Star Wars is one of the most popular and well-loved franchises in the history of cinema, with fans spanning the entire globe, many of whom hold it as their favorite film series of all time. This fandom has only grown in number and zeal over the last forty years.
While love for any franchise is irable and often well-intentioned, it can be easy to slip into heated arguments with other fans who have differing opinions than you do about your favorite movies. Star Wars is certainly no exception to this rule, as certain Redditors have identified numerous debates that the fandom will never stop having.
Anakin's Force Ghost
One Redditor, Abject_Cellist_4896, knows that fans will always argue over whether Anakin's Force Ghost at the end of Return of the Jedi should be portrayed by Hayden Christianson or Sebastian Shaw, the original actor. They believe that this is "a generational issue, depending on which version you grew up with."
Fans have long wondered whether it is better to portray the ghost of Anakin Skywalker as his younger self just before turning to the Dark Side or his older, more weathered self after becoming free from his vices, as the original film portrayed. As Christianson appears to be returning for several more Star Wars projects, it may be that the odds will soon tip in his favor regarding this particular discrepancy.
Darth Jar Jar
While discussing the many debates that seem interminable among the Star Wars fandom, SmellyFatRolls suggested that we will always be left to argue if "Jar Jar Binks [as] a Sith Lord," referring to the popular theory that Jar Jar, and not Palpatine, was the true mastermind behind the fall of the Jedi.
Though this theory originated as a joke, many Star Wars fans refuse to believe anything other than the idea that Jar Jar was a Sith all along, which would ittedly answer several lingering questions from the prequel trilogy. Nevertheless, no matter how much this theory may receive, Darth Jar Jar will always feel more like a parallel Star Wars universe.
AT-AT Armor
LordBaranof points out an inconsistency in The Empire Strikes Back, wherein the AT-AT armor, which had been designated as "too strong for blasters," quickly becomes penetrable after the walkers are brought to the ground. This Redditor suggests that fans will never stop discussing this inconsistency, and just how it could be explained.
The Empire is one of the best factions in all of Star Wars, which means that it has attained some of the best artillery known to the galaxy. As such, it makes no sense for the AT-AT walkers to suddenly become vulnerable after hitting the ground, though this particular debate is more of an unanswered plot hole.
Disney
Redditor Tink2013 may hold a vitriolic hatred toward a certain company that currently distributes Star Wars media, writing that fans will always debate over the prospect of whether or not "Disney purposefully killed" the franchise. While their view is certainly opinionated, it is a legitimate stance that certain subjects of the fandom seem to take.
Star Wars fans haven't all taken kindly to Disney's acquisition of the property in 2012, with some claiming they have driven the franchise into the ground. While some fans may be dead-set against the House of Mouse's work with the series, one must it that Star Wars fans have never had so much content, with series like The Mandalorian and Obi-Wan Kenobi permeating popular culture.
Hyperdrive Ram
Tra4c3_gaming points out the logic-bending sacrifice of iral Holdo in The Last Jedi, wherein she uses her ship to crash into a First Order vessel, jumping into hyperspace with the other ship in her sights. This suggests that this event opens up "a pandora's box," questing why characters don't simply do this in every space battle, especially those involving a Death Star.
This Redditor does bring up an interesting point, as it would seem that most problems in the Star Wars universe could be solved with a ship used as a battering ram. While there are certain ships designed for just this purpose within the canon, it may be difficult for some to watch any future space battles without wondering why someone doesn't simply sacrifice one ship by ramming it into another.
The Chosen One
Redditor Abject_Cellist_4896 wonders if fans will ever get the answer to the question of whether or not "the [Chosen One] Prophecy was just a load of malarky," pointing out that the prophesied "balance to the Force" never really came about in the franchise, as Anakin's Fall never brought an end to the Jedi-Sith conflict, but only accelerated them.
The Prophecy seems to be a story element that is reserved exclusively for the prequel series, which only creates more questions than answers. While such a major piece of history could be something that a spinoff about the Jedi could flesh out further, it feels as though the Prophecy was more an indication of the latter Jedi hubris than a legitimate prediction of the future.
Top Sith
A Redditor by the handle of S_A_c_K is somewhat surprised at the debate over whether Kylo Ren or Darth Vader was the stronger Force wielder. They claim that they would "like to hear both sides," sparking a long and interesting discussion in the comment section.
Both Kylo Ren and Darth Vader are portrayed as being supremely powerful in their respects. However, given that Ren held Vader as his idol, it stands to reason that he was aware that he didn't quite measure up to his grandfather, though perhaps could have had he survived long enough to increase in his strength.
The Special Editions
While listing several long-lasting Star Wars debates, Nice-Yesterday-4211 includes a reference to something that is indeed quite controversial in the fandom, indicating that "anything having to do with the Special Editions" is a neverending debate, referring to George Lucas's edits to the classic films decades after their release.
A side effect of Lucas's changes to his films is that the original cuts are incredibly difficult to find. As such, younger generations of Star Wars fans may be completely unaware that changes were made to the original films at all. Nevertheless, older fans that the theatrical cuts of the classic films will never quite be content with the sudden overabundance of CGI characters and strange sequences injected into their favorite films.
Who Shot First?
"I can't imagine a world where Star Wars fans don't fight about whether Han or Greedo shot first," writes Reddit Jiachobucci, adding "It was Han, by the way." This post refers to the infamous confrontation in A New Hope, wherein Han kills the bounty hunter Greedo, which has been endlessly altered by Lucasfilm to change the sequence of the scene's events.
This debate has almost become a symbol of the Star Wars fandom's infighting, with the sequence itself nearly attaining a fanbase of its own. Proponents of Greedo shooting first believe that Han is better represented in such an occurrence, whereas those who believe Solo fired the first shot argue that doing so frames the character as a morally grey wild card, who may fall on either the side of good or of evil.
Sequel Trilogy
LeeRoyTC has a hard opinion regarding the latest installments of the Skywalker Saga, believing that fans will have their work cut out for them in deciding whether "Episode VIII or IX is worse." While they claim to hate both, they also bring out a more important issue among the Star Wars fandom in that it remains very much divided on the merits of the sequel trilogy, with some very much in favor of the films and others dead-set against them.
Star Wars has often had trouble earning fans when it comes to new cinematic content. Much like the prequels, Disney's sequel trilogy has encountered resistance upon its release, with many fans openly mocking the new installments of the franchise. While it seems as though this debate over the sequels will last forever, fans may yet accept them just as they did the prequel films if given time.
