By George & Josh Bate
Some of the most powerful and emotional Star Wars stories exist in animation, as do some of the franchise’s most interesting characters. While the likes of Bo-Katan Kryze, Ahsoka Tano, Cad Bane, and Sabine Wren have made the transition from animation to live-action, various other fan favorites have yet to do the same. Here are 10 characters from Star Wars animation we’d love to see in live-action.
10. Hondo Ohnaka
Hondo is a character that could seamlessly fit into any Star Wars stories in any era. The notorious pirate features in The Clone Wars and Rebels (and at Disney Parks), but has yet to make an appearance in live-action, despite the fact that many (including us) predicted he would appear in Skeleton Crew. The wise-talking, duplicitous pirate needs to make his way into live-action at some point.
9. Kazuda Xiono
The star of Star Wars Resistance is a natural inclusion in live-action. He’s likable, funny, kind, and his father has already appeared in live-action in Ahsoka. Christopher Sean, the voice actor behind Kaz, is also a great actor on-screen and can be seen in the likes of Hawaii Five-0 and You. With all the stories set in the post-Episode IX era on the horizon (New Jedi Order, Starfighter, etc.), it would make sense for Kaz to pop in somewhere.
8. Nubs
One of the cutest additions to Star Wars canon in recent years, Nubs is a highlight of Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures. And, as Star Wars has never shied away from cute characters over the years (look no further than Wicket or Grogu), who wouldn’t want to see Nubs in a live-action Star Wars story set before The Phantom Menace?
7. Minister Veris Hydan
Minister Hydan is an ominous character shrouded in mysterious. His only appearances are in the World Between Worlds episodes of Star Wars Rebels, but there seems to be so much more to his story to explore. He has extensive knowledge of Jedi history and temples, but he also serves the dark side and Darth Sidious. Early versions of Rebels Season 3 featured the character in a more substantial role, speaking to the potential the creatives at Lucasfilm see for the character.
6. Durge
Durge is easily one of the most bad ass characters to ever feature in Star Wars. His inclusion in Genndy Tartakovsky’s Clone Wars series is remarkable and terrifying – with the exception of maybe Grievous in that series, has there ever been a scarier antagonist in Star Wars animation? Imagining his hulking frame coming to life in live-action is so exciting and, after making his canon debut in the comics, hopefully his live-action debut isn’t far away.
5. Darth Bane
Darth Bane may be an unexpected inclusion on this list, but, technically, he made his first canon appearance in animation (via The Clone Wars episode “Sacrifice”). Originally developed by George Lucas and expanded on greatly in the Legends novels by Drew Karpyshyn, Bane is a fascinating character with a backstory unique to any in the Star Wars franchise. More generally, we hope that Lucasfilm explores the hundreds of years prior to the High Republic in future live-action stories as there is so material to explore in this era. Some of this unexplored material involves Darth Bane, the originator of the Rule of Two and someone who surely has to make it into live-action at some point.
4. Asajj Ventress
Tales of the Underworld concluded in a manner that suggests we haven’t seen the last of Asajj Ventress. Who began as a bad-ass, side villain in The Clone Wars developed into one of Star Wars‘ most well-developed and unexpected characters in the later days of the series and the novel Dark Disciple. With a gap in her story from Tales of the Underworld to The Bad Batch Season 3, we hope Ventress somehow makes her way into a future live-action Star Wars story.
3. Satine Kryze
If an Obi-Wan Kenobi Season 2 is ever developed, we really hope that Obi-Wan’s relationship with Satine is explored through flashbacks. Their romance in The Clone Wars is touching and adds so much to Obi-Wan’s character, plus Satine is such an interesting character in her own right. A member of the Mandalorian royal family having a forbidden romance with a member of the Jedi Order? Seems like a perfect story to explore in live-action.
2. Cal Kestis
Fans have been desperate to see Cameron Monaghan’s character from Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor make his way into live-action at some point. And it makes sense. Cal Kestis is a likable, layered protagonist. He is also played by an accomplished actor with a number of on-screen credits already in Monaghan. It seems to be a no brainer that Cal will be in live-action at some point.
1. Omega
Omega was the heart and soul of The Bad Batch, the most emotionally resonant of any of the Star Wars animated shows for us. The epilogue of the series finale leaves Omega in an interesting place as she prepares to join the battle against the Empire, thus leaving the door open for her to appear in subsequent stories. We’d love to see this happen in a future Star Wars movie or series. Perhaps Omega could play a key role in a Season 2 of The Book of Boba Fett? Or maybe she can feature in one of the various projects in development set after The Rise of Skywalker? However it happens, we’re keeping our fingers crossed that Omega returns sooner rather than later.