The 10 Most Critical Star Wars Heroes From The Original Trilogy
Of all the movie franchises, none are more important and influential in pop culture as Star Wars. Star Wars transcended cinema, gave birth to a galaxy far, far away, and created some of the most well-known heroes of the last 40 years. For all it did, at its heart Star Wars was a simple story that pitted good vs evil.
The Original Trilogy (A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi) laid the foundation for what would become. It introduced characters like Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, R2-D2, and C-3P0. Each of these characters has had a staying power that every creator wishes their creations had.
But they aren’t alone.
Of all the Star Wars heroes in the original trilogy, a few stand out more than others…each for their own reasons. But who are they? Who are the most important Star Wars heroes in the Original Trilogy?
1. Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi. The quintessential Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi. The fearless and can do no wrong Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Obi-Wan Kenobi, charged with more over his lifetime than many, was the face of the Jedi for decades. Outside of his involvement in the Clone Wars, the training of Anakin Skywalker, and his influence in the politics of the Galactic Senate, Obi-Wan is what all Jedi’s aspire to be. His unwavering desire to doing what’s right is to be applauded, as is his commitment to the Jedi Order.
Of all the Star Wars heroes in the Original Trilogy, none are as widely respected as Obi-Wan Kenobi.
2. Yoda
And I’ve already made a liar out of myself.
Many arguments have been made that Yoda is the most important Jedi of the last 800 years. He has had a hand in training nearly every Jedi over his lifetime. Among those are Count Dooku, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, Ki-Adi-Mundi, and Luke Skywalker.
Yoda is the glue that held the Jedi Order together and when it crumbled he fled to Dagobah. Dagobah…a place so strong with the Dark Side that none ever picked up on the fact he was there.
Don’t let his small stature fool you. Yoda is a force to be reckoned with in combat. He has gone toe-to-toe with the likes of Count Dooku and Darth Sidious and walked away. Yoda is more than a clever song about seagulls.
Because he can kick the ass of nearly anyone but chooses not to, Yoda is deserving of being here.
3. Han Solo
Han Solo went from known galaxy smuggler to rebel hero in a matter of about two hours.
The audience was introduced to Han shortly after the opening credits of A New Hope and instantly fell in love with him. This was so much to the point that he went on the appear in 3 additional timeline movies and his own Solo (pun intended) outing.
What makes Han such an important character is that he always finds a way. Even when things look bleak Han is unwavering in his commitment to push past it. Of course, it helps that he can practically talk his way out of anything but that’s beside the point. Of all the Star Wars heroes we could have picked, Han is a no-brainer.
4. Nien Nunb
For no other reason than I spent my childhood calling my brother Nien Nunb does he deserve to be on this list.
Nien Nunb, like Han Solo, was a smuggler who joined the Rebels during the uprising against the Empire. During The Return of the Jedi, Nien Nunb co-piloted the Millenium Falcon alongside Lando Calrissian and was instrumental in his later years at Starkiller Base and Crait.
Arguably, Nien Nunb will go down, or at least in my books, as the creature who sounded like a gleeful idiot in the Return of the Jedi. But that’s not important. Because he gave me fuel in my war of words against my brother growing up, he deserves to be here.
5. Mon Mothma
While the Emperor rose to power, Mon Mothma worked to secretly oppose it.
As a representative for Chandrila in the Galactic Senate, Mon Mothma was a voice of reason for the voiceless.
She, along with a few others, grew concerned with the amount of power that the then Chancellor Palpatine was gaining. Alongside Bail Organa, Padmé Amidala, and a few others, Mon Mothma began to lay the groundwork for what would become the Rebel Alliance.
Aside from her work during The Return of the Jedi, she also appeared on the Clone Wars, Rebels, Rogue One, and Revenge of the Sith. Her importance cannot be understated. She embodies what Star Wars heroes are.
6. Chewbacca
Chewbacca, a creature so ferocious that he is able to rip arms from limbs without any effort involved. Chewbacca is a Wookie and as such is afforded an extraordinarily long life. With it, he’s battled the Empire, smuggled goods across the galaxy, and befriended some of the most interesting characters in Star Wars.
Chewbacca quickly grew into the hearts of millions as the co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon. From there he solidified his spot as the lovable, quotable, and short-tempered Wookie.
With appearances in seven of the ten Star Wars movies to date, Chewbacca is an as important to Star Wars as the name itself. For this reason, he is deserving of his spot.
7. Lando Calrissian
Lando Calrissian, the smoothest talking, most quotable and loved scoundrel in the galaxy. He is to Star Wars heroes what milk is to cereal…inseparable.
Lando, Chewbacca, and Han Solo have a history that predates their time together in the rebellion. The on and off again relationship is partly due to each other’s fascination with the Millennium Falcon and their desire to constantly one-up each other. The ship and their banter have exchanged hands more times than the collection plate on Sunday.
What makes Lando such an important hero is, like Han, he found a home amongst those who wished to free the galaxy from the clutches of the Empire. Pay no attention to his past dealings. Lando is one of the most critical Star Wars heroes ever.
8. Leia Organa
Quite possibly the most instrumental person in the Original Trilogy, Leia Organa and her message gave hope where there wasn’t any.
In a paragraph, an imprisoned Leia Organa sends out a message to Ben Kenobi in the most recognizable astromech droid in history. The droid finds his way to Ben but not before befriending her brother, Luke. From there, the two embark on a mission, along with pilots Han Solo and Chewbacca to free her. As luck has it, they succeed and go on to turn the tides of war in favor of the Rebels.
Simply stated, Leia is the most important political figurehead Star Wars ever created.
9. Admiral Ackbar
Aside from screaming the second most quoted line in Star Wars (It’s a Trap!), Admiral Ackbar is as important to Star Wars as Lando Calrissian.
If not for Admiral Ackbar, the attack on Endor that resulted in the destruction of the second Deathstar would never have happened. Due to years of military service, Ackbar immediately recognized that the Empire knew the Rebels were coming. As quickly as he realized it, he made some adjustments and afforded his allies on Endor the time needed to bring down the Shield that surrounded the enemy ship.
Admiral Ackbar is as calculating as he is patient. He is one of the most vital heroes from the Original Trilogy, so much to the point that decades later Leia brought him out of retirement when the First Order rose to power.
10. Luke Skywalker
Is there anyone more deserving of this list than Luke Skywalker?
Luke Skywalker, under the tutelage of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda, made the prophecy that Anakin Skywalker would bring balance to the force, come true. Without Luke, Anakin would never have had the emotional connection that he needed to rise up against the Master who had enslaved him for years.
Luke became a symbol of hope for those who had none. He was a moisture farmer from Tatooine who learned that he was Force Sensitive. With a little reluctance, he accompanied Obi-Wan Kenobi on a not so simple rescue mission. From there he learned that he was the son to Darth Vader, brother to Leia, and responsible for righting everything wrong in the galaxy.
Luke is the most important hero in the Original Trilogy and without him, the galaxy would’ve remained under an unlawful dictatorship. Because of Luke Skywalker, many generations believe that anything is possible.
And that’s it. The 10 Most Critical Star Wars Heroes From The Original Trilogy. What do you think? Who would you have chosen in your Original Trilogy Star Wars heroes list? Why would you have chosen them? Leave it in the comments below.
Cheers,
Joel
