Star Wars Fans Think This Beloved Character Ruined The Empire Strikes Back
While everyone has their favorite entry in the "Star Wars" franchise, it's almost universally agreed that "Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back" has yet to be surpassed, even over 40 years later. A direct sequel to the 1977 sci-fi fantasy space opera that started it all, "Empire" not only further cemented the franchise as a pop culture mainstay, but it also proved that "Star Wars" was a storytelling powerhouse that could deliver some of the most emotionally gripping movie moments ever put on the big screen.
The movie's darker themes, grander production, and cliffhanger ending marked a new standard for both sequels and blockbuster films from that point onward (via The Escapist). To this day, "Empire" consistently tops lists of the best "Star Wars" films, including those by Rotten Tomatoes, Entertainment Weekly, and IGN, just to name a few. Similarly, its influence can be felt everywhere, with blockbuster filmmakers from Roland Emmerich to The Russo Brothers citing it as one of their favorite movies.
Considering how acclaimed and influential "Empire" continues to be, it's hard to imagine anyone finding issues with the film. However, search the internet long enough and you'll find a contrarian somewhere. Infamously, the initial reviews for the "Star Wars" sequel were far from glowing (via New York Times). But even nowadays, there are fans who have issues with "Empire," including some who found one particular "Star Wars" character featured in "Empire" to weigh down the experience.
C-3PO still frustrates fans
In a post to the r/Movies subreddit, u/peter095837 asked other Redditors if there is a character from a movie that ruined their experience. In one response, u/justan0therjeff replied, "I remember revisiting Empire Strikes Back a few years ago and thinking that C-3PO was really annoying in it."
Of course, C-3PO, the golden robot played by Anthony Daniels, has been seen in every Skywalker saga "Star Wars" film. Often known for his neurotic personality, C-3PO acts as comic relief throughout his appearances. However, to some fans, he doesn't always draw up laughter so much as he does irritation.
Evidently, u/CrabSully and u/OutWithTheNew both agreed with the statement, with the latter stating that nearly all droids in "Star Wars" are annoying. In another response, u/BLUNTYEYEDFOOL shared a funny story regarding his time viewing the film in theaters, saying, "When C-3PO gets blown to bits by the storm-troopers on Cloud City, the entire audience in the Savoy cinema in Dublin, Ireland cheered ... Good times."
Others were quick to defend the golden robot. For example, u/Baconburp, u/JasonT1967, and u/truethug noted that Jar Jar Binks (Ahmed Best) from the "Star Wars" prequel trilogy was a far worse and less funny character. Interestingly, one user even argued more directly for C-3PO himself. "I feel like C-3PO is an integral part of the whole Star Wars dynamic," u/Bellikron wrote. "He's definitely kind of insufferable, but that's sort of the point, and it's an interesting example of a comic relief character actually grounding the group."
Notably, Anthony Daniels has previously stated that he intends to play the character for as long as he can. In a 2020 interview with Cinema Blend, Daniels said, "I'm never going to retire. They're going to have to throw me out the door."