Star Wars: A New Hope was a cultural moment in cinema history upon its release in 1977. From spin-offs to TV series and comic books, new material has kept feeding fans with more Star Wars stories. The sci-fi universe sprung from the mind of George Lucas has long amassed a cult following. For some hardcore fans, Star Wars even amounts to a full-blown religion. But with such intense devotion comes scrutiny. And passionate fans have voiced their discontent on more than one occasion over the years. So, let’s rewind and dive into some of the most controversial moments in Star Wars history.
Leia flying through space – The Last Jedi
The Last Jedi might have been the most polarising Star Wars movie of all time. While critics responded mostly positively to Rian Johnson’s take on the franchise, many diehard fans hated episode VIII with a passion. And among quite a few egregious moments, Space Leia seemed too much to take in.
Taking place halfway through the film, the scene initially appeared as a bold creative decision to kill off the character in the wake of Carrie Fisher’s tragic passing, up until Princess Leia awoke to fly through space like some magical fairy. As eyebrow-raising as it was, the scene left several fans wondering how the Force could be so powerful as to cheat death itself. And even the most elaborate theories failed to explain this bizarre moment.
Greedo shooting first – A New Hope
Some Star Wars scenes have stirred controversy for ages. And Han Solo taking down Greedo caused some heated debate over four decades. In the original theatrical release of episode IV, Han Solo gunned down the Rodian bounty hunter first. But George Lucas later changed the scene not to make the character appear as a cold-blooded killer.
While the filmmaker only intended to clear up the confusion, the 1997 special edition irked many long-time fans. An updated 2004 DVD release edited the scene once more, having Greedo fire just before Solo. Fast forward to 2019 and Disney Plus’ version changed the “Han shot first” scene once again.
Anakin’s cringe-inducing opinion on sand – Attack of the Clones
The “I don’t like sand” dialogue is far from the most glaring issue about the prequel trilogy. From poor writing decisions to Jar Jar Binks’ very existence, fans were pretty vocal about the prequel’s shortcomings. But the romantic subplot between Anakin and Padmé angered them even more.
Incidentally, this weird dialogue, and even clumsier delivery, came to epitomise this clichéd characterisation. Little did actors Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensen know this not-so-memorable quote would spawn an endless list of memes that united even the most divided fans.
Canto Bight – The Last Jedi
Many diehard fans have called Canto Bight the worst arc in the saga. The sequence plays out on the desert planet of Cantonica as Rose and Finn track down the Master Codebreaker. Alongside BB-8, they head to the casino city of Canto Bight. Despite intriguing premises, many fans berated the scene for its patchy pacing and irrelevance to the plot. And while taking visual inspiration from James Bond flicks, the casino scenes failed to reach the tension and impact of such memorable scenes as Casino Royale’s opening sequence.
Gambling is no stranger to Star Wars lore, however, with card games like sabacc making canon appearances. Notoriously cool gamblers like Lando Calrissian also had fans eager to hit the casino, even in countries lacking brick-and-mortar venues like Thailand. Luckily, online platforms now offer classics like รูà¹à¸¥à¹à¸à¸à¸à¸à¹à¸¥à¸à¹ (roulette). A casino staple, this game of chance boasts straightforward enough rules for a fun session. Users can even spin the wheel on mobile. Plus, lofty bonuses await gamblers to play it like Lando and Han Solo.
Leia kissing Luke – The Empire Strikes Back
Recent Star Wars pictures may have proven divisive, but the original movies were never immune to criticism. And this iconic kiss scene would make waves for years. Upon filming A New Hope, George Lucas had reportedly mapped out about twelve films. However, a few details and narrative arcs still needed some polishing.
This kiss scene eventually turned out much more disturbing when Luke and Leia were revealed to be siblings. As Lucas himself never addressed the issue, much remains to be discussed about Luke and Leia’s kiss. But the incestuous undertones of the main protagonists’ relationship are still prone to controversy.
