Top 10 Star Wars Characters: Happy Star Wars Day

May the Fourth be with You! Yes, today is May 4th; Star Wars day! And to celebrate Star Wars day, let's rank the Top 10 Star Wars characters from the movies, TV shows, video games, and novels!

Honorable Mention: Darth Revan

A central aspect of the Knights of the Old Republic video game, Darth Revan is a fixture of the Old Republic era. Revan's storyline showed me how powerful the Star Wars Expanded Universe could be, and if there is one EU story that should be adapted into a film, it should be Revan's story, or even better, a Netflix original series.

10: Rey

Introduced in The Force Awakens with a mysterious past, Rey stood out the most among the stellar new cast, largely thanks to Daisy Ridley's stunning performance. By the time the new trilogy concludes, I have a feeling that Rey will rank even higher on this list. At this point, we know very little about Rey's past, so we will have to wait and see what happens in the next film!

9: Boba Fett

How does a character with only 6 minutes 32 seconds, 4 lines, 5 complete sentences, and 27 words of dialogue become an iconic villain? Well, having one of the most bad*ss character designs ever and an insanely cool spaceship certainly helps. After the Original Trilogy, Boba Fett's backstory has been fleshed out, and honestly, a Boba Fett movie would be such a better idea than a Young Han Solo film, so here's to hoping!

8: R2-D2

Come on, who doesn't love this plucky little guy? Thanks to the audio editors, Kenny Baker, and the effects team, R2-D2 might not speak a word of English, but he has more personality than many main characters. 

7: Chewbacca

Everyone's favorite laughing fuzzball, Chewbacca is yet another iconic character, who never speaks a word of intelligible dialogue. With his return in The Force Awakens, Chewbacca will hopefully continue to be a lovable supporting character for our heroes.

6: Princess Leia

Revolutionary in many ways at the time for subverting the "Damsel in Distress" cliche by having the "Damsel" actually fight, Princess Leia is a landmark character in science fiction. 

5: Yoda

“Do, or do not. There is no try.” With his role in The Empire Strikes Back being especially noteworthy, Yoda is the exact opposite of the stereotypical "legendary warrior." He is the Jedi Master, the character that embodies everything that a Jedi is. 

4: Obi-Wan Kenobi

Obi-Wan Kenobi stands as one of the few characters to be well represented in the Prequel trilogy, largely thanks to Ewan McGregor. Of course, Alec Guinness brilliantly played the character in Original trilogy, enough so to land an Oscar nomination. Is Obi-Wan Rey's father? Who knows, but we will find out soon.

3: Luke Skywalker

Often considered a "whiny" protagonist, unjustly so, Luke Skywalker is the quintessential example of the Hero's Journey. Each film, Luke progresses as a character, as a hero. He faces trials and tribulations on his journey, conflicted between dark and light, if only briefly. Now, in the new Trilogy, we will soon discover his new role.

2: Darth Vader

A few years ago, Darth Vader would have easily topped this list, and while he is certainly the greatest villain ever in fiction, he is edged out by my top pick. With that said, Vader is such a fascinating character. In Star Wars (1977), Vader's entrance is unforgettable, and arguably one of the best villain introductions ever. At first, Vader served as the imposing antagonist against our lovable heroes. While his past is hinted at the first film, little is uncovered until the ultimate plot twist is revealed. Darth Vader is Luke's father, and the entire dynamic of the character changes, which all comes together with his ultimate redemption in Return of the Jedi. Darth Vader is not just my favorite villain; he is always vying for number one spot as my favorite character of all-time. 

1: Han Solo

Was there ever a question that Han Solo would be number one? Heck, just look at my profile picture, post signature, or any number things and Han Solo is obviously my favorite Star Wars character of all-time. He is witty, bad*ss, a smart-mouth, and just plain cool. Throughout the Original Trilogy and The Force Awakens, Han progresses and develops from the heartless scoundrel that gunned down Greedo in the cantina to actually caring for someone other than himself by Return of the Jedi. However, *Force Awakens Spoilers* ultimately Han returns to the only thing he knows after personal tragedy. And finally, Han's character came full circle with his death by the hand of his son; a poetic end for a beloved character. *End Spoilers* And of course, Han shot first. Was there ever a question?

Who are your favorite Star Wars characters? Please comment below and May the Fourth be with You.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Top 50 Star Wars Characters: 20-11

My Top 50 Star Wars Characters list continues with ten more entries!

20: HK-47

A crazy assassin android that refers to all humans, except his master, as "Meatbags," HK-47 is one of the many highlights from the brilliant Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic video game.

19: Bastila Shan

Another character from Knights of the Old Republic, Bastila Shan is an up and coming Jedi in the Old Republic before meeting a mysterious man and helps him on his quest to discover his lost identity.

18:Ahsoka Tano

At first, Ahsoka almost seemed like another Jar Jar Binks level mistake. Thankfully, after season 1 of the Clone Wars, she developed into a truly well rounded character with a character arc that becomes one of the highlights of The Clone Wars TV series.

17: Mara Jade

One of the first fixtures of the Star Wars Expanded Universe, Mara Jade set the standard for what EU characters could be in the Star Wars universe. 

16: Jabba the Hutt

Basically a giant slug, Jabba the Hutt is the most feared crime lord in the galaxy, until Leia kills him the chain that he used to enslave her. 

15: Darth Maul

Easily one of the best things to come out of the Prequel Trilogy, Darth Maul is the epitome of cool, visually at least. Sure, in the film, he does not have much development as a character, but thanks to The Clone Wars, we get to see what could have been because he was far too interesting of a character to kill so quickly.

14: Emperor Palpatine

The mastermind behind virtually everything throughout the two trilogies, Emperor Palpatine is a ultimate villain that lurks in the shadows as others do his bidding. 

13: Lando Calrissian

“Lando's not a system he's a man!" Former owner of the Millennium Falcon, Lando Calrissian turned from a backstabbing scoundrel to respectable fixture of the Rebel Alliance. 

12: Grand Admiral Thrawn

Of all the Expanded Universe characters that should receive some form of revival in the new Star Wars films, Grand Admiral Thrawn probably deserves it the most. First appearing in the aptly named, "Thrawn Trilogy" of novels, Thrawn is a truly complex and fascinating character. Despite taking over the remainder of the Empire after its fall in Return of the Jedi, Thrawn is far from the truly evil nature of Emperor Palpatine. Instead, he generally has the best interest of the galaxy as a whole, and his ultimate demise is an incredibly poetic way to end one of the best characters in the Star Wars mythos.

11: C3PO

"I am C-3PO, human-cyborg relations." One of the first main characters to be shown on screen in the films, C3PO is a unique character inspired by Akira Kurosawa's samurai films. For the first 15 minutes of the original film, C3PO receives the majority of the dialogue, and "Thank the Maker!" that he is such a fun and witty character.

Where do these characters rank on your favorites? Please comment below and check back tomorrow for the Top 10 Star Wars Video Games!

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Top 50 Star Wars Characters: 35-21

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is fast approaching! And my Top 50 Star Wars Characters list continues with 15 more entries on the list!

35: Darth Plagueis

34: General Grievous

33: Grand Moff Tarkin

32: Kyle Katarn

31: Cad Bane

30: Mace Windu

29: Canderous Ordo

28: Count Dooku

27: Admiral Ackbar

26: Starkiller/Galen Marek/The Apprentice

25: Wedge Antilles

24: Captain Rex

23: Qui-Gon Jinn

22: Asajj Ventres

21: Jango Fett

Are some of these your favorite characters? Please comment below and check back soon. 

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Top 50 Star Wars Characters: 45-36

My Top 50 Star Wars Characters list continues with ten more entries! If you missed part one, click here.

45: Biggs Darklighter

Best friend to Luke Skywalker, Biggs Darklighter might actually be indirectly responsible for Luke's epic quest to bring Balance to the Force. Biggs inspired Luke to join the fight, even if he thought he was heading to the Empire. Unfortunately for Biggs, many of the scenes featuring the character never made it to the final cut, but he will always be remembered.

44: Commander Cody

One of the first Clone Troopers to actually receive a name, Commander Cody served under Obi-Wan during the Clone Wars prior to Order 66. Due to fitting within the continuity, Cody never received as much development as other Clone Troopers in the Clone Wars series; however, he made enough of an impression to make the list.

43: Aurra Sing

First appearing as a bystander during the Podrace in the Phantom Menace, Aurra Sing's role in the EU and The Clone Wars quickly expanded to her being a bad*ss Jedi hunter. Who knows, maybe she will appear in a Han Solo or Boba Fett solo film in the future.

42: Fives

CT-5555, aka Fives, is yet another Clone Trooper that first appeared in the stellar "Rookies" episode of the Clone Wars. Fives proved that a Clone Trooper could stand out just as much, if not more, than any Jedi.

41: Durge

Fans of the original 2003 2D animated series should recognize Durge as being one of the standout characters in the painfully underrated miniseries. Literally thousands of years old, Durge is nearly unkillable to the point where he finally died after being pushed into a star by Anakin Skywalker!

40: Joruus C'Baoth

Playing a pivotal role during the Thrawn Book Trilogy, Joruus C'Baoth is a mad dark Jedi leftover from the Clone Wars. While not necessarily the first, Joruus C'Baoth presented the concept "Dark Jedi," who are not Sith, which would become an important role later in the franchise.

39: Jolee Bindo

First featured in the Knights of the Old Republic video game, Jolee Bindo displayed the gray area of the Force that is neither Light nor Dark. He served as the voice of reason to the player throughout their journey,

38: Darth Malak

The main antagonist of Knights of the Old Republic, Darth Malak managed to live up to the franchise's high standard. Just look at him, he lost the lower half of his jaw in a Lightsaber duel; he is one hardcore dude.

37: Savage Opress

Brother to Darth Maul, Savage Opress is one of my favorite original characters to come out of The Clone Wars. Introduced during one of the franchise's strongest storylines to date, Savage Opress' story explored the darker, more mystical side of the Force. Savage certainly lives up to namesake with his aggressive and savage style of fighting that brutally crushes his opponents with sheer force.

36: Wicket

Wicket Wystri Warrick is the most well known of the Ewoks, who is famously played by Warwick Davis. Whether you love or hate the Ewoks, how can you hate this little guy?

Are any of these your favorites? Please comment below and let me know!

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.