patrick

Darth Vader is iconic the way he is because he's always been that way. If he had been a woman from the start, maybe she'd be just as iconic, or maybe not. But changing him would be a moronic desecration of a great character.

Women can be sinister and iconic. Kreia from KotOR 2 is a good example from Star Wars. Outside of Star Wars, there's the Red Queen from the Resident Evil movie. The scene when she turns to look at Alice and the Umbrella Corp soldiers and says "You're all going to die down here." Is pretty intimidating and iconic. But yeah, Darth Vader is already an established character, changing him wouldn't work. It's his established traits that makes him who he is, and any changes would lessen that.

Jody

15 years ago I'd have agreed with you, but with the way movies and TV shows are today? Hard .

But yeah, Satele is awesome. Especially in the early stages of the war, and when she hooks up with Darth Marr's force ghost. I'd have loved to see a movie or short TV show based on Nomi Sunrider too, the Jedi who developed the force severing technique.

Andor is the last gasping breath of yet another dead IP. I hope you're well paid for these articles, because they're running out of franchises to run into the ground. And when they do, you're out of a job.

Want strong female characters in Star Wars? A pity Disney retcon'd the EU, it was full of them. Mara Jade, Jaina Solo, Lumiya, Sintas Vel, Mirta Gev, Darth Talon, Teniel Djo, Bastila Shan, Satele Shan, Kreia, Zannah, Meetra Surek, Nomi Sunrider.