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Star Wars is home to many terrifying characters. Creator George Lucas has not only given the audience the bravest of heroes but also villains that incite fear with mere mention of their names. As much as people have come to love Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, antagonists Darth Vader and Emperor Sheev Palpatine have also garnered their own loyal fan following.
Whether vicious Sith Lords or ruthless Imperial officers, the world of Star Wars has no shortage of impressive villains.
Here are my five most memorable villains from the sci-fi universe.
5 Star Wars villains that are on the top of my list
5) Darth Maul
Darth Maul (played by Ray Park, Peter Serafinowicz, and Sam Witwer) is a Sith Lord who is a highly skilled warrior. Though he stayed in the backdrop, letting Darth Sidious and Count Dooku take control, his appearance and abilities provoked much fear. His double-sided lightsaber made him all the more intimidating.
In Star Wars Episode I – The Phantom Menace, after Darth Maul kills Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn (played by Liam Neeson), Obi-Wan Kenobi (played by Ewan McGregor) throws him to death. He survives and comes back more destructive. Darth Maul appears in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels as well. During the Star Wars Celebration in Japan, Sam Witwer shared that he will reprise the role in the Lucasfilm animated series titled Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord.
4) Moff Gideon
Moff Gideon (played by Giancarlo Esposito) is the ruthless villain in the Disney+ series The Mandalorian. An Imperial Security Bureau officer, Moff Gideon, works with the remnants of the Empire. He may not have a mighty presence like the other villains in the Star Wars universe, but his intelligence and knowledge set him apart.
In The Mandalorian, he is a powerful leader who wants to use Grogu to create a force-sensitive army of clones. When bounty hunter Din Djarin (played by Pedro Pascal) decides to protect the child, Moff Gideon decides to use all his might to get what he wants. Though he finds his end in the Season 3 finale, with the new movie The Mandalorian & Grogu in the making, it remains to be seen if the character will rise from the ashes.
3) Kylo Ren
Kylo Ren (played by Adam Driver) appears cold and distant, trapped in the battle between good and evil. Son of Leia Organa (played by Carrie Fisher) and Han Solo (played by Harrison Ford), Kylo Ren, aka Ben Solo, carries too much hate inside him. In Star Wars: The Force Awakens, even as he puts his lightsaber through his father, you see that this is a villain who doesn’t want to be one.
Manipulated by Emperor Palpatine (played by Ian McDiarmid) and Supreme Leader Snoke (played by Andy Serkis), Kylo Ren leads the First Order. He desperately wants to finish his grandfather’s (Darth Vader) work. Though he does find his salvation in the sequel trilogy, his villainous ways leave lasting damage.
2) Darth Sidious
While Darth Vader may be the most popular villain in Star Wars history, it is only because of the controlling ways of Darth Sidious, otherwise known as Emperor Sheev Palpatine (played by Ian McDiarmid). He orchestrates the fall of the Republic and uses his power to wipe out the Jedi Order and spread terror across the galaxy.
Emperor Palpatine will utilize his political standing, as seen in Episode I -The Phantom Menace and Episode II – Attack of the Clones, to manipulate the senate and later turn Anakin Skywalker (played by Hayden Christensen) to the dark side in Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. He is greatly responsible for creating many of the Star Wars villains, who take cue from his brutal ways to rule the galaxy.
1) Darth Vader
‘I am your father’ remains one of the more iconic moments from the Star Wars franchise when Darth Vader (voiced by James Earl Jones and played on screen by David Prowse) tells Luke Skywalker (played by Mark Hamill) that they should rule the galaxy as father and son. Darth Vader, aka Anakin Skywalker, was born to be a villain, or a tragic hero, whichever way one chooses to look at the character. But one thing is for sure: he has the single most dreaded presence in the world of Star Wars.
In Episode I -The Phantom Menace, when a young Anakin (played by Jake Lloyd) is brought to the Jedi council as the ‘chosen one’, they warn against him. And true to their wisdom, Anakin is caught between the dark and the light. Even though he redeems himself at the end of Episode VI – The Return of the Jedi, Darth Vader is undoubtedly the scariest and coolest villain in Star Wars.
It is important to note that there are many other villains from the Star Wars universe who have also created a formidable impression, including General Grievous, Grand Admiral Thrawn, Jabba The Hutt, Grand Moff Tarkin and Director Orson Krennic. Each of these characters showcase utmost ruthlessness of the Empire and present a sadistic side that leaves the audience uncomfortable and on the edge.
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