10 Valid Complaints We Have With Star Wars (2024)

Star Wars is a franchise brimming with life and rich stories, from the classic original trilogy to their new expanding universe. The saga is known for its wonderous world, good versus evil themes, and a mix of sci-fi and mysticism. While there are many great things about Star Wars, no franchise is perfect or above a bit of criticism. Being a nearly fifty-year-old series, Star Wars' decisions have resulted in a unique list of complaints from its fans, big to small.

In fact, Star Wars has never been without complaints, but recently, more and more criticisms have emerged. While not all of them are fair, and many are rooted in biases that have nothing to do with the projects' quality, many of these complaints are valid and an understandable reason to criticize Star Wars. Each of these ten complaints can either be broad or specific, but it must be common and have validity behind it. From lazy writing to annoying characters, Star Wars has many valid complaints which hinder the series.

10 Reliance on Nostalgia

'Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens' (2015)

When an old franchise manages to retain its popularity, it often uses nostalgia as a way to sell easy tickets and merchandise. By adding a fan-favorite character or a famous actor's cameo in Star Wars, studios can draw large audiences in to get a taste of their childhood back and relive that timeless experience of joy. Star Wars is a leading victim of this, from the sequel and prequel trilogy to The Mandalorian.

While some nostalgia is excellent, Star Wars has muddled much of its content with cheap cameos and fan service that doesn't fit. Many moments feel forced, like Chewbacca receiving a medal in Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker or Han shooting first in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Nostalgia isn't inherently bad or good, as they have used it wonderfully; some entire Star Wars movies feel like cheap nostalgia bait, sullying the experience.

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens

PG-13

Action

Adventure

Fantasy

Sci-Fi

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

*Availability in US

Release Date

December 17, 2015

Director

J.J. Abrams

Cast

Daisy Ridley , John Boyega , Oscar Isaac , Harrison Ford , Mark Hamill , Carrie Fisher , Adam Driver , Andy Serkis , Lupita Nyong'O , Max Von Sydow , Peter Mayhew , Simon Pegg

Runtime

136 Minutes

Writers

Lawrence Kasdan , J.J. Abrams , Michael Arndt

9 Jar Jar Binks

'Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace' (1999)

Remember back in 1999 when fans around the world gathered with glee to watch Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace? Decades after the original trilogy ended, this movie was the year's biggest event. However, it was met with overwhelming criticism from fans and critics alike. One primary reason was the fun-loving, goofy, and clumsy Jar Jar Binks, a Gungan from Naboo meant to make audiences laugh.

While fans have let up on their hate nowadays, the consensus is still that Jar Jar Binks was overused and annoying. Kids may have found him funny, but this obnoxious alien nearly made the movie unwatchable for fans excited about re-entering the grand galaxy. As a light-hearted franchise, silly characters are essential to Star Wars, but there is such a thing as too much. Jar Jar Binks' screentime was a lethal dose for The Phantom Menace.

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

PG

Sci-Fi

Action

Adventure

Where to Watch

• stream
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See Also

Si Smits: champion of cycles, saloons, and charitiesWhy Jimmy Smits Left NYPD Blue (Despite Being Nominated For 5 Emmys)Emmy Moments: Hosts gently mock 'The Bear,' while TV moms, 'Happy Days' and 'West Wing' celebrated

*Availability in US

Release Date

May 19, 1999

Director

George Lucas

Cast

Liam Neeson , Ewan McGregor , Natalie Portman , Jake Lloyd , Ian McDiarmid , Pernilla August , Oliver Ford Davies , Ahmed Best

Runtime

136 minutes

8 Introducing Midi-chlorians

'Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones' (2002)

Speaking of complaints from the prequel trilogy, introducing Midi-chlorians was another major gripe fans had with Star Wars. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope established the force as a mystical power that connected all life, adding mystery and wonder to its universe. Midi-chlorians are a microscopic life form present in every living being, with higher counts leading to Force-sensitive users.

Midi-chlorians are a detriment to Star Wars because they demystify the Force and change it into something biological. It makes the world and force seem less important or magical and is simply a way to make Anakin the undisputed Chosen One. There didn't need to be an explanation for the Force, but George Lucas added it anyway, ruining one of the most interesting aspects of Star Wars and making it an inconsistent science.

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones

PG

Action

Adventure

Fantasy

Sci-Fi

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

*Availability in US

Release Date

May 16, 2002

Director

George Lucas

Cast

Ewan McGregor , Natalie Portman , Hayden Christensen , Christopher Lee , Samuel L. Jackson , Frank Oz

Runtime

142 minutes

Writers

George Lucas , Jonathan Hales

7 The Holiday Special

'Star Wars Holiday Special' (1978)

After the major success of A New Hope, they thought it would be a good idea to release the Star Wars Holiday Special, a festive spinoff between the first movie and the unreleased Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. It's a Christmas special where Han and Chewbacca travel to Kashyyk to celebrate Life Day, delivering a festive special in the Star Wars universe.

It wouldn't be an overstatement to call the Star Wars Holiday Special the worst piece of media under the brand name. Since it isn't canon, it's not a major stain on the franchise, but its whole existence is a valid complaint. It has gotten to the point where the movie is so bad it's good, but fans have to wonder what they were thinking with the Holiday Special. The film was full of inappropriate jokes, poor writing and acting, resulting in an overall weird experience.

The Star Wars Holiday Special

PG

Adventure

Comedy

Family

Musical

Sci-Fi

Release Date

November 17, 1978

Director

Steve Binder , David Acomba

Cast

Mark Hamill , Harrison Ford , Carrie Fisher , Anthony Daniels , Peter Mayhew , James Earl Jones

Runtime

97 minutes

Writers

Rod Warren , Bruce Vilanch , Pat Proft , Leonard Ripps , Mitzie Welch

6 Rushed Pacing

Most Noticeable in 'Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith' (2005)

Pacing is an ever-present problem in TV shows and movies today, and Star Wars isn't exempt. Pacing is how fast a plot moves the story, whether it takes time to develop or speed through. Star Wars movies have always been quick, rushing through events to get fans to the next entertaining moment, which is precisely what made it famous in the 1970s. However, there is a difference between a quick and a rushed pace.

The two main examples are the sequel trilogy and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The Rise of Skywalker has an unrelenting pace that only gets faster, brushing over details and expecting fans to put together an incoherent mess. Revenge of the Sith mainly rushes the ending, forcing Anakin's descent into evil and leaving fans unsatisfied with a trilogy that was supposed to show Anakin becoming Darth Vader. When the plot rushes through these events, it can ruin an entire movie, making it more than a valid complaint that fans can see in the occasional Star Wars project.

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

PG-13

Sci-Fi

Action

Adventure

Fantasy

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

*Availability in US

Release Date

May 17, 2005

Director

George Lucas

Cast

Ewan McGregor , Natalie Portman , Hayden Christensen , Ian McDiarmid , Samuel L. Jackson , Jimmy Smits

Runtime

140 minutes

Writers

George Lucas , John Ostrander , Jan Duursema

5 Undermining Previous Content

Most Noticeable in 'Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker' (2019)

Undermining previous content has been a complaint many fans have had for just about every Star Wars project. This complaint argues that new content lessens the impact of the original movies or makes previous moments irrelevant. It's fairly polarizing, with good arguments in favor and against. Some may not believe the new movies undermine the old ones, but many do, making this a valid argument for how it affects the original trilogy and the enjoyability of new content.

Many fans complain about The Acolyte, and while Mae and Osha's unnatural birth didn't ruin Anakin's legacy, the Witches' discovery of Force life creation undermines Darth Plagueis' feat. It makes sense that he would steal this secret, but it doesn't make him seem as impressive as he was in Palpatine's speech. Midi-chlorians also undermine what the Force was in the original trilogy. The biggest offender is the sequel trilogy, from Luke in Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi to The Rise of Skywalker. These movies abandon the effort from the original trilogy and put the universe right where it started, undermining the hard-earned win from The Rebellion.

Star Wars: Episode IX- The Rise of Skywalker

PG-13

Action

Adventure

Fantasy

Sci-Fi

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

*Availability in US

Release Date

December 18, 2019

Director

J.J. Abrams

Cast

Carrie Fisher , Mark Hamill , Adam Driver , Daisy Ridley , John Boyega , Oscar Isaac

Runtime

155

Writers

Chris Terrio , J.J. Abrams , Derek Connolly , Colin Trevorrow , George Lucas

4 Plot Holes

Most Noticeable in 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars' (2008)

Every franchise is victim to a few plot holes here and there, but while common, they are still a blight. A plot hole is a gap, error, or inconsistency that goes against logic previously presented in a film or TV show. Plot holes in any media are obviously a valid reason to complain, and while many are just nitpicks that don't mess with the story, Star Wars has many glaring plot holes that halt the audience's enjoyment and belief.

There are too many plot holes in Star Wars to summarize in a single paragraph. From the inconsistent damage of lightsaber stab wounds to Vader and Obi-Wan failing to recognize R2-D2 and C3PO, a dagger showing the location of the emperor's throne room, and Leia ignoring Chewbacca for a girl she barely knows, Star Wars has too many moments that have fans questioning their decisions. While these are minor issues, they stack up to the point where they create an inconsistent universe, ultimately frustrating fans and hindering their enjoyment.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

TV-PG

Animation

Sci-Fi

Action

Adventure

Where to Watch

• stream
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• buy

Not available

*Availability in US

Release Date

October 3, 2008

Creator

George Lucas

Cast

Corey Burton , Dee Bradley Baker , Matt Lanter , Tom Kane , Matthew Wood , David Tennant , Ashley Eckstein

Seasons

7

3 Recent Polarizing Star Wars Content

Most Noticeable in 'The Acolyte' (2024)

This complaint is a bit broad, but it is undoubtedly the main thing the Star Wars fandom talks about. From the sequel trilogy to many recent TV shows, Star Wars has had inconsistent quality, leaving fans in a war against Disney and themselves. The company hasn't ruined Star Wars, but they haven't had a good track record either.

Recent Star Wars content has been a touchy subject lately, dividing the fandom even more, as some believe the franchise is at an all-time low, while others think it's in an okay spot. No matter what fans believe, the quality of recent projects such as the sequel trilogy and some of the new TV shows have been subpar — maybe not as bad as some fans think, but certainly not good. A lot of complaints are blown out of proportion, and there is a lot of great recent content, including Andor and The Bad Batch. However, too many projects with polarizing content turn fans against each other, further breeding toxicity.

The Acolyte

Sci-Fi

Fantasy

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

Not available

*Availability in US

Release Date

June 4, 2024

Cast

Amandla Stenberg , Lee Jung-jae , Joonas Suotamo , Charlie Barnett , Dafne Keen , Leah Brady , Manny Jacinto , Rebecca Henderson , Carrie-Anne Moss , Jodie Turner-Smith , Dean-Charles Chapman , Lauren Brady , Anthony J. Abraham , Thara Shöön , Danielle Xin Yao Waterman , Sienna Khiroya , Jeramiah Evans , Dan Milne , Thomas Coombes , Archie Singh Swali , Nick Court , Ed Kear , Jumayn Hunter , Scroobius Pip , Abigail Thorn , Margarita Levieva , Amy Tsang , Saskia Allen , Deborah Rosan , Tabitha Alege , Paul Bullion , Indra Ové , Derek Arnold , Lewis Young

Seasons

1

Writers

Leslye Headland , Charmaine De Grate , Kor Adana

2 Bad Dialogue

Most Noticeable in 'Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones' (2002)

Bad dialogue is all-encompassing and applies to many different aspects. It is a common complaint, from corny or cringy speeches to uncharacteristic lines, on-the-nose or story-oriented dialogue to moments that don't fit. Star Wars has some iconic lines, but they don't make up for many poor writing choices. Unfortunately, lousy dialogue is present in every trilogy.

When fans fear bad dialogue in Star Wars, they immediately think of the prequels' cringy and corny speeches, from Anakin's sand monologue to everything between him and Padmé. The original trilogy also has some stale and corny line choices, and the sequels, for the most part, are okay, but they have two infamous lines: "They fly now" and "Somehow Palpatine returned." These awful dialogue choices ruin the scene and sometimes make it worse than it actually is, as the dialogue was so bad it made a fool of itself.

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones

PG

Action

Adventure

Fantasy

Sci-Fi

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

*Availability in US

Release Date

May 16, 2002

Director

George Lucas

Cast

Ewan McGregor , Natalie Portman , Hayden Christensen , Christopher Lee , Samuel L. Jackson , Frank Oz

Runtime

142 minutes

Writers

George Lucas , Jonathan Hales

1 Lack of A Plan

Most Noticeable in 'Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens' (2015)

A great plan is the key to success, ensuring that a movie or trilogy is on the right course, feeding into each other and setting up future projects. Without a plan, movies are full of plot holes and incoherent stories, leading to befuddling story decisions and an inconsistent mess. Star Wars is most prominently known for doing this with the sequel trilogy and original trilogy, but even the prequels also suffer from a lack of planning.

This complaint is at its largest when mentioning the sequel trilogy, which infamously has three disconnected movies, each doing something completely different. The lack of planning for the sequel trilogy ultimately brought its demise, creating an incoherent group of movies that feel disconnected. However, it was also a problem in the original trilogy, where Lucas pulled stuff out of his hat for the sequel movies. Vader had no setup as the father because it wasn't planned, Luke and Leia's kiss is disturbing after fans learn the truth, and the Empire randomly had a spare death star in its back pocket. This complaint has proven valid time and time again, as it ruined multiple trilogies by creating an inconsistent narrative. Hopefully, future Star Wars projects will learn from this and not repeat the franchise's biggest complaint.

NEXT: Mark Hamill Had a Serious Issue With 'Return of the Jedi's Script