Let’s talk about Watto. You remember Watto? Greedy, hooked-nose, slave-owning junk dealer with a weird little hat and a thick accent that... let's face it, sounds kind of Jewish. It’s not like a one-to-one impression of an old Jewish guy, but it definitely lands in uncomfortable territory. He even says “I'm a Toydarian. Mind tricks don't work on me. Only money.” Ouch. And then there’s Jar Jar Binks. Oh Jar Jar. He was meant to be comic relief, but instead we got a character that many critics and fans alike have compared to offensive racial caricatures from old cartoons. His speech patterns, his clumsy demeanor - it’s not a great look.
And while we’re at it, let’s talk about the Tusken Raiders. Or as they were originally known, the "Sand People" (because we were just being subtle in 1977, apparently). They were presented as these violent, primitive savages in the original films. No backstory. No nuance. Just screaming desert raiders who want to shoot everyone because… of course they do. If that rings a bell, it’s because that trope has been used forever to dehumanize entire groups of people, particularly in colonialist narratives.
But here’s the part where I say something that will probably make some people feel better and others roll their eyes: I don’t think George Lucas is a racist. at all! I really don’t. I think he’s a guy who grew up on old westerns, Flash Gordon serials, and a truckload of good ol' American pulp fiction, and he recycled those tropes wholesale into his movies. Unfortunately, some of those tropes are, well, sort of racist.
This isn’t a takedown. It’s not an exposé. It’s just a reckoning. Because when you love something as much as so many of us love Star Wars, it’s worth taking a closer look. It’s worth asking hard questions like: Why are all the bad guys British? Why do the cowardly Trade Federation sound so distinctly Asian? Why are so many of the aliens coded with Earth-specific ethnic stereotypes? Why, in a galaxy filled with a billion planets and even more beings, is there just one guy with a darker complexion? (In the original trilogy, at least. The prequels gave us one more!)
To their credit, Disney has tried to shift that narrative in recent years. Aliens tend to be much more otherworldly with their accents and past stereotypes have been given a more modern treatment (see: the Tusken Raiders in The Book of Boba Fett, who finally got some context and culture). But progress doesn’t erase the past - it just gives us a chance to talk about it.
And we should talk about it.
Because here’s the thing: Star Wars isn’t going anywhere. It’s going to be with us for the rest of our lives and probably our kids’ lives too. Which means there’s room to grow. There’s room to make it better, to tell new stories that are more thoughtful, less cringy, and more aware of the baggage the franchise has been carrying for decades.
So, let’s not start a movement to CGI-edit every questionable character out of existence. We all know how well that worked out when they tried to tweak the originals. Instead, let’s just talk about it. Let’s look at these films with a bit more awareness and have an open conversation about the ways they reflect and sometimes stumble over cultural depictions.
And if that makes you uncomfortable, well... maybe it should. Growth usually is. In the end, loving something doesn’t mean ignoring its flaws. It means being willing to see it fully - the good, the bad, and the cringe - and loving it anyway.
