Disability Representations In…

Anakin Skywalker: burn victim with extensive limb differences “The Chosen One”, utilizing rhetoric of the wondrous Anakin’s transition to the Dark Side aligns with his becoming disabled Covers up entire body, never to be shown again until final installment of original saga Darth Vader’s incredible control of the force, similar to trope of other senses becoming stronger when one is lost No adjustment shown, but understood because of time lapse between trilogies

Luke Skywalker clip cut shows how comically they brush over his limb difference Lost opportunity to show adjustment Mark Hammil actually got in car accident during filming, differences covered up extensively, reflecting how his character was treated (some real scars were eventually written in though)

Physical Diversity in Star Wars

BUT Main characters mostly human (conforming), able-bodies (or at least portrayed as such Atypical characters often placed into tropes Jar-Jar: disability used to invoke pity Darth Maul, Palpatine, Jabba, etc: disability as evil Yoda: disability as wizened, oracle figure Able-bodied human characters typically given much wider character arcs

FOR DISABILITY REPRESENTATION???

Luke’s prosthetic as plot point? uncovered?? significant???

How much responsibility does a non-realistic science-fiction saga set in a galaxy far, far away have to set the standard for disability representation Plot theories revolving disabilities? (new robotic prosthetic!) Is having a sense of The Force (or not having one) a disability? How would the story have changed if they’d given more attention to the abundant disabilitites?