What’s a movie without villains? Like them or hate them, bad guys are what gives color to a hero’s journey. Star Wars is no exception, and the franchise is chock full of them.
However, not all villains are created equal. Some are deep and complex characters showing tremendous growth throughout the franchise. A lot are just bland and generic cannon fodder for our heroes. However, some of them are so popular that there are even slots games made about them (like those at 918kiss).
Here are our analyses on some of the best villains in the storied franchise:
Darth Vader
Occupying one of our top slots is, of course, the most iconic villain in the entire Star Wars saga. Darth Vader is everything you’ll ever expect from a top-notch villain. He’s cold and vicious, yet calm and collected. He knows what he wants, and he will get it even if it means he force-chokes his entire crew.
However, hiding behind that jet black armor is a deep and complex character. Darth Vader’s rise from the poster child of the Jedi order to its most ardent destroyer, then back to being its savior, is gradual yet epic. It has to be because it’s the focal point of the first six films in the saga.
Darth Vader might be evil, but he is compelling. To a point, you can’t help but even relate to him for his tragic fall into the Dark Side.
Darth Sidious (a.k.a. Emperor Palpatine)
If Darth Vader is evil for you, then he pales in comparison to his master. Darth Sidious, or Emperor Palpatine, is the typical villain. He is just evil for the sake of being evil. He doesn’t need any tragic backstory or loss to fuel all his hatred. He does it simply because it’s his very nature.
You might think that this makes the Emperor a bit one-sided, and you might be right. However, in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t matter. His pure evil nature serves as the perfect catalyst for Vader’s transformation, and ironically, his redemption.
Kylo Ren
Take Darth Vader’s evilness and cunning, but put in a lot of rage and energy, and you get Kylo Ren. The grandson of the great Sith Lord, Kylo is an interesting villain because you’re not sure he is one.
Yes, he commits evil acts and is not hesitant to dish it out like his grandfather. However, compared to Vader’s singular purpose, Kylo Ren is still conflicted internally. He finds himself struggling between choosing the Dark and Light side. This ambivalence shows in how he hesitates through the last trilogy. It makes him a much more “human” and relatable villain than his famous grandfather.
Jabba The Hutt
Despite only appearing in the first half of Return of the Jedi, Jabba The Hutt used that screen time well. During that short appearance, he has managed to grow as a villain and believably influence the film’s protagonist.
Large and probably unable to fight on his own, he has to use his cunning and influence to fight off our heroes. Luke and company, in turn, had to use the same qualities to beat him at his own game.
