I’ve got a great feeling about this! We asked our expert community of film and TV lovers about the greatest Star Wars characters of all time, accepting both canon and non-canon sources. After all, in the words of Ahsoka Tano, “there's always a bit of truth in legends”. Below, you’ll find the Star Wars characters from all generations that our community nominated as GOAT (Greatest Of All Time). Or at least among the GOAT. GOAT-adjacent.
While we pride ourselves on being a non-judgmental and non-gatekeeping community, in this instance we did set one restriction: any characters introduced in the 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special would be automatically disqualified. Hey, even we have limits! Now, read on to learn what real fans reckon are the greatest Star Wars heroes and villains from Corellia to the Outer Rim.
Ahsoka Tano
Best line: “Sometimes the student guides the master.” - The Book Of Boba Fett, Chapter Six
From upstart teen to level-headed powerhouse, Ahsoka’s character arc is one of the best Star Wars has to offer. Forever grappling with the legacy of her fallen master Anakin, Ahsoka’s path is a fraught one. Throughout the trials of the Clone Wars and beyond, she manages to stay true to the best of the Jedi vision while eventually rejecting its dogmatic power structures. Here’s Sturmer’s take:
“My favourite Star Wars character is Ahsoka Tano ❤️ She's a remarkable character for many reasons; check out her detailed wiki page if you're not familiar - at 116 pages, it's an impressively thorough PDF! What captivates me most is her development. Initially introduced in the Clone Wars as an impulsive, rebellious teenager, we witness her evolution into a true Jedi. Her transformation culminates in her fantastic 2023 live-action series, in which she emerges as a mature, composed figure embodying the very essence of the Jedi's beliefs.”
Paul agrees, adding: “Her story from padawan to outcast is brilliant. She’s one of few Force-wielding characters that break the mould. Disney should leave the Skywalkers alone and focus on Ahsoka.”
Captain Rex
As nominated by Damien Mason
Best line: “I used to believe being a good soldier meant doing everything they told you.” - Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Season 4, Episode 10: Carnage of Krell
Rex also debuted in the animated Clone Wars series, as the captain of the 501st division under Anakin’s command. One of the many strengths of the Clone Wars - and later The Bad Batch - was the humanisation of the clone troopers, and the implications for both them and their comrades following Order 66. Of all the distinctive clone troopers in the 501st, Rex is a fan favourite. Here’s Damien explaining why:
“In a world filled with magical samurai warring between light and dark, it's difficult to make a comparatively regular character stand out. Captain Rex fills this void perfectly as Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano's lead clone trooper. He doesn't appear in the movies, unless you count the hinted-at retcon that he fought in the Battle of Endor in Return of the Jedi. Instead, his story plays out through The Clone Wars, Rebels, and The Bad Batch. Seriously, these are gems, so much so that I prefer them to the live-action stuff.
“A word on clone troopers as a concept: The Clone Wars does an incredible job of giving them all distinct personalities despite all having the same face and voice. What makes Rex so special is that he throws caution to the wind compared to his programmed brethren, going along with Skywalker's often-bonkers plans. He has a lot of heart and, without spoilers, is the key person involved in the microchip conspiracy, which is one of the most engaging plotlines in all of Star Wars.”
Kylo Ren
As nominated by Scrbzy and FUN INC
Best line: "Let the past die. Kill it if you have to. It's the only way to become what you were meant to be." - Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi
Even those of us who weren’t overly enamoured with the sequel trilogy find it hard to find fault with Adam Driver’s portrayal of the troubled and volatile Kylo Ren. The emotional conflict raging inside him is palpable, making his attraction to the dark side easier to believe than Luke’s or Anakin’s. We had two winning bounty nominations for Kylo; the first was from Scrbzy:
“Somewhat inexplicably, Kylo Ren is a divisive character among the fanbase, but he’s my nomination nonetheless. I love that he’s constantly torn between light and dark, and is so emotionally unstable. It gives him an air of unpredictability which becomes a terrifying feature in one so powerful. We could go into how his character was done dirty with dialogue and progression, but Adam Driver did a stellar job with what he had. As a final note, his crossguard hilt is freaking dope, and the fact that his kyber crystal is unstable too is a great detail.”
Fun Inc also nominated Kylo, adding:
“He’s hugely underappreciated. He seemed forever on the precipice of good and evil, more so than any other Star Wars character. When he was fighting Rey, surrounded by ice and fire on the imploding Starkiller Base, you can almost feel his character getting pulled apart too.”
Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader
As nominated by FirestormGamingTeam
Best line: "I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further!" - Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
We know there are some of you who’ll disagree with our choice of Vader’s best line above, especially when he has some of the most quoted (and misquoted) lines in cinema history. However, we doubt there’ll be a single reader who disagrees with the inclusion of Anakin/Vader on this greatest Star Wars characters list. There’s so much that makes Darth Vader one of the most iconic villains of all time; there’s the samurai-inspired armour, James Earl Jones’s brilliant voice acting, and David Prowse’s imposing physicality to name but a few. Here’s FireStormGamingTeam on why they nominated the big dog:
“At times, it seems there’s no greater evil than Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker. The evolution from highly skilled good guy Jedi to ruthless supervillain makes him the no-brainer choice. While everyone knows the ‘I am your father’ twist now, back in the ‘80s people didn’t see it coming. That’s testament to how well written the character is.”
Grand Admiral Thrawn
As nominated by Lanah Tyra
Best line: “A warrior may retreat. He does not flee. He may lie in ambush. He does not hide. He may experience victory or defeat. He does not cease to serve.” - Thrawn: Treason
Thrawn first appeared in Timothy Zahn’s 1991 novel Heir to the Empire, and finally got a live-action portrayal in Ahsoka. His near-supernatural talents for strategy and foresight make him a force to be feared. He’s plotting, cunning, ruthless, and always two steps ahead. As a Sun Tzu-like master tactician, there’s a lot that makes the admiral admirable. While far from benevolent, Thrawn was never devoted to Palpatine’s vision; he’s a pragmatist who used the Empire as much as it used him. Here’s Star Wars superfan Lanah:
“Both my favourite characters are from the books of Timothy Zahn and - after a long debate - I'll have to go with our blue friend Thrawn - arguably the best-written character of the entire franchise. One of the most terrifying villains the rebels had to face and one of the greatest heroes of the Empire, Thrawn is a tactical genius. Despite being non-human, he manages to claw his way up from nothing to one of the highest possible ranks in the Imperial Fleet. Under his command, we saw the Empire flourish. The galaxy may have had a very different outcome if Thrawn was in command during the Battle of Endor.
“The older books, now classified as Legends, will always be canon for me. Still, I think it says a lot about how great a character he is that he made it into the official canon. Further testament to his story is that Thrawn’s new books don’t overwrite a single fact established in Legends. I salute the author for taking that choice. I’m yet to watch Ahsoka, but I’m excited to do so; they’ve chosen the perfect actor to portray him.”
Princess Leia Organa
As nominated by Horror and Cats
Best line: “Why, you stuck up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf herder!” Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
The indomitable Carrie Fisher was not far, far away from the character she so perfectly portrayed. Princess Leia is nothing short of an icon, and the influence she had on so many people’s lives cannot be understated. Horror and Cats is one of those people, here’s what he had to say:
“Princess Leia was the first live-action heroine who really stuck with me and undoubtedly shaped my positive view of tough, independent women. In Episode IV, she's a princess who isn't afraid to go full smuggler to fight an oppressive regime. By Episode V, she's graduated to frontline military command. And by Episode VI, she's getting shot, having space-motorcycle chases, and strangling her captors with their own slave bonds.”
Respect.
K-2SO
Best line: “Congratulations. You are being rescued.” - Star Wars: Rogue One
Next up, the droid we’ve all been looking for: K-2SO. Rogue One and Andor gave us the more mature, true-to-the-originals reboot many wanted to see from the sequel trilogy. But even a more adult Star Wars needs comic relief, and K-2SO managed to bring that while having the biggest heart of any droid in the franchise. His thin veneer of nonchalance and snark barely conceals a worrisome, sensitive, and tenderhearted spirit. "Your behaviour, Jin Urso, is continually unexpected" 💔
And let us not forget that without K-2SO’s sacrifice, Palpatine would have an iron grip on the galaxy. Here’s Philip’s take:
“He's the wittiest of the droids, and he stole the show in Rogue One, which was also my favourite Star Wars film. Look no further than these clips of him:
Damien agrees - “Alan Tudyk is fantastic in virtually everything he’s been in” - as does Lanah: “Rogue One is amazing, someone on that production team clearly did their Star Wars homework!”
Tag and Bink
Best line: "We're not heroes. We're the guys who do the dirty work." - Tag & Bink Are Dead
Here’s one - or rather, two - that you probably weren’t expecting. Tag Greenley and Bink Otauna are two comedy characters who’ve been around for many of the biggest moments in Star Wars history, albeit always off-camera getting up to hijinks. Unless you’ve read the comics, you’d be surprised by how many pivotal Star Wars moments they’ve played a hamfisted hand in. Here’s Makster:
“They’re a little silly, but I love Tag and Bink. They originated in a limited comic book series that pokes fun at the Star Wars franchise. Think Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead. These two guys not only survive endless disasters but interact with all the important players in the Star Wars universe. Kudos to the writers who are clearly fans of the franchise and manage this without creating retcons.
“They were actually cast and almost made it onto the big screen in Solo: A Star Wars Story, but they had to be cut. It's the one comic I recommend any Star Wars fan reads; it’s a trip down Memory Lane from a different angle.”
Caleb Dume / Kanan Jarrus
Best line: "I lost my way for a long time. But now I have the chance to change things.” - Star Wars Rebels, season one episode nine: Path of the Jedi
After going into hiding, the young Caleb Dume adopted the alias Kanan Jarrus. He became a smuggler and a key figure in the Rebellion, though his incomplete Jedi training and feelings of inadequacy always haunted him. It was only when he had to train his own apprentice, Ezra Bridger, that Caleb truly came into his own. In the later series, he becomes the role model his young apprentice needs - a courageous, honourable, and selfless Jedi, as well as one of Star Wars’s better father figures. Here’s Konquest:
“Kanan survived Order 66 as a young boy thanks to his master, Depa Billaba. He never got to finish his Jedi training, which constantly made him doubt his abilities. Even when training Ezra, he seeks to better himself and master his skills. He’s the classic underdog who begins his arc as a roguish cowboy-like character. Eventually, as he begins to train Ezra, he shows more responsibility and grows as a character. I hate-love his ending, but I see how it had to happen for narrative reasons, and I wouldn't have had it any other way.”
Obi-Wan Kenobi
As nominated by AlexGoesTheWorld
Best line: “If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.”
“Only a Sith deals in absolutes", "You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy”, “I have the high ground!” Obi-Wan is another character with more iconic lines than you could shake a gaffi stick at. And that’s only appropriate for this legendary character who's been played masterfully by Alec Guinness, Ewan McGregor, and a handful of others in his animated incarnations.
Kane really struggled to choose the best Star Wars character. Check out his original submission for a breakdown of the many characters he considered, including Han, Luke, Tarkin, C3PO, R2D2, Palpatine, Ysanne Isard, Bane, Revan, Wedge Antilles, and more. Still, Kane’s been around on Just About for long enough to know we’d insist on only one, and in the end, he obliged:
“Okay, I know you’re going to insist on me naming one… only one… fine then…
“Obi-Wan Kenobi. The man. The myth. The legend. Nothing else needs to be said. He is the only Obi-Wan.”
Honourable mentions:
Now that we’ve got the ten greatest Star Wars characters out the way, let’s take a quick look at some others who almost made the cut:
General Grievous, as nominated by mar1gold : “He’s a cyborg ninja with tons of lightsabers...”
Boba Fett, as nominated by Demonsmustdie: “I got to meet the original actor, the galaxy’s best bounty hunter!”
Jacen and Jaina Solo, as nominated by Juuni: “Cruelly deleted by the Disney steamroller!”
Mara Jade, as nominated by Lanah Tyra: “No one mentioned my other favourite character, so I’ll have to!”
Quinlan Vos, as nominated by Laser-Bicep: “Super chill while fighting Cad Bane in the Clone Wars, defeated Volfe Karkko, and did the whole grey Jedi thing before Asoka.”
Dishonourable mention
Jar Jar Binks, as nominated by Pendalorian : “Obviously, Jar Jar!”
Best line: "Big gooberfish! Huge-o teeth!"
Are you begrudging the lack of Lando, furious at the overlooking of Fisto, aggrieved by the ignoring of Grogu, mauled by the absence of Maul, miffed at the missing of Mace, or hung up on having no Han? Then vent like Ventress in the comments below and tell us who you think the greatest Star Wars character is! Some text has been edited for brevity and clarity, you can find the original wording at the bounty post. Image credit: Disney, LucasFilms, and Marvel.
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