Photo: Lucasfilm Ltd.
Ever since Star Wars sprung from the mind of George Lucas all those years ago, the franchise has captured the imagination of its fans with its intriguing worlds, striking special effects, and stunning costume and set design. Today, decades later, there is a myriad of new Star Wars projects on the horizon, from movies to television series to video games.
Another look: ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ Trailer Breakdown
J.J. Abrams’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker—the apparent final chapter of the main saga—is just around the corner. It seems the perfect time to look back on the most interesting villains of the franchise so far. Check out our list below!
Sneak peek: ‘Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order’ Reveal Trailer Breakdown
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star wars villains
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10. General Grievous
It is no secret that George Lucas built his cinema empire Lucasfilm—which revolutionized many aspects of the technical side of filmmaking—on Star Wars toy sales. Even so, few of the characters in the franchise are as blatant an appeal to sell toys as General Grievous. The fact that he looks cool with his four-armed cyborg body is his defining feature.
Photo: Lucasfilm Ltd.
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9. Director Krennic
Ben Mendelsohn is one of the highlights of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story as the seething, overly-ambitious intergalactic bureaucrat. Director Krennic is a particularly driven middle-manager in the evil Galactic Empire. He wears a white uniform which stands out among the grays and black costumes of both his inferiors and superiors. The iconic Death Star, it turns out, was his pet project before his boss, Governor Tarkin, took it away from him.
Photo: Lucasfilm Ltd.
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8. Boba Fett/Jango Fett
Boba Fett, and later in the series his father, Jango Fett, play a similar purpose. They are guns-for-hire in cool outfits. Like General Grievous, they lend themselves to toy templates. Not much else can be said about them but that they’ll do anything for a price—and other villains seem to be more than happy to pay that price. The actors who bring these two characters to life are numerous: Jeremy Bulloch, Temuera Morrison, Daniel Logan, and Jason Wingreen are among them, not to mention the dozens of costume designers who helped craft their captivating outfits.
Photo: Lucasfilm Ltd.
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7. Sebulba
However you personally feel about the finished product of Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace, it is hard to deny George Lucas’s impressive commitment to his own vision for his unprecedentedly large franchise. A computer-generated alien racer and playboy who walks on his hands, Sebulba is a one-off minor villain who embodies how, for better or worse, Lucas’s mind has always been undeniably idiosyncratic.
Photo: Lucasfilm Ltd.
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6. Governor Tarkin
Prior to Star Wars, Peter Cushing starred in campy horror films—often alongside Christopher Lee, who would take on a Star Wars role of his own in Count Dooku decades later. He was no stranger to working alongside stranger characters in bizarre costumes. His gentlemanly demeanor as Governor Tarkin balances nicely with Darth Vader’s more aggressive approach. Recreating the character decades after Cushing’s passing in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story with motion capture technology and the help of actor Guy Henry was a risky choice, and doesn’t quite live up to the man himself.
Photo: Lucasfilm Ltd.
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5. Jabba the Hutt
Jabba the Hutt, in his first appearance back in 1983, was a marvel of special effects. It took a handful of people to bring the oversized puppet to life. A disgusting slug and a cruel crime lord, Jabba is a quintessential piece of Star Wars' specifically bizarre appeal. Larry Ward gave the character voice in Return of the Jedi.
Photo: Lucasfilm Ltd.
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4. Darth Maul
Choosing to cast a stuntman as your main villain the way George Lucas selected Ray Park to play Darth Maul in Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace is a subversive and clever way to sidestep following one of the most iconic villains in film, Darth Vader. Where Darth Vader has an impressive frame and a booming voice, Darth Maul says little and instead impressed audiences with his physical abilities. Paired with his unsettling appearance, he becomes an interesting character all his own.
Photo: Lucasfilm Ltd.
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3. Kylo Ren
Unlike many of these villains, Kylo Ren’s fate is not yet known—but he has already captured the imagination of fans. It is no wonder, given that Adam Driver is one of the most gifted actors working today. He plays the volatile Darth Vader-wannabe with immense passion. He is an analog for the films in which he stars—like the current trilogy must carry the burden of living up to the trilogies before them, he must live with the burden of being the grandson of the powerful Darth Vader.
Photo: Lucasfilm Ltd.
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2. The Emperor
The Emperor, in many ways, characterizes the campy appeal of Star Wars in a single villain. In a nutshell, he is evil incarnate. The Emperor is played by Ian McDiarmid in every entry in which he appears but The Empire Strikes Back. McDiarmid has rightfully endeared himself to the fans of the franchise with his reliably over-the-top performances. His apparent return to the franchise with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is highly anticipated.
Photo: Lucasfilm Ltd.
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1. Darth Vader
In many ways, Darth Vader is the foundation upon which Star Wars is built. Had he not impressed and terrified audiences all those years ago, it is unlikely the film would have inspired eight sequels, two spin-offs, a handful of television shows and countless books. But he did impress and terrify audiences. In part because of his sleek design, both space-aged and harkening back to ancient Japanese samurai armor. Physical actor David Prowse and voice actor James Earl Jones also deserve credit. Their respective impressive stature and bellowing timber come together with the costume to make a daunting and unique villain.
Photo: Lucasfilm Ltd.
