When ‘Star Wars’ is no longer the same ‘Star Wars’ it once was

Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars series. Image from Lucasfilm and Disney+

I hope that someday “Star Wars” will become the “Star Wars” it once was

I was not born when the original Star Wars trilogy was first released, so I never got to watch it. However, as soon as I began to watch television and movies, the words Star Wars became a part of my vocabulary. I was familiar with it because I remember my parents buying the special VHS re-release package of all three Star Wars movies, and that is when I finally got to watch all three movies without any commercial interruptions.

In the late ’90s, I watched a Star Wars movie in theaters for the first time. It happened to be “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace,” the first prequel from the still then-owned George Lucas Star Wars franchise. Right then and there, while inside the cinema, I truly felt the magic, awe, and greatness of Star Wars that everyone was talking about for decades because I was surrounded by people who understood and appreciated the history of Star Wars, and who wanted to either feel those qualities once more or experience them for the first time, as was the case for me. It was one of the best movie-watching memories ever.

In 2024, Star Wars was sold to Disney years ago; its creator, George Lucas, no longer owns it. We have seen many new movies, new streaming shows, and countless forms of merchandise fueling the industry and satisfying the desires of its fans.

Should I dare to say it? This no longer feels like Star Wars; it feels like something else.

It has become clear that the focus of the new owners of the franchise has shifted towards reimagining, retconning, and distorting what Star Wars was originally intended to represent. Sometimes I wonder if this should even deserve the title “Star Wars,” given its branding, title, and name.

Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano. Image from Image from Lucasfilm and Disney+

There was never a time in the original Star Wars trilogy when one could mistake the differences between the Jedi and the Sith. There was never a gray area; it only arose when Darth Vader had to consciously choose to return to his humanity to save his son, Luke Skywalker, from being killed by the Emperor in the final scenes of “Return of the Jedi.” Additionally, there was no confusion about who was good or evil. Now, the once clear line has been blurred with a series like “The Acolyte“, which has thankfully been cancelled and will not have a second season. Let’s be honest, it did not embody the “spirit” of Star Wars. Instead, it introduced too many social issues, ideologies, and underlying intentions that distort the franchise’s universal message.

The presence of hateful, resentful, and vengeful characters contradicts the original ethos of Star Wars. By doing so, they removed the magic that initially drew everyone in and chose to follow a distorted narrative that benefits only a select few, rather than all of the fans. One can’t imagine such characters being featured in the past, as they are not the kind of heroes or on-screen personas to be celebrated or emulated in any way. It is not Star Wars!

It was a long shot for “The Acolyte” to be granted a second season due to overwhelmingly negative feedback. You cannot have a director openly state in an interview, “Star Wars is not for white men!” It is simply racist and sexist, giving insight into the mindset of the director. No wonder it got cancelled; it was being used as a platform and not meant to entertain. Well, that is one of the big reasons why. Furthermore, the show was designed for a limited audience, and making deliberate narrow-minded decisions to base the show on hateful rhetoric can only lead to negative consequences in the long term. This has caused viewers to abandon the series, resulting in the studio ultimately ending it.

Manny Jacinto in ‘The Acolyte’ | Image: Screengrab from Instagram/@starwars

What happened to “The Acolyte” should serve as a wake-up call to all directors, writers, and to a certain extent, actors. When given the privilege of being part of the greatest multimedia franchise in cinematic history, you must ensure that you possess good character and have the right intentions. Once you disappoint or dishearten the fans, you are out! After all, Star Wars is generally meant to be watched by the entire family, not just a targeted few whose belief systems are far left of center. The Acolyte series is viewed as repulsive by many original and longtime fans, as it is destroying the franchise. Conversely, the mini-series “Obi-Wan Kenobi” was well-received for its ability to connect with the prequel trilogy, and “Ahsoka” was considered fairly entertaining, despite some viewers finding it to be too “woke.” The point is to balance, respect the fans, refrain from insulting them, and do what is right in all situations. Why so? It is because no matter how great or awful any of the series or movies may be, they all have the power to tilt, change, or affect the mythos, lore, and legacy of Star Wars.

George Lucas has made it clear in interviews, documentaries, and magazine articles that Star Wars is a “Space Opera,” a term he coined. It became a classification for space-bound movies that would soon follow after it became a cultural and popular phenomenon. George Lucas had a clear vision of what it would be all about. He was inspired by a movie like “Buck Rogers” during his formative years. His motives, reasons, and intentions are as pure as can be. It should serve as an inspiration and a guiding beacon for current directors, writers, and actors involved in any of the other properties within the Star Wars multimedia franchise.

Star Wars is meant for everyone; it should be handled with care and given the utmost respect. It should remain true to itself and not attempt to be something it is not.

For Star Wars to return to its former glory, it needs George Lucas or someone who shares his vision, as “The Acolyte” should not have been made.