Top Ten Best Star Wars Characters

In my most recent banal QOTD answer, M-dashes and Hotrod gently derided my recent pathetic Vox attendance record of late, challenged me to write an actual blog post on my blog, further suggested that said post be a list, and further suggested that said list be of the 10 Best Star Wars Characters of All Time.

Well never let it be said that I won't rise to a challenge (so long as other people give me a healthy kick-start). Here then are the top 10 best Star Wars characters of all time.

1) Darth Vader -- Duh. Is this even in dispute? Nerdy guys talk about idolizing Han Solo, and post-ironic hipsters claim undying allegiance to Lando Calrissian, but right-thinking people understand that Darth Vader is THE iconic character of the series. From his all-black outfit to his signature wheeze, Vader is the personification of evil. In the hands of any other (voice) actor, he may have come off as pure caricature, but James Earl Jones absolutely sells the Dark Lord. As a foil, Darth Vader completely overshadows the supposed heroes of the story. He is at the center of every meaningful development and nearly every real emotional moment in the first three films. And of course, he has the best theme song of any movie character in the history of film. I am frankly, offended to have had to argue this point. Resistance is futile.

I am the best characterrrrr

2) Obi-Wan Kenobi -- I don't know why the great Alec Guinness agreed to take a part in Star Wars, but let's all thank god (or Guinness' bookie) that he did. From the moment he steps into frame, Guinness classes up the joint and makes everybody around him -- even the hapless Mark Hamill -- better. Remember how I said Darth Vader was involved in nearly every important emotional moment in the first three films? The ones he missed, Obi-Wan got. It is Obi-Wan who sells us on the concept of the Force, the conceit around which the films are built. Obi-Wan is the ethical center of the films, but he is also flawed, and haunted by his mistakes. 

3) (tie) C-3PO and R2-D2 -- C-3PO and R2-D2 are the clown princes of the Star Wars films. The droids are absolutely essential to striking the tone of the story and establishing the balance between dark and light that worked so well in the first three films. Anytime something funny happened in Star Wars, it involved the Droids, and it was those moments -- as much as the space battles and dramatic exchanges -- that ensconced the trilogy in the hearts of a generation.

5) Han Solo -- The ugly truth about Star Wars is that the male lead (Luke) and to a slightly lesser extent the female lead (Leia) are kind of boring. Han Solo, space buccaneer and lovable rogue, is the real hero of the films. Sadly, Solo's iconic moment -- when he kills Greedo in cold blood -- has been sanitized for future generations. I won't blame children who read this list in 20 years and ask why Solo is ranked so high. But for those of us who know the truth, this is where he belongs.

6) Lando Calrissian -- Bringing a little style to a galaxy far, far away, Calrissian was a welcome addition to the second and best film, and played a critical part in that film's plot. And he shilled for Colt 45...so that's cool.

7) Boba Fett -- For a moment try to forget the last three regrettable films and their ludicrous attempt to build a storyline around Mr. Fett. Boba Fett became an international icon speaking a total of less than five words lines  (I was close. - ed), and occupying maybe 10 minutes of screen time. That, my friends, is what we call resonance.

8) Chewbacca -- Chewy is another favorite choice of hipsters who are trying too hard, but just because they like him doesn't mean he's not great. Never has a character conveyed so much with a mixture of meaningful stares and screaming grunts...or maybe grunting screams.

9) Leia -- She's spunkier than Luke, and while Carrie Fisher and her occasional accent was no Meryl Streep, she acted circles around Mark Hamill.  Someone get this walking carpet out of my way!

9) Yoda -- Whoop, it's late, and I almost forgot about Kermit's monastic younger brother. Of all the characters screwed over by the new movies, Yoda got the worst of it by far. In Empire Strikes Back, his grammatical ticks and weird voice really worked in the character of a wise, ancient warrior priest. Best moment: when Luke says "I'm not afraid," and Yoda replies "Good. You will be. You will be." I still get chills.  

10) Wedge Antilles -- Ok, hear me out on this one. Wedge is in it with Luke from the beginning. He's the only tertiary character to survive throughout the three films. Think of him as Luke's conscience, and a cipher for all of us observing these great galactic events from the outside looking in. 

Comments

[FS]

Boba Fett became an international icon speaking a total of less than five words

Nerd pedantry corner.  Nope.  Boba Fett's dialogue is as follows:

"As you wish"
"He's no good to me dead"
"What if he doesn't survive?
He's worth a lot to me"
"Put Captain Solo in the cargo hold"
[wordless scream]

[Dabysan]

Did I say words? I meant lines. 

[M-----l]

Not a bad list at all.  You stuck with the classic characters and threw in Wedge because every list like this needs at least one obscure selection.  I saw this list late last night and wanted to sleep on it before commenting.  When I woke up this morning, I saw that you'd already dumped your weakest choice in favor of Yoda.  Good move.

I was thinking about ripping on you for including Boba Fett, but you are
entirely right in your rationalization.  Despite the lame back story
from the prequels, he was pretty bad-ass in the originals.  I don't
think it had anything to do with how few words he spoke (Bossk didn't
say anything) or what he did onscreen (he fell in a pit).  It was all
about the armor.  Mandalorian armor just looks cool.

I guess the only one I can really take issue with is Lando.  He seemed super-cool to me as a kid, but I cringe through his scenes as an adult.  Billy Dee Williams might just be a worse actor than Mark Hamill.  I said might.

[Dabysan]

Billy Dee is not a great actor, but he does have amazing panache, which makes up for a lot. His voice is also excellent, as is his hair. I think that the Lando character would have been utterly forgettable in the hands of many other actors, but Billy Dee gave him a distinct identity.

Boba Fett looks cool. And he has an outrageously awesome name. Sometimes its the little things.

[Jason]

Well done, sir.  Now for the breakdown:

1) While I agree that Darth Vader is the most
iconic
character in The Trilogy (none of the Apocrypha will be considered and that includes the Special Edition blasphemy), this list is about the
best
character which of course is Han Solo.  The baddest muthafucka in the Galaxy (wasted Greedo without a second thought), arithmetic genius ("we can give you two thousand now plus another fifteen when we reach Alderaan."  "Seventeen, huh."), Hyperdrive maintenance specialist ("I've made a lot of special modifications."), pragmatic ("hokey religions and ancient wepaons are no match for a good blaster at your side"), observant ("What an incredible smell you've discovered!"), a player ("I think you just can't bear to let a gorgeous guy like me out of your sight.")...and so on.  Also don't forget that he had the greatest job eve, space smuggler.

2) Bob Fett is arguably in the Top 5 for most iconic characters but he is the undisputed Number 1 most overrated character.  For all of his badass posturing keep in mind that he was ultimately done in by being accidentally knocked into the pit of the Almighty Sarlac.  Hardly a dignified end for the most feared bounty hunter in the system.  Then again "Jedi's" place in the legacy is dubious considering a major plot point involved a panda on a flying motorcycle.

3) Wedge?  Really?  I follow your rationale and it's an interesting premise but I get the sense that he was thrown into this haphazardly...and therefore just as easily replaced with an Admiral Ackbar or Mon Motha.  But at least you didn't say Jar Jar or IG-88.

4) Lando is a pimp.  Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

[Dabysan]

Ugh. My new office's crappy new Internet just erased my brilliant response. Here it is again in shortened version.

1) Look, I think those are very strong arguments, but I have to counter with the fact that Vader effectively rules a galactic empire and has the ability to crush his enemies' throats with his MIND. And he beat Han Solo in their only head-to-head battle (I don't count Han's sucker punch in the first movie).

2) He may be overrated, but surely he belongs on the list. At worst, I put him one slot lower, beneath Chewy.

3) As I said Wedge has a significant advantage on one-trick ponies like Mon Motha and Ackbar, in that he survives to witness the full scope of events of the Trilogy. He is our silent witness. Wedge is all of us. And his name is awesome.

4) Noted.

[M-----l]

I've given this some thought and I think Wedge might be a stretch for inclusion.  I like your reasoning, but if you really want a character who witnessed everything, you should go with Artoo.  Not only was he there for most of the key events from the original trilogy, but he was also around for the important parts of the prequels.  The fact that you included Artoo in the #3 spot makes Wedge unnecessary.

I'm going to replace Wedge with a Gonk Droid. 

[Dabysan]

Well R2-D2 is neither a tertiary character, nor a silent witness to great events. There wouldn't have even been a second movie without R2 pulling Luke, Leia, Han and Chewy's fat out of the fire when they were caught in the compactor on the detention level.

Wedge is a metaphor for all of us.

Leia notwithstanding, if I had to bump anyone off this list it'd probably be Lando, not Wedge. If I were adding characters it would probably be Admiral Piett.

I am a little chagrined that I had to look up "Gonk Droid."

[M-----l]

Wedge is a metaphor for all of us.

Wedge isn't a metaphor for me.  He participated in the destruction of not one, but two Death Stars.  I just sat on my ass and watched the movies over and over again and memorized everybody's names.  I was on the outside looking in; he was on the inside blowing up TIE-fighters.

Although he didn't have much screen time or many lines, Wedge was more than just a silent witness to great events.  He was a participant...which raises him up from the level of mere metaphor to something else entirely.  Of course, I have no idea what that something else is because it just occurred to me that I might be confusing Wedge with Biggs Darklighter.  I never could tell those two apart.

Nevermind.

[hotrod]

Stay on target.

[Dabysan]

Biggs dies protecting Luke on his strafing run in the first movie. Wedge would have too, but he loses an engine and can't keep up. 

[hotrod]

Stay on target.

[Dabysan]

Lighten up!

[M-----l]

Okay, I'll play:

They came from behind!

(This might be one of the dorkiest Vox posts ever.  I'm almost ashamed.)

[hotrod]

I copy, Gold Five.

[Dabysan]

It's got a lot of competition, but yes, this is a real nerdy dude-fest.