Star Wars villains are some of the most memorable and beloved characters in the entire Star Wars universe. But, have you ever wondered: which Star Wars villains are fans most interested in? Well, we decided to look at some data from our good friends at Wookieepedia and we’ve been able to catalog exactly which Star Wars villains get the most traffic on the entire internet.
These are the top 11 Star Wars villains fans want to know everything about.
11. Darth Nihilus
Introduced in the video game Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, Darth Nihilus was a Dark Lord of the Sith who ruled during the conflict that followed the Jedi Civil War. He was an apprentice of Darth Traya but betrayed her and sent her into exile by severing her connection with the Force. After suffering from a lethal infliction that caused him great pain and ravaged his body, Nihilus channeled his spirit into his Sith mask and armor. It remained there even after he was slain during the Battle of Telos IV, and the mask and armor were eventually buried on the planet Korriban.
Thanks to a striking costume, Darth Nihilus is often considered one of the coolest looking villains in the Star Wars canon. We don’t disagree with that assessment at all.
10. Grievous
Grievous was the Supreme Commander of the Droid Army during the infamous Clone Wars. Although he was already a skilled warrior, Grievous decided to replace most of his organic body with cybernetic implants. This was done in order to increase his combat proficiency. Eventually, he was recruited by Count Dooku — who you’ll read about in just a second — and trained in the art of lightsaber combat. As the Clone Wars raged on, Grievous’ vicious aptitude for battle planning and his unflinching ruthlessness made him one of the most feared figures in the Galactic Republic. But, even with the use of four lightsabers, he lost his life during a duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Like Darth Nihilus, Grievous has a memorable design and his numerous appearances in other Star Wars media like The Clone Wars has made him a fan favorite. Plus, four lightsabers. Four!
9. Dooku
Dooku was a Sith Lord during the Clone Wars. He was once a well-respected Jedi Master, but he left the Jedi Order after becoming disillusioned with what he perceived as a corrupt government. Dooku embraced the dark side of the Force and became Darth Sidious’ apprentice. He took on the name Darth Tyranus and helped in his master’s conspiracy to overthrow both the Republic and the Jedi. Dooku was killed by Anakin Skywalker in a particularly brutal fashion; he was beheaded by command of Palpatine, the true identity of Darth Sidious.
Thanks to a commanding performance from the legendary Christopher Lee, Dooku is definitely one of the standout characters from the prequel trilogy. And it’s cool to see Saruman spin around a glowing sword.
8. Revan
Revan was one of the most important figures in Jedi and Sith history. The Jedi Order discovered him when he was very young, and they found that he devoured every piece of knowledge and skill he could. After studying with a variety of Jedi Masters, he became the star pupil of the Jedi Academy. However, an ongoing war between the Mandalorians and the Republic drew Revan into battle against the wills of the Jedi Council. He became a master warrior and won the war, but at the cost of his innocence. His malicious choices during combat swayed him to the dark side. After retreating to the Unknown Regions, he returned to conquer the Republic and the Jedi but was defeated in battle by the Jedi Bastila Shan. Or was he?
Revan plays an important role in Knights of the Old Republic and saying anything else would spoil the fun of that excellent game. And hey, it looks like those Knights of the Old Republic villains really like their masks.
7. Knights of Ren
The Knights of Ren are a group of warriors that are commanded by Kylo Ren. We’ve only seen them show up once during a flashback in The Force Awakens, but they are clearly skilled fighters as they assisted Kylo Ren in destroying Luke Skywalker’s new Jedi Temple. From what we know, they are proficient in the dark side of the Force and serve the First Order.
So, why are they so popular? It’s likely because they still have a ton of mystery surrounding them. Fans love to learn as much as they can about their favorite universes, and the Knights of Ren still have the same kind of unknown allure that originally made Boba Fett such a fan favorite. We’ll probably see them show up in Episode IX, but until then, let’s enjoy how little we actually do know about these badasses.
6. Darth Sidious
Sheev Palpatine was an influential political figure in the days of the Republic, but he was also a secret Sith Lord called Darth Sidious that plotted the destruction of the Jedi. After rising to the highest seat of power in the Galactic Senate, he created the Galactic Empire and began his total domination over the entire galaxy. Branding himself the Emperor, he used his massive army and the skills of his apprentice — yeah, we’ll get to him — to eradicate the Jedi to the point of near extinction. However, it was his own apprentice that eventually killed the Emperor by throwing him into a chasm aboard the Death Star II.
Darth Sidious is a perfect incarnation of an evil wizard. But, you know, in space! His distinct voice and spooky look go a long way in explaining just why fans love (or love to hate) him. Did we mention he’s an evil space wizard?
5. Darth Maul
Darth Maul was the apprentice of Darth Sidious and the murderer of Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Jedi Master, Qui-Gon Jinn. After Kenobi thought he dispatched Maul by slicing him in half, the Sith Lord stayed alive by channeling his hatred and will into the Force. He would eventually confront Kenobi on several other occasions but would lose his life on Tattooine when he came to investigate Kenobi’s protection of a young boy named Luke Skywalker.
From the first time fans laid eyes on Darth Maul in the trailer for The Phantom Menace, they couldn’t stop talking about him and his double-bladed lightsaber. His demonic visage and incredible fighting skill endeared him to a whole generation. His popularity was so powerful that he couldn’t stay dead and has made a comeback in any number of books, television shows, and comic stories. No doubt that he’s become one of the most recognizable Star Wars villains in the franchise’s history.
4. Darth Plagueis
Darth Plagueis was one of the most powerful users of the side of the Force in known history. Through his studies with his apprentice Darth Sidious, Plagueis sought to discover how the Force could be manipulated to control life itself. Seeking immortality, Plagueis learned how to create life as well as prevent the ones he loved from dying. Unfortunately, his apprentice simply waited until he could learn everything there was from his master. Then, he killed Plagueis in his sleep.
The mystery of Darth Plagueis is one of the central pieces of lore in the Star Wars universe. When Darth Sidious told a young Anakin Skywalker about his old master, it forever changed what fans knew about the Force and just how mighty it is. Speaking of Anakin…
3. Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader
Anakin Skywalker was a prophesied figure in the history of the Jedi. He was the Chosen One, a figure who would bring balance to the Force. After becoming the pupil of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin showcased remarkable talent as a Padawan and became a hero of the ongoing Clone Wars. But, when he fell under the sway of Darth Sidious, he turned to the dark side and was an integral figure in the rise of the Galactic Empire and the extermination of the Jedi. Taking on the name of Darth Vader, Anakin helped the Emperor conquer the galaxy. But, he eventually redeemed himself thanks to the love of his son, Luke. By killing the Emperor, Anakin fulfilled his fate of balancing the Force.
Let’s be honest: this is Darth Vader. He’s quite possibly the most recognizable villain in pop culture history. Even if you know next to nothing about him, you have probably quoted him or imitated his real-fun-to-imitate breathing. No one is questioning his status as the GOAT. But, he’s not the villain that most fans are interested in…
2. Kylo Ren
Kylo Ren was not only the leader of the Knights of Ren, but he was also the son of Leia Organa and Han Solo. His birth name is Ben Solo. He was naturally gifted with a powerful connection to the Force and trained under his uncle, Luke Skywalker. But, the dark side seeped into Ben’s mind because … well, the first entry will expand on that. When Luke sensed this evil, he momentarily considered killing Ben in his sleep. When Ben awoke, he saw his mentor was about to murder him. He escaped and eventually returned as Kylo Ren, a powerful figure in the diabolical First Order. After Luke’s self-imposed exile, Ren’s desire for revenge intensifies. After the events of The Last Jedi, we don’t yet know where Ren’s path will take him.
Forget the memes about his high-waisted pants or his admittedly funny emo Twitter account. Kylo Ren is a fascinating, conflicted, and refreshing villain in the Star Wars universe. His immense passion and childish nature are inherently cinematic. Every Kylo Ren temper tantrum is a treat. It’s obvious that fans are eager to know everything they can about this new antagonist. But, the person they want to know way more about is his master…
1. Snoke
Snoke was the Supreme Leader of the First Order. He was an extraordinarily powerful user of the dark side of the Force. Out of the ashes of the Galactic Empire, Snoke rose to power and led the First Order in open resistance against the New Republic. Under his rule, Starkiller Base — a planet-sized superweapon — was used to destroy an entire system of populated worlds. Snoke felt an awakening in the Force and sought out the source of these new powers. One of them was Ben Solo. Snoke corrupted Ben’s mind and turned him away from the light, but Snoke would eventually be destroyed by his own apprentice.
After The Force Awakens, fans were rabid to learn everything they could about this new master of the dark side. His origins were shrouded in ambiguity. Most audiences assumed that we’d learn all about Snoke over the course of this newest trilogy, but The Last Jedi made it very clear that Snoke was not going to be a central character going forward in this story. That has led to a lot of fans wanting to scrape together every single piece of Snoke knowledge they can get. It’s worth arguing that Snoke is the Star Wars villain that has stoked the most interest in the franchise’s history. That’s quite the achievement.
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