‘Star Wars’ Fans Devastated After Lucasfilm Ignores Easy ‘Return of the Jedi’ Change

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Han Solo, Leia, C-3PO, and Chewie hiding from the Empire

Credit: Lucasfilm

Star Wars has made many great changes, but ignoring this simple change might hurt how fans view Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi (1983).

Leia talking to Wicket
Credit: Lucasfilm

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The final film of the Original Trilogy is just about 40 years old. Not only did Return of the Jedi bring fans Ewoks, a new Death Star, Emperor Palpatine, and a great final battle, but it proved that heroes and villains could be redeemed. Darth Vader found his purpose again as Anakin and saved his son. Luke Skywalker showed love and mercy to his father instead of giving in to his hatred.

The Galactic Empire lost on Endor as new allies helped them destroy the Death Star II. Now, fans celebrate the movie’s anniversary and remember what they love about the movie. Certain details, like Vader’s face being seen by Luke Skywalker, are more meaningful after decades of storytelling. One connection seemed to allude that a certain character from Star Wars: The Clone Wars made it into the movie.

The Galactic Empire on Endor
Credit: Lucasfilm

Related: ‘Star Wars’ Retcons Emotional Scene From ‘Return of the Jedi’

Han Solo and Leia Organa ambushed the Imperial Bunker with an escort of rebel commandos, one being an old man with a bushy white beard. Fans immediately saw this character after Star Wars: Rebels and couldn’t believe the similarities between the rebel commando and Captain Rex.

Dave Filoni had altered Rex’s character design to resemble the rebel commando, and fans noticed. While the beloved creator never confirmed the news, he teased the connection, leaving fans to believe that Rex was actually on Endor helping Anakin’s children take down the Empire.

Han Solo with some rebel commandos
Credit: Lucasfilm

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A new Hasbro toy from the beloved Star Wars Black Series line is one of the new figures created to celebrate the 40th anniversary. The figure shows off the bearded commando and doesn’t confirm that Rex is indeed the commando. Instead, Star Wars intentionally labeled it as a rebel trooper. Fans have noticed when you look up who the Rebel commando might be, the character is called Nik Sant.

Here are some pictures of the figure:

Endor Trooper Toy from Hasbro Black Series
Credit: Hasbro/Star Wars
Star Wars Endor Trooper from Hasbro Black Series
Credit: Hasbro/Star Wars

Filoni clarified that fans could believe that Nik Sant is just Rex, but Star Wars doesn’t seem interested in confirming this popular fan theory. With Return of the Jedi’s 40th anniversary right around the corner, it would have been the perfect time to confirm that Rex is the trooper, but fans will have to deal with the fact that after Star Wars: Rebels, we don’t know what happens to the iconic trooper.

He could appear in The Mandalorian or Ahsoka, but Clones have accelerated aging, so it won’t be too long before the character can’t appear in a series set after Return of the Jedi due to the clone’s old age. Rex is an old friend of Ahsoka Tano, and Temuera Morrison is the right age to play the role, so Star Wars should bring the fan-favorite character into live-action soon before it’s too late.

Do you think Star Wars should change Return of the Jedi to include Captain Rex? Let us know what you think!

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