Star Wars' Huge New Villain Is Ripping Off... Disney's Incredibles?!
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The latest villain in Star Wars lore reveals an ability that bears a striking resemblance to at least one other Disney antagonist. The eternal war between the Jedi and the Sith at the heart of the Star Wars universe overshadows all other species and lifeforms who don't rely on the Force or feel particularly inclined in favor of either side. The Skywalker family and their enemies shape the course of the galaxy, while ordinary citizens of every planet fade into background, or star in their own movie-worthy adventures in secret.
Outside the reach of the Force doctrine, countless individuals survive on grit and intellect, coupled with their own weapons and tech. Mandalorians master combat using beskar armor, jetpacks, and generally melee weaponry, to the point that they can match Force-sensitive, lightsaber-wielding opponents with little effort. Bounty hunters and smugglers are used to firefights and quick-draw duels, while Imperial officers and Rebel strategists direct massive fleets to turn battles in their favor using nothing but logistics and war strategy. Engineers, spice miners, doctors, and street-level thieves keep galactic civilization afloat in their own corners of the universe.
Perhaps the most overlooked type of character in the whole Star Wars franchise is the droid, who should theoretically be a much bigger threat than it has been in all live-action movies and series.
Kylo Ren's Ever-Adapting Droid Enemy Draws Inspirations From Syndrome's Omnidroid
Star Wars: The Fall Of Kylo Ren #3; Written By Charles Soule; Art By Will Sliney & Guru-eFX
Marvel's Star Wars: The Fall of Kylo Ren adapts the titular leader of the First Order into comic book format and forces him to team up with the Knights of Ren against an unexpected foe. Although Kylo sends a powerful droid attacking his ship into outer space, Tava Ren explains that this is just the beginning, as the droid has evolved multiple times before. Just as she predicts, the droid makes its way back onto the ship, this time spawning one lightsaber on each hand and a much bulkier appearance than the one he bears in Tava Ren's flashbacks.
Adaptive mechanical antagonists are a recurring threat in science fiction, as their ability to learn and iterate makes their defeats all but temporary. Like Star Wars: The Fall of Kylo Ren's adaptive droid, Syndrome’s Omnidroid from The Incredibles logs the combat strategies of the titular heroes to upgrade its armor and offensive countermeasures accordingly, until it becomes virtually unstoppable. Likewise, Star Trek's Borg possesses a hive mind that allows them to analyze their opponents' strengths and adjust their weaponry within seconds. Kylo and Tava are lucky the super-adaptive droid they're facing seems to be a singular unit, otherwise they likely wouldn't stand a chance against it.
Star Wars' Droids Should Be Much More Dangerous Than They Are
Artificial Intelligence Is Conveniently Rudimentary In Star Wars
Given the advanced nature of Star Wars' technology, droids and all kinds of artificial intelligence automatons should realistically be a force to reckon with throughout the galaxy. Yet, droids are relegated to disposable to cannon fodder and comic relief. A sentient machine capable of advanced battle calculation and instant reaction speed should be able to outperform virtually every opponent, but despite centuries of technological development, most droids lack genuine strategic initiative, and they exhibit basic processing flaws that leave them vulnerable to simple organic tactics.
In canon, ancient events like the horrors of the Separatist Droid Army instilled a permanent fear of machine uprisings, which prompted governments to mandate strict intelligence caps and regular memory wipes. The conscious restriction of synthetic development prevents the rise of autonomous mechanical threats and ensures that organic individuals maintain complete control of every aspect of society. Galactic culture treats droids as property and enforces a rigid hierarchy where artificial minds are subservient and thus forbidden from realizing their true potential. However, individual units like Star Wars: The Fall of Kylo Ren's super-adaptable droid show how dangerous they could really be if these restraints were removed.
Would you like to see more droid antagonists in Star Wars?
Star Wars: The Fall of Kylo Ren #3 is now available from Marvel Comics
First Film Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
Cast Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, David Prowse, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Ian McDiarmid, Ewan McGregor, Rosario Dawson, Lars Mikkelsen, Rupert Friend, Moses Ingram, Frank Oz, Pedro Pascal
Movie(s) Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens, Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi, Star Wars: Episode IX- The Rise of Skywalker, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi, Star Wars: New Jedi Order
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