Ever since George Lucas sold Star Wars to Disney in 2012, many fans worried the franchise would be damaged. While some Disney Star Wars projects, like The Rise of Skywalker, haven’t been well-received, it’s not accurate to say that all of Disney’s Star Wars movies and shows have been worse than those made under Lucas’s direction. In fact, many consider Andor to be the best Star Wars content since the prequel trilogy, and Disney was behind it.
Many characters originally introduced when George Lucas was in charge have become much more developed and interesting in the Star Wars movies and shows released since Disney took over. Here are ten of those characters who have seen the biggest improvements.
10) Bail Organa
Even before Disney acquired Star Wars, Bail Organa was a significant character. He and his wife, Breha, were originally conceived as Leia Organa’s parents in the first Star Wars movie. For a long time, though, not much was known about them beyond their deaths. The prequel trilogy expanded Bail’s story, revealing his crucial role in helping the Jedi survive and opposing the rising Empire, particularly in Revenge of the Sith.
These changes happened before Disney bought Lucasfilm. Since then, Bail Organa has appeared in several Star Wars shows, including Obi-Wan Kenobi (with Jimmy Smits returning to the role) and Andor (where Benjamin Bratt played him). Both series highlighted Bail’s strength, bravery, and strong moral compass. Obi-Wan Kenobi also showed a new side of Bail – his role as a loving and supportive father, which hadn’t been explored much before. Moments like him reassuring Leia that she embodies the Organa spirit made him an even more compelling character.
9) Lando Calrissian
You know, like Bail Organa, Lando Calrissian was already a fan favorite long before Disney started making new Star Wars movies. Okay, yeah, he messed up big time betraying Leia, Han, and Chewie in The Empire Strikes Back, but honestly, he was kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place. He totally redeemed himself though, risking everything for them in Return of the Jedi. Even when he was wheeling and dealing with Darth Vader, Lando just had this charisma that people loved – and Disney really leaned into that when they brought him back.
Lando Calrissian first appeared in a Disney production in the 2018 film Solo: A Star Wars Story, with Donald Glover taking on the role previously played by Billy Dee Williams and expanding the character’s presence. However, many fans consider Billy Dee Williams’ return in The Rise of Skywalker – where Lando played a key role in defeating the Final Order – to be his most memorable Disney moment. Plus, Lando also appeared in the animated series Star Wars Rebels, offering audiences plenty of new and funny lines.
8) The Clone Troopers
While clone troopers represent an entire group rather than a single character, Disney definitely made them more compelling. This improvement actually began with George Lucas and the Star Wars: The Clone Wars series, which started to give them more personality (though Disney only produced the final season, season 7, of Clone Wars). When the clones first appeared in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, they didn’t seem much more human than robots. And their portrayal didn’t improve with Order 66 in Revenge of the Sith—in fact, it arguably got worse, largely because their reasons for acting were unclear.
Fortunately, The Clone Wars explained the inhibitor chips, showing that the clones were compelled to attack the Jedi against their will, and the series finale powerfully depicted the tragedy of that event for everyone involved. Since then, Disney has continued to portray the clones as increasingly complex and sympathetic characters. Rebels featured a storyline where Jedi survivor Kanan Jarrus dealt with his anger towards the clones, and Star Wars: The Bad Batch made the clones the central focus, even giving them a relatively positive conclusion.
7) Darth Vader
Although some fans might disagree, Disney has actually enhanced Darth Vader’s character, even though he was already incredibly popular and iconic when they acquired Star Wars. Vader is widely considered one of the greatest villains ever, not just in the Star Wars universe, but in all of cinema. Disney has built on that strong foundation, giving Vader some of his most memorable scenes. A prime example is the now-famous hallway sequence in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which is arguably one of his coolest moments ever.
Beyond his brief appearances in Rogue One, Darth Vader has returned in many Disney films and series, both in live-action and animation. While perhaps not as famous, his return in Obi-Wan Kenobi was another strong moment. It gave Hayden Christensen the chance to play Darth Vader in full costume for a longer period, and it allowed for another intense battle between the former master and apprentice. The most powerful scene in the show was likely when Vader’s mask was damaged, briefly revealing Anakin Skywalker speaking to Obi-Wan again.
6) Darth Maul
Like Darth Vader, Darth Maul was an established villain before Disney continued his story in several new and future projects. Interestingly, it was actually George Lucas who first brought him back. Though he appeared to die in a lightsaber duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi in The Phantom Menace, The Clone Wars showed that he survived and sought revenge. Maul has since reappeared in various Disney shows and films, including Rebels and Solo, and a new show focused on him, Maul: Shadow Lord, is on the way.
Darth Maul has evolved from a frightening, mostly silent apprentice in The Phantom Menace into a complex villain with his own motivations, including a personal grudge against Palpatine. The new series, Shadow Lord, aims to further develop his story by portraying him as the leader of a criminal organization operating under the Empire’s rule.
5) Twi’leks
As a huge Star Wars fan, I’ve always felt a bit uneasy about how the Twi’leks were portrayed. It’s not about a single character, but the whole species, and honestly, George Lucas didn’t do them many favors. If you remember Oola from Return of the Jedi, she wasn’t really given much depth – she was overly sexualized, forced to dance for Jabba and his crew, and then just… eaten by the Rancor. It felt purely for shock value. Even later, with Aayla Secura in the prequels, her Jedi outfit wasn’t the traditional robes you’d expect; it was, unfortunately, designed to be very revealing. It just felt like a missed opportunity to create a strong, complex character.
Disney has made a welcome change in how it portrays Twi’leks. A great example is Hera Syndulla, a skilled pilot first featured in the series Rebels who recently appeared in live-action in Ahsoka. Unlike previous Twi’lek characters, Hera isn’t presented in a sexualized way and is a strong, independent character who often takes the lead and saves the day.
4) The Tusken Raiders
Disney has significantly improved the portrayal of the Tusken Raiders in Star Wars, arguably more than any other group. First appearing in A New Hope, they were among the earliest concepts introduced to audiences. Initially, they were presented as simple, hostile villains, attacking on sight. The prequel films unfortunately made them even less sympathetic, as they kidnapped and killed Anakin Skywalker’s mother, Shmi, which led to Anakin brutally killing them without regret.
Disney significantly changed how the Tusken Raiders are seen, especially in The Mandalorian. The show revealed Din Djarin could communicate with them using sign language, and he highlighted that they view outsiders as intruders on their territory. Both The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett demonstrated that the Tusken Raiders are capable of reason, have their own reasons for acting as they do, and possess a more relatable, human side.
3) Ahsoka Tano
Though Ahsoka is now strongly linked to Disney’s Star Wars, she actually originated with George Lucas and Dave Filoni, who is now a co-president at Lucasfilm. Lucas initially wanted Anakin Skywalker to have a Padawan, leading to Ahsoka’s debut in The Clone Wars. Since then, she’s appeared in several other shows – Rebels, The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Tales of the Jedi – and even has her own series, Ahsoka.
While some storylines have sparked debate, the Ahsoka series has significantly developed the character, especially her journey back to becoming a Jedi and dealing with the pain and regret surrounding Anakin and the fall of the Jedi Order. With a second season planned, Ahsoka’s story will likely become even more complex. Even now, she’s become a fan favorite and a key figure in the current Star Wars universe, and much of this growth has happened under Disney’s direction.
2) Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru
Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru have been important characters in Star Wars since the beginning, even though they didn’t have much screen time in the original movies – they were killed by the Empire early in A New Hope. They also appeared briefly in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. However, it wasn’t until the Obi-Wan Kenobi series that we really got to know them, and that show completely changed how we see these characters.
When the Inquisitor Reva attacks Luke, Owen and Beru bravely risk their lives to defend him, showing just how much they love him. There’s a particularly moving scene where Reva is shocked to see Owen protect Luke as if he were his biological son – knowing Luke is actually Darth Vader’s son – and Owen simply replies, “He is my own.”
1) Mon Mothma
Perhaps the most significant improvement Disney has made to a Star Wars character is with Mon Mothma. She’s been a part of the Star Wars universe for a long time, first appearing in the original trilogy as a leader in the Rebellion, and has consistently shown up in various films and series. Her recent appearances in both Ahsoka season 1 and Andor highlight her enduring importance throughout the Star Wars saga, and Andor especially showcased just how crucial she is.
Mon Mothma truly became a standout character with her powerful speech about the Ghorman Massacre before the Senate in season 2 of Andor. This moment highlighted her vital role in opposing the Empire. While she’s always been important in the Star Wars universe, recent appearances have put a fresh focus on her, arguably making her the most compellingly developed character since Disney acquired Lucasfilm.
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2026-03-25 04:16