Almost 50 years after A New Hope, fans all over the world still love the Star Wars movies. Part of what makes Star Wars so universally appealing is its plethora of unique characters. From Droids to Jedi, every character has a meaningful past and an important part to play. Even without dialogue, the franchise's iconic droid R2-D2 has a sassy and confident personality that we all love.
Everyone can relate to some, if not all, of the characters. It is easy to see a piece of ourselves reflected both in C-3P0's worry and in R2-D2's bravery (which, combined, should make the upcoming Star Wars movie A Droid Story pretty interesting). If you are looking to reconnect with the galaxy far-far away, here are the top 12 characters from the Star Wars movies to start with — they're the best of the bunch.
Updated July 23, 2022: If you love Star Wars characters, you'll be happy to know we've updated this article with additional content and entries.
12 C-3PO
Fun fact: C-3PO was the first character to speak in the original trilogy and the last character to speak in the more recent trilogy. He is a Star Wars staple, along with his partner-in-crime, R2-D2. For starters, 3PO is extremely impressive as a humanoid robot, being fluent in over six million forms of communication. His fussy and worry-prone personality allows actor Anthony Daniels to steal every scene he's in while performing as 3PO. Along with R2-D2, C-3PO constantly found himself directly involved in pivotal moments of galactic history, and aided in saving the galaxy on many occasions. C-3PO considered various droids and organics to be friends of his, and was very dedicated to them, as well as to any master he served.
11 Grogu
Also referred to as 'Baby Yoda,' or the cutest McGuffin that ever lived, Grogu doesn't just steal toys and food; he steals the hearts of everyone that he comes in contact with, including the fans. Grogu is made even more adorable by his relationship with and obvious love for Din Djarin (The Mandalorian). This character has only appeared in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett on Disney+, but we can be sure that he will come back in future Star Wars movies and series. In fact, per Inverse, the recent trailer leak of The Mandalorian season 3 showed Grogu with a powerful new weapon.
10 Chewbacca
Chewbacca plays a small role in each era of the Star Wars movies, but is best known for being Han Solo's companion. Together, the two smuggled spice, joined the rebellion, and eventually freed the Kasyyyk (Wookiee home planet) from imperial rule. Even though Wookiees are ferocious fighters, they are also very technologically advanced. They use their claws as tools to build devices, and Chewbacca is just as intelligent, and a very accomplished pilot. He is kind and loyal to his friends, but easily scares off his enemies.
9 Yoda
What Yoda lacks in size he more than makes up for in Force power. Yoda has been legendary since the very first Star Wars movies, but thanks to the newest High Republic novels, we get to learn more about his backstory. Yoda's long life is full of accomplishments, including serving on the Jedi Council for 500 years and training powerful Jedi like Count Dooku, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Luke Skywalker. Other Jedi often come to Yoda for advice because of his abilities to peer into the future, his wise status on the council, and his friendly if cantankerous disposition.
8 Princess Leia
Carrie Fisher was always an influential voice for mental health and empowering women. Her most iconic character stood for similar ideals. Princess Leia had no problem keeping up with her male counterparts. She was a leader and an authority figure that fulfilled a role few women before her did. Leia stars as Luke Skywalker's proactive twin sister in the original trilogy of Star Wars movies, but also plays a staring role in the books and movies thereafter. As tactful politician and war strategist, Leia has one of the greatest impacts on the overall state of the galaxy.
7 Finn
Many of the characters on this list are Jedi, but Finn is someone who manages to keep up without a lightsaber. FN2187 is introduced in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. He is the first storm trooper we get to see defect from the Empire. Jedi are conditioned to brush off fear and temptation, but we get to watch Finn grapple with a lot of moral dilemmas, making him one of the most interesting characters to follow in the new Star Wars movies. He becomes known for his loyalty friends and skills with a blaster.
6 Han Solo
Here is another character who is better with long range weapons than melee ones. Han Solo is a smuggler turned rebel fighter. He stars in the original trilogy of Star Wars movies, but plays an important role in other books and media as well. Shortly after Disney bought the franchise, they even gave Han his own standalone movie, Solo: A Star Wars Story. His realistic take on the galaxy is both funny and insightful, and we love the charming Han for his famous one-liners, skills with a blaster, and love of his ship.
5 Rey
One of the best things to come out of the newest Star Wars movies was this character. Rey is one of the first women Jedi to get a chance in the spotlight, and now the first wielder of a yellow lightsaber on screen. Fans love her for her loyalty, passion, and determination. Rey shares a unique link with Kylo Ren, and becomes one of the most powerful Jedi by the end of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Some rumors say that Rey will return in future streaming shows and movies as a Jedi teacher.
4 Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader
You could say that Anakin Skywalker is the main character of the Star Wars movies in the franchise. He quickly becomes a powerful Jedi, but then turns into one of the greatest Sith Lords who ever lived. As a Jedi, Anakin was known for taking risks, being quick to action, and having a quippy sense of humor. As a Sith Lord, Darth Vader was feared for his cruelty and almost unchallengeable power. While Anakin was overly compassionate and attached, Darth Vader proved to be the opposite. He became so cruel and removed that he almost killed his own son.
3 Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker is the Jedi who started it all in the Star Wars movies. The boy who grew up on a moisture farm not finds his greater destiny in the original trilogy of Star Wars movies, but he also trains Rey in the later Star Wars movie, The Last Jedi. When the galaxy was at its lowest point, Luke stood as a beacon of hope. With special training from both Obi-Wan and Yoda, it's no wonder he became a wise leader. Luke saved the galaxy with his optimism and love for even the most twisted souls (Darth Vader). He is an example of everything that the Jedi strive towards.
2 Ahsoka Tano
Ahsoka Tano was one of the first characters that Dave Filoni drew for Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Ahsoka has one of the best character arcs in all the Star Wars universe. Fans across the galaxy initially hated Ahsoka when she debuted in The Clone Wars. She was pretentious, annoying, and impatient. But now fans adore her because of her self-control, quiet confidence, and wisdom. After seeing some flaws within the Jedi Order, she left with the hopes to grow beyond their traditions. She is one of the few Force wielders to survive battles against Sith Lords like Maul and Vader. It looks like she'll get a bigger platform to prove herself with the Rosario Dawson-led show Ahsoka.
1 Obi-Wan Kenobi
Ranking at the top of many polls, Obi-Wan Kenobi is a fan favorite for his devotion, skill, and faithfulness. His character plays a part in Star Wars movies one through six, and he makes an appearance in many of the cartoons. Anakin said that Obi-Wan is "as wise a master Yoda, and as powerful as Master Windu." Obi-Wan's wisdom came through in many battles during the Clone Wars. He also knew about Anakin's affair with Padme (making him the only one to figure it out). He proved his abilities as a fighter by defeating Darth Maul, General Grievous, and Darth Vader. With a great personality and sense of humor to add to the mix, it's no wonder he made the top of our list. His return in the Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi earlier this year only further solidified fans' love for him.