Credit: LucasfilmStar Wars is full of missed opportunities and failed attempts at launching new stories. The Mandalorian (2019) is an example where this succeeded and then some. While Season 3 didn’t stick the landing with audiences, the fact that the series is getting a big-screen follow-up in May next year speaks volumes.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) is another example, but one where a big-screen project was followed up on the small screen, with Andor (2022) and, most recently, Andor Season 2.
But some Star Wars entries — whether in film or on Disney+ — won’t be getting follow-ups in any way, shape, or form. Among them is the TV series The Acolyte (2024). Of course, it’s understandable — the series, which had a bloated budget, was widely panned by audiences. But it isn’t alone. There’s another that won’t be getting a follow-up, at least not anytime soon. The difference is that the entry in question is actually very popular among fans.
Star Wars Isn’t Following Up One of Its Best Episodes
On the animated side of the faraway galaxy, Lucasfilm is moving forward with more Star Wars: Visions, but not every standout short is getting the spotlight.
Volume 3 of the anthology is set for release on October 29, and while it will include the series’ first-ever sequels, “Lop and Ocho” won’t be one of them.
The anime anthology series, which is not considered canon with the rest of the Star Wars franchise, made waves in 2021 by letting seven Japanese studios reimagine the galaxy far, far away. The nine shorts in Volume 1 ranged from quiet meditations on the Force to over-the-top duels that wouldn’t seem out of place in Dragon Ball Z. The approach earned glowing reviews, and Disney followed it up with another nine shorts in 2023.
Volume 3 Will Include Sequels, but One Is Missing
But Volume 3 is set to shake things up as three returning stories will continue.
“The Duel: Payback”, “The Lost Ones”, and “The Ninth Jedi: Child of Hope” will expand upon Volume 1‘s “The Duel”, “The Village Bride”, and “The Ninth Jedi”, respectively. In particular, “The Ninth Jedi” has been such a hit that it’s being developed into a full anime series set to arrive sometime in 2026.
That makes the absence of “Lop and Ocho” sting even more. The Volume 1 episode, which introduced Lop — a young Lepi fighting against the Galactic Empire’s oppression — has become a cult favorite thanks to its heartfelt execution and striking visual design.
It also ends on a major unresolved conflict. Unlike “The Duel”, which has since spawned both a novel and a comic, “Lop and Ocho” hasn’t received any continuation.
The missed opportunity is even stranger considering Lop’s merchandising potential. Between her umbrella weapon, sleek visor, and samurai aesthetic, she felt like the kind of character Disney would push across toys, comics, and spin-offs, not unlike The Mandalorian and Grogu. Instead, she’s been left behind while other Visions characters take center stage.
Related: Disney and Lucasfilm Missed a Huge Opportunity With This ‘Star Wars’ Installment
Could Lop Return Elsewhere?
There’s a chance Lop could return elsewhere, of course.
The upcoming Visions Presents is designed to expand the anthology into more spinoffs (launching with “The Ninth Jedi”). Plus, LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy — Pieces of the Past, which streams this month, will give characters like Cal Kestis (Cameron Monaghan) a second helping.
With Jaxxon, another Lepi from Marvel’s 1970s Star Wars comics, also back in rotation in the LEGO miniseries, there’s precedent for Lop to eventually reappear.
Star Wars: Visions Volume 3 will be released on October 29, 2025.
Are you a fan of “Lop and Ocho”? Do you think it deserves more attention? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below!