George Lucas, the visionary behind the monumental Star Wars franchise, introduced the world to the iconic space saga and some of the most iconic cinematic characters. While the filmmaker has shared mixed sentiments about the subsequent projects, he remains deeply proud of the expansive galaxy he created within the original and prequel trilogies.
However, despite the widespread acclaim and its remarkable success over the years, there has been a segment of fans, who continue to voice their disdain for certain elements of the franchise. Lucas addressed these divisive opinions in an interview while acknowledging the inevitability of such remarks.
George Lucas Addressed the Divisive Opinions on Star Wars Comic Sidekicks
In an interview with Empire, George Lucas reflected on the “stinging reviews” of Star Wars, which criticized the film’s dialogues and cast’s performance, along with expressing disdain for the lack of story and too much special effect.
Lucas, however, dismissed the significance of these critiques as he shared, “That same review got moved to Empire Strikes Back… to Return Of The Jedi and that is the review that is getting reprinted now.” Something similar was followed regarding some side characters such as C-3PO and Jar Jar Binks.
“The irony was that it was written about Star Wars that in C3PO I had created the most irritating character ever created on film. Now one of the reviews for The Phantom Menace says in Jar Jar I have created the most irritating character ever created on film.”
The filmmaker also noted that such remarks often come from the fan base who prefer a more serious tone for movies rather than embracing comic sidekick characters and have continued to voice their dislike for such characters.
“That same group of fans absolutely hated R2 and C3PO in the first film; in the second film they hated Yoda, he was not a well-liked character — In the third film, they hated the Ewoks, couldn’t stand the cute little sidekick characters.”
Lucas also reaffirmed that these characters would continue to appear in the epic space saga despite some fans’ discomfort. And the 79-year-old filmmaker did not hesitate to clap back at the fans who despised this certain aspect of the franchise.
George Lucas’ Blunt Response to Toxic Star Wars Fans
Despite the criticism, George Lucas affirmed that he would continue to feature these characters in the galactic saga. He also suggested that if anyone is bothered by their presence, “they should go back and see The Matrix or something.”
Lucas also shared that he would not abandon characters like Jar Jar Binks, arguing that “these are PG movies” and such characters are extremely popular among kids. “Most of the people who go to the movie, at least 95 percent, love Jar Jar,” he noted.
The American Graffiti director also suggested that such criticism of the film could potentially be rooted in ageism and societal perceptions of what is considered “cool” or “hip.” However, he advised the viewers to embrace the diverse characters without fear of judgment.
Star Wars original and prequel trilogy is available to stream on Disney+.
