Luke Skywalker. Leia Organa. Darth Vader. Even if you're not a Star Wars fan, you've likely heard these names elsewhere in pop culture. These and other so-called "legacy characters" are often staples in many Star Wars stories -- from books to movies, shows, and more. They've been around so long that to many, they "are" Star Wars.
As the future of Star Wars movies becomes a little clearer -- we're definitely getting The Mandalorian and Grogu in 2026, and likely Starfighter not too long after that -- there's a big question mark about who will and won't appear in these upcoming stories. What would happen if the lgeacy characters so many of us know and love didn't appear -- or weren't even mentioned -- at all in future films?
In future Star Wars movies, legacy characters should stay buried
Han, Leia, and Luke's deaths in the sequel trilogy were as symbolic as they were tragic. As good as it was to see these characters return to the big screen for the first time in decades, it was also refreshing to see new characters take the lead. By the end of The Rise of Skywalker, many of the old heroes are gone. Almost as if to say, "It's okay to say goodbye. It's time to move on."
Future Star Wars movies could benefit a lot from focusing mainly on new characters, rather than bringing in familiar ones. Franchises must evolve with their audiences, and there are plenty of fans young and old who wouldn't mind meeting new characters in their favorite fictional universe. Whether or not this is the direction future films will actually go is really a matter of risk -- specifically, how much Disney and Lucasfilm want to risk telling stories about unknown Star Wars heroes and villains on the big screen.
Why legacy Star Wars characters will never really be gone
To the vast majority of fans, Star Wars movies are pure entertainment. They exist to give us something to watch, watch again, and talk about with our family and friends (probably while watching them again). They're released in theaters, we collectively rush to see them, and even if the movies themselves don't end up fulfilling all our hearts' desires, they're Star Wars movies; we'll never stop seeking them out.
The reality is, however, that Star Wars movies are also part of a business. Filmmaking is expensive, and very often a gamble. If a movie doesn't make money, its production and distribution companies are at a loss. That's why companies like Disney often end up playing it safe when it comes to choosing which stories to tell and which characters to feature. The more well-known a character is, the more likely a larger number of people will pay to see the movie that character is in.
It's unlikely we'll ever stop seeing or hearing mentions of legacy characters in Star Wars movies. It's the reason Darth Vader has a role in Rogue One; it's why both Luke and Leia end up training Rey in the sequels. Nostalgia is powerful because it's profitable. There are just some things that won't soon change.