Because many choices that Disney Star Wars has made since the company acquired the franchise in 2012 have been so divisive within the fanbase, fans tend to have slightly rose-colored glasses when looking back on George Lucas’ Star Wars movies and TV shows. However, the truth is that Lucas also faced considerable backlash for many of his choices, and at times, those criticisms were just as scathing as criticisms about the sequel trilogy and shows like The Acolyte are today.
After all, multiple prequel trilogy actors, including Ahmed Best, Jake Lloyd, and Hayden Christensen, were brutally criticized by the media and fans alike, so much so that each one seemed to take at least a slight step back from acting following their exits from those movies. Granted, many of those grievances were unfair, particularly when it came to the actors. Hayden Christensen didn’t pick Anakin Skywalker’s Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones or Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith dialogue any more than Ahmed Best picked how he was told to play Jar Jar Binks.
Still, others were considerably fairer. Much has already been said of how Padmé Amidala died in Revenge of the Sith, especially because the idea that she “died of a broken heart” has long been circulating among fans (although, notably, the movie never actually said that). The decision to have her lose the will to live, which is what the movie does say, is pretty bad too. Yet, one major Return of the Jedi criticism that George Lucas gets—and thus a rare grievance with the original trilogy—was actually a major win for Disney Star Wars, and it remains one now.
Audiences Were Furious That Hayden Christensen Became Anakin Skywalker’s Force Ghost
In the original cut of Return of the Jedi, Sebastian Shaw played the unmasked version of Darth Vader, who was dying in Luke Skywalker’s arms. He then returned at the end of the movie, as it was first him who portrayed Anakin’s Force Ghost. Already, this was very meaningful, as it not only confirmed that the titular Jedi who returned was Anakin himself, rather than the Jedi overall, but also meant that, despite all of his wrongdoing and suffering, he would now get to go on in this form, even being with his former Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, again.
When George Lucas put out the 2004 re-release of Return of the Jedi, however, this had been changed so that it was now Christensen appearing as the Force Ghost. Lucas’ argument was that this reflected Anakin’s true return to the Jedi he had been before his fall to the dark side of the Force, but that still largely didn’t sit right with fans, who felt this shouldn’t have been changed (and it didn’t help that Christensen was still being heavily criticized at the time). Yet, this seemingly minor change has gone on to be massively important for Disney Star Wars.
This Return of the Jedi Change Has Allowed Anakin to Come Back (Repeatedly)
However controversial this decision may have been at the time—and, frankly, continues to be today—it has been a huge help to Disney Star Wars. The House of Mouse has been criticized for relying too heavily on nostalgia, but paradoxically, this is exactly what tends to get views and support from fans. Regardless, it’s clear that Disney has wanted to draw upon Star Wars’ past as much as possible and that has frequently included returns from major actors in the franchise, be they original trilogy or prequel trilogy actors. For Christensen, that has been Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka.
It’s the latter in particular that shows how crucial Lucas’ Return of the Jedi change was. In fact, not only did Christensen return as Anakin’s Force Ghost in the Ahsoka season 1 finale, but also, he’s already confirmed to be returning again in Ahsoka season 2. Considering that Ahsoka is the only officially announced upcoming live-action Star Wars TV show, it’s safe to say that this show is a pivotal part of Star Wars’ future, and there’s no doubt that having Christensen back as Anakin will be a huge boost to the show.
- Release Date
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May 25, 1983
- Runtime
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132 minutes
- Director
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Richard Marquand
