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A few months ago, we asked you, dear readers, to vote for your favourite movie characters (opens in new tab) of all time, and the new issue of our sister publication Total Film magazine (opens in new tab) – out today (opens in new tab) – has the results!
The magazine has a full run-down of the 100 greatest movie characters of all time (as voted for by you), as well as 100 different covers to celebrate each one of them – yes, really – but you’ll have to pick up a copy to find out the full list.
It’s not all bad news though. We are going to reveal who your favourite Star Wars characters turned out to be because we’re nice like that and we know how much you love Star Wars. A grand total of six Star Wars characters secured a place on the list of 100 greatest movie characters and poor old Luke Skywalker didn’t even break the top three!
Read on for the official order of your favourite Star Wars characters, but, before that, can we just talk about a couple of things? Firstly, Luke Skywalker – the main character of the original trilogy – came fourth. FOURTH! No wonder it looks like he’s having a mid-life crisis in Star Wars 8 (opens in new tab).
In other news, Rey is the only new character from Star Wars: The Force Awakens (opens in new tab) who makes an appearance in the list. No sign of Finn, Poe, or even BB-8 anywhere, which seems odd considering the amount of fan art that’s been generated in their honour over the last few years.
But enough with the analysis; here’s where your favourite Star Wars icons ended up in Total Film’s 100 greatest movie characters ever. You’ll never guess who shot… I mean, ranked, first…
87. Rey
She’s only been part of the Star Wars universe since 2015, but Rey has quickly established herself as a hugely important character for the franchise, both in terms of the ongoing story of Disney’s new trilogy and widening the appeal of the series to a greater audience. Street smart, headstrong, and a force to be reckoned with (in more ways the one), she’s the perfect protagonist for a new era of Star Wars.
83. Yoda
“Grateful, I am” is probably what Yoda would have said after hearing he secured 83rd in the rankings. For both the audience and the characters who meet him, the little green Jedi is a constant source of great wisdom and hilarious moments of slapstick comedy, especially during his standout scenes on Dagobah in The Empire Strikes Back. There’s no way he wouldn’t show up in a list like this.
47. Luke Skywalker
Mark Hamill recently joked (opens in new tab) that Luke was always the villain in Star Wars, but we’d have to disagree. His epic character arc, from A New Hope’s lowly farmer to Return of the Jedi’s Empire-toppling hero, makes for one of the most inspiring stories of modern cinematic history, and Hamill keeps it all beautifully grounded with his boyish, salt of the earth charm.
23. Darth Vader
Up there with The Joker and Hans Gruber, Darth Vader is one of cinema’s greatest big bads. He’s an authoritarian with a tragic back story who isn’t afraid to crack awful jokes, not to mention being responsible for one of the best plot twists of all time. Better yet, his recent comeback in Rogue One (opens in new tab) was deliciously bad-ass, proving that the character still hasn’t lost any of his palpable fear factor since 1983.
10. Princess Leia
Despite what A New Hope’s plot synopsis might suggest, Leia is anything but a damsel in distress. She’s a no-nonsense diplomat, a selfless Rebel, and, eventually, a respected general with dozens of galactic victories to her name. We may have tragically lost Fisher (opens in new tab) last year, but her legacy both within and beyond the galaxy far, far away will live on for decades to come.
3. Han Solo
Was there really any competition? There’s a reason Disney is making a standalone Han Solo movie (opens in new tab), after all. Harrison Ford’s trade-smuggling, fast-talking, straight-shooting scoundrel turned war hero is a veritable icon for the ages. He’s a lover as much as he is a fighter, but is quick to mask his virtuous centre beneath a healthy layer of constant sarcasm and wit.
He’s the man responsible for some of cinema’s most quotable lines, but they wouldn’t be nearly as recognisable without Ford’s brilliantly dry delivery. In a galaxy full of solemn heroes, arch-villains, and outlandish extra-terrestrials, Han Solo is someone we can all relate to: He’s human.
Want to find out who the rest of the 100 greatest movie characters are? Pick up a copy of Total Film magazine (opens in new tab) now or subscribe (opens in new tab) so you never miss any issue.
