Saga Most Overrated Star Wars Character?

Plagueis is extremely overrated. I always hear about how he's less arrogant than Palpatine or understands The Force better than Palpatine.

 

Leia. Not that she's revered, but she doesn't get the kind of hate that other characters do, despite deserving it. She shows absolutely no gratitude toward the people who save her life, doesn't just grab one of the blasters lying around so she doesn't have to constantly take one of the others, wasting precious time...Oh, and she uses a racial slur. Seriously? Calling a Wookiee a walking carpet? I mean, I'm not terribly race-sensitive...but...she is a diplomat. She should know better. And in case you don't think it's that insulting...imagine a trained dignitary calling a black person a pile of dirt, or something. I mean, come on, guys. These sorts of things aren't really acceptable.

Yoda, because he's a moron who could have ruined everything by telling Luke that once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, despite that being demonstrably false. Except in TCW. He's fine in TCW.

Han, because he's just so beloved. He's okay, and fairly likeable, but he's not worth the reverence he's given.

Vader. He just...doesn't really do much. Why was he such an icon anyway?

 

Yoda was right, though. Anakin turned back to the light in the end, but as a result of his dark actions, the price he had to pay was his life. Most people, with the exception of Luke and those close to him, will remember him as a tyrannical despot who helped prop up a slave empire. His karmic slate wasn't wiped clean; he just stopped the horror.

 

Either Boba or Han probably.

 

Boba Fett, hands down. I get that some of his supporters point to the EU story lines to bolster his reputation, but from a purely canonical point of view, I will never understand the love for the character. Sure, there's something to be said for his mystique, but he's basically a punk in the films. Individually, his prequel story gave a little more intrigue to the character, but we're never shown anything more to follow that thread except for a few Clone Wars appearances.

My primary wish for a Star Wars stand alone film is to see Ewan McGregor have another shot at an Obi-Wan story line between Ep III and Ep IV. But I do also hope they do a Boba Fett film that finally gives weight to the character's cult status.

 

I definitely agree with Boba Fett, I just feel like he didn't exactly do very much in the movies to deserve his reputation. I don't understand the allure of the character.

Also, in the EU, Mara Jade, I just never was able to like her character very much.

 

While his focus seems to be pointing out how Han would point out some of the ridiculousness of the movie, I don't think that is exactly why Hans character was important to the success of the OT. That kind of stuff is just the details of how Han went about doing his role. What made Han important was people's ability to relate to him. He wasn't a Jedi, politician, army general, etc. He was just a normal guy who got caught up in extraordinary circumstances. In the PT there really isn't anyone who people can relate to. Everyone is either a Jedi, Sith, politician, a clone, or Jar Jar. All the characters you could possibly relate to were very minor characters. Maybe only showing up for one scene, or just kind of randomly placed here or there.

Having that main character that people can relate to is very important, especially in a fictional world. Even though the world was already established in The Hobbit, without Sam, Mary, and Pippen Lord of the Rings probably wouldn't have been half as successful. I think that is a major reason why the PT struggled to get the same kind of love and adoration the OT has. Not only would having such a character help the viewers to relate to something on the screen, it would also add a different dynamic to the dialog making it more grounded.

From what I can tell, because of the overwhelming almost unanimous opinion that Han and Boba are the most overrated I do not think they qualify for to be considered overrated anymore.

 

Boba Fett. And pretty much every Sith they made way to huge of deal over.

 

Who are these "people" you're speaking about? I could relate to Anakin, Luke, Obi-Wan, Padmé, Shmi, Lando etc.... Their ranks were and are irrelevant to me, because I don't relate to ranks. I could identiy with the nature of their character, I could relate to situations they found themselves in and choices they had to make. They are humans - whether they are politicians/Jedi/slaves/clones or not.
Besides, being a smuggler who flies the fastest ship in the galaxy and routinely outruns the galaxy's most advance military power is hardly a "normal guy", for my taste.

Not every viewer relates to the same kind of characters.

As to the thread's topic:
I kind of find that Boba is both overrated and underrated. His "badass" appearance in ESB is certainly overrated, only made worse by his less than impressive death in the next film.

However, the background he gets in AOTC is severely underrated. This is a boy who is merely a clone. He doesn't really has a father, because he and his father are (genetically) one and the same. There is also no mother. He grew up on a sterile and callous world. There are millions of beings running around the gelaxy who look exactly like him.

What I'm trying to get a cross: There is a lot of potential to tell stories about an individual who's seeking for a truly individual identity, who struggles to escape from the "predetermined person" (his father) he could become and probably has to face and kill himself (Clones) in battles.

There is a lot of underlying depth to the character as it is right now, yet all we ever hear about him is how "badass" he is and now there are even "rumors" saying that this interesting, thought-provoking and potentially rich past is about to be erased in favour of a more "badass" (and clearly more shallow) origin...

Surely a strange case.

 

I'm sorry but I really, really don't get how people relate to Han. Are you seriously suggesting that people can relate to a smuggler who travels the galaxy with a giant Wookie? And, okay, it's a fantasy/sci-fi setting, but STILL. How many people live like Han? How many people work for slavers like Jabba? How many people smuggle? How many people are on the run from evil Empires and bounty hunters? How many people have no real responsibilities, the way Han does? Seriously -- the guy answers to basically no one. He does his job when he feels like it, but he has no one relying on him for financial support. No family back home to take care of. No home. He cruises the galaxy independently, living an outlaw's life. What's there to relate to?

Yes, he joins the Rebellion, but again, how is that relatable? How many people here join a Rebellion against an evil Empire?

On the contrary, I can relate a lot more to the PT characters emotionally -- to the separation from family (for me, it's been a lifelong issue, being an immigrant, and then late in heading off to college), isolation, trying to balance your duty with what you want, feeling lost and not in control, looking for guidance, wanting to protect the people you love (even when it's selfish), being angry at the unfairness at the world, frustration with the political system.

THAT I can relate to.

But I can't relate to Han.

I just feel like people say Han is more relatable because he's idealized rather than the fact that people can actually connect with him. They want to be like him because he's cool, independent, a badass, and answers to no one. It's the same with how people love Tony Stark to death even though he's a "genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist." They're escapist characters. They're not necessarily relatable but they're what people wish they were like. At least in my experience.

 

I'm just jumping in here so apologies if I'm redundant.

Han Solo is laid back, he's a guy you can hang out with, play cards, have a beer. It's in the way he speaks, it's so casual when so many others in the movies speak so formally. Old Ben, Leia, 3PO, Tarkin, Vader, Palpatine, even Luke because of his, uh, earnestness. In the PT, Obi-Wan, Anakin, Padme, 3PO, Yoda, Mace, Palpatine, Dooku...they all talk like they're saying lines. They're all so stiff. Han (usually) talks like he's chilling on the couch. So much of our connection with people is based on the way we communicate, the way we speak. Or, it is for me.

Plus:

Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid.
You don't believe in the Force, do you?
Kid, I've flown from one side of this galaxy to the other. I've seen a lot of strange stuff, but I've never seen anything to make me believe there's one all-powerful force controlling everything. There's no mystical energy field that controls my destiny.

Han's like an atheist, he's a skeptic, he's cynical. I find that very relatable.

Rescue some princess? Pfft, I better get paid. Better her than me. Go on some suicide run? Yeah, good luck with that, I'll take my reward and leave.

Han looks out for #1 (and his bro Chewie), he's not trying to get himself killed for some strangers, he's no hero. Neither are any of us.

The rest are so eager to jump into danger and save the world.

Han is relatable because of his personality. No, his job and way of life aren't very relatable, but I don't usually care what people do for a living. The PT characters, Jedi and diplomats, don't have relatable jobs or lifestyles either. I can't relate to being a monk. I can't relate to a job that affects an entire galaxy. The PT characters are all upper class, Han is lower class and he acts like it. Han is a commoner, most of the rest are nobility.

When I just take in these characters, Han could be a real person. The others don't even come close.

So I guess it depends on where your focus is.

Just my opinion.

 

Most of the characters are pretty realistic and relatable in different ways.To me it's simply many have issue with idealism and believing in things. I relate most to Luke, Tarkin, Dooku, and OT Vader. Not even close to PT Anakin, Padme, Leia, Han.We're different, so are the characters. Different things speak to different people and that's fine. But just because X character doesn't relate well to you doesn't mean that applies for everyone.

 

Fair enough, but that's pretty subjective, don't you think? I actually have the opposite problem in that all too often I can't help but see Han as being a generic badass played by Harrison Ford. The other characters feel more real to me -- like actual real, unique people.

Not really. I'm an atheist and one of the problems I have with Han is that his disbelief is irrational. When Luke blocks the bolts during his training, for example, I can't simply dismiss it as luck. It's something that I would doubt but still investigate, still consider. Han is irrational in his disbelief -- he refuses to consider the reality of the Force despite being presented with evidence. Which isn't the make of a good skeptic but rather an ideologue.

I agree and disagree here. I think one of the reasons I find the PT characters relatable is that I could easily see myself being like them if I were raised in their situations. Their responses seem realistic to me. And their fears are very basic and human ones -- like the fear of loss or the fear of not being in control. The problem with Han is that we have no backstory with him and so I can't really do that in his case. Nor are his fears and pathos ever really expounded upon.

My point earlier was not that the Jedi's jobs are relatable, it's that Han's isn't either, so you can't use that as a reason for why he's more relatable.

Now, your point about looking out for #1 is true, but note that that is only really the case for ANH -- in ESB and ROTJ it doesn't hold up any more and Han's popularity didn't wane.

I just think that people want to be like Han. He's cool and that's why he's more popular than Luke in general (although I like Luke a heck of lot more personally).

 

Hey, PiettsHat

I'm not gonna jump into this "Han debate" (for once), but I just want you to see and acknowledge the remarkable restraint I'm displaying.

Han Solo is the man.

 

He's not my favourite character, but I think Obi-Wan plays that role in the PT. I can't relate to his background, his job, his abilities or his strength of character, but I can empathise with his journey and the flaws that trip him up.

He makes a promise almost literally on his master's grave to undertake a duty which he knows is going to take up at least a decade of his life: to basically bring up a child of whom he's so far felt dismissive, suspicious/fearful or resentful. Not his best moments, but surely anyone can relate to being overly judgmental and sanctimonious (those who think they're never too hasty in judging others probably need more self-reflection). And I would think many people can relate to having a duty, which you wouldn't have chosen under better circumstances, to care for someone you don't necessarily like all the time.

He tries to do what is right, but his loyalty (to the Republic, to Qui-Gon, to Anakin), and perhaps also his successes (personally as a Jedi, and in training Anakin - or so he thinks), blind him, and contribute to the downfall of the very things he wanted to protect. We all do that sometimes (I certainly do): try our best but it seems like our best only makes things worse, especially if we get fooled by apparent earlier success.

And he also comes across as a bit of a jerk to Anakin sometimes, though he doesn't intend any harm, quite the opposite. I can definitely relate to that: yanking the chain on younger siblings who chafe at attempts to keep them out of trouble they can't recognise. Surely that goes double for people with their own kids.

as for the OP, I think Han and Boba are definitely overrated. Honestly, I find Han more annoying than Jar Jar, who isn't a smart-arse and genuinely tries to do the right thing.

 

I was going to compliment you on your Bob Dylan avatar, but then I read this….

….and it caused me to throw up in my mouth a little, and the nice words couldn't get past my throat.






Okay, fine. Cool avatar.

 

LOL, thanks. I admit that last comment (which *is* my opinion) was putting it out there slightly trollishly

 

By building Boba into this great bounty hunter you're also building up Han's reputation, the only person capable of tracking Han is Boba. If any old bounty hunter could track Han then Han wouldn't be so special.

 

Obi-Wan

 

I don't think the characters I like are overrated but rather *underrated*.

 

The only one that immediately pops into my head is Boba Fett. I never understood the fascination with that character and I think a small chunk of the PT was wasted on him. I did like some of TCW episodes that revolved around him and his bounty hunter buddies though...

 

I think you guys are taking what I said too literally, I mean seriously did you think I thought people actually fly around in space ship with wookies as smugglers, come on I am sure you are smarter than that. I think CT did a good job of explaining further what I meant. Yes, I realize not everyone relates to the same character, but there was a large segment of people who related to Han and couldn't find a similar character in the PT to relate to. Personally, I don't really relate to Han at all.

 

I get that. As I said, good to have. And Han, as I said originally, was important to the story. Did a lot of things. But I don't think it was his "ability to relate to people." I didn't relate to him and I think it was more his bad-boy, sarcastic attitude that he was used for. People could relate to Luke (boy with dreams, living with other family) and Leia (gotta be perfect, gotta get the job done). Yeah, Han's the normal guy but he's still as far-fetched as everyone else is [with all the miraculous hits he makes and how very, very lucky he is]. In PT, I find a lot to relate to. From Obi-Wan to Anakin to even Palpatine not to mention Padme and even Shmi (though no kids here XD). Just because they have positions that are not real (while a smuggler or bounty hunter is closer to reality) doesn't mean that they're outside of relevance to our lives. It's who they are we can relate to or why they do things and what they do. I think.

I completely agree. ESPECIALLY in Scifi. The reason PT struggled is up for speculation and debate but I don't think it's because of a lack of relativity. I think it has more to do with not being the same as or more than just akin to the OT in the sense that they're the same story. And for little discrepancies or plays on semantics (what does Leia mean about her mom, was Anakin seduced or tricked, how Palpatine wasn't stopped). But that's just my opinion, based on those like me who like all 6 movies and from strictly PT fans or those who watched PT first.
One thing I do agree about is the dialogue. PT was much more political and had various jargons and was a lot more complex (be that good or bad). It could be hard to stay grounded, yeah, unless you kind of have prior knowledge about these things, like that type of movie, or did not watch OT first (because PT would be a very big change).
And Han and Boba are just overrated because Boba did practically nothing. Only EU kinda saves him and Han is given more credit than he deserves and is called a badass when all he is, is just really lucky (with some skill obviously) and is so acclaimed more because of his character's comical slant rather than actual ability.