Top 3 Star Wars Villains of All Time
Posted by Justin Grainger on
Picking the best three villains of the Star Wars universe is almost impossible. Sure, the top spot is pretty much clinched by the most famous villain in cinema history. But the other two spots could go to so many great candidates: Captain Phasma, Emperor Palpatine, Kylo Ren, Jabba the Hut, General Grievous, and more. Here are our top three and why we love to hate them - but, as you’ll see, every member of our top three has a redeeming quality or two.
Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader
Darth Vader is the quintessential villain. He is mysterious, yet familiar. He reminds us why masks are scary. He makes quick decisions in the moment that have dramatic impacts on the entire galaxy. But, he’s not too wrapped up in delusions of grandeur that he forgets to monitor what’s happening close by. He can destroy someone’s confidence AND their planet with one withering look (and use of the force).
His good side: we now know that Darth Vader was once the tow-headed innocent Anakin making mischief on Tatooine and pod racing his heart out. But even before the prequels, Darth Vader somehow won our affection. Even though he’s terrifying, his redemption at the end of Return of the Jedi told us there was more to Vader than we knew. He became an icon in spinoff literature, spoofs, and children’s pretend play everywhere. Dare we say it - Darth Vader is so nostalgic and familiar in the fifth decade since he first hit the big screen, he’s actually heartwarming?
Boba Fett
Boba Fett is the unsung hero of Star Wars villains. He waited almost fifty years to get his own movie, but now that’s been scrapped - just like his armor must have been when he fell into that Sarlacc pit. And - little known fact - Boba Fett survived that fall in non-canonical Star Wars literature, so his story can live on.
His good side: without the Boba Fett movie, we have to console ourselves by watching the new Disney+ original series, the Mandalorian. We’ll admit it: it’s not the worst consolation prize. Early on in the series, the Mandalorian himself is shown to have complex loyalties and better values than he first demonstrates as a bounty hunter. Plus, he looks so much like Boba Fett, you could easily use a Boba Fett costume to dress up as the character. It helps that neither of them ever remove their helmets.
Darth Maul
Why do kids respond to Darth Maul, who is a relatively minor villain in the Star Wars universe? Two reasons: the double pointed light saber, and his newfound fame reprising his role in the Star Wars Rebels cartoons. When you are a kid, the only thing better than a light saber is a light saber that feels like two light sabers - and that you can twirl, just like Maul does in the Phantom Menace.
His good side: in the cartoon series Star Wars Rebels, kids get to see one of their favorite villains on the small screen. And he’s not all evil in the series. He might be a double crosser - like his lightsaber - but there’s definitely more to Maul than meets the eye.