Change is inherent in Star Wars. Fans see that in nearly every aspect of the legendary franchise, from the characters to the most iconic starships in the galaxy. Not all changes have been good, however, with some cosmetic and story changes made to the films leaving fans burnt to this day.
The Mandalorian has introduced some great revisions to the saga, including the return of fan-favorite character Boba Fett. Some story decisions don't work and a fair number of the updates made to the saga's special effects weren't always for the best.
Han Shot First
Perhaps the most infamous change to the saga came in the 1997 Special Edition of the original Star Wars. The image fans had of Han Solo as a rough and tumble gunslinger was framed by his shooting first in the cantina when Greedo came to collect his bounty.
Writer and director George Lucas decided this was too aggressive for the heroic Han Solo, and changed it so they shot at the same time. Some things don't make sense about Han Solo and this is one. This change diminished both the scene and the character of Han, and it wasn't over yet.
Hayden Christensen Ghosts Out
The original trilogy was updated again in 2004 for the first major DVD release of the films. This update took advantage of the prequels being filmed during that time to incorporate great changes like having Ian McDiarmid play The Emperor in The Empire Strikes Back.
One addition that didn't make sense was replacing original actor Sebastian Shaw with Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker's ghost. There has never been an explanation for why Anakin reverted to his younger, pre-evil self, or why the same didn't happen for Obi-Wan or even Yoda.
Yoda Not Training Obi-Wan
A story issue quickly developed in The Phantom Menace. Obi-Wan Kenobi's master was Qui-Gon Jinn. Qui-Gon was a fantastic character, played by the amazing Liam Neeson in one of his most memorable roles, but it was in conflict with what had been established in the original trilogy: Yoda trained Obi-Wan.
Obi-Wan instructed Luke Skywalker to go to Dagobah to be trained by Yoda, as he had once been. The prequels changed this relationship completely. Later, it was established that Yoda played a role in training all younglings - a question then arises about his relationship to Grogu - but it wasn't enough.
Midichlorians
Han Solo shooting first set some Star Wars fans off. The concept of Midichlorians did as well. Before the prequels, the Force was a mystical energy field anyone could access. After The Phantom Menace, it was virtually divine right, and dependent upon a clunky sci-fi explanation.
A scientific explanation for the Force isn't outrageous, but the saga largely flies past explanations of anything and this one stung (and is one idea in The Phantom Menace that didn't make sense). The idea has been minimized since, though The Mandalorian references Grogu's M-count in Chapter 12.
Luke's Scream
After getting their hand chopped off by a guy who then claimed to be their father, anybody would scream. Luke Skywalker maintained his composure, hard as it was, after his fateful duel with Darth Vader on Cloud City (one of the greatest duels in Star Wars history). Until he didn't.
George Lucas added the sound of Luke screaming as he leaped from the pylon in Cloud City, which completely undercut the resolve he displayed in rejecting Vader's bid for galactic domination.
Adding Jabba The Hutt To Star Wars
Jabba The Hutt is a major character in Star Wars and surely the decision to cut his scene from A New Hope due to budget limitations was regrettable for George Lucas. The movie did just fine without him, and much of the narrative point of the scene was accomplished in the confrontation with Greedo.
Adding Jabba into the Special Edition made that scene redundant in some ways, and also highlighted the limits of computer-generated imagery in the mid-90s. Jabba didn't look anything like his puppet in Return of the Jedi, though he was later revised again for the DVDs.
Jedi Rocks
Return of the Jedi benefitted from the biggest budget of the original trilogy but there were still things George Lucas wanted to do he couldn't. One thing was a huge dance number in Jabba's Palace. The fun, weird background music of the Max Rebo Band became an undeniable CGI movie-stopper with "Jedi Rocks."
This extended song replaced Sy Snootles' original puppet with a CGI version, added background dancers and drummers, and also threw in a CGI Yuzzum. This musical number was just one thing that didn't make sense about the updated Return of the Jedi.
Maclunkey
George Lucas has never really stopped tinkering with his movies. Fans were surprised when they started watching the 4K versions of the Star Wars saga on Disney+ and found the cantina scene and been altered again. This time, Greedo uttered a new phrase: "Maclunkey."
There wasn't any real reason for this change, and no explanation has been given. Lucas routinely tinkers with changes after they've been made, like the sound Obi-Wan Kenobi makes of the Krayt Dragon as he approaches the Sand People.
Lightsaber Effects
Not all technical changes in the Special Editions or DVDs were for the better. For the first DVD release, color timing issues resulted in many issues with the look of the lightsabers throughout the original trilogy. The colors were muted and in some cases, blurred together.
These changes were noticeable in explosions as well, particularly the Battle of Endor in Return of the Jedi. These color timing issues were resolved with the 4K restoration of the films in 2019.
Darth Vader Shouting NO
Like with Luke Skywalker screaming as he flung himself willingly from the pylon in Cloud City, another sonic embellishment completely undid a major emotional scene in the saga. Darth Vader's silent torment as the Emperor electrocuted his son in Return of the Jedi was clear. Then George Lucas added Vader screaming "No!"
The great physical acting of the underrated, late David Prowse conveyed Vader's fatigue and torment just fine. Many fans and critics decried the change, which didn't improve the scene at all.