10 Mistakes George Lucas Made In The Prequel Trilogy That Still Haunt Star Wars 25 Years Later

In the 25 years since Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace premiered, 10 major mistakes in the Star Wars prequel trilogy remain an issue. Although the initial response to the prequels was mixed at best, they are now viewed as some of Star Wars’ best movies, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith especially. Not only has the significance of the movies to the Star Wars timeline influenced opinions, but also, several characters and actors from the prequels have proven to be some of the most beloved in all Star Wars movies and TV shows.

While much of the respect and appreciation for the prequel trilogy that has developed in the decades since is deserved, and a significant portion of the scathing criticism at the time of their release was unwarranted, the movies are not without their flaws. In fact, the prequels made a number of mistakes that affected the movies and the larger franchise for the worse. Of those mistakes, these 10 are the most significant and the most enduring.

10 The Prequels Shouldn’t Have Given The Gungans THAT Voice

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace

Jar Jar Binks was an immediately controversial character, and it unfortunately had a terrible impact on Jar Jar actor Ahmed Best. Although that has since been ameliorated to a large extent in light of Best returning to Star Wars in The Mandalorian as Jedi Master Kelleran Beq, the Jedi who saved Grogu during Order 66, the harsh backlash reflects a major mistake in the prequel trilogy. However, the error didn’t lie in Best’s performance, nor was it limited to Jar Jar.

Rather, the error was with the characterization of the Gungans as a whole. In particular, their manner of speaking, although intended to be comedic, was overdone. Of course, it was an honest mistake that makes sense given Star Wars’ other projects. In The Empire Strikes Back, for example, Yoda’s odd speech pattern became iconic and continues to be a beloved part of Star Wars. In the case of the Gungans, however, it was unfortunately a bit too much.

9 Midi-Chlorians Should Have Been Either In Or Out

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace

The Phantom Menace introduced yet another controversial Star Wars concept as well, one that has waxed and waned in significance throughout the franchise. When Qui-Gon Jinn discovered Anakin Skywalker on Tatooine and believed he was strong with the Force, he took a blood sample and sent it to Obi-Wan Kenobi, asking him to test it for midi-chlorians. This was the first on-screen mention of midi-chlorians in the franchise, and they were and remain somewhat confusing.

At the time, it seemed as though midi-chlorians were a direct representation of one’s Force power. However, Star Wars has since clarified that they merely represent someone’s potential in the Force. In fact, most recently, midi-chlorians have become quite important, with Star Wars: The Bad Batch season 3 revealing that Project Necromancer and Emperor Palpatine’s resurrection plan relied heavily upon the Empire’s ability to manipulate the midi-chlorian count of clones in an effort to create Force-sensitive clones for Palpatine’s inevitable return.

8 Padmé Should Have Had A Stronger Reaction To Anakin’s Tusken Raiders Massacre

Star Wars: Episode II – Attack Of The Clones

One of the most bewildering moments in the prequels, if not in the entire franchise, came when Anakin confessed to Padmé that he had murdered all the men, women, and children at the Tusken Raider camp. Rather than reacting with shock, horror, or any comparable emotion, Padmé simply told him, “To be angry is to be human.” This would have been confusing for any character, but it was especially so for Padmé, who was known for being moral, compassionate, and fair.

This was one of the gravest mistakes of the prequel trilogy, as it represented a major, inexcusable failure of judgment by an otherwise beloved, respected character. Worse still, Star Wars has yet to effectively address this problem. It remains an inexplicably dark moment that compromises Padmé‘s entire character. This would have been an easy fix as well; Padmé could still have loved Anakin while condemning what he did.

7 Ahsoka Should Have Been Introduced In Attack Of The Clones

Star Wars: Episode II – Attack Of The Clones

When Ahsoka Tano was introduced in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars movie, audiences were divided about her—in fact, the majority seemed opposed. Over time, particularly due to her character development in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars TV show, Ahsoka gained popularity, and she is now a fan-favorite character, even leading in her own TV show. However, one significant aspect of the initial negative perception was due to her absence from the prequels.

Many found Ahsoka’s introduction to be confusing, as there had been no mention of her in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones or Revenge of the Sith. Although George Lucas himself had wanted Anakin to have a Padawan, the sudden reveal that he’d had one all along was difficult for many viewers to swallow. While Star Wars is known and loved for its retcons, this was one example that may have worked better had it been canon all along.

6 Anakin Hating Sand Should Have Been Cut (Or Re-Worded)

Star Wars: Episode II – Attack Of The Clones

Many lines in Star Wars have become iconic, for better or worse, but Anakin’s line about hating sand in Attack of the Clones has arguably become the biggest joke of them all, and often not in a positive way. In fact, the line has in some ways overshadowed Anakin’s character in the movie and certainly has taken attention away from the significance of what he was saying. Although it’s become a prevalent meme now, Anakin’s point about sand was actually profound (if poorly worded).

When Anakin was describing his hatred of sand, it was really a reflection of the trauma Tatooine represented to him. While unspoken, Anakin’s sentiments about sand reveal how much his time as a slave still haunted him, which is a crucial aspect of his character. Sadly, that got lost in translation because of the wording, which many found too silly to take seriously.

5 Anakin Skywalker’s Fall Should Have Taken Longer

Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith

One of the biggest criticisms about Revenge of the Sith, which is otherwise a rather loved Star Wars movie, was that Anakin fell to the dark side of the Force too quickly. Although there were many key moments on his path to becoming Darth Vader, including his massacre of the Tusken Raiders, his acceptance of his fate as Palpatine’s next Sith apprentice did feel quite sudden. In fact, just a few scenes earlier, Anakin was willing to betray Palpatine and inform Mace Windu of his secret identity as a Sith Lord.

However, when Palpatine was seemingly on the brink of death at Mace Windu’s hand (although this was surely a ruse), Anakin quickly chose Palpatine’s side. Mere moments later, Anakin was kneeling before him, accepting the name Darth Vader, and referring to Palpatine as his master. The Clone Wars show was an excellent addition to Star Wars in that regard, as it fleshed out Anakin’s fall considerably, but it was nevertheless a major mistake to have Anakin’s fall be so sudden in Revenge of the Sith.

4 Darth Jar Jar Should Have Been Canon

Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith

Despite the very negative reception of Jar Jar Binks in The Phantom Menace, audiences quickly latched onto one Jar Jar fan theory that has remained a favorite. Darth Jar Jar, the theory that Jar Jar was secretly a Sith Lord all along, was first a joke among audiences but quickly bloomed into something many actually wanted to see. While this would have added a layer of complexity to the larger prequel trilogy arc, it no doubt would also have been widely celebrated.

Now, Star Wars is doing a bit of fan service in this regard, as the upcoming LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy, a four-part animated special, will feature Darth Jar Jar. This is an absolutely thrilling and hilarious update for the character and the larger franchise. However, the series will not be canon, which is a shame. Truly, Star Wars could have done considerable damage control decades ago by having this plot twist be part of the prequel movies.

3 Padmé Starting The Rebellion Shouldn’t Have Been Cut

Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith

One of the most incredible Padmé plot lines was sadly cut from Revenge of the Sith, although footage from the deleted scene reveals how significant this inclusion could have been. In the scene, Padmé would have met with other senators who had concerns about Palpatine’s increasing power, planning to take action against him in the Senate to prevent any further grabs for power. In this sense, Padmé would have effectively been the very birth of the Rebellion.

This is surely one of the worst mistakes in the prequels. Throughout the trilogy, Padmé deserved much better. She was an unbelievably brave queen at just 14, she made significant strides in the Republic Senate during the Clone Wars, and she maintained her values even in the face of walking away from the man she loved and the father of her unborn child. Despite that, Padmé acted as little more than a distressed, helpless character in the movie, and the scene that could have changed that was removed.

2 One Key Obi-Wan Scene Was Desperately Needed

Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith

One Obi-Wan Kenobi scene was included in the Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith novelization, written by Matthew Stover, but was absent from the movie. Sadly, this scene would have added brilliant depth. In Revenge of the Sith, Obi-Wan was distressed by Order 66 and Anakin’s role in it. However, the Revenge of the Sith novel fascinatingly included Obi-Wan’s guilt and lamentation over the Jedi’s role in the younglings’ demise. In the scene, Obi-Wan told Yoda, “We took them from their homes… We promised their families.”

Obi-Wan was referencing the Jedi practice of taking young children to be trained as Jedi at the Temple and nodding toward the way that contributed to the death of the younglings. While the Jedi may not have been the ones enacting violence, this scene from the novel nevertheless reflects the flaws the practice had. Sadly, this was not shown in the movie, which was a terrible mistake.

1 Padmé Should Have Survived Revenge Of The Sith (Or Should Have Died Differently)

Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith

The single biggest mistake in the prequel trilogy was the death of Padmé. For one, the manner of her death was incredibly disappointing and a disservice to the character. Although the notion that she died of a broken heart hasn’t been confirmed in the canon, she was at minimum confirmed to have lost the will to live. However, this completely contradicted who she had been throughout the movies. In the face of her planet being overtaken, Padmé remained brave and never lost hope even as a teenager in The Phantom Menace.

Moreover, when she knew Anakin had turned to the dark side, she was prepared to walk away. It also seems impossible that Padmé would have had no will to live given she had just had twins. In truth, though, her death in Revenge of the Sith was a mistake no matter the manner. For one, it seemingly retconned Leia’s assertion in Return of the Jedi that she remembered her mother. For another, and more significantly, Star Wars had and gave up the opportunity to extend Padmé’s story a bit longer.

At one point, Padmé was meant to live on Alderaan for a brief time. This would have been an amazing direction for the character to take, and it could have led to an even more profound end, perhaps with the Empire or Vader himself hunting her down. Sadly, instead, Padmé met a very underwhelming end, representing the single worst mistake in the Star Wars prequel trilogy.

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  Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace

  The beginning of the Skywalker Saga, Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace sees young Anakin Skywalker put on his path to discovering his ability to influence the Force. While attempting to thwart the nefarious Trade Federation in their plans for the planet of Naboo, two Jedi discover an exceptionally-gifted slave with the ability to wield the Force. Little do they know, rescuing him is just the beginning of a saga that will span generations of the Skywalker family.  

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  Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones

  Years after the events of The Phantom Menace, the Skywalker Saga continues with Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. When Senator Padme Amidala’s life is threatened, Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker are tasked with her protection. While Obi-Wan uncovers a clone army made in secret, Anakin falls in love with Padme, marking the beginning of his inevitable fall to the dark side of the Force.

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  Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith

  Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith is the sixth film in the Star Wars franchise and chronologically the third in the Skywalker Saga. Set three years after the events of Attack of the Clones, Anakin Skywalker is tasked with keeping an eye on Chancellor Palpatine while other Jedi battle across the galaxy. In the background, however, a mysterious Sith lord begins to make their move to destroy the Jedi once and for all.

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