5 times Star Wars turned into a zombie horror movie
Anyone with braaaaaaains knows that zombies are favorite monsters for horror stories. Star Wars has dabbled in the realms of horror before, especially around the Halloween season. If you are looking for something spooky, here are 5 times that Star Wars turned into a zombie movie.
1. Legacy of Terror and Brain Invaders
The Geonosis arc of Season 2 of The Clone Wars has not one but two zombie episodes. The outbreak comes from the same source, which makes this a solid arc full of different levels of horror. The Jedi face off against Karina the Great, the Queen of Geonosis’ bug people, who unveils her undead army of her people. In “Legacy of Terror,” Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luminara Unduli, and their clones must fight the zombie hoard in tight, dark catacombs. The story shifts in “Brain Invaders” when an infected clone targets Ahsoka Tano and Barriss Offee on a ship in space. It’s a fantastic double feature.
2. Massacre
If there’s any species in Star Wars that’s tied to zombies, it’s the Nightsisters of Dathomir. In the first of three entries on this list, it’s another return to The Clone Wars in the Season 4 episode “Massacre.” With Count Dooku and General Grievous threatening invasion, Asajj Ventress teams up with Mother Talzin to unleash their most important weapon: The mummified bodies of their fallen Nightsisters. Resurrected, these zombies make an army to battle back the droids. Sadly, it’s a failure that almost eradicates the Nightsisters from the universe.
3. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
A survivor of the Nightsister massacre in The Clone Wars is Merrin, one of the main characters in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Before she joined the crew of the Stinger Mantis, she thought Jedi Cal Kestis was an enemy. She resurrects her mummified sisters for the player to battle. It’s an incredible, horrific scene, and it’s not the last time Merrin would use the ability. She would once again raise the dead in the novel Jedi: Battle Scars.
4. Ahsoka’s Night Troopers
The three Great Mothers of Dathomir in Ahsoka added another undead notch in the Nightsister spell belt. To aid Grand Admiral Thrawn’s escape from Peridea, these witches have their own unique way of pushing back against the arrival of Ahsoka Tano, Sabine Wren, and Ezra Bridger. When the Jedi easily defeat their Night Troopers, the Great Mothers play their hand to bring the fallen soldiers back to life for round two. It’s fun to see zombies in live-action, something that’s only been in animation and games up to this point.
5. Death Troopers
What zombie Star Wars list is complete without Death Troopers by horror writer Joe Schreiber? Released in 2009 at the height of the zombie craze, Star Wars took a mighty swing to try something new with their Legends books. They wished to have a tie-in novel with their MMORPG game Star Wars Galaxies, where players could meet characters from the story and fight their own zombie hoard. While the game isn’t around anymore, Death Troopers remains one of the most beloved and terrifying entries from Star Wars Legends and a must-read for horror enthusiasts.