The 15 Best Star Wars Characters

Summary

• Not all great Star Wars characters are powerful Jedi, as some non-Force users rank among the best.
• Din Djarin has proven to be Star Wars’ greatest dad and one of the franchise’s best characters.
• Anakin Skywalker’s status as the Chosen One simply can’t be beat in Star Wars.

Of all the characters introduced in Star Wars, these 15 are the very best. Star Wars movies and TV shows have 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 among Star Wars’ most powerful Jedi or Star 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 best Star Wars characters have no connection to the Force whatsoever. Moreover, the best characters span the full Star Wars timeline, and several are even quite new to the franchise. Here are the top 15 greatest characters in all of Star Wars, ranked worst to best.

15 Rey’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, and Star Wars didn’t do Rey or Ridley any favors by introducing the surprise twist that she was really a descendent of the un-dead Palpatine in Star 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.

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 great Star Wars character.

For one, Rey revealed in Star Wars: The Last Jedi how 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 with Star Wars heroes, 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’s Star Wars story, as the upcoming movie rumored to be titled New Jedi Order will reveal what Rey has done in the 15 years since The Rise of Skywalker, including, presumably, establishing her own Order.

14 Many Agree That Kylo Ren Was The Best Part Of The Sequels

First Appeared In: The Force Awakens

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 in Star 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 Wars has had many villains, but Driver’s brooding, domineering performance felt new.

Star Wars
has 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 not Star Wars is willing to acknowledge it now, Kylo’s decision to carry Rey bridal style in The Force Awakens and his proposal to join together in the Throne Room in The Last Jedi do 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.

13 Of All The Clones, Captain Rex Is Truly Special

First Appeared In: Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Recent Star Wars shows, Star Wars: The Bad Batch especially, 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 in Star 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, the Clone Wars arc 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 Wars has continued his story, as he returned in The Bad Batch and Star Wars Rebels and made a live-action appearance in Ahsoka.

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.

12 R2-D2 Is So Much More Than A Droid

First Appeared In: A New Hope

R2-D2 may be a droid, but he is also the Star Wars character 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 in A 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 the
Star Wars
character 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 Sith in 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 the Star Wars story. In fact, for a time, Lucas considered making R2 the narrator of Star 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 from Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace to The Rise Of Skywalker.

11 Master Yoda Is Undeniably Iconic

First Appeared In: The Empire Strikes Back

Master Yoda is easily one of the most iconic characters in all of Star Wars, and his power as a Jedi cannot be overstated. In fact, throughout Star 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 in The Phantom Menace when 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 in Star Wars is unwavering. In fact, Yoda even resurfaced in Rebels as a guiding force, reinforcing that he really does play a role unlike any other throughout the franchise.

Of course, Yoda is also a brilliant Star Wars character simply because he is so beloved—and for good reason. The odd manner in which he speaks is a Star Wars staple, and, although he ultimately became quite a bit more serious than he seemed when he was introduced in The 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.

10 Darth 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 in Star Wars has been shocking and has only gotten better with time. Maul is among the Star Wars characters whose resurrections were a bit dubiously explained, yet his arc following his return in The Clone Wars makes the flimsy explanation for his return well worth excusing. Maul was truly terrifying when he was introduced as the brand-new Sith in The 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 to Star Wars as well.

However, while he remained a terrifying villain in The 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 in The Phantom Menace. Maul’s subsequent returns in Rebels and Solo: A Star Wars Story were also fascinating and revealed how truly beloved the character has become.

9 The Bad Batch Reminded Everyone How Incredible Asajj Ventress Is

First Appeared In: Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Asajj Ventress is a truly incredible Star Wars character, and her importance has only grown in the franchise. Ventress was introduced in The Clone Wars as 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 fascinating Star Wars character because of all she has overcome.

Ventress was born into the 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, her Star Wars story is one of considerable pain, and that reveals just how strong a character she really is. In fact, The Bad Batch proved 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 Wars
story is confirmed to not be over yet.

Excitingly, Ventress’ Star Wars story is confirmed to not be over yet. The franchise has revealed that Asajj Ventress will return in an upcoming, yet unidentified Star Wars project. 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.

8 Star Wars’ Original Bad Boy Han Solo Will Always Be A Classic

First Appeared In: A New Hope

The original trilogy’s heroes will always be among the very best Star Wars characters, Star Wars’ first ‘bad boy,’ Han Solo, included. When Han was introduced in A 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.

By Return 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 in The 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.

7 Padmé Amidala’s Impact Is Too Often Overlooked

First Appeared In: Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace

Padmé Amidala’s legacy is paramount in Star 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 in The Phantom Menace as 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, in The 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 in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones and 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.

6 Din 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 a Star Wars fan-favorite in a relatively short time. Din Djarin was introduced in The Mandalorian as the faceless bounty hunter who (in part because of his helmet) was difficult to read, but he quickly became the best dad in all of Star Wars. After saving Grogu from the Empire, Din Djarin truly grew to love the little creature, and The Mandalorian season 3 ending saw 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 in the upcoming The Mandalorian & Grogu movie, and it’s truly well-deserved. There’s so much this duo brings to Star 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.

5 Leia Organa’s Strength Makes Her One Of Star Wars’ Most Honorable Characters

First Appeared In: A New Hope

Similar to Han Solo, Leia has clearly earned her spot as one of Star Wars’ best characters because she is such an iconic part of the franchise. However, Leia’s impact on the galaxy was also massive in both the original trilogy and the sequel trilogy in ways that prove she took after her birth mother. Leia, like Padmé, took part in galactic politics at a very young age, and while she may not have been a queen at 14, Rebels revealed that she was heavily involved with the Rebellion when she was not much older than that.

Leia’s impact on the galaxy was also massive in both the original trilogy and the sequel trilogy in ways that prove she took after her birth mother.

Her influence on the Rebellion throughout the original trilogy was also evident. In fact, as much as Luke saved the future of the Jedi, Leia saved the future of the Republic. It was through her that the New Republic was able to be born, and she was clearly a symbol of hope during both the Dark Times and in the sequel trilogy when the First Order was rising.

In terms of personality, strengths, and accomplishments, though, Leia is also clearly one of Star Wars’ best. While Carrie Fisher made plenty of great jokes about it, Leia’s willingness to comfort Luke despite having just watched her planet be blown up in front of her was admirable and clearly demonstrates her remarkable compassion and fortitude. However, Leia was so much more than a hero, and that confirms her spot on this list, too. Indeed, Leia took after her father as much as she did her mother, and her sharp tongue and quick wit are proof of that.

Leia took after her father as much as she did her mother, and her sharp tongue and quick wit are proof of that.

4 Ahsoka Tano Has Earned Her Place As A Major Fan Favorite

First Appeared In: Star Wars: The Clone Wars

When Ahsoka Tano was introduced in The Clone Wars, she sadly wasn’t very well-liked. Many found her character to be annoying and arrogant, although that overlooked the way those choices were intentional. Ahsoka was meant to mirror Anakin’s flaws back to him to help him grow as a Jedi, and she did so beautifully.

Anakin and Ahsoka are perhaps one of the very best examples of how a master and apprentice are meant to work.

In fact, Anakin and Ahsoka are perhaps one of the very best examples of how a master and apprentice are meant to work. The master is supposed to teach the Padawan, of course, but the Padawan is also meant to test and teach the master, which certainly happened in their case. After that initial road bump, though, Ahsoka quickly rose in popularity, and she is now a massive fan favorite.

After beginning as Anakin’s ‘snippy’ Padawan, Ahsoka became a fierce Jedi, powerful enough that she even held her own against Darth Maul in The Clone Wars during the Siege of Mandalore arc. In addition to physical power, though, Ahsoka had a strength of character that makes her truly stand out in Star Wars. After all, Ahsoka is one of many Jedi who saw that the Order was handling things all wrong, but she was one of very few who were willing to see that and leave. Ultimately, this is even why she was one of few survivors of Order 66.

Since then, Ahsoka’s character has only developed that much more, with Ashley Eckstein reprising her role as the voice of Ahsoka in Rebels and Rosario Dawson taking up the Ahsoka torch in live-action in The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and, most recently, the Ahsoka show. This most recent appearance in Ahsoka has developed her character even more, with Ahsoka finally confronting her past and embracing the title of Jedi in the World Between Worlds. Now, with the upcoming Ahsoka season 2, her role will presumably only grow that much more.

3 Few Characters Are As Beloved As Obi-Wan Kenobi

First Appeared In: A New Hope

Obi-Wan Kenobi is undoubtedly one of the best characters in all of Star Wars, and he has more than earned his status as a major fan favorite. In the original trilogy, Obi-Wan was a wise if a bit mysterious Jedi master who introduced not only Luke Skywalker but also all Star Wars viewers to the notions of the Force and the Jedi. In that way, Obi-Wan is absolutely pivotal, as he was the franchise’s very first Jedi Master and provided the first definitions of these key Star Wars concepts.

The prequel trilogy then made Obi-Wan Kenobi that much more lovable, building upon Sir Alec Guinness’ performance in the original trilogy, which had included wisdom but also a number of snappy remarks and quips. In the prequels, Obi-Wan proved to be a loyal Jedi Padawan and a brilliant Jedi Master. In fact, despite being considerably younger than many other members of the Council, the Jedi Council members frequently looked to Obi-Wan for insight and trusted his judgment.

Obi-Wan is also one of
Star Wars’
strongest characters, particularly emotionally.

Obi-Wan is also one of Star Wars’ strongest characters, particularly emotionally, which can at times be overlooked. Obi-Wan suffered the loss of his master before his eyes, the loss of the woman he loved in The Clone Wars, and the terrible losses of Anakin and Padmé in different but equally painful ways. He was also left almost entirely alone during the Dark Times just so he could ensure the future of the Jedi. Despite this history of pain, though, Obi-Wan never once turned toward the dark side or even seemed tempted by it.

2 Luke Skywalker Represents What A True Jedi Should Be

First Appeared In: A New Hope

In truth, Luke Skywalker is the greatest Jedi in Star Wars, and he is certainly one of the very best characters in the franchise. Luke’s power in the Force is considerable, but he is the greatest Jedi for reasons well beyond raw power. Rather, Luke was exactly what a Jedi should be.

Luke was exactly what a Jedi should be.

In the original trilogy, Luke faced two Sith Lords entirely on his own, and not only was he ultimately victorious, but he also managed to resist the temptation of the dark side, even when it was his own father tempting him. In fact, incredibly, Luke resisted the dark side of the Force himself and was the only person in Star Wars able to turn Darth Vader back to the light side of the Force, even after Anakin’s closest friends and beloved wife could not turn him back.

Although Luke’s character did undergo major changes in the sequel trilogy, he nevertheless remains the greatest Jedi in Star Wars. Yes, the galaxy nearly broke him because of how much loss he had experienced and how much pain he had witnessed, but, in the end, he died true to his nature as a Jedi—saving those he loved and ensuring the future of the Republic and the Jedi. Moreover, Star Wars shows such as The Book of Boba Fett and The Mandalorian have begun to depict Luke in his prime, further proving what an incredible Jedi (and character) he was.

1 Anakin Skywalker’s Importance As The Chosen One Can’t Be Overstated

First Appeared In: A New Hope

Clearly, Star Wars has introduced a number of incredible characters in its nearly five decades, but none can touch Anakin Skywalker as the single greatest character in the franchise. After all, as Star Wars has confirmed time and again, Anakin truly was the Chosen One, and, as prophesied, he restored balance to the Force. Anakin was also impressively one of the most powerful Sith and most powerful Jedi, revealing how unparalleled he is in the franchise. Truly, in terms of raw power, Anakin cannot be beaten.

Anakin’s fall to the dark side in the prequel trilogy and incredible redemption in the original trilogy both reveal the core message of
Star Wars
.

Even beyond his power in the Force and massive role in the franchise, though, Anakin’s character arc is simply the most compelling. George Lucas himself had even referred to Star Wars as the story of Darth Vader, and there’s good reason for that. Anakin’s fall to the dark side in the prequel trilogy and incredible redemption in the original trilogy both reveal the core message of Star Wars: anyone can be corrupted, and anyone can be redeemed.

This is precisely why George Lucas made him an innocent boy in The Phantom Menace. The tragedy of Anakin Skywalker is meant to reveal that even the purest people can turn to evil in the right circumstances, and that is ultimately what Star Wars shows. Yes, there is a dark and a light side, but the truth is not so black-and-white. After all, that is why the goal of the Jedi is balance, not pure light. Therefore, while all these characters have earned their spots on this list, it’s clear that Anakin Skywalker is the greatest character in Star Wars.