Star Wars has given us some of the most memorable characters of all time. Some are almost universally loved, while others inspire widespread loathing. The characters listed below span nine installments of the Star Wars movies. Yes, we’re just counting Star Wars movies, not origin stories like Solo, or spins like Rogue One or the series, The Mandalorion. No, for this list, here are Star Wars’ most loathed and loved characters of all time.
Most LOATHED: Watto
Watto is another example of a character who is essentially a racist caricature. His character is a mishmash of anti-Semitic stereotypes who comes off as a pathetic excuse for a villain.
Most LOVED: Han Solo
Who doesn’t love Han Solo? The dashing and reckless Han epitomizes the story of a plucky rebellion that overthrew an evil empire. Played by a young Harrison Ford, this handsome hero stole the hearts of generations of viewers.
Most LOATHED: Young Boba Fett – Star Wars’ Most Loathed and Loved Characters of All Time
Boba Fett was much loved in the original trilogy, and fans were excited to learn how he became a badass bounty hunter. What they got instead was a boring and pointless aside from the story with little bearing on anything that came later in the prequels.
Most LOVED: Chewbacca
The fierce but loyal Wookie is a friend and sidekick to Han Solo. Chewbacca is a furry and formidable enemy with a quick temper whose Wookie language is incomprehensible to all but his closest companions.
Most LOATHED: The Ewoks
The cloyingly cute Ewoks were seen by many fans as a transparent attempt to court young viewers and sell toys. To be fair, George Lucas succeeded on both fronts; the Ewoks were quite popular with children, and Lucas made a fortune on merchandising the teddy bear creatures.
Most LOVED: Darth Vader – Star Wars’ Most Loathed and Loved Characters of All Time
Fans love to hate the mysterious and evil Darth Vader. Once a Jedi, Darth Vader fell to the dark side and became the ultimate villain and deadbeat dad. Father to Luke and Leia, Darth Vader is full of surprises.
Most LOATHED: Anakin Skywalker
Fans hoped for an origin story worthy of the evil Darth Vader when they were introduced to the young version of Darth Vader, but instead were subjected to the story of a whiny child. Anakin’s descent into the dark side was disappointing at best.
Most LOVED: Yoda
Love Yoda, you must! Always a fan favorite, Yoda delighted audiences with his unique speech patterns and Jedi wisdom. Yoda was created by Jim Henson (of Muppet fame) and is one of the most recognizable characters from the Star Wars franchise.
Most LOATHED: Jar Jar Binks – Star Wars’ Most Loathed and Loved Characters of All Time
Oh boy, where to start? Jar Jar manages to offend and annoy just about everyone. His mixture of racial stereotypes is impressive in its scope, and his clumsy antics fail to amuse. Jar Jar is worse than useless, and he is universally hated by Star Wars fans.
Most LOVED: Princess Leia
With her battlefield prowess and leadership acumen, Leia stands as one of the strongest female leads of all time. Leia’s snarky comebacks and blaster skills challenge the idea that princesses should look pretty and wait for rescue.
Most LOATHED: Kylo Ren
If Kylo Ren reminded you of Darth Vader, welcome to the club. Yeah, there are little nuances and characteristics that are much different, but the costuming and the overall character presentation within the final three episodes is very much in line with Darth Vader. Despite Adam Driver’s performance, Kylo just seems a poor facsimile to the original Vader. The plot lines between Vader and Ren are eerily similar: Kylo does help destroy his mentor of the dark side and ultimately fights the dark forces. albeit for reasons that are somewhat different than Darth Vader.
Most LOVED: Rey – Star Wars’ Most Loathed and Loved Characters of All Time
Okay, let’s get the complaints out right away. Rey’s character, without any formal Jedi training, is more of a bad ass than Kylo Ren and Luke Skywalker. Her innate ability makes her more powerful than perhaps any other Star Wars character, except for Yoda. However, Daisy Ridely nails the role and, many of the complaints fail to consider Rey’s flashbacks that indicates there is something more to her than meets the eye – say like formal Jedi training in her past. But that’s another story.
Most LOATHED: Vice Admiral Holdo
The best thing about Vice Admiral Holdo’s character in The Last Jedi was her death scene, which has her crashing into Supreme Leader Snoke’s Star Destroyer to buy time for the rebels. Other than that, all she does is act as an antagonist to Poe Damaron, who is frustrated about the lack of a plan to escape the First Oder. It’s obvious from the script and Holdo’s interaction with Leia Organa, that the Vice Admiral has a plan. For some reason, she just doesn’t want to share that with Poe. Instead, she would rather have Poe incite mutiny.
Most LOVED: Luke Skywalker – Star Wars’ Most Loathed and Loved Characters of All Time
Sorry it took so long to get to Luke. Despite many criticisms of the character, Luke is the focal point of the original trilogy and the Force is extraordinarily strong within him. Although conflicted about his use of his powers, Luke is the pivotal player within the resistance as they struggle to free themselves from the shackles of the empire. He destroys the Death Star, is the influence for Darth Vader’s redemption and the defeat of the empire. Good job Luke!
Jennifer Jones-Kelley is a freelance writer and pop culture geek. You can follow her intermittent tweets @jenjune3