History YMMV / StarWars

** Initially Anakin Skywalker was seen as such, with the split manifesting between those who liked or hated the Prequel Trilogy. He was either seen as someone with a compelling fall to the Dark Side whose issues with attachments and possessiveness are well pronounced onscreen and whose flaws culminating in his turn make Darth Vader a more compelling antagionist, or a whiny entitled brat failed to satisfyingly mesh with either the Original Trilogy's heroic description of him or his later characterization as Darth Vader and whose [[ProtagonistJourneyToVillain fall]] was overreliant on his desire to save those he loved, particularly Padmé Amidala in ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'', over more compelling reasons, with his presentation on-screen being "ruined" by either George Lucas' scriptwriting, Hayden Christensen's supposed acting, or both. [[CharacterPerceptionEvolution Opinions]] have since shifted following his [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap portrayal]] in ''[[WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars The Clone Wars]]'', and the character is much warmly regarded than before with the causes of his turn to the Dark Side being seen to have be better plotted and planned in contrast to the below-mentioned Kylo Ren.
** Padmé Amidala is seen as either a tragic figure whose romance with Anakin is a compelling, [[{{Adorkable}} endearing]], and tragic love story giving Anakin a sympathetic reason to turn to the Dark Side and whose DeathByDespair is perfectly justified by the fact that everything she believed in broke down around her as Anakin turned to the Dark Side, or a poorly written character whose romance with Anakin is devoid of any chemistry or likability, reduces her from a strong political leader to someone that pines over Anakin despite him admitting to killing children in front of her, and who is extremely [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGOodCHaracter underutilized in the Prequels themselves]] in part due to the focus on her romance with Anakin with no attention given to her role as a political leader after ''Film/ThePhantomMenace''. As with Anakin, opinions on her has shifted in part towards the positive due to ''The Clone Wars'' and the reevaluation of the Prequels especially in light of the Sequel Trilogy's even more polarizing romance subplot.

** Rey. She is either a likable and badass protagonist with ​a relatable search for an identity, or a boring and invincible protagonist who never faces real struggles and with whom it is impossible to empathize. Her search for an identity in itself is also a source of discussion, as Rian Johnson and JJ Abrams don't seem to agree on which direction to take it and fans are divided on which was the better solution between Rey Nobody and Rey Palpatine (not to mention people who don't like either option). Her FoeRomanceSubtext with Kylo Ren[=/=]Ben Solo is also very polarizing, with some considering it one of the most compelling aspects of the Sequel Trilogy (or even one of its few redeeming qualities) and others thinking instead that it is a forced, poorly written relationship with problematic elements. This is all exacerbated by her essentially getting Luke's hitherto role in the saga (as the restorer of the Jedi) handed to her on a platter, and this role being taken away from Luke is divisive in itself - though it's through ''no'' fault or action of her own, since Kylo Ren destroys the Jedi again ''before'' she enters the story; and that her being female is unfortunately used by both detractors and defenders to deflect or distract from these issues, which would ''still exist if she had been male'' (to the point that some think that it's Kylo Ren and not her who should be recognized as the bigger problem by far).
** Mace Windu. He's either a flawed, yet still good man with a badass fighting style and whom tried his best to do right but failed and has legitimate reasons both distrust Anakin or a DesignatedHero who embodies the worst aspects of the Jedi code and whose actions both planted the early seeds of Vader in Anakin through his distrust going back to when Anakin was 9 and whose perceived dogmatism led to the demise of the order.

** Initially Anakin Skywalker was seen as such, with the split manifesting between those who liked or hated the Prequel Trilogy. He was either seen as someone with a compelling fall to the Dark Side whose issues with attachments and possessiveness are well pronounced onscreen and whose flaws culminating in his turn make Darth Vader a more compelling antagionist, or a whiny entitled brat failed to satisfyingly mesh with either the Original Trilogy's heroic description of him or his later characterization as Darth Vader and whose [[ProtagonistJourneyToVillain fall]] was overreliant on his desire to save those he loved, particularly Padmé Amidala in ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'', over more compelling reasons, with his presentation on-screen being "ruined" by either George Lucas' scriptwriting, Hayden Christensen's supposed acting, or both. [[CharacterPerceptionEvolution Opinions have since shifted following his [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap portrayal]] in ''[[WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars The Clone Wars]]'', and the character is much warmly regarded than before with the causes of his turn to the Dark Side being seen to have be better plotted and planned in contrast to the below-mentioned Kylo Ren.
** Padmé Amidala is seen as either a tragic figure whose romance with Anakin is a compelling, [[{{Adorkable}} endearing]], and tragic love story giving Anakin a reason to turn to the Dark Side and whose DeathByDespair is perfectly justified by the fact that everything she believed in broke down around her as Anakin turned to the Dark Side, or a poorly written character whose romance with Anakin is devoid of any chemistry or likability, reduces her from a strong political leader to someone that pines over Anakin despite him admitting to killing children in front of her, and who is extremely [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGOodCHaracter underutilized in the Prequels themselves]] in part due to the focus on her romance with Anakin with no attention given to her role as a political leader after ''Film/ThePhantomMenace''. As with Anakin, opinions on her has shifted in part towards the positive due to ''The Clone Wars'' and the reevaluation of the Prequels especially in light of the Sequel Trilogy's even more polarizing romance subplot.

** While hated by virtually all that did not like the Prequel Trilogy. within the Prequel Trilogy's fanbase, the negative reaction towards Jar Jar is either justified on its own or overinflated by those who hated the Prequel Trilogy over a character that wasn't that annoying or racially stereotypical in hindsight, with some Prequel fans actually viewing Jar Jar to be one of their favorites. While ''The Clone Wars'' has rehabilitated him to some extent in the eyes of many that did not like the Prequels or liked it but did not like Jar Jar, its' debated within to what extent this makes up for his portrayal in the movies themselves. The fact that Ahmed Best revealed he contemplated suicide over the toxic reaction from fans hasn't exactly helped the debate.

** Padmé Amidala is seen as either a tragic figure whose romance with Anakin is a compelling, [[{{Adorkable}} endearing]], and tragic love story giving Anakin a reason to turn to the Dark Side and whose DeathByDespair is perfectly justified by the fact that everything she believed in broke down around her as Anakin turned to the Dark Side, or a poorly written character whose romance with Anakin is devoid of any chemistry or likability, reduces her from a strong political leader to someone that pines over Anakin despite him admitting to killing children in front of her, and who is extremely underutilized in the Prequels themselves in part due to the focus on her romance with Anakin with no attention given to her role as a political leader after ''Film/ThePhantomMenace''. As with Anakin, opinions on her has shifted in part towards the positive due to ''The Clone Wars'' and the reevaluation of the Prequels especially in light of the Sequel Trilogy's even more polarizing romance subplot.
** Within the Prequel Trilogy's fanbase, the criticism towards Jar Jar is either justified on its own or overinflated by those who hated the Prequel Trilogy over a character that wasn't that annoying or stereotypical in hindsight. Depending on whether it proves to be true, the theory about what Jar Jar might have been all along threatens to blow up the breaks on this base all over again. The fact that Ahmed Best revealed he contemplated suicide over the toxic reaction from fans hasn't exactly helped the debate.
** In regards to the Sequel Trilogy, Rose Tico from ''Film/TheLastJedi'' is perhaps one of the most polarizing characters in the franchise, being seen as either a likable, well-developed heroine who sacrifices more than Finn or Rey or a bland and annoying character who serves little purpose beyond serving as a love interest for Finn. Finally, her speech to Finn in the movie's finale about fighting to "save what we love" is either an insightful nature about what is truly worth fighting for or extremely pretentious and out of place. The fact that her planned character arc in the final film was totally scrapped when JJ Abrams took over the reins dosen't help matters

** Mace Windu. He's either a flawed, yet still good man who tried his best to do right but failed or a DesignatedHero who embodies the worst aspects of the Jedi code whose actions led to the demise of the order.

** Anakin's fanbase vs. hatedom is evenly split between those who liked or hated the Prequel Trilogy. Both sides will praise Anakin for his portrayal in ''[[WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars The Clone Wars]]'' though. Surprisingly, his legendary future self--Darth Vader--has also become a minor example due to the films created by Disney [[CharacterShilling shilling his character to some extent]] (''Film/TheForceAwakens'' makes a point of Kylo Ren [[ToughActToFollow not being able to live up to his predecessor]], while ''Film/RogueOne'' paints Vader as a terrifying, larger-than-life figure to an even greater degree than the Original Trilogy did). For a while, there was some backlash over Darth Vader's page on Wookieepedia being merged into [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Anakin_Skywalker Anakin's page]] for canonical reasons, due to Anakin being a BaseBreakingCharacter while Vader was one of the most universally beloved characters in the franchise. Possibly in response to this, Website/TheOtherWiki [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darth_Vader merged both versions of the character into Vader's page]] due to Vader being the more well-known form in popular culture.
** With fans who solely liked the Original Trilogy, the Ewoks are debated as to whether they are the start of Lucas making mistakes, or aren't that annoying, but should be viewed more [[FranchiseOriginalSin positively in light of Jar Jar's antics]].

** While Boba Fett always had a sizable fanbase, there's an increasing number of people who think that he's an overrated character whose MemeticBadass reputation is undeserved given his on-screen lack of badassery, and are sick of hearing such fans making claims such being able to fight Vader to a standstill if the two ever fought.
** In regards to the Sequel Trilogy, fans are divided over Luke Skywalker's portrayal, particularly in ''The Last Jedi''. Some consider it to be OutOfCharacter whilst others feel it makes logical sense in context. Rose Tico is also a bit of a base-breaker (though not to the same extent). Some love her, some think she's just okay and then there are people who think she's "the [[TheScrappy Jar Jar]] of the Sequel Trilogy".
** Kylo Ren. He's either a nuanced AntiVillain whose inner struggle with his Dark and Light side makes him even more interesting and complex character than his predecessor Darth Vader, or a whiny, unsympathetic PsychopathicManchild with inconsistent characterization, lackluster if not nonexistent motivations, the aforementioned inner struggle being [[InformedAbility unconvincing]], and a character arc that makes no sense. Plus one would think [[spoiler:Anakin's Force ghost would safeguard his grandson or something from the dark side, especially his hero-worship of Darth Vader, cause y'know, Anakin ''is'' Vader]]. This is all exacerbated by the entire sequel trilogy basically hingeing on him being the new Vader in order to happen.

** The original trilogy has C-3PO. Either you like him for being a quirky character and his friendship with R2-D2, or you dislike him for being a worry-wart who doesn't know when to shut up. There's no in-between to this. It didn't help that he was originally viewed as TheScrappy after ''The Empire Strikes Back'', but he has been upgraded to this because of him having both fans and haters.

** If you grew up in [[TheNineties the mid-'90s]], and you were first introduced to ''Franchise/StarWars'' via the 1995 VHS releases, you got treated to an awesome introductory trailer--narrated by the legendary Creator/JimCummings--every time you popped the movies in. Cummings' whole speech is incredible--but when he says [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cej76uN053M&t=58s "The Force...is forever!"]]? Those four words can give any ''Star Wars'' fan the chills.

* ''YMMV/NewJediOrder''

* ''YMMV/BlackFleetCrisis''

** Darth Maul is the most iconic Sith Lord after Vader himself. He was ubiquitous and over-promoted before ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'' and widely considered the best new character in that film. The final duel between him and the two Jedi is among the best fight scenes in the entire franchise. His unique character and lightsaber design, as well as Ray Park's physical performance have kept him as a fan favorite to the extent that his death was undone in ''[[WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars The Clone Wars]]'' and he finally returned BackFromTheDead in live-action at the end of ''Film/{{Solo}}''.

* BadassDecay: [[{{Chickification}} Padmé Amidala]] undergoes this when she becomes pregnant with twins in ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith''. Justified in that she's eight to nine months pregnant. Although some would argue it happened earlier in ''Film/AttackOfTheClones'' with the [[RomanticPlotTumor ill-received romance with Anakin.]]

** In regards to the Sequel Trilogy, fans are divided over Luke Skywalker's portrayal, particularly in ''The Last Jedi''. Some consider it to be OutOfCharacter whilst others feel it makes logical sense in context. Rose Tico is also a bit of a base-breaker (though not to the same extent). Some love her, some think she's just okay and then there are people who think she's "the [[TheScrappy Jar Jar]] of the Sequel Trilogy" (and some would then argue back that's she's nowhere near ''that'' bad...)

** The Prequel Trilogy as a whole is subject to this. They created an entire sub-industry bashing it. The general consensus is that ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'' and ''Film/AttackOfTheClones'' are the two weakest installments in the Prequel Trilogy while ''Revenge of the Sith'' is either seen as a masterpiece or a decent movie but nowhere close to the Original Trilogy's films, with fans and critics feeling that it presented a picture of Vader's downfall that didn't do justice to how they saw the character. Others argue that the Prequel Trilogy's movies are visually gorgeous and beautiful, with greater WorldBuilding that really conveyed a universe filled with diverse planets, amazing detailed action set pieces (the Podrace, the chase over Coruscant at the start of ''Attack of the Clones'' and the opening space battle of ''Revenge of the Sith''). It also communicated an aesthetic that was entirely different from the Original Trilogy (whereas the Sequel Trilogy is often criticized for simply rehashing the look of the Original Trilogy) as well as the best lightsaber duels (Darth Maul in the "Duel of the Fates" and Anakin and Obi-Wan at Mustafar). ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'' in particular has many fans considering it a great movie, as good as the Original Trilogy's first two movies, while others see it as being above-average.

** Darth Vader kicked this trope into high gear and set the standard for future fictional villains. Mostly because he has arguably the most authoritative and commanding voice in film history.

** Chancellor Palpatine[=/=]Darth Sidious thanks to Creator/IanMcDiarmid's performance elevated a generic EvilOverlord into a SatanicArchetype that in the actor's own words is [[EvilerThanThou even more evil]] than Satan. He was widely considered the best character of the Prequel Trilogy, thanks to his genius manipulation of the Jedi, and especially Anakin to serve as his puppets. Palpatine's memetic line-delivery, his mocking of his opponents (such as the famous "deflector shield will be quite operational" and the Darth Plagueis parable), and his unique line deliveries are popular among imitations, and Palpatine itself is a byword for an [[{{Pun}} insidious]] arch-manipulative CorruptPolitician, that some rank alongside Creator/WilliamShakespeare's Iago as an iconic villain.
** Darth Maul is arguably the most iconic Sith Lord after Vader himself. He was ubiquitous and over-promoted before ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'' and widely considered the best new character in that film. The final duel between him and the two Jedi is among the best fight scenes in the entire franchise. His unique character and lightsaber design, as well as Ray Park's physical performance have kept him as a fan favorite to the extent that his death was undone in ''[[WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars The Clone Wars]]'' and he finally returned BackFromTheDead in live-action at the end of ''Film/{{Solo}}''.

** The Stormtroopers are so memetically bad (to the point of exaggeration) at hitting targets that they're the TropeNamer for ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy. Averted with the First Order Stormtroopers, which are better-trained ''and'' actually show it on screen, to the point that "Nines" (the "Traitor!" trooper) is a MemeticBadass.

** Hayden Christensen often comes up as a main culprit for the Prequel Trilogy quality or lack thereof, with the role arguably becoming a StarDerailingRole, despite that he's done work outside the franchise [[Film/ShatteredGlass where he received praise for]]. He was hardly the only actor affected by the Prequel Trilogy's backlash. Natalie Portman, who would become a major star and an Oscar winner a few years later, said she had trouble getting quality work due to a perception from the Prequel Trilogy that she couldn't act. It's a fact that in general, very few actors starting in ''Star Wars'' have big careers due to the SciFiGhetto where agents and producers believe that such films are mainly VFX showcases and not an indicator of acting ability. In the original films, only Creator/HarrisonFord was able to have a successful career[[note]]and mostly because he haggled and tried to get out of its shadow ASAP because he didn't see it as a "real" acting gig and had to be cajoled to finish the trilogy. By comparison, Creator/MarkHamill, despite some good roles in ''Film/TheBigRedOne'', became obscure until his voiceover work, while Creator/CarrieFisher became more successful as a writer, screenwriter and script-doctor[[/note]]. The backlash to the Prequel Trilogy only made it worse, since it added to the perception of "even the fans didn't like him". Many also note that a lot of the off-putting stuff about Christensen's Anakin was very much an IntendedAudienceReaction, i.e. Lucas and Christensen wanted Anakin to come off as a little weird, inarticulate, and petulant precisely to deconstruct Darth Vader's cool reputation and others also point out brilliant acting scenes in the third film. When he reprised the role in ''Series/ObiWanKenobi'' and ''Series/{{Ahsoka}}'', his portrayal of Anakin/Vader in those shows was received much more positively.

** In the original ''Legends'' canon, before the retcon of the inhibitor chip in the Clones, Ki-Adi-Mundi was [[VideoGame/StarWarsBattlefrontII killed immediately]] by his troops because he was callous with their lives. In the actual films, this wasn't hinted at and he looks very betrayed when the Clones level their weapons at him. Over time, there were revelations that he was allowed to marry to keep his species from going extinct[[note]]claimed as hypocritical of the Jedi and Mundi in particular despite the necessity for his species for him to stay in the gene pool unlike humans who are much more widespread[[/note]], that he was allowed into the Order past the normal age[[note]]he was 4 and actively using the force in undisciplined and dangerous ways due to his power and inexperience unlike Anakin was much older and, while more emotionally unstable, was not causing random things to explode with unregulated Force powers[[/note]], that he acted cold to prevent his hotheadedness from causing him to fall to the dark side[[note]]exemplified by his original purple lightsaber and aggressive fighting style[[/note]], that he wasn't allowed to love his family (consisting of 4 wives and 7 daughters) to prevent attachments[[note]]something he notably failed at and even resisted falling to the Dark Side when they were all killed[[/note]], his use of flamethrowers on Geonosis[[note]]despite the fact the Geonosians were using arguably even more horrific weapons thus invalidating this as a war crime[[/note]], and that his dual brains meant he coldly considered people (including Yoda when he was hearing Qui-Gon in his head) as a liability [[note]]Mundi was afraid that the Sith were using dark side powers to attack the Jedi through the bond Yoda shared with Count Dooku[[/note]]. Despite the fact that Mundi was a bright reflection of what Anakin could have been if he stayed in the light and that all of his above actions were justified, people have started to paint him as a sociopath and everything wrong with the Jedi Order. Mundi was allowed to be an exception to so many rules because he was so disciplined, self-reflective, forward thinking, and morally grounded unlike Anakin who was showing constant red flags.

** Likewise with the heroes and Vader, Emperor Palpatine is universally regarded as the franchise's greatest antagonist, and is also one of the few characters that fans of the Prequel Trilogy and Original Trilogy can agree on as being executed well in both trilogies. It also helps that like Vader, Palpatine comes with his own array of memorable quotes, arguably being the most quotable character in the franchise, as well as his actor, Creator/IanMcDiarmid being a nice guy, and that Palpatine is very terrifying, especially in ''Return of the Jedi''.

** Averted with Creator/JackKirby who did remark on what he thought were borrowings from his Fourth World comic book series to ''Franchise/StarWars'', chiefly the character Darkseid who is similar to both Darth Vader and Palpatine, while Darth Vader's costume seems like a black-palette version of ComicBook/DoctorDoom's costume, and the Force is similar to the Source. Kirby however was [[SincerestFormOfFlattery quite pleased with this]] and was more bemused about how it vindicated his ideas as being commercial over that of his editors who believed ItWillNeverCatchOn. He also became good friends with Creator/MarkHamill.
* TooCoolToLive: Too many to count. Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, Yoda, Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine, Savage Opress, Mace Windu, Jango Fett, Pre Viszla, The Zillo Beast, Count Dooku, General Grievous, Darth Maul, [[spoiler:the Rogue One crew with emphasis on Chirrut, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker]], and almost the entire Jedi Council. Awesomely subverted by Boba Fett and Darth Maul who were simply ''too cool to'' '''die''' and were retconned as having survived their deaths -- Boba managed to fight his way out of the Sarlacc; Darth Maul somehow made his way to the planet Lotho Minor and eked out an existence there until his brother found him and eventually outlived Savage and fought Obi-Wan as an old man on Tatooine [[spoiler:before dying peacefully in his arms when he learns of the ChosenOne being protected by Obi-Wan.]]

* DiscreditedMeme: While complaining about how George Lucas ruined your childhood might have been commonplace on the internet from the 2000s through to the first half of the 2010s; doing it now without irony will, at best, get fans to roll their eyes at you regardless of their opinion on Lucas' handling of the franchise around that time. This is in equal parts due to Lucas' reputation having enjoyed a ''huge'' resurgence since Disney took over the franchise, the various complaints about the Special Editions and prequels having been made so often over the better part of two decades that they've become tired and played-out, and the detrimental effects that complaints about the prequels have had on the mental health of several people involved in making them, most notably Jake Lloyd and Ahmed Best.

** The ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'' and Star Wars fandoms have become this since Disney's buyout of Lucasfilm. It helps that both of them are Disney's flagship DarkerAndEdgier (by Disney standards) fantasy/sci-fi action-adventure pop-culture franchises. It helps that there is some overlap with some actors between the two franchises such as Creator/SamuelLJackson, Creator/TaikaWaititi and Creator/OscarIsaac, while Creator/MarvelStudios head Creator/KevinFeige is making his own Star Wars film.
*** Fans of the more controversial, arthouse-oriented ''Star Wars'' films like ''Film/TheLastJedi'' or ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'' get along with fans of similarly experimental and controversial Marvel films such as ''Film/{{Eternals}}'' and ''Film/BlackPantherWakandaForever''.

** A lot of fans agree this is the reason why they might give the Prequel Trilogy a chance.

** As a result of being the supervising director of ''The Clone Wars'' (along with the executive producer of ''The Mandalorian''), Creator/DaveFiloni has achieved deity status among a new generation of ''Star Wars'' viewers by the end of the series' original run thanks to his work. The announcement that Dave has [[UnCanceled revived]] ''The Clone Wars'' after SDCC '18 practically has sent this into the stratosphere.

*** Ditto the clone army: it's one thing for slavery to exist on a backwater WretchedHive like Tatooine (and for Qui-gon to say he didn't come to the planet to free slaves, which while unfortunate is literally true in context), and quite another for the Jedi to willingly command an army of millions or billions[[note]][[SciFiWritersHave/NoSenseOfUnits depending on whether you read Legends- or Disney-era sources]][[/note]] of purpose-bred SlaveMooks. While ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'' takes a much more sympathetic view of the Jedis' participation than the Legends-era ''Literature/RepublicCommandoSeries'' did, it never really faces up to the fact that [[GoldenMeanFallacy being nice to your slaves doesn't make them not slaves]].

** Japan has likewise always been a big market for ''Star Wars'', with many Japanese being attentive to its influences from Creator/AkiraKurosawa (at the time, his popularity was low in his home country, and Lucas, partially, helped revive it, later producing his film ''Film/{{Kagemusha}}'', and many younger Japanese learned to appreciate Kurosawa based on their exposure to ''Star Wars''). It's had a huge impact on anime and manga, with authors like Creator/AkiraToriyama and Creator/KentaroMiura citing the Original Trilogy as influences their work. The Japanese also liked the Prequel Trilogy and responded to it more positively than elsewhere, and it still has a good reputation there, as does Lucas. The influence of ''Star Wars'' in Japan can also be found in the video game industry, which broke into the mainstream only a few years after the first movie came out. In particular, franchises like ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'', ''VideoGame/StarFox'', and the ''Xeno'' metaseries (''VideoGame/{{Xenogears}}'', ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}'', and ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles'') are rife with many a ShoutOut to ''Star Wars'', as well as Disney's own ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' franchise, where ''Star Wars'' is one of the most requested world additions for [[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIV the fourth numbered installment]] on both sides of the pacific.

** The Prequel Trilogy's portrayal of Anakin Skywalker by Creator/HaydenChristensen was widely derided on release for being a whiny and selfish brat failing to mesh with the heroic image build of him in the Original Trilogy, their fall to evils [[FanDislikedExplanation unsatisfying explanation]] of tying into their [[StrangledByTheRedString poorly done romance]], and [[BadassDecay ruining the image of Darth Vader]]. After ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'' [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap redeemed]] Anakin, many fans positively reevaluated his portrayal in the Prequel Trilogy, noting that Anakin's numerous flaws presented throughout said trilogy retroactively make logical sense (and were probably intentional, given that Anakin's issues are what led him to fall to the DarkSide in the first place) thanks to ''The Clone Wars'' along with the fact that Hayden still gave a phenomenal performance and that much of his faults lied more in external restrictions than any issues with the character. Anakin's more favorable reception with fans also strengthened when his Sequel Trilogy {{Expy}}, Kylo Ren, became similarly contentious (again, save for his acting) due to the [[WritingByTheSeatOfYourPants the lack of consistent script direction]], highlighting how better planned and written Anakin's story was in retrospect. When Hayden reprised his role as Anakin in ''Series/ObiWanKenobi'', his performance was widely anticipated and praised.

** Hayden Christensen often comes up as a main culprit for the Prequel Trilogy quality or lack thereof, with the role arguably becoming a StarDerailingRole, despite that he's done work outside the franchise [[Film/ShatteredGlass where he received praise for]]. He was hardly the only actor affected by the Prequel Trilogy's backlash. Natalie Portman, who would become a major star and an Oscar winner a few years later, said she had trouble getting quality work due to a perception from the Prequel Trilogy that she couldn't act. It's a fact that in general, very few actors starting in ''Star Wars'' have big careers due to the SciFiGhetto where agents and producers believe that such films are mainly VFX showcases and not an indicator of acting ability. In the original films, only Creator/HarrisonFord was able to have a successful career[[note]]and mostly because he haggled and tried to get out of its shadow ASAP because he didn't see it as a "real" acting gig and had to be cajoled to finish the trilogy. By comparison, Creator/MarkHamill, despite some good roles in ''Film/TheBigRedOne'', became obscure until his voiceover work, while Creator/CarrieFisher became more successful as a writer, screenwriter and script-doctor[[/note]]. The backlash to the Prequel Trilogy only made it worse, since it added to the perception of "even the fans didn't like him". Many also note that a lot of the off-putting stuff about Christensen's Anakin was very much an IntendedAudienceReaction, i.e. Lucas and Christensen wanted Anakin to come off as a little weird, inarticulate, and petulant precisely to deconstruct Darth Vader's cool reputation and others also point out brilliant acting scenes in the third film. When he reprised the role in ''Series/ObiWanKenobi'', his portrayal of Anakin/Vader was received much more positively.

** Creator/AhmedBest, the voice-actor, and motion-capture performer for Jar-Jar Binks also got a lot of vitriol for the character. In 2018 he pointed out how the backlash upset and hurt him that he flirted with suicide. Much like Christensen and Lloyd, he was targeted for the hatred fans felt towards his character. Jar-Jar becoming a punchline and laughing stock completely obscured everything else about his performance and contribution. Chiefly that Jar-Jar was the first all CGI character and Best and the VFX team were pioneers in motion-capture performance, which set the standard for Gollum and the Na'vi, but the stigma of playing Jar-Jar has rarely let his contributions being properly respected, nor as his other diverse talents, as a stuntman, and dancer, and voice-actor (Jar-Jar is absolutely not his real voice) gotten notice.

* DiscreditedMeme: Complaining about how George Lucas ruined your childhood might have been commonplace on the internet from the 2000s through to the first half of the 2010s, but doing it now will at best cause fans to roll their eyes at you, and at worst will get you flamed to a crisp. This is in equal parts due to Lucas' reputation having enjoyed a ''huge'' resurgence since Disney took over the franchise, the various complaints about the Special Editions and prequels having been made so often over the better part of two decades that they've become tired and played-out, and the detrimental effects that complaints about the prequels have had on the mental health of several people involved in making them, most notably Jake Lloyd and Ahmed Best.

** Kylo Ren seems to be headed this way too, probably because he [[CryForTheDevil affects sympathetic qualities]], has a [[EvilIsCool cool costume]], a cool [[CoolSword lightsaber]] and is played by the talented and handsome Creator/AdamDriver. Some of his fans overlook the fact he's a violent, unstable murderer who killed [[spoiler:his own father, Han Solo, himself a fan-favourite]], constantly [[NeverMyFault blaming]] his parents and relatives for his own life choices, and for all his talk about commitment to the Dark Side and the NostalgiaFilter of TheEmpire, generally lacking in personal loyalty and discipline as a soldier, commander, and leader, with seemingly little in the way of real ideological conviction ([[spoiler:as evidenced by his coup on Snoke, his murder of the Guards by teaming up with Rey, and then lying about his coup to usurp the First Order in a cold-blooded manner]]) in anything other [[ItsAllAboutMe than his own ego]].

** Due to Creator/KathleenKennedy producing some of the later English dubs under Creator/{{Disney}}, ''Star Wars'' fans have been friendly with fans of Creator/StudioGhibli. It also helps that some of the dub actors in Ghibli films have appeared in Star Wars such as Creator/MarkHamill, Creator/LiamNeeson, Creator/WernerHerzog, Creator/DaisyRidley, and Creator/AshleyEckstein. Rey's introductory scene in ''Film/TheForceAwakens'' being an extended homage to ''Anime/NausicaaOfTheValleyOfTheWind'', and an official Ghibli-Lucasfilm collab short film featuring [[Series/TheMandalorian Grogu]] and the [[Anime/MyNeighborTotoro Dust Bunnies]] may be seen as an acknowledgement of the friendly fandoms.

* GenreTurningPoint: It cannot be overstated how much the original ''Star Wars'' changed the landscape of cinema. No other film since perhaps the ''Film/TheJazzSinger'' had as much of an impact on the way the industry made and marketed its film. It marked the start of blockbuster theatrical films and set the standard for money-spinning franchises, sequels, and merchandising. It did unfortunately, contributed greatly to the end of the UsefulNotes/NewHollywood and the decline of the adult movie audience. Much to the dismay of many movie critics, film-makers and, more recently, Creator/GeorgeLucas [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEIrQUXm_hY himself]]:

** The level of vocal criticism towards the changes in Special Edition, and the level of knowledge people have of GeorgeLucasAlteredVersion is also pretty recent. These were originally non-controversial on initial releases, with only a few fans noticing the changes made there and getting little reproach from critics on these grounds[[note]]Most complaints were still on the level of "[[ItsPopularNowItSucks Star Wars is still popular]]" and "[[UsefulNotes/TheBlockbusterAgeOfHollywood this ruined American cinema]]"[[/note]]. Most of the collaborators behind-the-scenes such as Irvin Kershner, director of ''The Empire Strikes Back'' wholeheartedly approved them. The general public did not notice these changes or became aware of the extent of Lucas' alterations until the spread of the internet (late-'90s-2010s), and the ''very recent'' mainstreaming of nerd culture (The famous ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' parody was the first time many learnt about it) and now it's one of the biggest things known about Star Wars.

** Japan has likewise always been a big market for ''Star Wars'', with many Japanese being attentive to its influences from Creator/AkiraKurosawa (at the time his popularity was low in his home country, and Lucas, partially, helped revive it, later producing his film ''Film/{{Kagemusha}}'' and many younger Japanese learned to appreciate Kurosawa based on their exposure to ''Star Wars''). It's had a huge impact on anime and manga, with authors like Creator/AkiraToriyama and Creator/KentaroMiura citing the Original Trilogy as influences their work. The Japanese also liked the Prequel Trilogy and responded to it more positively than elsewhere and it still has a good reputation there, as does Lucas. The influence of ''Star Wars'' in Japan can also be found in the video game industry, which broke into the mainstream only a few years after the first movie came out. In particular, franchises like ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'', ''VideoGame/StarFox'', and the ''Xeno'' metaseries (''VideoGame/{{Xenogears}}'', ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}'', and ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles'') are rife with many a ShoutOut to ''Star Wars'', as well as Disney's own ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' franchise where ''Star Wars'' is one of the most requested world additions for [[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIV the fourth numbered installment]] on both sides of the pacific.

** ''The Last Jedi'' brought a backlash to Disney's films leading to intense discussions among fans not seen since the release of ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack''. Detractors insist that fans of ''The Last Jedi'', are pretentious Disney sycophants who approve of the [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks wholesale derailment of the franchise]] and all it stands for (not to mention the various [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitical political]] arguments involved). Defenders insist that people who dislike ''The Last Jedi'' are bitter angry trolls who fail to recognize the prestigious artistic merit of the boldest movie in the franchise and want ''Star Wars'' to [[ItsTheSameSoItSucks stagnate]] (to once again say nothing of the various [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitical political]] arguments involved).

** Hungary was the only Eastern Bloc country to localize the original trilogy at the time of it's release (due to the more lenient "Goulash Communism" put into place following the 1956 revolution), and as result of that, it's much bigger there than anywhere in the area. How much bigger? ''Revenge of the Sith'' opened with 1.2 million USD in Hungary (a country of 10 million), just 25% less, than its 1.6 million opening in Poland -- a country that's almost four times more populous. It's also close to ten times as much as it made in Romania, that's twice as big as Hungary.

** Hungary was the only Eastern Block country to localize the original trilogy at the time of it's release (due to the more lenient "Goulash Communism" put into place following the 1956 revolution), and as result of that, it's much bigger there than anywhere in the area. How much bigger? ''Revenge of the Sith'' opened with 1.2 million USD in Hungary (a country of 10 million), just 25% less, than its 1.6 million opening in Poland -- a country that's almost four times more populous. It's also close to ten times as much as it made in Romania, that's twice as big as Hungary.

** The films also achieved popularity in the Soviet Union, fittingly since Lucas has often testified to the influence that Soviet film-makers had on his work. Initially the films were circulated via pirated versions, mostly short clips shown on TV, other VHS bootlegs with fan-made local dubs, and smuggled in secret but in 1990, it was released officially and became a success, and Star Wars has only become more popular after the Cold War ended, especially in the former Eastern Bloc nations of Poland, Ukraine, and Russia.