Yoda or droid or Jabba the Hut. We definitely need SOME of the original trio at the parks, sure, but I’m way more excited to see the characters I won’t find anywhere else. How about you?
7. Ewoks
They may have had their own animated series for a while, but a lot of Star Wars aficionados wince with the mention of the Ewoks from the forest moon of Endor. They’re definitely cute, yes, but so are Yoda and R2-D2! I can certainly see the upsides to having some Ewoks out there for kids at the Disney parks to pal around with, but I think other options out their might trump their inclusion at Disney theme parks.
8. Jar Jar Binks
The most important character to exclude from the theme parks is saved for last! Even though Jar Jar was introduced in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace to appeal to children, a majority of them would probably agree that he doesn’t need another home. His exclusion from most of the Star Wars Expanded Universe material is clue enough that Jar Jar Binks is not a good fit for the Disney parks. He’s yet another, and perhaps the most obvious, character who does not need to be at Disney theme parks.
