Star Wars Now Has Transgender Stormtroopers
With many characters and plotlines that have transcended traditional gender roles, Star Wars has never really been a franchise that has limited itself to what could be considered a closed-minded universe. To cement that idea, the book Star Wars: The Secrets of the Clone Troopers includes information about “Sister,” the first transgender clone trooper in the Star Wars franchise.
The inclusion of the historic character has been celebrated by many who view the move as a positive step towards diverse representation, while others have gone as far as calling for a boycott of the beloved sci-fi franchise.
Sister, The First Transgender Stormtrooper
When Star Wars first hit theaters in 1977, the film wasn’t expected to become the juggernaut franchise that it has developed into over the last five decades. But since then, the franchise has continued to be at the forefront of not only redefining an entire genre, but pushing boundaries and creating rich and unique characters as well. With Sister now officially becoming a part of Star Wars cannon, the clone trooper continues the tradition of nonconformity becoming part of the norm.
Star Wars: The Secrets Of The Clone Troopers
Released on October 8, Star Wars: The Secrets of the Clone Troopers is described as an in-universe book that allows readers to discover the secrets behind the galaxy’s clone army, from their origins on the planet Kamino to the calamity of Order 66.
The author of the book is revealed to be Clone Captain Rex, but in real life, it was written by freelance comic book writer Marc Sumerak. Included in the book is a character description of Sister, a clone trooper in the 7th Sky Corps who not only becomes the first Star Wars transgender stormtrooper, but a character who opens the door for possibility of key trans characters being featured in the franchise in the near future.
Support From Other Stormtroopers
In her description, Sister’s Star Wars transgender journey is narrowed down into a succinct paragraph that briefly touches on her psychology and initial reservation to reveal her true self. “When one of our kind expressed her gender identity differently than her fellow troopers, she [figured] 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,” the book reads.
Fought With Anakin And Obi-Wan
While this is the first time that Sister has gotten the publicity of being the first Star Wars transgender character, she has, in fact, been mentioned once before. In the 2022 Stars Wars novel Queen’s Hope by author E.K. Johnston, Sister was featured fighting right alongside Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi during the infamous Clone Wars. Anakin was briefly taken aback by Sister and how quickly she was seemingly accepted by her fellow clone troopers without issue.
However, Anakin wasn’t the only one who was apprehensive during their brief encounter. Sister acknowledged how unsure she was regarding the Jedi’s acceptance of her. “The Jedi are all about transcending things,” Anakin told her. “I don’t think we can complain if you’ve transcended gender.”
Fan Pushback
Despite Sister being accepted as the first Star Wars transgender clone trooper by characters inside the universe, some fans have taken offense to the inclusion of the character, with some calling the move “disgusting” or “lore-breaking.”
Since its October 8 release, Star Wars: The Secrets of the Clone Troopers has received a moderate amount of “review bombing” on Amazon, with a majority of one-star ratings weighing down the book’s overall rating.
