May the force be with you, Jedi. The fact this phrase is so common is proof of how popular Star Wars is and how significant it is to the genre of sci-fi. Over the course of multiple movies, live-action shows, animated series, and video games, Star Wars has brought us a plethora of faces.
Some have made us cheer for them in joy; some make us want to pull our hair out. It’s fair to say that the way a character is written and how they carry themselves factors into their popularity greater than their moral inclinations or actions.
Certain characters have gone down as fan favorites, like Obi-Wan and Vader, whereas ones like Jar Jar and Nute have become massively hated. Let’s take a look at the most loved (and hated) Star Wars characters ever. Forewarning, what you are about to witness may not be to your liking.
Best: Darth Vader
Starting the list with the most obvious choice, the Jedi-turned-Sith Lord is arguably the most popular character throughout the series. With menacing dialogues and ominous force chokes, Vader maintains a heavy presence even when not on screen. Vader’s character arc, from his naive beginnings to his dark transformation and back to light, is perhaps one of the most inspired character arcs ever.
Darth Vader, formerly Anakin Skywalker, was a Jedi warrior who was manipulated into joining the dark side by Palpatine. His transformation shows how love can cause one to plunge into darkness but also help us rise above it. Vader also is an example of “less is more”; many of his appearances are often short but immensely powerful due to how they build up his arrival and emphasize every aspect of him. Vader is one of the most popular figures in the series and the most widely recognized name, even among people who aren’t fans of the series.
Worst: Anakin Skywalker
You might wonder why the same man has been named twice as best and worst. While Anakin and Vader do share the same body (or rather the same torso), they are widely accepted as two separate entities with vastly different personalities, presence, and motives. While Vader was the cold and calm dark overlord, Anakin was supposed to be the young and cocky Jedi rookie, the spoil to Obi-Wan’s wise methods. While his animated version in the Clone Wars series was well appreciated, the live action was not so fortunate.
However, it would seem a lot of fans did not take a liking to his portrayal in the prequel trilogy, both the role of young Anakin, played by Jake Lloyd, and grown-up Anakin by Hayden Christensen. Comments called the character annoying at best and downright unbearable at worst when compared to his children in the original trilogy.
Unfortunately, his downfall may have been himself as the popularity of Vader placed a huge expectation on young Anakin, and it becomes hard to live up to an idealized expectation. While he occupies a seat on the council of good characters, he’s not granted the rank of well-liked.
Also Read: Star Wars: Top 5 Most Powerful Jedi and Sith Lords Ranked!!
Best: Obi-Wan Kenobi
Other than being the face of many memes, Obi-Wan has been a revered figure within the Star Wars universe, no matter what the medium. With his calm and funny demeanor and excellent sword skills, Obi-Wan is a treat to watch. He is a warm father figure to both Luke and Anakin. His portrayal by Ewan McGregor is undoubtedly the most popular appearance.
Even his appearance in Phantom Menace is a delight to watch, seeing him as a young Padawan trying to navigate through the life of a Jedi and having to deal with the loss of his master and being thrust into the same position himself.
Worst: Jar Jar Binks
Much like Obi-Wan’s acceptance is no surprise, Jar Jar’s hate is no surprise, either. The designated comic relief of the prequel series fell short when compared to C-3PO in the original trilogy. Fans felt that Jar Jar constantly threw off the balance of an otherwise serious plotline and that the movie sacrificed that continuity for the sake of appeasing children.
Fans often made the criticism that Jar Jar’s over-the-top silly humor felt uninteresting as compared to the more subtle and well times humor by C-3PO or Chewie. In a sequel dedicated to the biblical fall of Anakin and the rise of the Empire, Jar Jar’s humor and the “meesa yousa” get very annoying very quickly.
Best: C-3PO
Now this is comedic relief done right; 3PO, along with R2-D2, is one of the most loved duos in sci-fi; they’re funny, useful when needed, and can be physically hilarious without coming off as annoying. Most importantly, C-3PO feels relatable.
In a world where emperors shoot lightning out of their hands, hyperspace pilots, and swordsmen with telekinetic abilities, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and helpless. 3PO is in this position multiple times and yet braves on to help the good guys and fight the good fight, something we can all admire.
Worst: Rush Clovis
It’s a no-brainer as to why Clovis is hated in the series. Considering how much people support the relationship between Anakin and Padme, anyone who comes in between them gets the mob treatment immediately.
Not only does he come off as arrogant and distasteful, Clovis actively tries to flirt with Padme, completely disrespecting the fact that she was married to Anakin. Furthermore, he straight up harasses her, forcing her into a kiss, which is fortunately stopped by Anakin. It doesn’t help that Anakin’s hatred towards Clovis is shown more as Anakin being controlling and irrational. You know a character is hated when their most liked scene is one where they get beat up.
Best: Han Solo
Han Solo is the perfect example of what a smug and arrogant character should be so that they are well-liked. Harrison Ford is dashing and charming in this character. His cocky attitude, flying skills, and warm friendship with Chewie make him absolutely perfect.
Han is a true rugged guy with a heart of gold, and that’s what wins him the love of fans. From risking his life in the cold to save Luke to offering himself to Jabba to save Leia, he always does what he can to save his friends. And he shoots first.
Worst: Boba Fett
While this might sound controversial, Boba Fett, specifically in the Clone Wars series, was not that well received as compared to his appearance in the Mandalorian. His appearance in the original trilogy gained him much appreciation and love due to his significance in The Empire Strikes Back.
The cloned child of the infamous Jango Fett is a master of combat, piloting, and assassination; however, he failed to impress in the Clone Wars series. His character in his younger days was noted to be underwhelming and he felt more like a burden around others.
Best: Yoda
The love is strong with this one. Everyone loves the wise old master, be it Oogway in Kung Fu Panda or Uncle Iroh in Avatar. Yoda is no exception to this rule, as the little green Jedi Master is praised for his wise words, kind demeanor, and exceptional skills.
Yoda is one of the few people who understands Anakin’s pain and turmoil and seeks to help him. He is also an excellent master to Luke as he not only trains him to be a Jedi but also to forge his own morals and own path of being a Jedi.
Worst: Nute Gunray
A character needs to be very poorly portrayed if they become forgettable despite being the main villain of a movie. Nute is the primary villain in The Phantom Menace, putting pressure on Padme to sign an unfair treaty and also secretly working for Palpatine.
Nute failed to be intimidating as a villain and get overshadowed Darth Maul despite the latter having a significantly shorter screen time. He ends up being one of those villains who’s more of a thorn in one’s side than a real threat, and fans were happy to see him sliced in half Anakin later down the line.
Best: Luke Skywalker
To have to explain why Luke is well-loved is basically an insult to his character. As the hero of the original series, the one who restored peace, and the one who brought back Anakin Skywalker, Luke checks all the boxes for a loved hero.
Luke is kind, brave, optimistic, and just an all-around good guy. From the moment we first meet him, we know that this boy has potential, and it is a treat to walk with him on that journey to become a Jedi Knight. Mark Hamill carries this role to absolute perfection. That is why he is one of the faces of this franchise.
Worst: General Grievous
This might be an odd rating of the character considering his rather positive reception in Clone Wars. However, Grievous has been noted by fans to be a misused character with a lot of wasted potential.
Other than his appearance in the Clone Wars series, Grievous is generally seen as a poorly constructed villain. He’s shown to be incompetent at most times, with no major achievements on screen. When put against more polished villains like Vader or Dooku, Grievous feels more like a canon fodder villain than a fierce enemy.
Best: Ahsoka Tano
When Ahsoka was first shown, fans were skeptical at best and disappointed at worst, thinking that Vader was getting an annoying little sister. It turns out they were wrong, as Ahsoka quickly became a very well-liked character.
Aside from her fascinating dynamics with Anakin, her own struggles and internal conflicts make for an excellent character to watch. Furthermore, it makes Vader’s rise in Clone Wars much more of a sad moment as we see Ahsoka coming to terms with what her mentor had become.
Worst: Ziro the Hutt
Ziro the Hutt is the uncle of the infamous Jaba the Hutt. Unfortunately, he possesses none of the redeeming qualities that make his nephew bearable. Simply put, he’s one of the reasons the Clone Wars series is sometimes a sore spot for fans.
First, you have a villain so incompetent that the word pathetic isn’t enough to cover it. Then you have the fact that he constantly relies on other bigger villains to get things done, though he never gets humbled by this. And thirdly, his mannerisms are very distasteful stereotypes associated with the LGBTQ+ community. Overall, not much good to say about him.
Best: Grogu
Seriously, you’d have to be heartless to hate baby Yoda. This adorable little guy literally needs to reason to be loved; just look at him!
With a combination of a loving and sweet demeanor, child-like innocence, and those big sparkly eyes, Grogu won the hearts of every fan who saw him. His father-child bon with Djarin also warms our hearts.
Worst: The Grand Inquisitor
Here’s an unfortunate case where a character is loved in every other form except for one particular rendition. Poor old Grand Inquisitor is a victim of this. His presence in Rebels is loved and greatly appreciated by fans for being unique.
His version in the Kenobi show was criticized for its lackluster design and underwhelming presence. While th acting performance was compelling, fans were unhappy with how easily he was caught off guard by Reva and how placid he felt.
Best: R2-D2
You know you’re well loved when all you do is whistle, and people cheer you for it. R2-D2 is perhaps one of the funniest characters in the show despite having literally no decipherable dialogue.
Fans have almost universally dubbed him as the robot that curses a lot, and as mentioned with 3PO, the two make a wonderful comedic duo. His adventurous nature only adds to the charm.
Worst: Rey Skywalker
This is one that is probably the most controversial and most debatable as well. But despite whatever a critical analysis of the character says, it’s an unfortunate truth that Rey has received quite a lot of hate and criticism.
Fans have stated various reasons for their disapproval of the emperor’s daughter. From being a Mary Sue, lacking depth to her character, letting the plot carry her to just being plain annoying. While individual preferences towards her might differ, the general consensus doesn’t seem to be in her favor.
Best: Chewbacca
Who wouldn’t love to have a bear as their best friend? One of the best things about being Han Solo is the fact that you had the undying loyalty of Chewbacca. And just look at him, so darn huggable!
While we don’t really understand what Chewie says, we know he’s loving and will do whatever it takes to save his friends. Sometimes actions speak louder than words, and Chewie shows us that it doesn’t matter if you can’t speak to each other; you can still understand each other.
Worst: Mace Windu
This is probably another major point of debate. Mace Windu is definitely a powerful character, and Samuel L Jackson portrays him as a Jedi Master that commands respect. However, as much as there are fans who adore him, there are ones who don’t mind him falling out a window.
Fans disliked him for being overly harsh on Anakin. The Jedi Master constantly criticized Anakin’s short temper while he himself was the same. He also angered fans when he refused to listen to Anakin’s warnings and kept brushing his concerns aside. Maybe if he had let Anakin feel heard, Vader might have never awakened.
Best: Princess Leia
Whether you call her an Organa or a Skywalker, it is undeniable that Leia was one awesome girl boss. Very few individuals can look Vader straight in the face without fear, and Leia did with ease. She’d been part of the rebellion long before Luke even became aware of his destiny.
Leia is headstrong, intelligent, and brave; making her an excellent leader and binding force for the alliance. Her character has the complexity that people seem to find lacking in Rey. This is a character who, instead of being a damsel in distress, happily hijacks her own rescue mission, and that’s just awesome all around.
Worst: Watto
Nobody likes slave traders, especially ones that enslave young boys like little Anakin. Watto has every reason to be on the list of characters who are not just disliked but outright hated.
Not only did he have ownership of Anakin and his mother, he was also working together with the likes of Sebulba, who tried to kill Anakin during the pod race. This vile character was so selfish he’d rather kill a young boy than set him free.
Best: Count Dooku
Count Dooku is a villain done right. He has a sort of signature air of superiority. Being the master of Qui-Gon, Dooku is clearly a powerful wielder of the Force. However, there is much more depth to his character.
Dooku makes for a perfect villain. He’s not simply a mindless fighter or some hidden puppeteer; he’s so much more. Here is a man who possesses vast powers and skills as a fighter, the complexity to understand and take advantage of politics, and a man who knows how to play with words. It also helps that he’s played an experienced veteran like Christopher Lee.
Worst: Vice Admiral Holdo
While a lot of the hate Holdo gets may be unnecessary or misplaced, its presence cannot be refuted. Holdo isn’t nearly as bad as some of the other characters on this list go, both in terms of the character’s writing or their actions in the plot, but she does come off as frustrating.
After she takes command while Leia is recovering, she makes the odd decision of keeping her plans to herself while being unnecessarily condescending to Poe. This secrecy leads to causes loads of problems down the line. While she does redeem herself in a spectacular manner at the end by sacrificing herself, it’s hard not to imagine how things would be if she shared the plans.
Best: Darth Maul
Maul made significantly less screen time than the main villain Nute and even fewer lines to speak, yet he far exceeds the latter in terms of fan appreciation. Sometimes a villain just needs to be scary to be good, and Maul is terrifying.
The fact that Maul has brief appearances adds to his terror as he wreaks havoc each time he’s on screen. The cold silence and deadly focus only make him that much more dangerous. Here’s a villain who can’t be reasoned with, who can’t be manipulated or talked to; all you can do is fight and hope you win. And fans loved this thrill.
Worst: Commander Fox
Most of the identifiable clones are all well-liked by fans except for one unfortunate case, Commander Fox in the Clone Wars. Being one of the leading peacekeepers on Coruscant, he’s made some questionable decisions that landed him on this side of the list.
He already had fans mobbing up on him for hunting down Ahsoka, while the latter was framed for going rogue. This only worsened when he killed the ARC Trooper Fives, who could have potentially stopped Order 66. While some fans claim the hate towards him is unjustified or misplaced, feelings can’t be invalidated, and a lot of feelings towards him are bad.
Best: Din Djarin
Being played by Pedro Pascal isn’t the only reason this guy is loved. Din Djarin, as the Mandalorian, quickly became a fan favorite due to not only being a cool bounty hunter but also his relationship with Grogu.
Djarin’s character had intricate layers of depth and a fleshed-out personality that fans claimed was lacking in recent Star Wars media. Additionally, watching him step into a father role for Grogu is an absolute delight. Everyone loves a badass with a heart of gold, and the Mandalorian is it!
Worst: Boss Nass
It’s an unfortunate side effect that the contempt for Jar Jar is spread to the rest of his race as well. Especially so for the leader of the Gungans, Boss Nass. This strict sovereign shares similar critiques as Jar Jar for being unnecessarily annoying.
Despite having a major factor in the Republic’s victory in Phantom Menace, fans were quick to dismiss Boss Nass for his odd speech mannerisms and failed attempts at humor. Unfortunately, it seems Gungans, in general, won’t be winning fan favor anytime soon.
Best: Starkiller
Here’s a character who’s most loved due to his presence in the games. As the protagonist of the Force Unleashed game, Starkiller breaks the very lore of Star Wars with his presence, and fans love him for it. A character powerful enough to move a Star Destroyer with his mind is gonna turn a few heads.
Starkiller’s identity as a video game character actually works great in his favor. He is able to avoid accusations of being a Mary Sue like Rey due to the fact that fans know he exists purely as a means for players to experience the power fantasy of being a master of the Force. His interactions with Vader make it all the more enticing.
Worst: Dedra Meero
This one is an interesting choice because the point of this character is that you’re meant to hate them. Dedra from the Andor series is a member of the Imperial Security Bureau and is initially depicted to be intelligent and in a bad spot, but something feels off.
Soon enough, we realize the issue. Although she’s supposed to depict the more autocratic and diplomatic side of the empire, we see cracks in this porcelain mask of hers. Underneath that, she’s just as cruel and malicious as the other officers, and we realize that she is a character created specifically to be disliked.
Best: Qui-Gon Jinn
It’s been noted that most Jedi Masters sit at the high council and make the decisions regarding the entirety of the Jedi. Then we see this one master with a different outlook on life. Much like his master Dooku, Qui-Gon forges his own path in the Force. While Dooku was concerned with the acquisition of knowledge, Qui-Gon was focused on the way of the Force and its connection to the living.
Fans also have him to thank for basically kickstarting the plot as he is the one who discovers young Anakin and realizes he may be the chosen one. Aside from this, he is a wise mentor to a then-inexperienced Obi-Wan and a major source of inspiration for the latter in his future days.
Worst: Tan Divo
Every crime plot has that one detective who manages to be just the worst. Meet Tan Divo, the penultimate of this trope. Despite his brief appearance in the Clone Wars, he managed to pull off an excellent job at getting fans to hate him.
He’s incompetent at his job, missing clues and handling issues in the most obnoxious ways. He’s regularly condescending to various well-liked characters and rebukes any helpful advice or assistance from characters like Padme. Overall, he gives fans no reason to like him.
Best: Padme Amidala
If there’s one thing Star Wars does well, it’s making some badass girl bosses. Padme is just as much of one as her daughter is. She is a beloved leader and has been a virtuous fighter for human rights.
Padme is Anakin’s guiding light. Anakin often is tortured by his own emotions, and fans love how Padme stands by his side and helps him through it. From a plot perspective, she also is an interesting contrast to Anakin, as she fights for a world of true democracy while Anakin grows more into the idea of a dictatorship as he descends into the dark. She truly becomes the Light to his Dark.
Worst: Kylo Ren
Yet another controversial one. Kylo Ren receives the same treatment as Rey does for being one-dimensional and lacking depth. He tried to live up to the name of Vader, but that is a tough standard to beat.
Kylo Ren was written to be a man tortured by doubt and pain, lashing out at the world in return. However, fans saw him as petulant and unsympathetic. He doesn’t come off as menacing like Vader or Maul but isn’t as dignified as Dooku. Fans were furthermore upset with his romance with Rey as they found it to be senseless and forced. And to make it worse, fans didn’t appreciate him killing Han and causing the deaths of the Skywalker siblings.
Best: Poe Dameron
Based on some of the earlier characters on this list, it’s safe to say the sequel trilogy is not in a great place; more so are the characters. And yet, there’s one guy who stood out as a universally liked character. Poe Dameron.
Poe Dameron seems to gel with everyone and is cool and fun to watch. He reminds you of a more humble Han Solo, and that’s basically a winning recipe. Plus, with his droid friend BB8, the man’s just the kind of guy you wanna hang out with.
Worst: Toro Calican
Self-centered characters aren’t very well-liked in the franchise overall; even guys like Vader and Maul are loyal to a cause or ideal. But even with that, self-centeredness can play off if the character is charming enough. Unfortunately, Calican has none of that.
Here’s a guy who’s incompetent to galactic levels, easier to manipulate than Anakin (yes, it’s that easy), and completely lackluster in fighting skill. His only victory is against a literally restrained captive. Sorry kid, you need to get good.
Best: BB8
Speaking of Dameron’s droid buddy, it’s obvious he’d make this list as well. This adorable droid gets love for his round shape and big eye. Outside the movie, he’s taken social media by storm with adorable moments with the cast members.
Much like R2-D2, BB also plays an important role in holding a vital clue to the location of Luke Skywalker. To put it short, there is no shortage of love for the droids.
Worst: Ewoks
Sometimes being cute isn’t to make up for plot significance. Ewoks have been hated by fans from the dawn of their first appearance. These tiny creatures were designed with the goal of making merch to sell, and fans were painfully aware of this.
Fans also found it unreasonable and cheesy that these teddy bear lookalikes were able to take down entire battalions of Storm Troopers armed with blasters, walkers, and speeders with basically booby traps; a feat that no other race in th galaxy had successfully done till then. Furthermore, it doesn’t help that the Empire was mocked in the canon for losing against the “cute fuzzy widdle ewoks”.
Best: Jyn Erso
One of the most important members of the rebel alliance Jyn, was perhaps one of the reasons for Luke’s greatest achievement, blowing up the death star. She ended up being a character we are eager to see more of.
Fans describe her as realistic and greatly appreciate her journey toward helping the alliance. Her unique approach of not wanting to be a hero but still helping nonetheless was a breath of fresh air among a wide cast of paragon heroes. The fact she relayed the plans of the death star makes her indispensable to the plot. Most importantly, she’s praised for her quote, “Rebellions are built on hope.”
Worst: Pong Krell
Pong Krell is generally respected as a pretty decent villain. However, he may have been too good of a villain due to how easy it is to dislike him, which is obviously the point.
His actions are pretty vile and evil, even for a villain. This Jedi Master turned to the Dark side after foreseeing the imminent fall of the Order and the Republic. He holds a sheer disdain for the clones, treating them as sub-human, and has murdered countless of them for nothing more than bloodlust. The worst is when he forces a troop of clones to fire at each other and kill one another. He may be a menacing villain, but he is only deserving of hatred.
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