Star Warshas had several animated shows over the years. The first attempt was right afterReturn of the Jediwith theEwoks and Droidscartoons. They have gained a small following in the years since but were poorly received at the time and their run was short-lived. But while the first attempt may have stumbled, the franchise would eventually find its footing in animation with theClone WarsTV series, followed byRebelsandThe Bad Batch. These shows featured iconic characters from the movies, but they also introduced some new faces that quickly won fans over.
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But now with advancements in television production, live-action is becoming a more feasible option. Although attempts at bringingStar Warsinto live-action television go as far back as the infamousStar Wars Holiday Special, it was only withThe Mandalorianthat a live-actionStar WarsTV series managed to win fans over.
The Mandalorianand nowThe Book of Boba Fettboth made a notable effort to connect with the animated series, even bringing a few fan favorites into live-action. Ahsoka Tano appeared inThe Mandalorianandnow might have her own show. But there are still other beloved animated characters that have not yet made the transition.
5Grand Admiral Thrawn
First introduced in the novelHeir to the Empire, Grand Admiral Thrawn would prove a popular antagonist and an icon of the original expanded universe. Naturally, many fans were excited when he was made his first canon appearance inRebels. As in the old timeline, Thrawn was a complex and intelligent military tactician, who proved more than a match for the Rebel Alliance on multiple occasions.
Certainly, there would be room for him to make a reappearance as an antagonist in another series.Rebelsleft him in a strange position, beingstranded in deep space with his former enemy Ezra Bridger. The question of what happened afterward still remains unsolved, but there is definitely room for him to make a reappearance inThe Mandalorian.
4The Great Heep
The 1986 specialThe Great Heep, part of theDroidsanimated series, might not beStar Wars' greatest cinematic achievement, but it did introduce an interesting antagonist. The titular “great heap” was a mechanical monstrosity- a self-constructed cobbling of droid parts into a gigantic power-hungry abomination. It went as far as enslaving an entire planet and destroying its ecosystem in the name of control.
Imagine something like this appearing in live-action.Star Warstelevision productions in the ’80s might have been constrained by low budgets but with the production values ofThe Mandalorian,it might actually be feasible to bring this character back.
While the Great Heep itself only appeared in the one special, it was incorporated into laterStar Warslore that revealed some interesting details. Turns out it was of a warmongering mechanical race called Abominor, and was actually on thesmallerside. It was even revealed that their violent nature played abig part in the rise of the Yuuzong Vong. There is a lot of interesting potential to explore here that has been largely untouched outside of reference material.
3Hera Syndulla
Hera was easily one of the best parts ofRebels. Her determination, compassion, and unwavering loyalty proved to be a powerful combination and quickly won fans over. Naturally, the fan-favorite went on to reappear inStar Wars SquadronsandThe Bad Batch. But the closest she has gotten to live-actionwas an implied background roleinRogue One: A Star Wars Story.
There are several Easter eggs in that film that imply Hera’s presence at the Yavin IV base and the Battle of Scarif, but she never actually makes an appearance. There is certainly room to further explore her character, especially everything that happened after the Empire was defeated.
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Seeing asThe Book of Boba FettandThe Mandalorianare giving major roles to aliens, this would be a perfect opportunity to reintroduce one of the most beloved Twi’leks of the franchise. The fact thatthey’ve already had two Twi’leks appearing regularlythroughoutThe Book of Boba Fettdefinitely indicates they have the production values and resources to reconstruct Hera’s likeness on an actor.
2Omega
Omega was an interesting addition to the cast ofThe Bad Batch. Despite her naivety and young age, she proved herself a pretty capable member of the team and easily earned the respect of her clone friends. It may have also helped that Omega herself was a clone, albeit an unmodified one similar to Boba Fett.
Over the course of the series, she got to experience some crazy adventures and ran into several familiar characters, including bonding with a young Hera anda run-in with Fennec Shand.
One detail of note, that could be an advantage for a live-action transition, is Omega has so far only been seen as a child. By the timeThe Book of Boba FettandThe Mandaloriantake place, she would be at the very least in her late 20’s, if not older. This would make casting easier since it would require an older actress who does not have to look exactly like she did inThe Bad Batch. It would be cool to see what kind of person Omega grows up to be.
1Sabine Wren
The Mandalorians have been getting a lot of attention lately. Season 2 ofThe Mandaloriansaw the live-action debut of Bo-Katan Kryze, a recurring character inThe Clone WarsandRebels; but she is not the only mandalorian from those shows who could make an appearance.
Sabine Wren was a fun character- fans will remember her as the mandalorian exile who loved to graffiti everything. But she went on to be a big part of liberating Mandalore from Imperial Control and reuniting her people. She is a Mandalorian hero by the time Din Djarin begins his quest.
Aside from the obvious similarity, Sabine has several direct links to the events ofThe Mandalorian. It was thanks to her that the darksaber was even found, let alone reach the title character. There is also the connection to Bo-Katan, who fought alongside her on Mandalore. If anything,it is only logical for Sabine to make an appearance somewhere.
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