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Credit: LucasfilmThe faraway galaxy is filled with many characters, so much so that fans have probably lost count over the decades. Between all the Star Wars movies, animated shows, live-action shows, comic books, novels, and video games, it’s impossible to keep track of them all.
But there are some characters who Star Wars fans wish they could forget altogether. Whether they’re sanctimonious, inexplicably powerful, uninteresting, or just plain old annoying, there are many reasons why fans take issue with certain Star Wars characters.
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However, there are some Star Wars characters who don’t deserve all the hate they’ve gotten over the years, and here they are…
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5. Wicket W. Warrick — Return of the Jedi
Wicket W. Warrick (Warrick Davies Jr.) has only appeared in two movies — Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi (1983) and Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker (2019). However, he remains the most famous Ewok, and is as iconic as other Star Wars characters.
It would be untrue to suggest that Wicket is a hated character per se, but we’ve chosen him to represent the Ewoks as a whole, as they are the one species Star Wars fans have never taken to, despite the fact they helped the rebels to overthrow the Galactic Empire in Return of the Jedi.
But perhaps it’s just that — that jungle-dwelling teddy bears were able to defeat such a powerful enemy. Or maybe many Star Wars fans don’t want to admit that the movies are aimed towards kids more than adults, something even George Lucas himself once said about the prequel trilogy.
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4. Rose Tico — The Last Jedi
There are many hated Star Wars characters in the sequel trilogy, but none are perhaps quite as hated as the character of Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran). Rose is first introduced in Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi (2017) as a member of the Resistance support crew.
She ends up embarking on a “side quest” with ex-First Order trooper Finn (John Boyega), during which we learn that she’s something of a sanctimonious character, which is reaffirmed later in the film when she inexplicably stops Finn from sacrificing himself to save the rebel base on Crait.
But nothing justifies the amount of hate that Rose gets — after all, her intentions are sincere, and while self-righteous, she isn’t that annoying. Sadly, Rose is a reminder of yet another example of toxic fandom, as Kelly Marie Tran received so much abuse on social media that it affected her mental health.
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3. Rey Skywalker — The Sequel Trilogy
Rey (Daisy Ridley) remains one of the main bones of contention among fans when it comes to the sequel trilogy, as she inexplicably goes from strength to strength throughout the films, rivalling even the likes of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) as a powerful Jedi.
While this can be explained by the fact that she’s the granddaughter of the incredibly powerful Sith Lord Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), it still isn’t particularly compelling to watch. In many ways, many elements of her character reflects both the poor writing and the absence of a plan for all three movies.
In Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens, however, there’s something endearing about the orphan scavenger who lives on Jakku. While there are obvious parallels between Rey and Luke from the original trilogy, she still holds her own throughout the trilogy, and despite what you may think of her, she has become an equally iconic character.
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2. Anakin Skywalker — The Prequel Trilogy
This might be the most interesting and perhaps even divisive entry on this list, largely because Anakin Skywalker has in recent years become one of the most beloved Star Wars characters. But this is actually the reason why we decided to include him in the first place.
Whether it was Jake Lloyd in Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace (1999), or Hayden Christensen in Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones (2002) and Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith (2005), Anakin Skywalker was a widely hated character at the time.
Criticism was aimed towards both the performances and the “whiny” nature of the character. However, as recent years will testify, he never deserved this hate, and when Hayden Christensen‘s return in Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022) was announced, Star Wars fans rejoiced.
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1. Jar Jar Binks — The Phantom Menace
Having Jar Jar Binks (Ahmed Best) on our list is in no way divisive, as he remains a truly hated Star Wars character. In fact, alongside Jake Lloyd (Anakin Skywalker) in The Phantom Menace, this is the first example of a Star Wars actor being the target of disgusting abuse from fans.
The clumsy, “Luck sensitive” Gungan warrior first appeared in The Phantom Menace as a sort of slap-stick sidekick to Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor). And throughout the movie, the hijinks of Jar Jar Binks are indeed deeply annoying and cringe-worthy.
But you might be surprised to learn that George Lucas has admitted that Jar Jar Binks is actually his favorite Star Wars character. Jar Jar went on to appear in the beloved animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008 — 2020), during which he does find some measure of redemption.
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If you’re now convinced that the Star Wars characters on this list might just deserve a second chance, check out all things Star Wars-related on Disney+, from the original trilogy to the animated shows, the prequels to the sequels, live-action shows, and everything in between.
Do you love or hate these Star Wars characters? Let us know in the comments below!