I actually prefer Disciple in my party for different reasons than most.
First, the game is so easy, that you don't really need all the advantages you can get...
Second, from a roleplaying perspective, it pissed me off, that I ended up with half a shipload of Jedis towards the end of the game. What happened to the Master/Apprentice thing ? How many masters travel along with an entire entourage of apprentices ?!?
So in my third game, I decided to try the female/evil way which game me Hanharr and Disciple, it was actually more "fun", especially since it gave a genuine soldier with the ability to use some of all those rifles and heavy armours out there. I simply didn't try to gain influence with him and just leveled him up as a soldier.
Not to mention, Hanharr has to be one of the coolest and most interesting characters I have run across for a very long time. Thats one wookie with an interesting backstory (I hated the whiny wookies with a passion in the first game).
And it meant two less jedis in my party