A much stronger history of diversity and representation
Star Trek‘s diversity outshines Star Wars by a significantly clear margin, not just by casting more diverse roles sooner but because it does not feel like a sudden attempt to make up for the mistakes of its past. Star Trek has held this diversity record since its inception in 1966. Right off the bat, The Original Series featured three main female characters, including an African-American woman on its cast, Nichelle Nichols, and a gay Asian man, George Takei.
Star Wars, on the other hand, originally showcased a majority of white characters, touching on diversity only with the Disney movies in 2015. I say “touching” on diversity simply because it feels like Disney has been slow when it comes to finally catching up with other studios in terms of diversity and representation. And their attempts to right those wrongs have been clear.
All of that said, I am very hopeful that Star Wars will become more organically diverse. With Ahsoka on the horizon, which features three amazing leading ladies playing equally fantastic characters, I have a feeling things will change. Ahsoka, Sabine, and Hera are established characters with solid backgrounds and character arcs, and I am hopeful this is a turning point for the franchise, paving the way for more diversity and representation in the future.