Who are the greatest Star Wars characters ever? See our top 10 rankings, featuring Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and more.
Happy May the 4th to all who celebrate! The unofficial official Star Wars holiday is upon us, and I thought I would offer up my list of the greatest characters from the galaxy far, far away.
Narrowing it down to just 10 wasn’t easy, but that’s part of the fun. So whether you want to agree, argue or just relive some of the saga’s best moments, let’s dive into my ranking of the top 10 characters in Star Wars.
The wise Grand Master of the Jedi Order, Yoda had a hand in training generations of Jedi right up to the great Luke Skywalker.
He led the Jedi during the Clone Wars, helped decide to separate the Skywalker twins and gave Obi-Wan his final mission to watch over Luke, who he eventually would train as Jedi Knight upon Obi-Wan’s passing. And even after he was long gone, he was still doling out advice to Luke, setting him back on the right path after years where he cut himself off from the Force.
Yoda also delivered some of the greatest quotes in the series, such as “Do or do not, there is no try” and “size matters not.” He also delivered the quintessential understanding of the path that leads to the Dark Side — “Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.” And thanks to his role in the fall of the Jedi Order in the Clone Wars, Yoda was speaking from experience when he told Luke that, “Failure, the greatest teacher is.”
The Mandalorian & Grogu will bring Star Wars back to cinemas on May 22, and it could be argued that they are the most important characters of the Disney era of Lucasfilm.
The Mandalorian was a breakthrough hit for Lucasfilm and Disney at a time when both needed it most. Not only was the first Star Wars streaming series key to the launch of Disney+, but it was a silver lining for the brand as it was suffering through a less than enthusiastic response to The Rise of Skywalker. Not to mention that Baby Yoda became the hottest thing in the world for a couple of years.
As Dan Larson of the excellent YouTube channel Secret Galaxy put it, The Mandalorian is everything we imagined Boba Fett to be (until we actually saw his adventures in the disappointing Book of Boba Fett). Din Djarin is a bad ass bounty hunter with a dark, mysterious past and a distrust of droids. Not to mention he can drop cold lines like “I can bring you in warm or I can bring you in cold” with effortless cool. Pair him up with an adorably cute youngling who reminds us of a beloved legacy character? Instant gold.
The Clan of Two has remained the most popular part of the galaxy far, far away since Disney bought Lucasfilm and the Mouse House is banking on them being able to bring Star Wars back to the big screen. Here’s hoping they’re up for the task.
The Sith we all love to hate. Whether you call him Sheev Palpatine or the Emperor or Darth Sidious, one thing is clear — the man is pure evil.
Palpatine is the ultimate puppet master, playing all sides in the Clone Wars to perfection. From the way he manipulated his way to the role of chancellor to how he was able to weaken the Jedi and eventually take them out, Palpatine was always two steps ahead. It’s clear that from the moment he met Anakin, every move he made was designed to groom the Chosen One to eventually stand by his side as his apprentice. The way he turned Anakin against the Jedi — from forcing Obi-Wan to deceive his padawan with a fake death to constantly feeding Anakin’s resentment — and the way he preyed on Anakin’s fears and flaws was masterful. Just look at how he is able to use Anakin’s fear of losing Padme and the way he is able to dangle to ability to manipulate life while spinning the yarn of Darth Plagueis below.
Palpatine was a master politician, playing the game to consolidate power through the dying days of the Republic so that he was in position to rule with an iron fist when the time was right. He promised peace through security at a time when the galaxy was desperate for an end to war, even if it all didn’t feel quite right. But he was also a fierce and formidable foe, tearing through the Jedi sent to arrest him like a knife through butter and later able to keep Vader like a dog on a leash.
In the end, his hubris was his undoing (twice). First, in Return of the Jedi, Sidious was too confident that everything was proceeding as he had foreseen — thinking the rebels could never stop the second Death Star, thinking he could turn Luke to the Dark Side, thinking if that failed he could fall back to Vader. He never saw the rebels succeeding, never saw Vader finally seeing and returning to the light thanks to his son. And then he somehow returned (much to many fans’ chagrin). And once again he made the same mistake in The Rise of Skywalker — thinking there was no way for the Resistance to stop his plans, thinking there was no way Rey would deny him, thinking there was no way Kylo Ren would return to the light. In the end, just like Plagueis, the thing Sidious feared most was losing his power. And the more he tightened his grip, the more the galaxy slipped through his fingers.
Once the apprentice of Darth Sidious, Maul’s destiny was forever changed after he was cut in half by Obi-Wan Kenobi on Naboo during The Phantom Menace. It appeared for a long time that would be the end of Maul, nothing more than a footnote in the story of Star Wars. Nothing more than a toy or merchandising tie-in. But once again, the Clone Wars animated series did wonders for this character and has made him an essential part of the galaxy far, far away.
If Obi-Wan is defined by infinite sadness, Maul is defined by infinite rage. It is that rage that helped Maul survive his injuries on Naboo and it was the guiding principle for a majority of his story in Star Wars canon. He is determined to get his revenge on Kenobi no matter the cost — whether it’s the suffering of an entire village, the deaths of another Jedi or the duchess of Mandalore or manipulating a young rebel to find Kenobi’s whereabouts during the age of the Empire. He also constantly rages at former master, bound and determined to burn down Sidious’ empire. He attempts multiple times to get a Jedi — Ahsoka, Ezra or now Devon in Maul — Shadow Lord — to join him in that endevour, it’s just that he’s just a shade too clear that in the end his interests will come before the greater good. That doesn’t mean that his pitch is completely unenticing and he can be very manipulative (look how many times Ezra trusted him in the course of Rebels).
Despite his ever-present rage, Maul can be quite cunning and willful. He is also a master tactician, as is evidenced by the way he developed his underworld empire. In Maul — Shadow Lord, we’re seeing him attempt to put the pieces back together in the early days of the Empire, dealing with those who betrayed him (like Deemis, Krim and Vario).
Maul’s lust for revenge warped him and shaped his destiny right until the very end. Even as he lay dying in Kenobi’s arms following their final encounter, rather than see the error of his ways, Maul is still focused on revenge and how Luke would “avenge” them. Kenobi is visibly saddened that Maul, for all his intellect, still can’t see the forest from the trees. And that is the most tragic part of a very tragic character.
The padawan of Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano went from a character a portion of the fan base loved to hate to simply one of the franchise’s most beloved. Ahsoka, voiced by Ashley Eckstein, is really a blend of Anakin and Obi-Wan. Current Lucasfilm president and chief creative officer Dave Filoni is closely linked to Ahsoka and says he really unlocked the character’s potential when he shifted his focus from Ahsoka as a 14-year-old girl and instead wrote her as a Jedi who just happens to be an adolescent female.
The Clone Wars animated series retroactively redeemed the prequel trilogy, and Tano plays a large role in that. The opportunity to see impulsive Anakin as an initially reluctant teacher adds so much depth to his character. It’s really the Jedi Council’s betrayal of Ahsoka when she was framed for the bombing of the Jedi Temple which sets Anakin on the path to the Dark Side. That being said she remains fiercely loyal to Anakin, telling Maul that his vision is flawed when he foresees Skywalker’s fall and holding out hope that Anakin was still alive after Order 66 and vowing to avenge his “death” in her fight with Darth Vader.
After leaving the Jedi Order, Ahsoka re-enters the story in Season 7 and plays a key role in the Siege of Mandalore, which overlaps with the events of Revenge of the Sith. The Season 7 Clone Wars episode “The Phantom Apprentice” features Ahsoka battling Maul in one of the best lightsaber fights in Star Wars history. Of course, defeating Maul wasn’t the end, as she would have to survive being on a star destroyer full of clones when Order 66 is issued. Luckily, she’s able to remove Rex’s inhibitor chip, and the duo live to fight another day. Ahsoka re-appears in Rebels as Fulcrum, working with and guiding Kanan Jarrus and his apprentice Ezra Bridger. As noted above, Ahsoka would duel Vader in “Twilight of the Apprentice,” vowing not to leave him once she cracks his helmet during the duel. Ezra pulls her through the World Between Worlds, ensuring her ongoing survival through the fall of the Empire.
Ahsoka would make the transition to live action, played by Rosario Dawson in the second season of The Mandalorian. Din Djarin is seeking a Jedi to train Grogu, and Bo-Katan Kryze sends him to her old comrade in arms. Ahsoka, upon meeting and meditating with Grogu, refuses to train him. She senses his fear and attachment and notes what that can do to even the best of the Jedi (meaning Anakin). Fans would get a long-desired scene where Ahsoka interacts with Anakin’s son Luke in The Book of Boba Fett, with Ahsoka saying Luke is so much like his father. She would then be the focus of her own series on Disney+, which would see her attempt to prevent the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn while also re-connecting with her own padawan, Sabine Wren. The highlight of the Ahsoka live-action series came in “Shadow Warrior,” as she encounters her old master in the World Between Worlds, flashing back through the Clone Wars. Anakin attempts to teach her one final lesson —live or die. In the end she finally chooses to live, lifting the survivor’s guilt that had been weighing her down since his fall and preparing her for what the rest of her story will be as Ahsoka returns for a second season in 2026.
There is another. That’s right, Padme Amidala and Anakin Skywalker didn’t have just one child with a strong connection to the Force, they had two.
Leia may have grown up with more privilege than her brother Luke, but it doesn’t make her any less of a fighter. If anything, Leia is often the stronger, more fierce personality of the two. Even at a young age in Obi-Wan Kenobi, Leia shows no fear, refusing to give Reva any information and she doesn’t even cower in the face of Darth Vader, himself. She also didn’t back down from Han Solo, eventually falling for scoundrel charms.
Leia may be a politician and a princess, but she isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty and she’s adept with a blaster. Leia really gets the story started in A New Hope, sending a message to Obi-Wan Kenobi through R2-D2. Of course, her rescue on the Death Star is major plot point in A New Hope and she is a big deal in the Rebellion. She joins Han on the forest moon of Endor and helps play a part in bringing down the second Death Star. And she is a general and the leader of the Resistance in the sequel trilogy. She has a strong connection with Rey, and takes over her training upon her brother Luke’s death in The Last Jedi.
Carrie Fisher’s death likely cut the character’s story short, as such was expected to play a major role in The Rise of Skywalker. However, I will say that one of my aspects of Obi-Wan Kenobi was seeing Kenobi have a heretofore unseen relationship with Leia, giving greater insight into why in later years she would name her own son Ben. She helps bring Ben back and helps him shake off the malaise which had settled over him like a dark cloud since the fall of the Jedi Order. As Obi-Wan says, she has gifts from both her exceptional parents who bore an exceptional daughter.
The captain of the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy, Han Solo is as quick with a quip as he is a blaster (never forget, Han shot first). He’s a scoundrel, but one with a heart of gold. He may drop his cargo at the first sign of an Imperial cruiser or occasionally try to swindle some less than savory types with his … creative … deal making, but Han will be there when you need him. Like when you’re making a run on the Death Star. Or when you’ve trying to survive in a blizzard on Hoth.
Han is also a part of the most popular couples in cinema history. On paper, Han Solo and Leia Organa may seem like two polar opposites. But, Leia is drawn to Han’s charisma and the two definitely enjoy bicker-flirting. But ultimately they love each other (we know). And sometimes it’s good to have a scoundrel in your life.
Just because Leia loves him doesn’t mean everyone does. Han finds himself running afoul of Jabba the Hutt, which eventually sees him frozen in carbonite and hanging on Jabba’s wall. He doesn’t play well with others, and has made plenty of enemies over the years (hello, Boba Fett). But despite it all, he’s willing to fight and plays a key role in the destruction of the second Death Star in Return of the Jedi. He also gets back in the fight in Force Awakens after finding Finn and Rey aboard his beloved Millennium Falcon.
Han’s snarky, anti-hero attitude makes him many people’s favorite Star Wars character. If Luke is the prototypical nice guy in the original trilogy, Han is the bad boy. He may have been the center of one of the least popular Star Wars movies (i.e. Solo: A Star Wars Story), but he remains an icon and the role that really put Harrison Ford on the map.
From a humble farm boy to the galaxy’s greatest hero, Luke Skywalker is a legend, on and off screen.
Skywalker was growing tired of the boredom of life on Tatooine, desperate to join his friends on adventures. He was no fan of the Empire, but wasn’t in any rush to go off and fight them. Until a pair of droids came into his life that turned everything upside down. Before he knew it, he was taken under the wing of old Ben Kenobi and was doing the impossible, including blowing up the Death Star without his guidance computer. All of which put him on the radar of the fearsome Darth Vader.
Kenobi would send Skywalker to Dagobah to learn under Jedi Master Yoda, and after a rough start, Skywalker began showing signs of promise. His greatest weakness — his loyalty and concern for his friends — saw Skywalker leave Dagobah against Yoda’s advice and rush to face Vader. Predictably, Vader took care of him with relative ease before delivering the psychological KO — Obi-Wan had only told Luke the truth, from a certain point of view. Luke’s father wasn’t dead, no HE was Luke’s father. Luckily for Luke, he was able to escape Bespin aboard the Millennium Falcon. Between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, Luke’s powers have grown exponentially, which comes in handy in saving Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt. After one final encounter with Yoda, Luke realizes he can’t escape his destiny — he must face Vader again. But, importantly, he believes he can bring him back to the light, bring back Anakin Skywalker. Ultimately, he does just that, batting away the temptation presented by the Emperor and surviving Force lightning thanks to Anakin before he dies redeemed.
After the fall of the Empire, Luke forms his own Jedi academy, teaching a new generation of Jedi, including his own nephew, Ben. But, it all falls apart thanks to Ben’s growing darkness before his nephew would destroy his academy and Luke would go into exile, like his master before him. The optimistic moisture farmer from Tatooine would turn into a bitter pessimist, stranding himself on a secluded world for what he thought was the good of the galaxy. But thanks to Rey, he is forced to deal with his past and attempt to help her fulfill her destiny with his training. Ultimately, Luke adds one more chapter to his legacy, Force projecting himself to Crait to distract Kylo Ren and the First Order, allowing the remnants of the Resistance to escape. And he gives one final lesson to Rey in Rise of Skywalker about facing her destiny, which saves the galaxy as she and the redeemed Ben Solo team up to stop the resurrected Palpatine.
In the end, Skywalker fulfills his father’s destiny and is the hero that inspires the galaxy right until the end.
In my mind there is no more consequential Jedi. As a padawan, he became the first Jedi in a thousand years , after which he became the master to the Chosen One. He was a heroic general in the Clone Wars, before becoming a desert hermit during the dark days of the Empire watching over the galaxy’s new hope and rescuing a kidnapped princess.
Kenobi was the prototypical “perfect jedi” — serene, selfless and committed to greater good. As seen in the prequel trilogy and especially in the Clone Wars animated series, he was also the perfect foil for his padawan. Where Anakin could run hot, Obi-Wan could run cold. Where Anakin could be impulsive, Obi-Wan could be cautious. And where Anakin couldn’t let go — of his mother, of his padawan, of Padme — Obi-Wan could love without being possessive, which was key to the way the Jedi saw love. Much like Anakin, as a padawan Obi-Wan feel in love with a royal dignitary he was protecting in the Duchess Satine of Mandalore. However, when the time came he was able to let go and love her from afar and return to the Jedi Temple, even if he had undercurrents of regret. He was also able to resist the urge for revenge when Satine was murdered by his nemesis, Maul.
Ultimately, as he did with Satine, Obi-Wan was able to let go of his love for Anakin, his brother, and do what must be done. He was able to defeat Anakin on Mustafar in one of the best lightsaber duels in Star Wars history, largely thanks to Anakin’s hubris. It didn’t come without a cost, however, as he carried immense guilt through the early years of his exile on Tatooine. But if nothing else, the Obi-Wan Kenobi limited series on Disney+ showed how he was able to go from a broken man blaming himself for all he lost to the Jedi master both Anakin’s kids — Luke AND Leia — would need (thanks, in part, to Vader actually releasing Obi-Wan from his guilt). Even if he was viewed by the locals and Lars family as some crazy old wizard, Kenobi was vital to Luke as he took his first steps into a greater world, guiding young Skywalker aboard the Millennium Falcon and from beyond the grave. It turns out striking him down did, in fact, make him more powerful than could be imagined.
The greatest villain in cinema history who at one time was one of the galaxy’s greatest heroes. The key driver of the first six Star Wars movies, the descent of empathetic Anakin Skywalker, who only wanted to help people, into the ruthless Darth Vader, filled with rage and fury, is nothing less than tragic.
Vader was such an imposing figure on screen that for many he is beyond intimidating before he even says a word. Mix in the mechanical breathing, the terrifying command of the Force and the iconic voice courtesy of James Earl Jones, and there could be no other choice. As heroic as Anakin Skywalker was, especially in the Clone Wars animated series which did wonders for his character, Vader was not to be trifled with — especially when he finds your lack of faith disturbing. Despite that, he never could step outside the shadow of his master, the Emperor, until his dying act. He was even willing to sacrifice his son, until Luke was able to find the bits of Anakin that remained behind the mask that even Obi-Wan was unable to reach.
From finally meeting again with Obi-Wan on the Death Star to luring Han, Leia and Chewy into a trap on Bespin to his terrifying hallway massacre of Rebel agents in Rogue One, Darth Vader had no shortage of iconic moments. Nothing was more iconic, however, than Vader revealing that HE was Luke’s father.
All Star Wars movies and TV shows are available to stream on Disney+.
The next Star Wars movie, The Mandalorian and Grogu, is set to be released in theaters on May 22, 2026.
The most recent Star Wars series on Disney+ is Maul — Shadow Lord. The animated series starring Sam Witwer will conclude on May 4 and has been renewed for a second season.
此内容由惯性聚合(RSS阅读器)自动聚合整理，仅供阅读参考。 原文来自 — 版权归原作者所有。