- yesterday
Those Star Wars characters that were taken way too soon!
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00Admittedly, some deaths are definitely necessary along the way when telling such an epic tale
00:05like the ones found in Star Wars, with the loss of powerful Jedi Masters, despicable
00:10villains and lovable rogues helping to add emotional weight or delivering a much-needed
00:15win in various projects over the years.
00:18But then there are those sudden fatalities that just felt like a gigantic waste of some
00:22of the coolest and most intriguing figures this franchise has ever known.
00:27So I'm Gareth, this is WhatCultureStarWars and here are 10 Star Wars deaths that should
00:32never have happened.
00:34Number 10, Val
00:35Introduced during the spin-off tale known as Solo, A Star Wars Story, Val was a rather spiky
00:42criminal seen working alongside the likes of Tobias Beckett and Han Solo early on in the
00:47flick.
00:47But then, just as viewers were beginning to warm to the initially quite cold but undeniably
00:52cool scoundrel, Val suddenly sacrificed herself in order to give her team the best chance of
00:57completing the mission to steal some coaxium off her transport.
01:00This wasn't actually the original plan though.
01:03According to the terrific Tandyway Newton, the star bringing Val to life on screen, her
01:08character actually survived in the script, instead just falling away and disappearing after
01:12the aforementioned explosion, so she could potentially show up in another Star Wars story.
01:17In the end, the fact that moment was too huge a set piece to create resulted in a change
01:22of plan.
01:23It was simpler to just have Val die instead, as Newton recalled.
01:27But it's hard to argue with the actor's opinion of the entire thing being a big, big
01:31mistake, after Star Wars finally opted to introduce the first black woman with a quote
01:36unquote real role in one of these movies, only to stupidly kill her off within the first
01:4140 minutes.
01:42Now I want to know who was your favourite character in a Star Wars spin-off story?
01:46Was it Val before she was stupidly killed?
01:48Or somebody else?
01:49You let me know in the comments section down below.
01:52Number 9, Maroc
01:53From the moment a certain red spinning lightsaber-wielding figure popped up during the trailers for Disney
01:59Plus' Ahsoka series, folks began speculating about exactly who this potential inquisitor
02:04was.
02:06Said mystery continued on throughout the first few episodes of The Marvelous Show, with
02:10the spooky helmet-wearing mercenary known as Maroc largely just knocking around with Balen
02:15Skull and Morgan Elsbeth, or clashing with Ahsoka Tano, all without officially revealing
02:20who slash what was underneath said mask.
02:23Would Maroc ultimately reveal himself to be one of Ahsoka's old enemies from her past,
02:27or even a more recognisable and shocking face like Ezra Bridger?
02:31Sadly not.
02:32He was just unceremoniously killed during his second duel with Anakin Skywalker's apprentice
02:37in episode 4, with the only real clue as to who Maroc was coming in the form of the green
02:41mist and screams that escaped his body after Tano unleashed the fatal blow.
02:46Was he actually a night brother all along?
02:48That green gas certainly looks similar to the magic used by the Nightsisters seen elsewhere
02:53in the series, a power that has also been used to bring the dead back to life.
02:57Perhaps Dave Filoni and co still have plans for the strange force-sensitive villain in the
03:02upcoming season 2, and will find a way to reanimate one of the biggest mysteries in recent Star
03:07Wars history.
03:08If not though, most would likely agree the intriguing new antagonist was taken way too soon, being
03:14disappointingly cut down without ever fully explaining what in the hell Maroc even was.
03:20Number 8, Admiral Agbar
03:22The iconic fish-faced Star Wars military commander who famously let audiences know it was a trap
03:29during the original trilogy had a decent old run in the Skywalker saga, but you would be
03:34lying if you said you weren't even a little bit frustrated about the way the great Admiral
03:38Jeel Ackbar's time in the galaxy far, far away was brought to an end.
03:42After surviving the Clone Wars, helping the Rebel Alliance take down a Death Star, and eventually
03:47going on to serve in Leia Organa's resistance, the Mon Calamari legend was swiftly murdered in
03:52the most underwhelming way imaginable in Episode 8, The Last Jedi.
03:56When said daughter of Vader was blasted out of the Raddus by the First Order,
04:01Ackbar was among the many blown to smithereens during that shocking attack.
04:05That was it, one of the most respected military leaders ever to fight the good fight in Star
04:09Wars just gone, and with only a throwaway line acknowledging his sudden death.
04:15Though Ackbar was never a starring figure in those original flicks or his TV appearances,
04:20he definitely deserved a more dramatic and emotional send-off or sacrifice than the waste of an
04:25off-screen end he was given in the sequels. Fans aren't the only ones who were annoyed by the
04:29way this death went down either, with Tim Rose, the man inside the suit, also expressing
04:34disappointment over such a lackluster conclusion for the Rebel hero.
04:38Number 7, Captain Phasma
04:40Another eye-catching antagonist dispatched way too early into their run in the galaxy far,
04:45far away popped up during the sequel trilogy, with the shiny badass known as Captain Phasma instantly
04:51turning heads from the moment she popped up in Episode 7 The Force Awakens promotional material.
04:56I mean, just look at her. A rather uneventful showing in that first sequel flick got her off
05:01to a pretty poor start, as supposedly one of the First Order's most intimidating leaders.
05:06But there was still hope she could redeem herself after it was revealed she'd survived the destruction
05:10of Starkiller Base in the 2017 follow-up. Sadly though, Phasma's return didn't last all that long,
05:16and she was ultimately beaten by Finn in what ended up being her only real duel in the series.
05:22Had Phasma somehow found a way to cheat death once again after her Episode 8 The Last Jedi Fall
05:27through the flames? Then perhaps there's a world where Episode 9 ended with one hell of a rematch
05:32between the Chrome Captain and Finn. Watching a scarred and unhinged Phasma wrecking everyone
05:37in her path to finally get revenge on the traitor who ruined her life, would have made for a seriously
05:43compelling addition to the poorest entry into the sequel series. It also would have kept the Stormtrooper
05:48from becoming yet another utterly wasted villain.
05:52Number 6, Supreme Leader Snoke
05:54Whilst on that subject of completely fumbled bad guys in the Star Wars sequels, arguably the most
06:00unexpected and annoying murder of the entire Skywalker saga went down during Episode 8 The Last Jedi.
06:06After being built as the series' new big villain to be feared in the prior flick,
06:10and putting in a frightening shift during his first few moments in Rian Johnson's follow-up,
06:15the unsettling Supreme Leader Snoke appeared to be the real evil deal.
06:20Despite years of fans dreaming up compelling scenarios where he would have been revealed
06:24as Palpatine's master Darth Plagueis, or perhaps even the Mortis god known as the Sun though,
06:30Snoke was eventually chopped in two before those answers could be revealed in Episode 8.
06:34Then, if not getting the chance to see Snoke really flex his muscles as the galaxy's latest,
06:39seemingly unstoppable villainous force wasn't bad enough, Episode 9 The Rise of Skywalker
06:44ultimately came along, and completely ruined the character by simply letting folks know
06:48he was just an artificial strangcast, used by the returning Emperor Palpatine to control
06:53the galaxy from afar.
06:55As the apparent top villain of the films, Snoke was always destined to be struck down at some
07:00point of course, would have perhaps killed the need to foolishly resurrect old Palpatine
07:04as that final film's main antagonist, and perhaps save Snoke from one of the silliest
07:09and most dissatisfying origin stories in Star Wars history.
07:13Cheers for watching this video today!
07:15Tap on that subscribe button down below for more WhatCulture Star Wars magic.
07:19This is where the fun begins.
07:21Number 5, General Grievous
07:23From the sequel's completely wasted baddies, to the prequel's collection of underutilized
07:29villains now, and to a merciless cyborg almost as formidable as Darth Vader himself.
07:35Bursting onto the scene during Episode 3 Revenge of the Sith, the grotesque and sinister General
07:40Grievous simply commanded your attention right away.
07:43His spluttering, cough-growling mechanical voice, and collection of lightsabers from many
07:48a defeated Jedi, quickly had folks interested in this new monster of a Kaleesh.
07:53Before they could learn much more about him on the big screen however, Grievous was gunned down
07:58by a usually quite civilized Obi-Wan Kenobi.
08:00He would at least get a few more moments to shine in the Clone Wars animated series,
08:05with that show even exploring the General's fascinating lair.
08:09But had Grievous managed to wiggle out of danger once again, instead of falling to Kenobi
08:13after one of the more disappointing lightsaber duels of the prequels, there's every chance
08:18the Jedi-killing General could have continued serving Emperor Palpatine's new empire throughout
08:22the Rebel series.
08:24Imagine that!
08:25Or perhaps a magnificent clash with fellow cyborg Vader could have occurred, after Darth
08:29Sidious decided Grievous' talents were no longer needed.
08:33Either way, there were still a few interesting Grievous stories left to tell before his rushed
08:38death on Utapau.
08:40Number 4, Padme Amidala
08:41Padme Amidala's death was one of those that always had to go down at some point before the
08:47original trilogy got underway.
08:48But Luke and Leia's mother dying due to the fearless senator losing the will to live,
08:53was an utterly horrendous way to kill off the important figure, and should never have
08:57happened.
08:58Instead, having Padme go into hiding, while still sending Luke off to be with his uncle
09:03and having the Organas look after Leia to protect her children from Darth Vader, could
09:07have led to a far more emotional and dramatic end later down the road.
09:11Amidala could have secretly helped build the Rebel Alliance that would oppose the oppressive
09:15Empire and possibly even checked in on young Leia from time to time too, making the princess's
09:21eventual comments about her mother during Episode 6 Return of the Jedi feel a little less odd
09:26in hindsight.
09:27Vader would have then no doubt discovered her at some point, which would have led to another
09:30awkward chat with a lying Palpatine, and perhaps a far more tragic death for Padme after
09:35she once again turned down the chance to join her hubby.
09:39Without Obi-Wan there to tell him to let her go, Vader's anger at being lied to and
09:45betrayed would have likely taken over, before lashing out and killing his beloved in a fit
09:50of dark side range.
09:52Number 3, Cad Bane
09:54Thankfully, the baddest bounty hunter in the galaxy not named Boba Fett can still be found
09:59popping up in new Star Wars projects in the wake of his unexpected death in the Book of
10:04Boba Fett.
10:04But even with Cad Bane being confirmed to return in the Bad Batch's third season, set just
10:10after the Clone Wars, many are still upset over the fact this blue-skinned sharpshooter's
10:14life was seemingly ended not long after his live-action debut.
10:18Sure, it was still awesome watching Fett clash with his old mentor during that aforementioned
10:22Disney Plus series finale.
10:24However, if this death is actually final, then Boba's stabbing of the Juros Cowboy has robbed
10:29fans of a number of equally compelling showdowns.
10:33Just imagine watching Bane exchange blaster fire with Din Djarin, clash with Ahsoka Tano
10:38once again, or possibly even share the screen with fellow blue-skinned villain Grand Admiral
10:43Thrawn in live-action during the New Republic timeline.
10:46Hopefully then, like many of the other apparently dead Star Wars personalities over the years,
10:51this isn't actually the end for the beloved menace.
10:53Because if it is, the coolest gunslinger out there being taken out this early into his
10:58live-action run would be seriously anticlimactic.
11:02Number 2, Morgan Elsbeth
11:03Hopping back to Disney Plus' latest live-action Star Wars TV adventure, the first season of
11:09Ahsoka saw another enigmatic individual getting killed rather unexpectedly.
11:14Before showing up in this show, Morgan Elsbeth was last seen colliding with the titular force
11:19wielder during The Mandalorian's second season.
11:21Here, Ahsoka defeated the Magistrate, leading to Tano requesting information about Grand
11:26Admiral Thrawn's whereabouts.
11:28Jumping forward to the time of Ahsoka's first season, and after ultimately escaping
11:32the clutches of the New Republic and discovering that her master was trapped on the extra-galactic
11:36world of Peridia, Elsbeth eventually jumped to that galaxy to rescue Thrawn.
11:41And after all that hard work, she was then rewarded with the gift of shadows and powerful
11:46blade of Talzin, before agreeing to stay behind and keep Tano and co from thwarting
11:51Thrawn's plans to get off world.
11:53But it was that move which eventually resulted in this spooky Nightsister suddenly being taken
11:57out by Tano, after yet another wonderful duel between the two in the show's finale.
12:02Not long after seemingly being given a boost by the Great Mothers, and handed such an impressive
12:07weapon, Elsbeth was just given the same treatment as Marok, sliced through the stomach before
12:12she could ever really grow into a properly terrifying threat.
12:15Which was a bit of a letdown really.
12:17Again, Nightsister magic could help reverse a death some feel was a waste of the character's
12:22potential later on, but for now it does seem like Elsbeth's story has come to a frustratingly
12:26premature end.
12:28Number 1, Mace Windu
12:30After just being swatted away by the dark side duo of Darth Sidious and Anakin Skywalker
12:35in Episode 3 Revenge of the Sith, the chance to have the magnificent Samuel L. Jackson dust
12:41off his cloak in future installments as the unforgivably wasted Mace Windu, was seemingly
12:46and rather infuriatingly shot out of the window too.
12:50Making it so, this one-armed Windu instead fell from this great height and remarkably survived
12:55though.
12:55After all, Jedi can't fall from amazing distances according to the actor himself, before then
13:01going into exile like Obi-Wan and Yoda did, could open up the opportunity for one last
13:05terrific ride for Jackson in one of Star Wars' upcoming live-action series.
13:10Who wouldn't want to watch a live-action grizzled old Windu interacting with an older Ahsoka Tano?
13:16Or the son of the bounty hunter he decapitated on Geonosis all those years ago again, eh?
13:21As recently as 2022, Jackson was also talking about trying to convince Bryce Dallas Howard
13:26to get him into the Mandalorian series, telling the Happy Sad Confused podcast that he was
13:30ready to return and could learn lightsaber left-handed.
13:34So what are you waiting for, guys?
13:35It's time to undo one more Star Wars death and bring some Mace back to this place.
Recommended
10:24
|
Up next
10:39
12:25
12:23
11:41
12:03
2:54
1:30
12:13