The overall lore of Star Wars is filled with gripping heroes but what good is an excellent hero without an equally gripping antagonist? Star Wars is a franchise that has given us fearsome and memorable villains. However, while some of them were an absolute unit, some of these villains were kinda, you know, meh. So, let us talk about the 10 best villains in Star Wars in a ranked fashion and if you think some additions need to be made, do let us know in the comments!
10. Dryden Vos
In my opinion, Solo: A Star Wars Story is a highly underrated movie in the sci-fi genre. When this movie came out it was treated rather harshly but with time, as the viewership of it increased so did the public appreciation. Solo featured Dryden Vos as the main antagonist who is essentially a crimelord with unpredictable as well as violent tendencies. However, after witnessing much more intense and gripping villains in Star Wars, Dryden Vos turns out to be quite bland if we make a comparison.
9. Jango Fett
Based on popular opinion, even though Star Wars Episode II: Attack of The Clones is not considered to be a good prequel, it did include one of the memorable villains from the franchise, Jango Fett. He is a clone template which makes him one of the most important characters in the Star Wars franchise but other than that, he as a villain is rather dull with not much of an intimidating factor to him or anything that sets him apart.
8. Jabba the Hutt
Jabba The Hutt is by far one of the most visually recognizable characters in the Star Wars universe. Even though, based on his looks and his physical build he is not much of a threat his power lies in the grip he has over the criminal syndicate of Star Wars. He controls a huge criminal empire from his castle in Tatoonie and serves as one of the major antagonists in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of The Jedi.
7. General Grievous
General Grievous made his first appearance in the 2D animated show, Star Wars: Clone Wars released in 2003. Then he made his live-action cinematic appearance in the 2005 Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of The Sith. We see him as the commander of the Droid army through the whole of Clone Wars.
Now even though there is nothing special about him, one of the defining factors of General Greivious is him being the coolest droid out there. Even though he cannot command The Force, we can see him wielding four lightsabers which he picked up from the Jedis he had killed. Told you, he’s cool. Even though his story does not have a lot of depth he compensates it with absolutely mindblowing and ruthless action sequences.
6. Cad Bane
If we look deeper into the universe of Star Wars, Cad Bane was one of the most feared outlaws during the Clone Wars. He served as the main villain of the 2021 series, Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett, and served as the secondary antagonist in Clone Wars. If you ask me, Cad Bane is one of the coolest villains in Star Wars because of his generally intimidating appearance and his impeccable gun-slinging abilities.
Except for being a highly skilled marksman, he is clever and agile enough to stand his ground firmly in battle against powerful Jedis like Obi-Wan Kenobi. Even though we witnessed him die in Biba Fett, he has etched his name forever among the greatest villains in the Star Wars universe.
5. Grand Moff Tarkin
Imperial Leaders are easily one of the most overlooked factions of the Empire. However, one of the most remarkable and villainous of them all was Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin. He was a powerful politician and a senior military official with enough power invested in him to make anyone’s life a living hell, enough power to be a literal force of nature. I don’t think it is fair to not include him when talking about the best villains in Star Wars because even though he is not much of a physical threat, that brain on him is as evil as it gets.
4. Grand Admiral Thrawn
Grand Admiral Thrawn is one of the most fearsome characters in the entire Star Wars franchise. However, his appeal does not come from being violent or visually intimidating, the effect of his character comes entirely from his level-headedness even in the worst of situations which gives off the impression of being somewhat of a psychopath. Other than that his exceptional strategic brilliance makes him a force to be reckoned and of course, his army of ruthless Nighttroopers adds up his overall villainous appeal.
3. Darth Maul
Darth Maul is another visually recognizable character in Star Wars. The double-sided lightsabers and the demonic design gave Darth Maul a terrifying yet compelling look. He made his first appearance in Star Wars Episode I- The Phantom Menace even though the audience did not appreciate the movie. However, people loved the character of Darth Maul even though he died at the hands of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Despite his death in the live-action, he has made numerous appearances in animated flicks like The Clone Wars.
2. Darth Sidious
Emperor Sheev Palpatine also known as Darth Sidious is one of the best and most well-known villains in the Star Wars Saga. The power of the Dark Side completely consumes him and is probably the most powerful villain in the Star Wars Skywalker saga. Usually, characters that have an ungodly amount of power can turn out to be a bit boring in the longer run but the overall appeal of Darth Sidious is far from boring. He is cunning, smart, manipulative, and outright terrifying making him one of the best villains in Star Wars.
1. Darth Vader
Now, when we talk about villains in movies, Darth Vader is undeniably the most well-known among them. Even if someone has not watched a single Star Wars movie, they must have heard Darth Vader’s name at least once in their life. The origin of Darth Vader makes him even more interesting and a much more compelling character. The Arc of Anakin Skywalker falling victim to the corruption of the Dark Side is a terrifying one and his eventual conversion into Darth Vader gives him an edge over other villains, making him the best villain in the Star Wars Saga.
