The Star Wars Universe is a rich tapestry of stories and characters that are beloved by all, whether certain folks will admit it or not. While Disney has reneged on the initial plan to release a new film every year, the Force is far too strong with the franchise to be dormant for long. There are definitely plans to continue in some fashion after the release of this year’s Episode XI: The Rise of Skywalker. There is no shortage of available source material for the House of Mouse to consider.
The original Expanded Universe, now referred to as “Star Wars Legends,” is filled to the brim with characters and storylines. Ones that would fit right in with the newly-established canon. The new continuity also includes several new novels, comic books, and animated series, such as The Clone Wars, Rebels, and Resistance. The two former series introduced us to Saw Gerrera, who went on to take on a supporting role in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, played by Forrest Whitaker! This begs the question: What other characters from current (and past) continuity deserve to be on the big screen one day?
Ahsoka Tano
One of the more popular characters in recent continuity, this former Padawan is one of the few Jedi to survive the devastation of Order 66. Once the apprentice to Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka turned her back on the Jedi Order near the end of the Clone Wars. She ultimately went underground and became an important figure in the Rebellion. She established several covert networks against the Galactic Empire. Ahsoka even faced off against her former master in his new guise as the Sith Lord, Darth Vader.
Ahsoka first appeared as a major character in the theatrical Clone Wars movie, then continued in the subsequent TV series where she grew from a fresh-faced, spunky Padawan to an intelligent, fierce warrior. With the series’s untimely cancellation, Ahsoka’s fate was uncertain until she appeared again in Star Wars: Rebels. She acted as the main cast’s mysterious benefactor. Despite a lukewarm reaction during her initial appearance, Ahsoka went on to become one of the franchise’s richest and most fun characters. Her connection to both the prequels and the pre-OT timeline would certainly allow for her to appear in any number of projects. Perhaps, she would become apart of the inevitable Solo follow-up or the oft-rumored Obi-Wan stand-alone film.
Doctor Aphra
Chelli Lona Aphra was an archeologist with a talent for building and modifying custom droids to the highest bidder. This talent caught the attention of none other than Darth Vader. He recruited Aphra to aid him in a series of covert missions, unbeknownst to his master Emperor Palpatine. Aphra grew to respect and admire the Sith Lord, who in kind showed a … tolerance for her lack of pretense and formality. Eventually, the good doctor outlived her usefulness. Vader, in an attempt to tie up loose ends, forced her out of an airlock into the depths of space and her quick demise. Or so he thought.
Introduced in Darth Vader’s self-titled series under Marvel Comics, Dr. Aphra quickly became a fan-favorite, along with her psychopathic droid counterparts Triple-Zero and BeeTee-One. While her death seemed inevitable during that series’ conclusion, she was saved at the last minute by Triple-Zero. The trio’s adventures have continued in her self-titled series, which is being published to this day.
Aphra is a fun, likable character who walks the line between villain and anti-hero and would make a great inclusion to the film franchise. Frankly, the entire first volume of Darth Vader by Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larocca would make for an excellent TV or film adaptation, especially if told from Aphra’s point-of-view. She also happens to have ties to another character who deserves the chance to be seen on the big screen.
Sana Starros
Sana Starros is as dangerous as she is beautiful. Born on the Smuggler’s Moon, she led the life of a career criminal. She not only worked with both Han Solo and the previously-mentioned Doctor Aphra but was ultimately betrayed by both of them (separately) and vowed revenge. To complicate matters, she was romantically involved with them both (again separately) and married Solo during a particularly intense undercover job. Not unlike her supposed husband, her reluctant nobility won out. She eventually started taking on jobs for the Rebel Alliance, proving to be a hero in her own right, whether she liked it or not.
Sana made waves a few years back when she appeared in an early issue of Marvel’s new Star Wars series. Introduced as “Han Solo’s wife,” she essentially broke the internet and caused quite a buzz in the comics community. While her supposed marriage was one of convenience more than love, it was still controversial at the time. It proved to be a very cool twist to the stories we thought we knew. Even more interesting was her relationship with Aphra, establishing both of them as the first open LGBTQ characters in the new canon and creating a dynamic that would be very fun to explore in a film of their own. There were even rumors that Thandie Newton had been cast as Sana in last year’s Solo: A Star Wars Story. Sadly, she played a different character altogether.
Grand Admiral Thrawn
A master tactician, Mitth’raw’nuruodo, aka Thrawn, is as ruthless as he is intelligent. Focused on destroying the Rebel Alliance by any means necessary, Thrawn was a respected officer who rose to the rank of Grand Admiral during his service in the Imperial Navy. His dedication to the Galactic Empire made him one of the most formidable and intense enemies in the franchise.
Thrawn was first introduced to fans during Timothy Zhan’s novel Heir to the Empire, published in 1991. Following the defeat of the Empire during Return of the Jedi, he became the central antagonist to the Rebels as they formed the New Republic and was present in several more novels, even after his death.
Thrawn is unique in that he is one of the only characters from the “Star Wars Legends” canon to be reintroduced into the new Expanded Universe, with his debut in the third season of Star Wars: Rebels. While the circumstances of his appearance are different, his motives and overall character are more or less intact. With his fate during the Rebels finale left uncertain, there are of plenty of opportunities to see Thrawn on the big (or small) screen.
Revan
Revan was a powerful and charismatic young Jedi Knight during the days of the Old Republic, centuries before even the Prequel Trilogy. At that time, the Republic was embroiled in a war with the Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders. In defiance of the Jedi Council’s decision to remain neutral during the war, Revan began a movement to push back against the Mandalorians and took charge during the war.
Not long after the war, Revan, along with friend and fellow Jedi Malak, went to investigate a Sith presence that may have influenced the Mandalorian War. They soon discovered and were ultimately seduced to the Dark Side by the Sith Emperor Vitiate. Now known as Darth Revan, he and Darth Malak created their own force to take on both the Jedi and the Republic. Eventually, Revan was defeated. Rather than killing him, the Jedi Council wiped his mind and began retraining him in the ways of the Force. Now a Jedi once more, Revan would once again face both Malak and the Sith Emperor that turned him.
Revan was the main protagonist in the best-selling game Knights of the Old Republic. While his story-arc mirrors that of Anakin Skywalker, the time and circumstances of his turn would certainly be unique to the franchise. Fans have clamored for more stories set during the KOTOR timeframe. While the idea of more Star Wars prequels may sound like a bad idea, there’s a lot of untapped potential here. Revan’s story could be updated to reflect current continuity without sacrificing any of what makes the games so special.
Kyle Katarn
Former Imperial officer turned mercenary, Kyle Katarn was hired by the Rebel Alliance to recover the stolen Death Star plans prior to the events of A New Hope. Eventually, Katarn becomes a respected member of the New Republic following the events of Return of the Jedi. He later discovers his Force sensitivity and begins training as a Jedi, eventually becoming an instructor at Luke Skywalker’s Jedi Academy.
Introduced in the game Dark Forces from LucasArts, Katarn became a very popular Legacy character. Katarn stars in several more games and even takes a supporting role in the long-running series of novels. While Rogue One may have put the kibosh on his involvement with stealing the Death Star plans, there’s plenty of room for a Force-sensitive smuggler. If we ever explore the time between the Original Trilogy and The Force Awakens, Katarn could appear as one of Luke’s ill-fated apprentices. Or abandoning the Jedi angle altogether, Katarn could appear as a mercenary sympathetic to the Resistance who ends up helping our new heroes somewhere down the line.
Hera Syndulla
Growing up during the Clone Wars, young Twi’lek Hera Syndulla saw the devastation of war and the rise of the Galactic Empire firsthand. Refusing to be complacent, Hera became an expert pilot and, with her starship the Ghost, she put together a ragtag crew and instigated her own resistance movement against the Empire. Despite her harsh upbringing and defensive nature, Hera remained kind and thoughtful. She acts as the heart of her rebellious crew, while refusing to ever back down from a fight. Hera worked to gradually take down the Empire by any means necessary.
Of all the entries on this list, Hera is perhaps the most likely candidate to appear in a Star Wars film one day. For starters, Hera became a General. She remained a stalwart member of the Alliance for years, even taking part in the Battle of Endor. Not only that but Hera was referenced by name in Rogue One, confirming that the series is, in fact, canon. While she would certainly be much older, it’s not out of the realm of possibility for Hera to even show up in this year’s Episode XI: The Rise of Skywalker. With so few Resistance officers left after The Last Jedi, she may very well show up in some capacity or at least be referenced yet again.
