Summary
Of all the characters introduced inStar Wars, these 15 are the very best.Star Warsmovies and TV showshave introduced innumerable characters in the nearly 50 years since the franchise began, and many of them have become incredibly popular. While several fan-favorite characters are amongStar Wars’most powerful JediorStar Wars’most powerful Sith, there are plenty of non-Force-users who rank very highly among the franchise’s most popular characters.
In fact, some of the very bestStar Warscharacters have no connection to the Force whatsoever. Moreover, the best characters spanthe fullStar Warstimeline, and several are even quite new to the franchise.Here are the top 15 greatest characters in all ofStar Wars, ranked worst to best.
10 Star Wars Characters Who Could Actually Defeat Darth Vader
Although Darth Vader is one of Star Wars' most powerful characters, these 10 Jedi and Sith would defeat him in battle—and some already have.
15Rey’s Story Is Surely About To Get So Much Better
First Appeared In: The Force Awakens
Unfortunately, Rey was immediately controversial in the franchise, although much of that had little to do with her character or Daisy Ridley’s performance. In part, Rey was caught in the crossfire when audiences became outraged over the handling of Luke Skywalker’s story arc in the sequel trilogy, andStar Warsdidn’t do Rey or Ridley any favors by introducing the surprise twist that she was really a descendent of the un-dead Palpatine inStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Regarding Rey’s actual characterization, many argued that she was a ‘Mary Sue,’ a term meaning a female character without realistic flaws.
10 Reasons Rey Is Absolutely Not A Mary Sue
Rey Skywalker is one of the most powerful people in all of Star Wars, and though many people find fault with how strong she is, she’s not a Mary Sue.
This argument seems to mainly pertain to Rey’s incredible strength in the Force and her exceptional piloting skills, both of which many viewers took umbrage with. However, that Rey is without flaws is simply untrue.Rey is wonderfully flawed, which is why she is a greatStar Warscharacter.
For one, Rey revealed inStar Wars: The Last Jedihow truly naive she was, willingly throwing herself in harm’s way because a few Force bonds had convinced her she could turn Kylo Ren. Moreover, Rey had an obvious issue with acceptance, as she was in denial that her parents were gone for the first half of the sequel trilogy and then in denial about who her parents were. These faults are in keeping withStar Warsheroes, though.
Rey needed to overcome these flaws to become a true Jedi, which is why she needed both Luke and Leia’s guidance. While Luke helped her understand the true nature of the Force and the Jedi, Leia helped her learn to accept herself no matter where she came from—something Leia, as Vader’s daughter, understood well. This is also only the beginning of Rey’sStar Warsstory, as theupcoming movie rumored to be titledNew Jedi Orderwill reveal what Rey has done in the 15 years sinceThe Rise of Skywalker, including, presumably, establishing her own Order.
14Many Agree That Kylo Ren Was The Best Part Of The Sequels
While Rey might have received plenty of backlash because of her role in the sequels, Kylo Ren, yet another sequel trilogy newcomer, was generally well-liked. Although some found his emotions to be a bit too much inStar Wars: The Force Awakens(which was odd given how emotional Anakin Skywalker was throughout the prequels and because Kylo Ren’s tears were in response to killing his father), his chaotic rage generally won audiences over. This likely also had plenty to do with Adam Driver’s acting;Star Warshas had many villains, but Driver’s brooding, domineering performance felt new.
Star Warshas had many villains, but Driver’s brooding, domineering performance felt new.
It’s also impossible to ignore that much of the fanfare over Kylo Ren/Ben Solo was and continues to be because he seems so much like a character from a romance novel. Whether or notStar Warsis willing to acknowledge it now, Kylo’s decision to carry Rey bridal style inThe Force Awakensand his proposal to join together in the Throne Room inThe Last Jedido seem to speak for themselves. Even outside the ‘Reylo’ craze, though,Kylo Ren was an excellent villain, and, in the end, he did his family lineage proud.
13Of All The Clones, Captain Rex Is Truly Special
First Appeared In: Star Wars: The Clone Wars
RecentStar Warsshows,Star Wars: The Bad Batchespecially, have done a beautiful job fleshing out the clone troopers and finally giving them the story arcs they deserve. Yet, while clones like Commander Cody and Hunter will always be beloved in the franchise,there’s simply no other clone like Captain Rex. Introduced inStar Wars: The Clone Wars, Rex was among the first to fight alongside Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano in the Clone Wars, and the relationship between the three of them grew into something truly beautiful.
In fact, of all the painful Order 66 stories, theClone Warsarc of Ahsoka trying to save herself without harming Rex (or the other troopers) only for Ahsoka and Rex to survive together is undoubtedly one of the most emotional. Even before that tragedy, though, Rex proved himself to be a valiant soldier, a wonderful friend, and someone truly loyal not only to his brothers but also to the Jedi he grew to love. Thankfully,Star Warshas continued his story, as he returned inThe Bad BatchandStar Wars Rebelsand made a live-action appearance inAhsoka.
Rex proved himself to be a valiant soldier, a wonderful friend, and someone truly loyal not only to his brothers but also to the Jedi he grew to love.
12R2-D2 Is So Much More Than A Droid
First Appeared In: A New Hope
R2-D2 may be a droid, but he is also theStar Warscharacter who has been there from the beginning of the Skywalker Saga (in release order and in timeline order), and he has proven to be an irreplaceable sidekick to both Anakin and Luke. R2 was introduced as the droid carrying Princess Leia’s urgent message inA New Hope, and he went on to help Luke destroy the Death Star and help the original trilogy’s heroes escape from Jabba the Hutt. However, the prequel trilogy revealed that R2 had a history with the Skywalker family long before these events.
R2-D2 may be a droid, but he is also theStar Warscharacter who has been there from the beginning of the Skywalker Saga.
In fact,R2 was present for most of the Skywalker family’s most essential moments, from young Anakin meeting Obi-Wan Kenobi to Padmé and Anakin’s wedding to the birth of Luke and Leia. The prequels also made clear that, before he was Luke’s droid, R2-D2 was a friend to Anakin.Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sithin particular showed how close the two had become, especially in the movie’s opening scene when he and R2 work together to fight through the droids attacking Anakin and Obi-Wan’s ships.
Notably,George Lucas also saw R2-D2 as essential to theStar Warsstory. In fact, for a time, Lucas considered making R2 the narrator ofStar Wars. This makes considerable sense, given that R2 was really the only witness to all the events of the Skywalker Saga. Unlike C-3PO, R2’s mind was never wiped, and, impressively, that means he knew everything that had transpired fromStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom MenacetoThe Rise Of Skywalker.
11Master Yoda Is Undeniably Iconic
First Appeared In: The Empire Strikes Back
Master Yoda is easily one of the most iconic characters in all ofStar Wars, and his power as a Jedi cannot be overstated. In fact, throughoutStar Wars, powerful beings are constantly compared to Yoda because he is so strong in the Force that he has nearly become a metric for Force-sensitivity. This was first made clear inThe Phantom Menacewhen Obi-Wan expressed surprise that Anakin’s midi-chlorian count was even higher than Master Yoda’s.
Moreover, Yoda is easily the wisest Jedi, even if he did fall victim to Palpatine’s trap. Not only in the original and prequel trilogies but also in the sequels, Yoda’s guidance is absolutely essential, proving that, no matter how much time passes, his status inStar Warsis unwavering. In fact, Yoda even resurfaced inRebelsas a guiding force, reinforcing that he really does play a role unlike any other throughout the franchise.
Of course, Yoda is also a brilliantStar Warscharacter simply because he is so beloved—and for good reason. The odd manner in which he speaks is aStar Warsstaple, and, although he ultimately became quite a bit more serious than he seemed when he was introduced inThe Empire Strikes Back, his sense of humor remained. In fact, one of the best parts of the sequel trilogy is when Yoda visits Luke as a Force ghost and essentially laughs at him for being so dramatic about the Jedi needing to end.
10Darth Maul’s Star Wars Arc Is One Of The Franchise’s Best Retcons Of All Time
First Appeared In: Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
Darth Maul’s role inStar Warshas been shocking and has only gotten better with time. Maul is among theStar Warscharacters whose resurrections were a bit dubiously explained, yethis arc following his return inThe Clone Warsmakes the flimsy explanation for his return well worth excusing. Maul was truly terrifying when he was introduced as the brand-new Sith inThe Phantom Menace. Palpatine and Vader had been scary, of course, but there was something truly unnerving about Darth Maul’s almost creepy silence. And, he introduced the double-bladed lightsaber toStar Warsas well.
However, while he remained a terrifying villain inThe Clone Wars, he also became so much more complex. Specifically, his pain at having been cast aside by Palpatine and his desperation to get revenge on Obi-Wan Kenobi were each truly compelling arcs. His history with Palpatine in particular proved interesting, as this revealed the ways in which Maul felt like nothing more than a pawn for his former Sith master—a side of the Sith that had yet to really be explored.
Moreover, at one point,Darth Maul even managed to rule Mandalore. Impressively, this proved that even being abandoned by the Sith didn’t stop Maul’s rise to power, nor did losing his legs (and, briefly, his sanity) following his battle with Obi-Wan inThe Phantom Menace. Maul’s subsequent returns inRebelsandSolo: A Star Wars Storywere also fascinating and revealed how truly beloved the character has become.
Asajj Ventress is a truly incredibleStar Warscharacter, and her importance has only grown in the franchise. Ventress was introduced inThe Clone Warsas Count Dooku’s formidable dark side assassin, and although she wasn’t herself a Sith, she was powerful enough that she gave both Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker a run for their money on more than one occasion. However, Ventress is also a fascinatingStar Warscharacter because of all she has overcome.
Ventress was born intothe Nightsisters of Dathomir, but her coven sadly gave her up as an infant, and she became a slave to a pirate at a very young age. Interestingly, Ventress remembered that master fondly, but he died when she was still quite young. Ventress was then identified by a Jedi Master, Ky Narec, who took her on as his Padawan. Continuing Ventress' terrible trend of loss, her beloved Jedi Master eventually died in front of her too. She was then taken on as an apprentice by Count Dooku, who ultimately cast her aside like she was nothing.
While Ventress' story of loss may not be as big a tear-jerker as Anakin’s or Obi-Wan’s,herStar Warsstory is one of considerable pain, and that reveals just how strong a character she really is. In fact,The Bad Batchproved that, in spite of all that suffering, Ventress seems to have chosen the light side of the Force. She appeared in the show wielding dual yellow lightsabers, suggesting a return to the light side, and she even helped test Omega in the Force.
Ventress’Star Warsstory is confirmed to not be over yet.
Excitingly, Ventress’Star Warsstory is confirmed to not be over yet. The franchise has revealed thatAsajj Ventress will return in an upcoming, yet unidentifiedStar Warsproject. It remains to be seen what exactly that next project will look like, but she is a character who certainly deserves to have her story continued.
10 Possible Star Wars Stories Asajj Ventress Could Appear In After Bad Batch Season 3
With Asajj Ventress confirmed to be returning to an unnamed Star Wars project following The Bad Batch season 3, 10 Star Wars stories would be perfect.
The original trilogy’s heroes will always be among the very bestStar Warscharacters,Star Wars’first ‘bad boy,’ Han Solo, included. When Han was introduced inA New Hope, he had a suave, devil-may-care attitude that audiences were immediately drawn to. At first, it seemed as though this carefree approach was genuine; Han seemed to have little regard for others (perhaps other than Chewbacca) and projected an image of someone only interested in money and saving his own skin. Throughout the original trilogy, though, Han proved to be so much more than a scoundrel.
Throughout the original trilogy, though, Han proved to be so much more than a scoundrel.
ByReturn of the Jedi, Han had more than earned his title as a Rebel fighter, just as much as any of his friends had. Indeed, Han was willing to risk his life to take down the Empire and protect his friends (and Leia, who was certainly more than a friend at that point). His rough exterior was also broken down over time, not only in his interactions with Leia but also with Luke; after all,Han Solo was the very reason Luke Skywalker was alive, following his rescue inThe Empire Strikes Back.
Han Solo is also such a staple that new eras have incorporated characters like him. This seems to be true for Poe Dameron, who was introduced as an arrogant hot-shot pilot. Presumably, this is why Leia took to Poe and put such faith in him—he likely reminded her of a young Han, and she therefore saw his potential even if he made several alarming errors.Han had already proven how much a person can change and become a true leader. Of course, a Han-coded character is also fan service, as he is already missed in the franchise.
7Padmé Amidala’s Impact Is Too Often Overlooked
Padmé Amidala’s legacy is paramount inStar Wars, and her significance is too often overlooked. Yes, Padmé is Luke and Leia’s mother, and the thought of losing Padmé sent Anakin running toward the dark side, both of which mean she had a massive impact on the fate of the galaxy. However, Padmé had an incredible role to play even outside her relationships with Luke, Leia, and Anakin, and that began when she was just a teenager.
Padmé had an incredible role to play even outside her relationships with Luke, Leia, and Anakin.
Padmé was introduced inThe Phantom Menaceas the Queen of Naboo when she was just 14. Despite being a young teenage girl, Padmé was absolutely fearless, facing the Trade Federation head-on and refusing to leave her people defenseless to save herself. Really, it’s also too often overlooked that this passionate, brave personality is a huge part of why Anakin fell for her (although, of course, she’s also clearly beautiful).
After surviving such a harrowing attack when she was Queen, Padmé became a senator in the Republic and continued her efforts to fight injustice. In fact, in the Senate,Padmé advocated not only for Naboo but also for countless worlds facing similar threats, particularly when they had no one else advocating for them. Notably, inThe Clone Wars, Padmé was also one of very few characters consistently seeking to end the tensions between the Separatists and the Republic, even aligning with Separatists at times in order to achieve peace.
Shockingly, Padmé also accurately predicted both that Count Dooku was behind her assassination attempt inStar Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clonesand that the Senate had become corrupt and was now the very thing she had fought against from the beginning. Really,had the Jedi or other senators listened to Padmé a bit more, they could have saved themselves considerable trouble. Of course, in the end, Padmé also proved how truly loving and selfless she was, insisting that Anakin was still good despite all he had done, including what he had just done to her.
Forget The Force, The Jedi Council’s Greatest Failure Was Not Listening To Padme
Although the Jedi Order made many mistakes in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, the worst decision they made was not listening to Padme’s wisdom.
6Din Djarin Has Easily Become Star Wars' Best Dad
First Appeared In: The Mandalorian
While the classics are always going to be beloved,Din Djarin has become aStar Warsfan-favorite in a relatively short time. Din Djarin was introduced inThe Mandalorianas the faceless bounty hunter who (in part because of his helmet) was difficult to read, but he quickly became the best dad in all ofStar Wars. After saving Grogu from the Empire, Din Djarin truly grew to love the little creature, andThe Mandalorianseason 3 endingsaw this story come full circle, with Din formally adopting Grogu as his son and taking him on as his Mandalorian apprentice.
Din Djarin is one of the most popular non-Jedi characters in the entire franchise.
Clearly, the love for Din Djarin and his relationship with Grogu is massive enough that the characters are confirmed to be making the impressive jump from the small screen to the big screen inthe upcomingThe Mandalorian & Grogumovie, and it’s truly well-deserved. There’s so much this duo brings toStar Wars, Din Djarin in particular. In fact, Din Djarin is one of the most popular non-Jedi characters in the entire franchise, and it’s due to his paternal love for Grogu, his incredible Mandalorian fighting skills, and undoubtedly Pedro Pascal’s portrayal of the character, too.
