When it comes to the world of Star Wars, always two opinions there are: the best things and the worst things about the major characters that make up its universe. Discussions like this can get heated, but they’re worth having to show just how complicated that galaxy far, far away happens to be. With that in mind, here’s the best and worst thing about all the major Star Wars characters.
Luke Skywalker
Best: Luke Believed In The Good Of His Father
After a trilogy of rebelling against the Empire and his own father, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) ultimately believed there was still some good in Darth Vader (James Earl Jones). That belief served him well, as he got closure by seeing his father appear as Anakin Skywalker (Sebastian Cabot) before his death.
Worst: Luke Gave Up On His Nephew Too Easily
For someone who saw the good in his father, even after accomplishing horrible feats like wiping out a whole class of Jedi younglings, Luke’s fear of Ben Solo (Adam Driver) was pretty shortsighted. Seeing a vision of his nephew’s supposed turn to the Dark Side in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, perhaps Luke should have had a conversation…rather than loom over the sleeping future Kylo Ren with a lightsaber.
General Leia Organa
Best: General Organa Is A Decisive Leader
Even as a princess escaping the Death Star in Star Wars, General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) has always been about saving people’s skins. That attitude served her well throughout life, as her career in political and military leadership would act as a foundation for the New Republic.
Worst: Leia Can Be A Bit Classist
The insult “scruffy looking nerf herder” sounds like The Empire Strikes Back’s equivalent of “ignorant disheveled hayseed.” Calling Han Solo (Harrison Ford) such a name didn’t ruffle the feathers of the future love of her life, but it definitely wasn’t a good look for intergalactic royalty.
Han Solo
Best: Han Solo Knows How To Get Out Of A Tight Situation
Always quick thinking, Han Solo has the skills to bluff his way out of some pretty tight corners. Navigating The Empire, Jabba The Hutt, and other unsavory characters, Han’s the type of person you want on your team in a pinch.
Worst: Han Has One Of The Worst Poker Faces In The Galaxy
Don’t expect Han Solo to be any help if you’re improving through a situation. While he is a quick thinker, he does have a tendency to crack under pressure. In both Star Wars and Return of the Jedi, we see the Corellian bad boy crumble just a bit when handling The Empire in clandestine situations.
Obi Wan Kenobi
Best: Obi-Wan Did The Best He Could To Look After The Skywalker Children
For a Jedi Master whose own mentor was taken all too early, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) really did try his best to guide Anakin, and eventually protect Luke and Leia Skywalker when his pupil turned to The Dark Side. He wasn’t perfect, but he did quite well, and gave us tons of thrilling adventures as a result.
Worst: “Ben” Could Have Told Luke Sooner About His Father And Sister
When “Ben” Kenobi (Sir Alec Guinness) finally, properly met Luke, he was kind of vague and misleading about the details of his father’s life. “A certain point of view” isn’t enough justification to hide huge details like your father being a tyrant, or the fact that you actually have a sister.
Yoda
Best: Yoda Is One Of The Wisest Jedi In The Universe
Wisdom is Yoda’s (Frank Oz) bread and butter in the Star Wars universe. His council has given fans of the saga some of the best advice that works as well in the real world as they do in the fiction he occupies.
Worst: His Teaching Methods Could Use A Bit Of Softening
Jedi must have a thing about pretending to be fools and hiding information, because upon first meeting Luke Skywalker Yoda acts as a fool with an angry streak. Even at 900 years old, and after a long spell of solitude on Dagobah, there’s still room for toning down those The Empire Strikes Back training sessions.
Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader
Best: Anakin Has A Strong Sense Of Loyalty And Order
Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) always has had a sense of justice, loyalty, and order; which made him a perfect fit to become a Jedi. Ready to protect those that he loved at the drop of a hand, the young man had his fair share of bold adventures.
Worst: His Anger Has Led To Some Pretty Deadly Consequences
Yoda tried to warn him about that anger problem in The Phantom Menace, and in each Star Wars prequel that followed, we saw Anakin’s anger lead to some pretty horrifying stuff. What happened to those poor younglings in Revenge of the Sith is still as chilling today as it was when it first unfurled on movie screens.
Boba Fett
Best: Boba Fett Is One Of The Best Bounty Hunters In Star Wars History
The modern Star Wars canon actually helped rehabilitate the image of Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison). While classic entries helped build an image of a tough-as-nails bounty hunter, The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett proved that he can walk that walk.
Worst: Boba Was Overrated For The Longest Time In Star Wars Canon
It took a while for Boba Fett to even come close to the shadow of his perceived coolness. One of the most overrated Star Wars characters, Boba’s limited legacy was mostly defined by an extended universe of tie-ins; and that just wasn’t enough.
Lando Calrissian
Best: Lando Calrissian Is The Most Charming Star Wars Character Period
Whether it’s Billy Dee Williams or Donald Glover playing this intergalactic charmer, the definition of rizz in the Star Wars galaxy has always been Lando Calrissian. Introduced in The Empire Strikes Back, this former administrator of Bespin knows how to sweep anyone off their feet.
Worst: Lando Should Have Known Better Than To Trust The Empire
This dude ran with Han Solo in their younger days and should know The Empire’s strategy better than anyone. How Lando Calrissian trusted Darth Vader to honor their deal, short of a Jedi Mind Trick, is beyond me.
Rey Skywalker
Best: Rey Is A Headstrong Force User Who’s Adept At Using Her Talents
If there’s anything Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker did right, it’s showing that Rey Skywalker (Daisy Ridley) is absurdly powerful. Talk about the pupil surpassing the masters, this woman was able to use her abilities to restrain a spaceship from leaving the atmosphere; showing she’s a Force user to be reckoned with.
Worst: Rey Is Also One Of The Weakest Written Star Wars Characters
Daisy Ridley should have gotten several raises for playing Rey Skywalker, as even her talents couldn’t save the messy writing guiding her. Especially when that theory about Anakin Skywalker’s true father means her kiss with Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) is maintaining a Star Wars tradition that’s best left with Luke and Leia.
Kylo Ren
Best: Kylo Ren Actually Seemed To Care About Rey
For all of the power and influence Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) had in the Star Wars galaxy, he wasn’t totally closed off to feeling for someone else. Whether it was truly as romantic as The Rise of Skywalker suggested or not, Ben Solo didn’t seem to merely be pushing for power; he truly wanted someone to help him change the world.
Worst: Kylo’s Temper Is A Repeat Of The Skywalker Family Weakness
Hoo-boy, did Kylo Ren take after his grandfather. Besides being lured to the Dark Side, The Last Jedi really showed off that famous Skywalker family temper during the Battle of Crait. Much like his grandfather Anakin, it was to his own detriment, and it led to some harsh decisions and tactical miscalculations.
Padme Amadala
Best: Padme Is Not Only A Powerful Politician, But A Mistress Of Disguise
Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman) was a queen of Naboo, a senator for that very planet, and also really good at swapping places with her handmaidens at a moment’s notice.
Worst: A Woman Of Her Stature Died Of ‘A Broken Heart’
Revenge of the Sith gave Padme one of the most ignominious exits to have ever come from George Lucas’ pen. For all of her strength and abilities, the woman dies of “a broken heart” after giving birth to Luke and Leia. That’s just wrong, no matter how you slice it.
Emperor Sheev Palpatine
Best: Sheev Palpatine Can Play The Long Game
Oh Sheev Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), you sly devil you! Perhaps the most patient man in the Star Wars galaxy, he plays a long game of deception, in politics and within the Force using communities, to become the head honcho. The Phantom Menace’s kind facade gave way to something more electric, and it was a transformation for the ages.
Worst: The Dude Doesn’t Know When To Die
Somehow, Palpatine survived to be included in The Rise of Skywalker. The good news is that Ian McDiarmid got to crush even more screen time as his memorable baddie. The bad news is the story about how he actually persevered is pretty lame, especially after having such a memorable death in Return of the Jedi.
Finn
Best: Finn's Courage Helped Him Become A Hero
Not everyone can leave something as regimented as the Stormtrooper corps and not only make it out alive, but also thrive. Finn (John Boyega) did just that, through a sense of courage that eventually led him to become a hero of The Resistance, right through to The Rise of Skywalker’s conclusion to the Skywalker Saga.
Worst: He's A Massively Incomplete Character
Throughout the ever-changing sequel trilogy kicked off with Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Finn has jumped from plot point to plot point without much to show for it. While John Boyega gave us someone to rally behind through his heroic efforts, it’s unfortunate that his arc still remains massively incomplete right down to his lack of a proper name.
Poe Dameron
Best: Poe Dameron Always Has Something To Say, Even In Enemy Captivity
What happens when you mashup Lando Calrissian’s charm, Han Solo’s defiance, and Luke Skywalker’s piloting skills? Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), that’s what. Always quick with a joke to prod the enemy, even when he’s behind the eight ball, that smooth wit can buy time and weaken a foe just enough to let him escape.
Worst: Following Orders Isn’t Exactly His Strong Suit
While thinking outside of the box is always a good skill to have, Poe’s a little too eager to jump into an X-Wing and blow stuff up. That trigger finger has even shown us moments like that of The Last Jedi, where Poe disregards direct orders from superiors like General Leia Organa to mess with the First Order. Is it fun? Sure. Is it tactical? That’s a case-by-case argument for another time.
Jar Jar Binks
Best: Mr. Binks’ Heart Is Always In The Right Place
Jar Jar Binks (Ahmed Best) is not a favorite Star Wars character of many people. His controversial introduction in The Phantom Menace is still a sore spot, but even he has a silver lining. Much in line with Ahmed Best’s opinion of Jar Jar, the character doesn’t need redemption, as he definitely has his heart in the right place at all times. Unless you believe the “Jar Jar is a secret Sith” theory, in which case…we need to talk.
Worst: Jar Jar Is Way Too Clumsy To Ever Be Taken Seriously
There’s a good reason Jar Jar Binks’ appearances were scaled back throughout the rest of the prequel trilogy. By the time that first movie was over, it was proven that Jar Jar was so clumsy, that he couldn’t ever be taken seriously; no matter how ornate his Senator’s robes were in Attack of the Clones. Thankfully, Ahmed Best crushed it as Jedi Kelleran Beq on The Mandalorian; so his talents eventually did find a home in this galaxy far, far away.
Qui-Gon Jinn
Best: Qui-Gon Likes To Use Unconventional Solutions To Win
Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) could be considered the Pete “Maverick” Mitchell of the Star Wars universe. Though he wasn’t around as much as fans would have hoped after The Phantom Menace, his unconventional solutions led to young Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) gaining his freedom, and the eventual liberation of Naboo from the Trade Federation.
Worst: Qui-Gon’s Lack Of Structure Kinda Gave Us Darth Vader
If Qui-Gon had only had some sort of backup plan in case he, you know, died at the hands of a maniac like Darth Maul (Ray Park/Peter Serafinowicz) and couldn’t train Anakin. His lack of forethought pretty much gave us Darth Vader, playing right into the hands of Darth Sidious/Sheev Palpatine by putting the most powerful Force user at the time on the board. Oops.
Star Wars continues to be a legacy of rich characters, exciting action, and compelling stories. So long as we acknowledge the good and the bad, much like the dark and the light in each character, that world will only become richer for us to enjoy. Which means that the Force will truly be with us, always.
