Star Wars has introduced its first transgender ‘stormtrooper’ in a move that has left fans of beloved sci-fi franchise divided.
Named ‘Sister’, she is clad in armour painted in the blue and pink of the transgender flag, and was pictured for the first time in a new book released earlier this week.
The dreadlock-sporting soldier first appeared in a reference in an earlier 2022 novel ‘A Queen’s Hope’ before later being depicted in a piece of fan art.
Now her story and picture has been featured in Star Wars: The Secrets of the Clone Troopers – which added her to the franchise’s official lore.
But the new character’s addition has left fans of the galaxy far, far away saga split, with some branding it ‘utterly insane gender cult worship’ and ‘moronic’, while others raged it was a ‘bat-s*** crazy p***take’.
Star Wars has introduced its first transgender ‘stormtrooper’ in a move that has left fans of beloved sci-fi franchise divided.
Dubbed ‘Sister’, the character first appeared in a 2022 novel and piece of fan art (pictured) before being added to the official Star Wars lore in the new book release earlier this week
Not everyone was supportive of the new character, with some venting their anger online
‘I remember when #StarWars used to be about space wizards, epic adventures, and lightsaber combat. Now it’s… this,’ fumed one person on X.
Others appeared critical of Disney, owners of the franchise, for allowing the character to become canon, branding Star Wars ‘woke garbage’.
Gaming news YouTuber The ArchCast was among those ridiculing the move, saying in a video: ‘Finally, at long last the thing that all Star Wars fans have been begging for, clamouring for for years and years, have come true.
‘What’s that? Good story telling? A focus on Thrawn maybe, or the force, Jedi, the Emperor or any of that stuff? Oh no, no, no you silly, evil bigots you. I’m talking about the first transgender stormtrooper.’
Criticising the move, he added: ‘There was no pushback whatsoever from Disney, nothing. Nothing at all. Again, «stunning and brave» – the most oppressed minority, truly is the one that gets its way every single time if asks for anything at all.’
Another person on social media added: ‘Wow, my friends and I were just talking about what could save this franchise aaaannnnddd this wasn’t it.’
Sister was first introduced in the 2022 book A Queen’s Hope, having been created on the planet Kamino to fight for the Galactic Republic.
She is one of the many clone troopers, which featured in Star Wars Episodes II and III, which depicted the evil transformation of Anakin Skywalker from Jedi hero to iconic space villain, Darth Vader.
Little is known about the character aside from she served alongside Skywalker (played by Hayden Christensen) and his mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi (played by Ewan McGregor) during the Clone Wars.
Little is known about the character aside from she served alongside Skywalker (played by Hayden Christensen, left) and his mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi (played by Ewan McGregor, right)
She is one of the clone troop, which were featured in the second and third films in the Star Wars prequel series in the early 2000s
Pictured are young clone troops being trained during a scene in Star Wars Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002)
She later appeared in a piece of fan art which has since been adopted as her official appearance in Star Wars: The Secrets of the Clone Troopers, released this week.
The book is intended as an illustrated encyclopedia for children and is written from the perspective of another Star Wars character, Captain Rex from the Disney+ animation, Bad Batch.
A description of her in the book, given by Rex, says: ‘When one of our kind expressed her gender identity differently than her fellow troopers, she featured she’d have to hide who she truly was inside. Fortunately, her brothers in the 7th Sky Corps gave her the name ‘Sister’ as a constant reminder that she belonged.’
Despite the fury online, others have welcomed the character and defended her being officially cemented in the franchise’s expansive lore.
‘Star Wars fans need to learn to not be weirdos. This s***s awesome,’ wrote one person on X.
Another added: ‘Despite gender fluidity and sex changes being classic science fiction tropes, people will still find a way to bitch and moan about this.’
Sister is not the only transgender character Star Wars. Ceret and twin Terec, are ‘trans non-binary’ Jedi Knights who previously appeared in The High Republic 2 in 2021.
A post on the Star Wars Instagram for International Transgender Day of Visibility in 2021 later confirmed their pronouns and status as trans non-binary.
