10 Best Star Wars Characters (According to a 6-Year-Old)
Photo by Michael Marais on Unsplash
Star Wars is leaning into its beloved characters like never before. From Boba Fett to Asoka Tano, the best Star Wars characters are getting more and more attention thanks to the aggressive TV strategy from Disney+.
But what does it mean to be one of the best Star Wars characters? Can we quantify it based on screen time, the number of toys sold, or Wookiepedia page views?
The best and worst Star Wars characters are a subjective matter of preference. But, of course, there's a statistically weighted scale of interest, one end being the Han Solos and BB-8s of the franchise, while the other is more derived side is the best fit for Jar-Jar Binks and friends.
Let's remove the generalities of the best Star Wars characters and focus on what matters–perspective. I recently interviewed my 6-year-old nephew for our pilot Least Important Things episode, and I was lucky enough to be with him on his first viewing of the original Star Wars.
Not surprisingly, he already had a preconceived notion of the characters thanks to the endless hammy-down Star Wars scholastic books and toys. It got me thinking about why we love certain Star Wars characters over others, especially from a childlike perspective.
The Best Star Wars Characters (According to a 6-Year-Old)
So, using data collected from my nephew and sourcing from my own childlike wonder, here are the best Star Wars characters according to a 6-year-old.
#1 R2-D2
There's a reason RD-D2 appears in every live-action Star Wars film. Maybe the beeps-and-boops and his eye-to-eye size endear him to children?
Filthy mouth aside, R2D2’s personality is childlike while having all the answers. As a kid, how cool would it be to have a best friend like R2-D2?
#2 Hando Ohnaka
Charisma counts, and Hando's got all the charisma in the world.
The recurring character from The Clone Wars, at first glance, is the Star Wars equivalent of a used car salesman, but there's a reason he's involved in so many plots throughout the show's run.
Hando is more than meets the eye. His silly demeanor and boisterousness guard his cleverness and, sometimes, good-guy behavior.
Kids love pirates, and Hando is the Jack Sparrow of the Star Wars universe. He's a perfect character for a six-year-old. Funny, unpredictable, and enchanting.
Plus, he's got a pet Kowakian monkey lizard.
“Even a Sith Lord is no match for my warriors. He put up quite a fight. Blasters, cannons, that glowy thing, voom-voom.”
#3 Cad Bane
When it comes to cool, Cad Bane wins every time. The animated and live-action interpretations of the gunslinging bounty hunter are an homage to Clint Eastwood's "the man with no name."
And just like your parents sat criss-cross applesauce in front of a tube TV, watching in awe over Eastwood's Western anti-hero, so do the kids of today with Cad Bane.
Cad Bane is the next generation’s “Man with Know Name” made famous by Clint Eastwood.
#4 Mace Windu
Samuel L. Jackson legendarily accepted the role of Mace Windu on one condition–that he could choose the color of the lightsaber. The rest is history.
Unsurprisingly, one of the coolest dudes on the planted created the coolest Jedi master in the galaxy. And yeah, the purple lightsaber was the right choice.
#5 Asoka Tano
We all need a hero to look up to, and for kids, Asoka is a hero they can identify with. Introduced in The Clone Wars, Asoka is the young padawan of Anakin Skywalker, a perfect representation of the demographic watching the show.
Asoka's humor, spunkiness, and moral compass are a throughline in the show. She survives one of the most troubling periods in franchise history while remaining loyal to her convictions.
One of the best parts about Asoka is that kids can grow up with her through the show and live-action interpretations, much like millennials grew up with Harry Potter characters.
Read more: Never Leave Your Wingman: 7 Leadership Lessons from Top Gun
#6 Chewbacca
I apologize to Wookies everywhere for this explanation.
What does every kid ask their parents for besides Star Wars toys? A furry friend.
Who's the best furry friend in the galaxy? Chewbacca.
Although we know Wookies are a brilliant, influential, and respected species in the Star Wars universe, it's hard not to separate our inner childlike desire to cozy up to Chewie.
Besides the droids and Obi-Wan, Chewie is one of the most recurring characters in the films, and it's no surprise.
What kid wouldn't want a best friend that would snuggle with you after a traumatic year frozen in carbonite, co-pilot the fastest ship in the galaxy, and take down bad guys with raw strength or a crossbow?
It’s no wonder people like dogs more than people.
#7 Darth Maul
No matter your opinion of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, we can all unite around the best character from that film, Darth Maul.
From the black and red face tattoos to minimal dialogue, the mysterious Darth Maul is a character no kid can ignore. So when he pulled out the unprecedented double lightsaber before "The Duel of Fates," every six-year-old (including yours truly) lost their mind.
Darth Maul is such a popular character with youngsters that even though Obi-Wan sliced him in half, Dave Filoni resurrected him in animated series. So if you ask a 6-year-old what replica lightsaber they want, the answer will be Darth Maul's lightsaber.
Who would want a normal laser sword when you can have a double-sided one?
#8 General Grievous
There's a trend here regarding the best Star Wars characters, according to a 6-year-old.
More lightsabers are better.
And no character in the franchise (as of yet) can wield more lightsabers than Separatist puppet leader and spider-like robot General Grevious. When the character first appeared in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, he felt more like a James Bond henchman rather than a foreboding enemy. But when he pulled out those lightsabers and extended his four robot limbs to battle Obi-Wan Kenobi on the planet of Utapau, he wasn’t a henchman anymore.
Since then, Grievous' lore has only grown. His ability to wield lightsabers and throaty voice is just the beginning of the character's dynamism.
#9 Boba and Jango Fett
Even with the so-so reception of his spin-off show, Boba Fett and his father still reigns supreme amongst younglings. The armor, the secret nature of the Mandolorian religion, and the gadgets. I mean, what kid doesn't fall in love with anything that uses a jetpack (I mean, the Rocketeer's entire plotline is based on the cool factor of a rocket-fueled flying backpack).
Of all the best Star Wars characters, Boba Fett is the pioneer of the cartoon to live-action adaptation after he stood out in the crowd during the 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special. Of course, fans freaked out when Cado Bane appeared on the screens of The Book of Boba Fett, but can you imagine seeing the mysterious armor-glad bounty hunter show up in Empire Strikes Back?
The Fetts, alongside their Mandalorian brothers and sisters, are still the kings of cool, especially if you're in the jetpack-loving demographic.
#10 Darth Vadar
When I asked my nephew who his favorite character was, I was surprised by the answer.
Darth Vadar? Seems like a dark pick for a six-year-old.
But after thinking about it, I realized there's a common reason we all fell in love with Star Wars as a kid–there's nothing like Darth Vadar.
The fear and awe he's created throughout generations have made Darth a more prominent icon than the films. And although I don't think my nephew realizes the entire arch of the character yet, I think the hint of Vadar's redemption is powerful in a child's mind.
Is he good? Is he bad? We don't have the answer.
But when it all comes down to it, the all-black armor, helmet, James Earl Jones voice, and red lightsaber does all the work.
Why Do You Love Star Wars?
So, do you agree with our list? Have your favorite Star Wars characters changed since you were six years old?
Let me know in the comments, or connect with us via email, voicemail, or social media.
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