Every Star Wars: Visions Hero Explained
Ever since Disney bought the "Star Wars" franchise in 2012, they've expanded the IP in various ways, mostly through live-action means. Of course, this came at the cost of the canonization of dozens of "Star Wars" related material created before the purchase, which Disney reclassified as a non-canon "Legends" category. Still, with the launch of Disney+, the company's premium streaming network, it has allowed the company to expand on its properties like "Star Wars" and the Marvel Cinematic Universe in ways that it simply could not before. For the former, this meant live-action television fare like "The Mandalorian," which has been a big hit with critics and audiences throughout its first two seasons (per Rotten Tomatoes).
Still, Disney being Disney, there's always room for some animation. That's where "Star Wars: Visions" comes into play. Consisting of nine short films produced by six different Japanese animation studios, "Star Wars: Visions" is Disney's first big stab at "Star Wars" as both an anthology and something translated into a more anime-like style.
With that in mind, it's time to meet the heroes of the nine short films that comprise "Star Wars: Visions."
Kara from The Ninth Jedi
StarWars.com recently sat down with "Star Wars: Vision" executive producer Josh Rimes and Lucasfilm producer Kanako Shirasaki to discuss the various heroes that will appear in the short films. First on the list is Kara, who is set to appear in "The Ninth Jedi" short. Described as a Force sensitive person with no training in the ways of the Jedi, "The Ninth Jedi" will explore Kara's journey to discovering herself. While she shares similar character traits with past "Star Wars" protagonists like Luke, Rimes notes one key difference. "What's new, though, is that Kara has a stable, loving relationship to her father. He's everything to her and she's everything to him," the executive producer revealed.
It'll be interesting to see how Kara's relationship with her father makes her more unique to the "Star Wars" world and how her adventure toward realizing her power will play out throughout the short film. Shirasaki offered up some additional details about the character, saying, "She's gifted with the use of a sword, but she's not aware of her hidden power." It looks as if "The Ninth Jedi" will explore a common anime trope of a character discovering, training, and then embracing their own power, only in a "Star Wars" setting. How that plays out remains to be seen.
Karre from The Twins
Karre, who will appear in "The Twins" episode of "Star Wars: Visions," is a bit of an unusual protagonist for the franchise. He and his sister are already extremely powerful when the short begins. Oh, and they're also aligned with the dark side of the Force, which is something of a first for Disney's canon of "Star Wars" when it comes to protagonists. Karre and his twin sister Am have been raised since birth with the intention that they would one day rule the galaxy, but throughout the short, Karre begins to have doubts.
"Karre has a crisis of conscience born out of love for his sister that drives his choice," Rimes told StarWars.com. "He's fighting for Am, the only family member he's ever loved or known — and she is against it with every fiber of her being." It seems as if "The Twins" will focus on Karre moving toward the light side of the Force and coming into direct conflict with his twin Am. This is an intriguing premise for "Star Wars," and a unique twist for the franchise that obviously draws inspiration from the Leia and Luke twin plot from the Skywalker Saga.
Dan from The Elder
"The Elder" will explore the Padawan and master dynamic for "Star Wars: Visions," yet another familiar anime trope that will fit well in this particular franchise. This particular short will focus on Dan, an impatient Padawan, and his master, Tajin. Speaking with StarWars.com, Rimes offered up some useful information about who the character is: "Dan learns the hard way about what it means to seek out a fight or to underestimate an opponent." Presumably, Dan's impatience will lead him to a fight for which he's woefully unprepared.
Impatience is a common theme in the "Star Wars" franchise, and one could argue that it's partially what led Anakin Skywalker to fall to the dark side of the Force. How it will be played in "The Elder" is unclear, but the master-Padawan relationship was arguably one of the better parts of the "Star Wars" prequel trilogy. It'll be fun to see how that plays out in "The Elder."
F from The Village Bride
F from "The Village Bride" short of "Star Wars: Visions" is something of a mysterious character. She's described as a fallen Jedi with a tragic past who observes a tiny village on the planet Keelia during a wedding ceremony. She wears a unique-looking mask and is very cautious. This entry will apparently explore the Force in an unusual way, as the people in the village are unaware of what the Force exactly is. Shirasaki elaborated on this point for StarWars.com, explaining that, "People of Planet Keelia don't know the concept of the Force, but they interpret in their own way. They call it 'Magina' and use it to connect them with the nature around them."
This is indeed a very interesting way to explore how the Force is viewed from the perspective of those not aware of the Jedi or their views of the Force. It's a viewpoint that the "Star Wars" franchise has rarely explored before, especially under Disney. F is also a fun protagonist, as her mysterious past and the way she interacts with the village will surely be the driving force behind the short.
Ronin from The Duel
"Star Wars: Visions" will take the franchise back to the roots that inspired it with a short named "The Duel," which will draw from samurai pop culture. It will follow Ronin, a Jedi who's described as both a warrior and an anti-hero. He even travels with a murderous droid that wears a straw hat. While speaking with StarWars.com about the character, Shirasaki said, "He doesn't talk about himself. The only one who knows his true identity is his droid and it doesn't speak, either. As viewers, we are only given the same limited amount of information about the protagonist that is given to the other characters of this short."
These are all staples of samurai movies, especially the ones focused on a lone wanderer with a mysterious past and questionable methods. Ronin is described as having a "strong sense" of what justice means and the difference between right and wrong. The short will apparently be very action-heavy, drawing on some of the best lightsaber duels from the franchise and samurai films in the process. Given "Star Wars" creator George Lucas' obsession with samurai while creating the franchise (per Inverse), this seems like the perfect combination, and Ronin looks to be a protagonist that has the potential to become a fan favorite.