Star Wars' 5 Best & 5 Worst Moments Of 2023
2023 may not have released a big Star Wars movie, but things haven't been quiet in a galaxy far, far away. On the contrary, the Disney+ side of the franchise has provided a steady stream of content. The streaming service's Star Wars-filled year opened with "Star Wars: The Bad Batch" Season 2 and debuted lots of animated and live-action goodness — including "The Mandalorian" Season 3, "Star Wars: Vision" anthology's Season 2, and "Ahsoka" Season 1. Combine this with the video games, comics, and other Star Wars media that dropped in 2023and it's obvious that this has been a pretty big "Star Wars" year. But has it been a good one?
The answer is yes and no. There have certainly been several highlights for Star Wars fans, but the year has also featured several unfortunate and tragic "Star Wars" moments. Here's a Looper retrospective of 2023's most memorable "Star Wars" moments, good and bad alike.
Worst: Ray Stevenson, gone too soon
From the moment he steps out of his spaceship and tears through his opponents (in a suspiciously Darth Vader-esque style), Ray Stevenson's Baylan Skoll had the makings of a classic Star Wars antagonist. Mind you, the dark Jedi from Dave Filoni's "Ahsoka" isn't strictly evil — he's merely disillusioned with the Jedi way.
Skoll is complex. He gets the best of Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) in lightsaber combat, but he's not particularly happy about it. He's committed enough to his mysterious mission to work with villains, yet doesn't harm people if possible. Oh, and he might have been the complex main antagonist of the "new galaxy" leg of Star Wars — if it wasn't for Stevenson's tragic death at age 58. The last time we see Baylan he's standing on a giant statue of one of the mythical Mortis Gods from "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," which is a clue about the power he's trying to awaken.
Stevenson was delighted to be a part of the Star Wars universe, and contrary to his character's stern appearance, he instinctively took part in a lighthearted classic Star Wars ritual during filming. "I must admit, the first time you turn a lightsaber on, you make the noise," he told Entertainment Weekly in May "[And then you're like] 'Oh, I'm so sorry.' Everybody does that, but you just can't help it!" While the role of Baylan Skoll may or may not be recast, it's a tragedy that Stevenson won't be able to complete his character's arc ... or see how much the fans love him.
Best: Star Wars pays its dues to Ahmed Best
For better or worse, many "Star Wars" actors were never the same after their roles. Over the years, Ahmed Best has certainly received an unjust amount of fan harassment. Tasked with portraying Jar-Jar Binks in the prequel trilogy, Best did what any actor worth their salt would — he played the character the way he was required to by the director. Best received no end of grief from the fandom for portraying the unpopular character.
In 2023, Star Wars finally paid Best his dues. The actor has already portrayed Jedi Master Kelleran Beq in the "Star Wars Kids" website's "Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge" show in 2020. In "The Mandalorian" Season 3 episode "Chapter 20: The Foundling," Beq joins arguably the most prominent Star Wars show out there to play an important part in a flashback. Beq saves Grogu during Order 66, making sure that the youngling gets to safety while risking his life. Without Best's character, the events of "The Mandalorian" Season 1 wouldn't have been possible ... And without "The Mandalorian" Season 1, the Disney+ part of the franchise wouldn't have kicked off to its current height. How's that for a belated redemption arc?
Worst: Din Djarin's penchant for side quests
"The Mandalorian" has always leaned hard on its side quests. Especially in Season 1, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) is the Star Wars version of a spaghetti Western hero who arrives, solves everyone's problems by shooting, and rides into the sunset. Over time, the show developed larger arcs around Grogu, Mandalorian culture, and the remnants of the Empire vying for a comeback. By Season 3, there are tons of interesting plotlines to tackle, so it's disappointing to see the show spend its early episodes in side quest mode — focusing on minor missions like bigger arcs don't exist.
In "Chapter 18: The Mines of Mandalore," Din solves the supposedly huge issue of losing his Mandalorian status in record time by revisiting Mandalore ... and getting his behind kicked by the first cyborg monster he discovers. After he's saved, he sinks into a deep pit of water while wearing a full suit of armor. Din has never been invincible, but that's just venturing into slapstick territory.
Yes, several bits and pieces from the early episodes come together in the end — for instance, Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) beating the cyborg that captured Din eventually enables him to give her the Darksaber. Still, the season chooses to spend a strangely large amount of time cruising narrative back roads. Perhaps "The Mandalorian" needs to evolve beyond its classic space-case-of-the-week structure. Now that Din and Grogu's current arc seems to be over, hopefully future seasons might continue to increase their focus on Bo-Katan to do just that.
Best: Thrawn makes his live-action entrance
A new, mysterious galaxy. The Chimaera Star Destroyer appears, somehow still in working order but hanging by a thread. Inside, there's a giant hall full of Night Troopers wearing heavily customized and worn-down armor, eerily chanting their commander's name: "Thrawn! Thrawn! Thrawn!"
Yes, Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) is back! We first see him in "Ahsoka" Season 1, Episode 6 — "Part Six: Far, Far Away" — and he hasn't missed a step. Despite all the years the villain has spent stranded, he's kept his men alive and fiercely loyal with only a minimally frayed uniform. Plus, he's formed a neat little plan for his eventual return, courtesy of his alliance with the fearsome Nightsisters. Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) has been cool, but the Disney+ "Star Wars" shows have been missing a truly iconic villain ... until now.
Some fans have pointed out that the live-action Thrawn looks like a blue Elon Musk, and while an aged-up live-action version of a character naturally looks a bit different from his younger, stick figure-like animated counterpart, Mikkelsen's performance remains immaculate and his iconic voice unchanged. Now that the Chiss mastermind villain is finally in the live-action universe, it'll be fascinating to see what he's up to, and which live-action heroes will rise against his threat.
Worst: The Tribe is really bad at rescuing people
The Mandalorians are supposed to be good bounty hunters. This is their entire "Star Wars" schtick. However, when the time comes to hunt something in "The Mandalorian" Season 3 episode "Chapter 20: The Foundling," they're roughly as effective as a water-soluble umbrella.
When a flying monster catches Paz Vizsla's (Tait Fletcher, voiced by Jon Favreau) son Ragnar (Wesley Kimmel) and escapes, the ensuing rescue mission might as well be led by Wile E. Coyote. We see a doomed jet pack chase, The Tribe drags its feet between the incident and the rescue attempt until they finally climb the creature's mountaintop nest. Even when they get there, Vizsla almost messes the whole thing up by adapting a Leeroy Jenkins approach, forcing the team to engage in tricky aerial combat with a giant monster that has specifically been confirmed to be a very good flyer. Yes, the Tribe ultimately wins the day ... But "Chapter 2: The Foundling" isn't exactly a credit to the Mandalorians' reputation as ace mercenaries.
Best: Aardman goes Star Wars
"Star Wars: Visions" Season 1 gave fans plenty of exciting animated takes on the lore, and 2023's Season 2 continues to succeed with this. Since the show is full of alternate-timeline stories and reimagined versions of the events, it provides a rare chance for fans (and creatives) to have fun without worrying about canon. Still, let's be honest: When Aardman does Star Wars, you're on to a winner by default. The studio behind the "Wallace & Gromit" series and "Chicken Run" is responsible for "Visions" Season 2, Episode 4 — "I Am Your Mother."
Here, Twi'lek pilot Anni Kalfus (Charitra Chandran) and her mother, Kalina (Maxine Peake), have to find a way to get along to win a family-themed race and impress famous pilot Wedge Antilles (Denis Lawson). Both shenanigans and heartwarming moments ensue. Aardman's comedic yet heart-tugging storytelling stylings may not seem like an obvious fit with the franchise's often humorless approach — but this is "Visions," so all bets are off. As a result, "I Am Your Mother" is free to soar as a story that can entertain everyone while delivering a clever message about a generational gap. The episode is a perfect example of what "Star Wars: Visions" is all about, and, Force-willing, it won't be the last time Aardman visits the subject matter!
Worst: Ahsoka underutilizes the greatest new concept Star Wars has introduced in decades
Star Wars isn't the best at introducing groundbreakingly new concepts. Oh, it used to be great at it, having revolutionized the whole genre back in the day. On the other hand, the original trilogy already recycles concepts with two Death Stars in three movies, and things haven't exactly gotten better. How many slightly different new lightsaber models and gigantic planet-themed superweapons have we seen over the decades? How many planets have been interchangeable wastelands with some bandits and novel little alien guys?
With its rescue mission in another galaxy, "Ahsoka" had a chance to introduce the first real change in the status quo in years and go nuts with it. Unfortunately, what little it shows us of the galaxy further, further away is ... just more of the same, only this time the cute little guys on the desert planet have shells and snazzy vests.
Yes, "Ahsoka" has to introduce Thrawn's return, establish him and the Nightsisters — whom we've also already seen in the regular Star Wars galaxy, of course – as a credible threat, and bring a wide selection of "Star Wars Rebels" heroes into live-action. However, this is the first time live-action Star Wars takes the action out of its home galaxy, and it would have been cool if the moment would have meant more than yet another planet and vague teases of future oddity.
Best: Bad Batch Season 2 delivers a cliffhanger for the ages
"Star Wars: The Bad Batch" has plenty of clones, but one particular character has been alone in this aspect. The mysterious Omega (Michelle Ang) has seemed to be the sole female clone in the series ... at least, up until Season 2, "Plan 99," which ends in a huge revelation. The Mount Tantiss facility's top scientist Emerie Karr (Keisha Castle-Hughes) has all the signposts of a major villain, even though she does seem far kinder than her superior, the sadistic Dr. Royce Hemlock (Jimmi Simpson). However, the ending of "Plan 99" reveals that Karr — just like Omega — is a female Jango Fett clone, which effectively makes them sisters.
Omega's mysterious and seemingly unique nature among the male clones (all voiced by Dee Braley Baker) is a major building block of the Dave Filoni-created series, and the revelation that Karr is cut from the same genetic cloth is a massive surprise. How does her story tie into Clone Force 99? Why is she assisting noted clone torturer Hemlock? What, exactly, is her game?
As Star Wars cliffhangers go, this one is incredibly fascinating and we can expect the show to provide answers sooner rather than later since "The Bad Batch" Season 3 will arrive in 2024. The final season will no doubt reveal a whole lot of new information about Omega, Karr, and their role in the grand scheme of things.
Worst: The IG-12 battlesuit
One of the most unexpected themes of "The Mandalorian" Season 3 is the focus "Chapter 22: Guns for Hire" gives on droids and their role in the Star Wars universe. The Bryce Dallas Howard-directed and Jon Favreau-penned episode shows Din Djarin, Grogu, and Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) on Plazir-15, initially intending to resume contact with Bo-Katan's old Mandalorian allies. However, they soon investigate a strange series of violent droid incidents. The robot bar scene here raises the point that droids tend to genuinely appreciate organic beings for creating them and see helping them as a form of payback, thus addressing the long-standing Star Wars question of why sentient droids spend their existence in servitude. Yes, it's a heartwarming take on the subject of droid sentience ... right up until the next episode, where the most prominent droid in "The Mandalorian" is casually gutted and turned into a mech suit.
After failed attempts to resurrect Din and Grogu's ally droid IG-11 (Taika Waititi), the show takes a different approach to the character. In "Chapter 23: The Spies," Greef Karga (Carl Weathers) gifts the protagonists with IG-12, the remains of IG-11 repurposed into a machine that Grogu can pilot while spamming Din with a constant barrage of opinions with the device's "Yes" and "No" vocal buttons. Given Grogu's unpredictable power set, giving the youngling an upgrade before the final confrontation with Moff Gideon makes sense. However, the fact that the child is happily running around in a battle suit made from the husk of his droid friend so soon after the show put droid sentience front and center isn't exactly the best look.
Best: Ahsoka's duel with Anakin
"Ahsoka" Season 1 episode "Part Five: Shadow Warrior" isn't the first time Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) and Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) have clashed lightsabers. However, their duel in "Star Wars Rebels" features plenty of outside interference and doesn't have a conclusive winner, even though Darth Vader has the upper hand.
This time, things are more complicated. After Ahsoka finds herself in the World Between Worlds after losing to Baylan Skoll, Anakin's Force Ghost appears and challenges her. The ensuing fight is essentially a series of flashbacks into the pair's history, interspersed with Ahsoka hanging on for dear life amidst the increasingly Sith-corrupted Anakin's attacks. Choreography-wise, there are better fight scenes in the show — Ahsoka's final encounter with Morgan Elspeth (Diana Inosanto) is a true sight to behold. However, the backstory between Anakin and Ahsoka is so long and layered that there's much more at play here than mere lightsaber stylings.
In the end, Ahsoka wins ... or does she? The episode heavily implies that the entire duel is a lesson from Anakin to his former Padawan, given as an attempt to help Ahsoka reconnect with her will to live. The sequence is as emotional as it is visually stunning and proves that Anakin still has much to give to the franchise. Since the ending of "Ahsoka" Season 1 suggests that his Force Ghost intends to hang around, this may not be the last live-action interaction between the pair.
Is the Force with Looper's picks for this list?
Looper has compiled this list of the best and worst Star Wars moments of the year by diving deep into the heart of fandom — both personal and at large. Apart from covering Star Wars professionally, I've followed the franchise for decades as a fan. As such, I already had some pretty strong views on the subject of this year's soaring scenes and belly-flopping moments. However, to make sure that this isn't a list of personal gripes, I dug deep into fan reactions, reviews, and trade chatter to see how the world has received these moments.
Of course, putting together a list of five highlights and low points is going to leave a whole lot out. "Ahsoka" features several live-action debuts of fan-favorite animated characters, as well as Baylan Skoll's well-received apprentice Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno). "The Mandalorian" Season 3 has far more good moments than its representation on this list would imply. The animated shows had a bunch of interesting stuff going on, and that's not even going into the wider realm of 2023's Star Wars media — such as the excellent "Star Wars Jedi: Survivor" video game. All in all, it's been an eventful year in the galaxy far, far away ... and projects like "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew," "Andor" Season 2, and "The Acolyte" suggest that 2024 is looking mightily interesting too.