10 Things That Don't Make Sense About Mustafar

Mustafar has become such an iconic planet in Star Wars ever since we were shown the evolution of Darth Vader in Revenge of the Sith. However, there are things here and there that do not make sense, particularly regarding characters' actions involving the planet. Here are ten such things.

10. It's Featured In The Clone Wars, But Nobody Keeps Watch

In The Clone Wars season 2 episode "Children of the Force," bounty hunter Cad Bane is hired by Darth Sidious to deliver Force-sensitive children to Mustafar. The children are saved by the Jedi. However, after this incident, wouldn't someone from the Jedi or the Republic want to keep watch on further suspicious activities on this planet? It does not seem like such a watch is happening by the time the Separatists hide out on Mustafar at the end of the war.

9. Grievous Announces That The Separatists Will Be Going There

In Revenge of the Sith, Sidious orders Grievous to send the Separatists to Mustafar. It is not until a different day in the movie that he announces this to the Separatist leaders, suspecting that the Republic forces are closing in. In fact, he does this after Magnaguards notice Obi-Wan Kenobi talking to Tion Medon. With this knowledge, why would Grievous wait this long to notify the leaders, and why would he announce it aloud when it's possible that someone like Kenobi could overhear?

8. Vader's Eyes

This is more just something I noticed on Disney+. For some reason, one of Vader's Sith eyes looks pretty wack, as it does not quite match the other eye and seems to be popping out. Very unsettling.

7. "Peace" vs. "Pieces"

Before Nute Gunray is killed by Vader, he says that Sidious promised them peace. In the film, Vader simply kills him afterward. In the novelization, however, Vader adds, "His transmission was garbled. He promised to leave you in pieces." Why would this be omitted from the film? You cannot tell me that the Vader to tells Krennic not to choke on his aspirations would not say this hilarious line.

6. Obi-Wan Doesn't Help Padme When She's Being Force Choked

When Vader Force chokes Padme, Obi-Wan does not spring into action to stop this from happening. He simply tells Anakin to let her go. An argument can be made that he's hoping for Anakin to make the choice himself. However, there is a life at stake. Obi-Wan really should have done something right away.

5. Spinning Lightsabers

A notorious moment during Obi-Wan and Vader's duel is when they both spin their lightsabers for seemingly no reason. I have heard that the visual dictionary for the film says that they are both trying to be unpredictable since they know each other's moves pretty well. I have not read this visual dictionary, so I would appreciate if someone could comment confirming whether or not this is the case. In any case, it is an odd visual to include in the film. It looks rather silly and makes it seem like the film is trying too hard with the lightsaber combat.

4. Fire Gets On Darth Vader

After Kenobi defeats Vader, a spark of fire gets on Vader and burns his whole body rather rapidly. It seems way too convenient. If it were Kenobi using the Force to move the fire onto him, it would have been more believable. As it is presented, however, the fire just seems tacked on.

3. The Cracks In Vader's Head

It is established that the duel on Mustafar is what causes most of Vader's injuries, giving him his look that is hinted at in The Empire Strikes Back and then fully revealed in Return of the Jedi. However, in the former, there are cracks on the back of his head. Not once in the duel is a reason for this crack ever explained. To be fair, this could be explained by an event in a story that takes place at a later time. (Perhaps the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series?)

2. No Text Identified It In Rogue One

In Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, there is identifying text for virtually every planet that is visited so that the audiences know where the characters are. However, there is no such identifier for Mustafar. People at Lucasfilm have said that this was to preserve the surprise of Vader. However, people like me were not sure at first that this was Mustafar, because it did not seem as lava-filled as it was in Revenge of the Sith. As it stands, the text feels like an odd omission.

1. It Wasn't Featured Enough In 'Episode IX'

I'm not gonna say anything about the trees; they actually make sense if you play or watch Vader Immortal. However, what boggles the mind is that Mustafar is featured only briefly in Episode IX. When Colin Trevorrow was still attached as director, the script called for Kylo Ren visiting Vader's castle and finding a hologram of some teacher of Sidious named Tor Valum. What we got instead was less than a minute on Mustafar, with Kylo Ren slaughtering people and retrieving the Sith wayfinder. For a film that includes a character who idolizes Vader, it is very odd that there is not more time spent showing him exploring Vader's castle. A moment of Kylo Ren confronting the Eye of Webbish Bog was even cut from The Rise of Skywalker.

So there you have it. Admittedly, much of these might be somewhat nitpicky. Are there any other things about Mustafar that have confused you? Go ahead and chime in via the comments!

Written By Steven Shinder

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