Top 10 'Star Wars' Villains, Ranked By Likability
We all have our favorite characters, whether they be heroes, villains, or even both. For this article, we are talking top ten Star Wars villains, ranked by likability.
10. Sheev Palpatine
Maybe others would have Palpatine higher, but I honestly have felt Palpatine fatigue at times, with the off-putting smugness and whatnot. And he's super evil. You all get the idea. In any case, he is a villainous mastermind (though I do not believe he plans and foresees every single thing as some might believe). He manages to manipulate a galaxy into feeling comfortable with the things that lead to his tyrannical form of government. He has contingency plans just in case. There is something to be said for a villain who stays prepared. He even tests Vader by using other villains against him.
9. Count Dooku
Maybe I just love seeing Christopher Lee perform, but Count Dooku is a complex villain. The face of the Separatist Movement, he also works behind the scenes in favor of the Sith. He is a skilled swordsman and has such an iconic voice (in both live-action and animation). He is certainly a formidable foe against the Jedi, with whom he used to be aligned.
8. Moff Gideon
Being played by Giancarlo Esposito helps make Moff Gideon such a likable villain. He is very articulate, to the point, and no-nonsense. The calm cadence of his voice can fool one into thinking that things may go okay, but then he can switch into fighting mode very quickly. He has no shortage of combat skills, having wielded the Darksaber.
7. Cad Bane
Created for The Clone Wars, Cad Bane became a breakout character. His voice is both chilling and cool at the same time. With his hat, he is easily one of the most stylish bounty hunters. He has such a menacing look that could haunt someone in their nightmares. His return on the most recent episode of The Bad Batch was met with a lot of praise from surprised viewers who had not seen him in anything new for nine years.
6. Boba Fett
Admittedly, I prefer Boba Fett when he's more of an antihero, but there is no denying that he can be effective when he is in the villain role. (Well, beyond the films, anyway.) The tragic backstory of how he loses his father Jango Fett in the Geonosis arena added more depth to the character. In both Legends and canon, we have seen his (unsuccessful) attempts at getting revenge against Mace Windu. That notwithstanding, he can be a deadly hunter when need be.
5. Grand Admiral Thrawn
In 1991, the fandom was introduced to Grand Admiral Thrawn via Timothy Zahn's novel Heir to the Empire, which brought life back to Star Wars publishing in a time where there were no more movies. He is essentially Sherlock Holmes in space and does not find his underlings as expendable as Vader does. He truly is a master tactician. In 2016, Lars Mikkelsen gave him a suitably eloquent voice in the animated series Star Wars Rebels. Thrawn knows how to achieve victory. Sometimes, he loses on purpose in order to learn something. He serves the Empire but is ultimately loyal to the Chiss Ascendency. Thankfully, we have not seen the last of him in canon.
4. Darth Vader
The Chosen One who tragically falls to the dark side. Vader is broken at first and does what he can to gain strength and power over the years. But one cannot help remembering who he used to be, and wondering what might have been had he stayed on the light side. In any case, Darth Vader stories, if written well, can make for compelling character studies.
3. Darth Krayt
In Legends, over a century after the original trilogy, Darth Krayt leads the Sith to victory, ruling the galaxy with his own Empire. He is truly someone to be feared. Formerly a Jedi during the prequel era, he was later experimented on by the Yuuzhan Vong. He looks very monstrous and threatening. I do not want to spoil too much, so I will just say that people need to read the Star Wars: Legacy comic series. It is my favorite Star Wars comic series.
2. Maul
Anyone who has read my other list recently will probably not be surprised that Maul is this high up. His design is really cool, but he is also so much more than that. He is a villain who feels cast aside. One can get a sense that he feels destined to fail, but he just keeps on trying to get revenge, whether it be against Kenobi or Sidious. He mourns the loss of his brother Savage Opress. At times, failure weighs so heavily on Maul that he just wants to die. Murderous tendencies aside, Maul can be a somewhat relatable villain.
1. Hondo Ohnaka
We often forget that Hondo Ohnaka was introduced in The Clone Wars as somewhat of villainous pirate. Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Dooku get captured by him. Hondo and his gang go up against some innocent farmers. And there's that whole thing where the younglings go up against him. Whether he be a hero or a villain, Hondo is just so darn likable. He has a hilarious personality, and an appearance from him is always welcome.