The Best Star Wars Characters, Ranked

Also known as the mouse droid or sometimes the toaster droid, its brief appearances always draws laughs and all he does is roll and chirp.

His podracer has four engines, that’s why there’s “quad” in his name. He barely does anything in the movies, but he’s great in the Star Wars: Racer video games.

In the video games, he had a yellow lightsaber. And despite being a Jedi, he always needed an oxygen thing on his face. What’s not to love?

Baby Yoda might eventually go the way of the milkshake duck, but until then? Enjoy the snuggles.

Han shot first! “Maclunkey!”

Before we had General Leia there was Mon Mothma, the leader of the Rebel Alliance.

The Mandalorian in the The Mandalorian, Mando is a lone-wolf mercenary with a big heart--he’s got a thing for protecting farmers, children, and, of course, Baby Yoda. He’s turning out to be one of the most complex characters in the Star Wars Universe--partially because we’ve gotten to know him more intimately than most characters over an entire season of episodes.

The green guy who smiles in Attack of the Clones also kicks enormous ass in the Clone Wars anime series. He deserved better.

Basically the Rolling Stones of A Galaxy Far, Far Away. Any party with these space rockers is immediately lit.

The sacrifice of Jyn Erso, and the rest of the Rogue One heroes, should not be forgotten.

Shame on Old Ben Kenobi for erasing Qui Gon from history by telling young Luke that his master was Yoda. We know the truth!

Padme was dealt a rough hand—from her awkward interactions with young Anakin in Episode I to her tragic death in Episode III. But throughout, she proved to be a strong and admirable leader and fighter. We’ll even forgive her for making Jar Jar the acting senator who gave Palpatine emergency power over the Galactic Senate.

Poor Threepio gets a lot of hate. But the guy is just doing what he was programmed to do. If you think he’s annoying or wimpy, maybe blame the guy who made him: Anakin Skywalker.

Poe embodies Star Wars cool—hair, quips, flight jackets. He doesn’t make for the most memorable hero of the sequel trilogy, but we could watch a whole Disney+ series of Poe bickering with BB-8.

“I am one with the Force and the Force is with me.”

The blue guy! He’s so good that even when Disney tried to remove him from the canon of the franchise, he made it back almost completely intact thanks to Dave Filoni’s Star Wars Rebels.

Amilyn Holdo’s Star Wars tenure was short-lived, yes—but Space Laura Dern is good enough to polevault the purple-haired Rebel officer halfway up this list. One might argue that the Holdo Maneuver was actually a war crime, but we like to see it as a once-in-a-million military triumph. But couldn't a droid have piloted the ship?

Poor Dash is no longer canon to the franchise, but his spirit lives on in the Star Wars Legends stories. A main character in the Shadows of the Empire spinoff series from the ‘90s, the smuggler had a ship called the Outrider that apparently beat the Millennium Falcon in a race. He was basically just Han Solo, but with red hair.

If not for the visceral acting of Adam Driver, the character of Kylo Ren would have been a disaster in any lesser performer's hands. That said, Kylo's angst made for some great meme moments. Bonus points for the sexy shirtless scene!