It’s been just over 12 years since Disney acquired the rights to the Star Wars license from George Lucas. These 12 years have had some high points and low points, but it has become increasingly obvious that the franchise is in the best place it’s been since the original trilogy ended in 1983. While the quality of the sequel trilogy continues to inspire debate among the fandom, Disney has managed to right the ship over the last few years, expanding the idea of what Star Wars can be. From TV shows, to video games, to comics, and theme park attractions, Star Wars is delivering experiences that are superior to anything we’ve gotten since Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.
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The greatest case for the superiority of Disney Star Wars comes from Disney+. Over the last five years, the streaming service has been an absolute gift to Star Wars fans. Things started with The Mandalorian, a series that has not only brought in new fans, but has given us characters that are as popular and well-regarded as the biggest in the franchise. While Boba Fett’s popularity in the original trilogy hinged on the fact that he simply looked cool, Mando is beloved by fans in large part thanks to the depth of his character. Din Djarin has gained a well-earned reputation as the galaxy’s greatest dad, and his relationship with Grogu is unlike anything we had previously seen in the Star Wars canon. As a result, Din and Grogu are everywhere now, from action figures to holiday light displays. The two characters caught on in a way we never saw with Jar Jar Binks, Mace Windu, or any of the other prequel-era faces.
Not only are the Star Wars shows giving us new favorites to root for, they’re also expanding on the themes that George Lucas explored, while outdoing the creator’s works. In the prequel era, George Lucas set out to tell a tale about the growth of fascism, using the rise of Palpatine as a metaphor for the Iraq War. Subtlety has never been Lucas’s strong suit, though, and while the messaging of those movies has aged well, the films are brought down by their cheesier elements. In its debut season, Andor has given us a startlingly dark take on the war between the Rebellion and Empire. While the show still feels grounded in the Star Wars universe, it’s telling a grittier story, and it’s one that manages to feel frighteningly believable. Lucas also tried to push the idea of the Jedi being more flawed than we were led to believe by the original trilogy, but The Acolyte gave viewers a greater appreciation for the Jedi Council’s failures. Rather than highlight the bureaucratic redtape the Jedi found themselves trying to navigate, we actually got to see their mistakes and the failures that left an opening for Palpatine’s rise.
It’s a little too early to tell whether Skeleton Crew will have the same lasting appeal as Andor and The Mandalorian, but the show’s existence proves that Disney is willing to expand what creators can do with the Star Wars universe. There are still droids, lightsabers, and space battles, but the story channels ’80s movies like The Goonies, as opposed to Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. One of the most common complaints about Star Wars is that the franchise has leaned too heavily on characters connected to the original trilogy. Skeleton Crew abandons all of our previous favorite characters for a brand-new cast. The largely warm reception to the series proves that strange and interesting things can be done with the franchise, and that’s been a common thread during Disney’s ownership of the brand. While Skeleton Crew is the most recent example, Star Wars: Visions has also given creators more liberty with the themes and concepts of Star Wars.
The superiority of Disney Star Wars isn’t just limited to TV shows. Video games are another perfect example of how things have improved in recent years. While the brand inspired lots of great games over the decades, when Disney acquired the license, it had been years since there had been a truly beloved Star Wars game. In the last five years, fans have been treated to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor. There’s still one entry left to go in the trilogy, but fans have become invested in the adventures of Cal Kestis in a big way. Disney hasn’t been afraid to take big swings in gaming, either. While reception to Star Wars: Outlaws was mixed, the game was fairly ambitious, and the same can be said for Quantic Dream’s Star Wars: Eclipse.
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For many fans, Star Wars and Disney have been entwined since Star Tours first debuted in Disney Parks. While the ride was a fantastic take on the Star Wars universe at the time of its creation, Disney has far outdone its Imagineers with the creation of Galaxy’s Edge. The theme park section blows Star Tours out of the water, and a large part of that is due to Rise of the Resistance. Rise of the Resistance isn’t just better than the theme park ride many of us grew up with, it might be one of the best attractions ever in a Disney Park.
While the Star Wars TV shows have given creators greater room to tell stories in the Star Wars universe, the comics have also done just that. One of the biggest problems in the later days of George Lucas’ ownership of the brand is that the Expanded Universe had become bloated and overly dense. The Star Wars comics under Marvel have been a huge improvement, with clearly defined eras that are far less difficult to get into. Comics like Greg Pak’s Star Wars: Darth Vader run have given us a much deeper look at the motivations of the Dark Lord of the Sith, while Charles Soule’s Star Wars ongoing helped to flesh out the relationship between Lando and Lobot.
The Star Wars franchise is in a renaissance period right now. Fans might not realize just how good things are at the moment, but that’s par for the course when it comes to this franchise. Star Wars fans rarely realize how good they have it, which is the reason we’re now seeing a lot of revisionist history surrounding the prequels; many of the same people that were tormenting George Lucas and Ahmed Best 25 years ago are now waxing nostalgic about those same films. While many Star Wars fans are jaded about how things have played out under Disney, there’s a general quality that has extended to all aspects of the franchise. Some shows and products have been better than others, but it’s hard to ignore just how good it is to be a Star Wars fan right now.
Have you been enjoying the last few years of Star Wars content? What’s been your favorite thing to come out of the Disney era? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
