Twentieth Century Fox

21 of the most recognizable ‘Star Wars’ characters

To a Star Wars  fan, every character and detail is seared into the base of their brain for eternity. So much so that in their next life, they’ll still spit facts about a galaxy far, far away. So, to them, this list makes zero sense, but this isn’t really a list about the diehards. This is about the characters that are so big they’ve entered the pop culture lexicon outside of the fandom. These are the most recognizable characters to the average person, from the one they call “baby Yoda” to that handsome bad boy played by Harrison Ford!

1 of 21

Han Solo

Twentieth Century Fox

Harrison Ford has played some of the most notable characters in cinematic history, but it’s a toss-up and quite the debate whether or not Indiana Jones is bigger than smug smuggler Han Solo. We love you, Han. He knows.

2 of 21

Darth Vader

Twentieth Century Fox

When listing villains in pop culture, it’s hard to beat out the man who took his son’s arm.

3 of 21

Yoda

Twentieth Century Fox

A wise green…whatever Yoda is, he has become a symbol of knowledge in and out of the Star Wars universe due to his unique appearance, the way he speaks, and the constant good advice he delivers.

4 of 21

Kylo Ren

Walt Disney Pictures

Because nothing is safe from becoming a meme, Kylo Ren’s notoriety soared when the internet became obsessed with his moodiness.

5 of 21

C-3PO

Twentieth Century Fox

The ultimate snarky, golden robot.

6 of 21

Boba Fett

Twentieth Century Fox

With that signature olive green armor of this bounty hunter, it’s hard not to know Boba Fett.

7 of 21

Queen Amidala

Twentieth Century Fox

Queen Amidala showed up serving face (and headpiece). Thanks to fans around the world constantly recreating that look in particular, she’s continued to be one of the most favored and notable newer characters introduced into the universe.

8 of 21

Chewbacca

Twentieth Century Fox

A giant dog man who made indistinguishable noises? Yeah, Chewbacca was a legend from the second he came on screen. Plus, the Chewbacca mom who went viral in 2016 only added to Chewie’s presence.

9 of 21

Stormtroopers

Twentieth Century Fox

There are many of them, but their look is so representative of the Star Wars franchise that Stormtroopers might just be one of the most notable characters of the franchise.

10 of 21

R2-D2

Twentieth Century Fox

R2-D2 helped put droids on the map.

11 of 21

Lando Calrissian

Walt Disney Pictures

The smoothest man to ever appear in Star Wars across the board.

12 of 21

Luke Skywalker

Twentieth Century Fox

People still see Mark Hamill on the street and yell, “Luke!” Now, that’s recognizability.

13 of 21

Jabba the Hutt

Twentieth Century Fox

The most famous slug-like being to ever grace the big screen. Sorry, Blob. Jabba is taking the top prize here.

14 of 21

Princess Leia

Twentieth Century Fox

The buns, the bikini, the brute force when necessary. Princess Leia is and will forever be the original people’s princess.

15 of 21

Jar Jar Binks

Twentieth Century Fox

People hated on Jar Jar when Episode 1 dropped, but thankfully, they have realized that he wasn’t that bad. Justice for Jar Jar!

16 of 21

Darth Maul

Twentieth Century Fox

Put Darth in a villain's name, and you’re going to have someone people will never forget.

17 of 21

Obi-Wan Kenobi

Twentieth Century Fox

As a character, Obi-Wan Kenobi is known as a wise leader, the Mr. Feeny of the Star Wars realm, but it really does depend on which generation one talks to because he’s been played by two great men: Alec Guinness and Ewan McGregor.

18 of 21

BB-8

Walt Disney Pictures

Many thought it would be impossible for a droid to compare to R2-D2, but in rolled BB-8 with a little lighter thumbs up, and the world swooned.

19 of 21

Mandalorian

Walt Disney Pictures

Pedro Pascal fanatics made sure that, even though his face was not shown, they made his presence known as the Mandalorian. It didn’t hurt that his sidekick was an undeniable cutie pie.

20 of 21

Grogu

Walt Disney Pictures

Known on the streets as “Baby Yoda,” Grogu took the world by storm when The Mandalorian debuted in 2019, proving that people will never not adore an adorable character.

21 of 21

Ahsoka Tano

Walt Disney Pictures

Taught by Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka went on to do some pretty glorious things on her own. She is widely known for her stunning combat skills, her distinctive montrals, and the lekku atop her head. Plus, she was brought into the live-action realm via the amazing Rosario Dawson.

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