Top 5 Star Wars Characters – 411 From 406 (Episode 33)

CHEWIE:
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. This is your buddy Chewie, and I am joined once again by my brother from another mother, Mr. Pip. How are you, sir?

PIP:
Good. How are you? Happy holidays to you and yours.

CHEWIE:
Likewise, my friend. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?

PIP:
Well, it’s been over a month.

CHEWIE:
Yeah, a little bit over a month. I think right before Thanksgiving was the last time we managed to clear our schedules for such an important event.

PIP:
Yeah.

CHEWIE:
So we’ve gotten through Christmas. We are in the week of New Year’s at this point, on the night of our recording. What day is it?

PIP:
It’s the 28th of December here as we record. So we’ve got just a couple of days left in this… mess that is 2020.

CHEWIE:
I don’t think anybody will be too disappointed to see 2020 leave.

PIP:
Not from this side, for sure. Ready to move on to bigger and better things in the next year.

CHEWIE:
There has been a ton that has happened in the world since we talked. I imagine at least one of those major events we might talk about, so I’ll skip over it here for a minute.

Let’s talk briefly: our Hoosiers got screwed out of a big football game, didn’t they?

PIP:
Yeah. They had one of the best seasons they’ve had since I’ve been alive. Ohio State’s a better team, I’ll give them that. But I think IU deserved their shot this year and ended up with kind of a lame bowl.

It’s a shame to see them not get more recognition for all the hard work they put in. I’ve never seen them beat so many ranked teams in one season—like Michigan, a team they never beat—and not really get anything out of it.

Even in the game they lost to Ohio State, they were in it until the very end. Ohio State punched them in the mouth early, and IU didn’t stop. It was awesome to see.

They didn’t have a bad game this year, which is not something I’ve ever said about Indiana football. I’m proud of them no matter what happens. At this point, I just want to see them get a bowl win. This is the third straight year they’ve gotten in a bowl, and they’ve lost the last two. I just want to see them win and get what they deserve.

CHEWIE:
Living in Ohio, in the middle of Buckeye country… I remember that day. I went to the grocery store earlier before the game wearing my Indiana sweatshirt, and the looks I got were something else. But I was repping the Hoosiers for sure.

Before we get started, you got a drink you want to share? What are you drinking tonight?

PIP:
Sure. Tonight I’m not drinking gin. I decided to switch to beer. One of my favorite beers is one of Indiana’s finest—Zombie Dust, out of Munster. It’s one of the smoothest IPAs I’ve ever had. It used to be hard to come by, but it’s more prevalent down in Indianapolis now. It goes down really smooth. Delicious, tasty beverage.

What about you?

CHEWIE:
Zombie Dust is one of my favorites. You introduced it to me five or six years ago, and I’ll grab it every time I find it.

Tonight for me is whiskey—Broken Top Mountain Whiskey from Oregon. I got this from a whiskey swap online. Kind of a classic pyramid-scheme situation where you buy one bottle and, in theory, you get a bunch back. I actually did. I sent out my bottle and this was one I got in return.

No idea who sent it to me. It just showed up with an Oregon postmark and a name I didn’t recognize. Whoever you are, thank you. It’s very good.

PIP:
That’s awesome.

CHEWIE:
Alright. Tonight’s episode: if you’re watching, you can see we have similar backgrounds. We’re talking about our top five favorite Star Wars characters.

This is one we earmarked on our list. We are both huge Star Wars nerds. There’s a lot going on in the Star Wars universe these days, which we might get into. But before 2020 wrapped up, we had to hit Star Wars at least once.

PIP:
Absolutely. I was really excited to do this. I feel like we could spawn quite a few Star Wars episodes from this.

I’d love to talk about the original trilogy, sequel trilogy, prequel trilogy—how they rank, how they hold up over time. But today, a good place to start is favorite characters from the entire series—not just movies, but books, games, extended universe, even non-canon stuff. It’s all fair game.

I suspect this list might have more overlap than some of our previous lists, but I’m interested to see where we land, especially with the more obscure picks.

CHEWIE:
We’re going to do our top five, plus a couple honorable mentions each. You get the honors—start with your number five.

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Top Five Star Wars Characters

Pip’s #5: Han Solo

PIP:
My number five is Han Solo. Maybe a little low, but who’s cooler than Han Solo? Pretty much nobody.

He was integral to the original trilogy, and had his part in the sequel trilogy too. Harrison Ford did such a good job. He’s arguably more movie star than actor, but he played that part so convincingly.

It’s no wonder Han Solo got the spin-off movie. He’s one of the best—there’s not a movie he doesn’t contribute to. Easily one of the most exciting characters.

CHEWIE:
Great pick. Han has some really great stories in the expanded universe. And I really enjoyed Solo as a standalone film. I don’t think we needed it, but it answered questions well enough.

And Harrison Ford’s portrayal in the sequel trilogy was great too. As hokey as it might have been, I loved seeing him in Rise of Skywalker. He was a big reason The Force Awakens worked for me—he helped legitimize the new characters, reintroduce the Falcon, Chewbacca, all of it.

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Chewie’s #5: Din Djarin (The Mandalorian)

CHEWIE:
My number five—there’s some recency effect here—but I put Din Djarin, aka The Mandalorian.

To me, he is everything Boba Fett should have been. Boba was introduced in Empire and then went out like a punk in Jedi, at least at the time.

Mando is the gunslinger Mandalorian I always envisioned Boba as. And I don’t know too many people who don’t like The Mandalorian. It’s formulaic at times, sure, but Pedro Pascal plays him amazingly—even behind the helmet.

PIP:
Excellent pick. I never understood the cult following behind Boba Fett the way some people do, but Din Djarin gave the Mandalorians legitimacy.

Pedro Pascal is phenomenal. First thing I saw him in was Narcos. He plays the role great.

CHEWIE:
It was funny seeing Timothy Olyphant show up on Mandalorian because when Mando talks, he sounds like Olyphant to me. Similar cadence.

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Pip’s #4: Princess Leia

PIP:
My number four is Princess Leia—my only female entry.

Growing up, she was probably the first girl I ever fell in love with. Gold bikini… my world was never the same.

But she’s also just a great character. She’s not a damsel in distress. She takes charge. She makes fun of her rescuer. Carrie Fisher brought charisma and attitude the role needed.

She was one of the first heroines I was exposed to, and helped pave the way for strong female characters later.

CHEWIE:
Leia is the most iconic female in Star Wars, for sure. I also really liked the non-film Leia stuff—like The Courtship of Princess Leia and other expanded universe material. I was fine with her in The Force Awakens. They did what they could later, especially given the circumstances.

And yes, people still complain about the “space floating” moment, but it doesn’t bother me that much.

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Chewie’s #4: Darth Vader (Vader — not Anakin)

CHEWIE:
My number four is Darth Vader—specifically Vader, not Anakin.

I’m not a Hayden Christensen hater. I just didn’t care for the Anakin backstory that much. But Vader? Vader is the big bad enforcer, the man behind the mask. James Earl Jones, David Prowse… iconic.

The more we’ve learned about Vader, the more mystique he’s lost for me. But in the original trilogy? Incredible. And his appearance in Rogue One—that was the Vader I always had in my head. The terror of the galaxy.

PIP:
Hard to argue. Disney should have James Earl Jones record the entire dictionary so they can keep using it forever. It’s not Vader without him.

And that Rogue One scene reminded people how much of a badass Vader could be. I’m shocked Disney hasn’t made a Vader series about the Jedi purge and all the material between trilogies.

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Pip’s #3: Emperor Palpatine

PIP:
My number three is the Emperor—Palpatine.

Ian McDiarmid is incredible. His performance has so much menace and sadism. The prequels had issues, but the Palpatine / Chancellor story was the best part. Seeing his rise to power and how he pulled strings behind the scenes was fascinating.

You can argue all day about how ridiculous it was that he returned in The Rise of Skywalker. But I didn’t care. It was awesome. They cranked it to eleven, made him look and sound great. I loved it.

CHEWIE:
Great pick. I enjoyed Rise of Skywalker more than many, and Palpatine was a big reason. He was the big bad that trilogy needed. It sucked we didn’t get him until the third movie, but he was awesome.

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Chewie’s #3: Luke Skywalker

CHEWIE:
My number three is Luke Skywalker.

Those first movies are Luke’s movies. It’s the redemption of Anakin, sure, but it’s the rise of Luke. He starts as a whiny kid and ends standing tall, throwing his saber away, saying, “I’m a Jedi, like my father before me.” That scene means everything to me.

And it’s ironic we’re recording this after the greatest episode of The Mandalorian—because Jedi Knight Luke shows up in all his glory. It’s like Rogue One finally gave us badass Vader, and Mandalorian finally gave us badass Luke.

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Pip’s #2: Luke Skywalker

PIP:
My number two is also Luke Skywalker, for the same reasons. The original trilogy is about Luke. Hero’s journey, Campbell archetype, all of it.

When I was a kid, I wanted to be Luke. I wanted a lightsaber, the Force, all of it. He was untainted and pure—the boy scout, like Superman.

I still don’t know how I feel about how he was used in the sequel trilogy. It turned everything I loved about him on its head. That’s a whole other episode. But Luke matters. There’s so much story they could have explored between Jedi and training Ben Solo.

CHEWIE:
I’m right there with you. I was upset they killed him. I thought it was brave, but I didn’t think it was a beat that needed repeating.

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Chewie’s #2: Obi-Wan Kenobi

CHEWIE:
My number two is Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Alec Guinness gave us the first Jedi—our first glimpse of the Force, the first Force ghost, the first voice. But to me, Ewan McGregor is Obi-Wan.

I cannot tell you how pumped I am for the Obi-Wan show. Ewan was the best part of the prequels, especially Revenge of the Sith. He bridged the gap with Guinness perfectly—look, voice, mannerisms.

Obi-Wan is wise, a badass, a great fighter. And he has my favorite lightsaber.

PIP:
Obi-Wan is universally appreciated. Ewan is one of the best actors from those films, and I’m excited they’re bringing Hayden back too. I can’t wait for that show.

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Pip’s #1: Darth Vader

PIP:
My number one is Darth Vader. I don’t think there’s a better villain in cinematic history. More iconic, more imposing, cooler. He terrified me as a kid, and I fell in love with him as an adult.

The prequels didn’t handle the “turn” as well as they should have, but that doesn’t change Vader’s importance. I still can’t believe Disney hasn’t mined more canon stories about him.

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Chewie’s #1: Han Solo

CHEWIE:
My number one is Han Solo.

He’s the everyman. He’s a non-Jedi in a series about Jedi. He’s a non-believer. “Hokey religions and ancient weapons,” but he wants a good blaster at his side.

As a kid on the playground, I wanted to be Han. The Falcon, the blaster, all of it. Harrison Ford is one of my top actors of all time.

I loved him in the sequel trilogy. Yes, Harrison wanted Han to die in Return of the Jedi, and he finally got his wish in The Force Awakens. And I loved seeing him in Rise of Skywalker—did it make sense? Not really. Didn’t matter. It was a father-son moment that landed.

Han is iconic. Han Solo is the man.

PIP:
Can’t argue. One of my biggest beefs with the sequel trilogy is that Han and Luke never share any screen time together. Huge missed opportunity.

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Honorable Mentions

Pip: Grand Admiral Thrawn

PIP:
My first honorable mention is Grand Admiral Thrawn. Originally from Timothy Zahn’s Heir to the Empire trilogy in the ’90s (Legends), later made canon in 2016 on Rebels. He was name-dropped in The Mandalorian Season 2 and that’s all I needed to know he’s coming.

He’s diabolical, more a thinker than a fighter, and I can’t wait to see him on screen. People speculate Benedict Cumberbatch; I’m hoping for Michael Fassbender.

Chewie: Poe Dameron

CHEWIE:
My honorable mention is Poe Dameron. He’s a little like Han—hotshot flyboy, sarcastic, doesn’t totally fit. Oscar Isaac is awesome, and Poe consistently felt like the anchor of the sequel trio.

Pip: Darth Bane

PIP:
My last honorable mention is Darth Bane. He’s from a Legends trilogy (Drew Karpyshyn). He’s credited with the Rule of Two. Those books are great reads, and I’d recommend them even though they’re not canon anymore.

Chewie: Kylo Ren / Ben Solo

CHEWIE:
My last honorable mention is Kylo Ren / Ben Solo. Controversial. He killed Han, and we didn’t think they could redeem him. I don’t know if they fully did, but they almost got there.

Kylo had the real character arc in the sequel trilogy. Adam Driver is incredible. I wanted more background—Luke, training, Knights of Ren—everything. I wanted more.

PIP:
Adam Driver deserves a ton of credit. I was fine with the redemption by the end. Weird kiss aside, Star Wars has always had weird kisses.

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CHEWIE:
We got through it: top fives and honorable mentions. I have a feeling we’ll be discussing Star Wars more than once in future episodes.

Happy holidays, happy new year, and we’ll talk to you soon.

PIP:
Same to you, same to our 406 family. Hopefully we’ll see you soon with more to come.

CHEWIE:
Alright. Later.

[Music]