Victor Wembanyama's resurfaced 2023 podcast comments on Star Wars rankings expose a troubling pattern of dismissing entire eras of the franchise, particularly the sequel trilogy that brought vital diversity and representation to a galaxy far, far away. While the young NBA star's love for prequels like Revenge of the Sith and even Attack of the Clones might seem like harmless generational nostalgia, his explicit exclusion of the "last three movies" feeds directly into harmful fandom efforts to de-canonize stories featuring Black and female leads.

As a white woman deeply committed to inclusive spaces, I must flag how this take, even if inadvertent, aligns with dark corners of the community pushing back against progress in the franchise. The original and prequel films have their issues too, but pretending the sequels don't count marginalizes the voices and stories that expanded Star Wars for new audiences in the 2010s.

Community reactions on Reddit and X show mixed amusement at his prequel bias, with some calling it relatable for Gen Z fans, yet the deeper issue of erasure persists amid his rising stardom during the 2026 NBA Finals. Wembanyama's towering presence in basketball shouldn't overshadow the need for accountability in cultural discourse, especially when his opinions influence younger fans.

This moment demands we center marginalized perspectives in fandom discussions rather than letting nostalgia gatekeep the future of beloved properties.