Annlyel James 
With new characters joining the ranks with every new movie Annlyel reveals her top ten Star Wars characters from the entire saga so far…
Why do I love Star Wars? There are multiple reasons but one of those main reasons are the characters. I get invested in these movies because the characters have storylines worth getting invested in. And, what makes the characters all the more lovable, are the actors who portray them. Would Luke Skywalker really have been a remarkable character if it wasn’t Mark Hamill playing him? The same question goes to characters like Han Solo, Princess Leia, Rey, Kylo Ren, etc. These are characters that I have to grown love not just because the characters are awesome but because the actors play the roles so perfectly.
Every six months or so I revise my list of favorite Star Wars characters because my opinion is ever changing. One year I’ll have an entirely different opinion on this franchise I love so much, thus my favorite character list will drastically change. So, because it’s the new year, it’s time for yet another fun revision of this list. Here are my ten favorite characters.
10. Darth Maul
Darth Maul has fascinated me since I was a child. The double-bladed lightsaber, the red and black skin, the horns, the sweet martial-arts skills, everything about Darth Maul is amazing. And after seeing his surprise return in Solo: A Star Wars Story my love for this character grew even more.
9. Imperial Royal Guard
I know the Royal Imperial Guards aren’t exactly characters considering that we don’t know their individual names or who they are but I can’t help putting them on this list. Like Darth Maul, I have gawked at these mesmerizing mute figures in their red robes since I was a little girl.
Even to this day, whenever I see them exiting Emperor Palpatine’s shuttle in Return of the Jedi I stare at them in mystified awe. Hey, Lucasfilm here’s an interesting idea. Let’s have a standalone film focusing on the Royal Imperial Guards. That could be very, very intriguing indeed.
8. BB-8
When I first saw BB-8 I wasn’t very sure about this droid but after The Force Awakens, I fell in love with him. BB-8 is a fascinating character with a big personality and I absolutely can’t wait to see him up to more delightful shenanigans in Episode IX.
7. Chewbacca
I mean, who doesn’t love Chewbacca? I was having a VERY difficult time trying to decipher whether I liked BB-8 or Chewbacca more but then I thought about it and, well, I think I’d rather have a hug from Chewbacca than a little chit-chat with BB-8. Besides, he’s been around a lot longer than BB-8 and I have loved this Wookie for a very long time.
6. Enfys Nest
Who would’ve ever thought Enfys Nest would become one of my favorite Star Wars characters but she definitely has. In every scene that she graces, she steals the show and her fighting skills are so off-the-chain. Watching her face off against Tobias Beckett and easily dispatch him within seconds makes me smile every time.
We need more Enfys Nest pronto. 🙂
5. Obi-Wan Kenobi
Whether we’re talking about the classic Obi-Wan Kenobi or the young version played by Ewan Mcgregor this character is utterly fascinating. Frankly, my preferred version of Obi-Wan Kenobi is Ewan Mcgregor’s take on the character because he did such a phenomenal job portraying the iconic Jedi Knight. He was one of the only legitimately exciting things about the prequel trilogy and that’s why I’m still kind of bummed that the Obi-Wan standalone film hasn’t pushed into full development yet. The idea of an Obi-Wan Kenobi film sounds as awesome as the likes of Rogue One and I’m really hoping one day we’ll get to see it before Ewan Mcgregor doesn’t want to play the role anymore.
4. The Praetorian Guards
As you can see from this list, I loved the Royal Imperial Guards. So imagine my excitement when I saw the modern version of those fascinating characters appear in The Last Jedi in the form of the Praetorian Guards. I was absolutely ecstatic! Of course, leading up to the film, I wasn’t sure if they were actually going to fight considering that the Royal Imperial Guards never participated in a battle. I’m so glad Rian Johnson did have them do more than stand around looking cool.
Gosh, I love the Praetorian Guards.
3. Darth Vader
Honestly, this is where the list starts getting REALLY tough for me because each of these last characters is awesome in their own way. Darth Vader, however, sits at #3 simply because the next three characters are just a little greater than him but don’t get me wrong, I LOVE Darth Vader.
Let me tell you what happened, and this is a true story. During a visit to Disney World a few years ago my family and I finally went to the Hollywood Studios park to see what’s it all about. Of course, being Star Wars fans, we made a B-line to Star Tours. So, we’re standing in line for the ride and, mind you, I’ve never seen Star Wars characters in life before at the time. I’m standing in line with my family and all of a sudden these stormtroopers come running. My eyes widen, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I mean, it was actual, real-live, Stormtroopers! Ah! And then, like icing on the awesome cake, Darth Vader appeared.
I literally squealed, and I’m not a squealing person but I couldn’t help it. If you know anything about Disney you know they believe in quality so when Darth Vader appeared it really seemed like Darth Vader. It was, and still is, one of the most incredible things I have ever experienced and that’s why he will always be one of my favorite Star Wars characters.
2. Luke Skywalker
I’ve always loved Luke Skywalker because, well, he’s awesome. And after his return in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi he has truly grown to legendary status. Luke Skywalker’s defiance against The Emperor is still one of my all-time favorite moments from him but the apparition trick he performed in The Last Jedi is clearly, to me, his greatest moment. From the first time I saw that scene to the latest time, it brings me such joy.
Luke Skywalker is clearly one of the greatest Jedi in the galaxy and Mark Hamill is clearly a gem as well. 🙂
1. Rey and Kylo Ren
Yeah, I have both of these characters caught in a tie. Time and time again, I try to place one of them above the other and time and time again it ends up being an almost unfair assessment seeing one in the #1 and #2 spots. They’re both so equally fascinating in their own way and I love them both for their endearing qualities. And that’s why I’m so excited for Episode IX. Knowing that this film will be the conclusion to their stories is exciting beyond belief and I. Can’t. Wait!
So, these are my ten favorite Star Wars characters as of today. I’m sure next year I’ll have a different list, especially after The Mandalorian arrives, but until then, I can legitimately say this is the best list I’ve created so far.
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Annlyel James is a Senior Correspondent of The Future of the Force. She is passionate about Star Wars and Marvel but loves a wide variety of movie genres. Aside from her role with Future of the Force she also writes for her blog: annlyelonline. Follow her on Twitter where she channels the Force frequently!
Nice choices but where’s Han? And Darth Vader should have been number one!