Star Wars: 10 Most Disliked Characters

May 2, 2024, 8:20 p.m.

Movies

Star Wars: 10 Most Disliked Characters

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Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for the Star Wars: The Bad Batch season 3 finale!

Summary Captain Phasma & Vice Admiral Holdo were meant to be disliked, showcasing a different side of Star Wars characters and their actions.

Omega from The Bad Batch was initially disliked, but her story and development have won over fans and made her a beloved character.

The hate towards Rose Tico, Rey Skywalker, and their actresses stems from unfair criticism of their characters' storylines, not their performances.

Many Star Wars characters have received hate over the years, almost none of whom deserved it, but these 10 Star Wars characters reflect the most disliked throughout the Star Wars timeline. Although many of the most disliked characters come from what some consider to be Star Wars' worst movies, that isn't the case across the board. In fact, some of the characters who at first received harsh backlash went on to become fan-favorite characters in Star Wars' best TV shows and movies.

Unfortunately, Star Wars movies and TV shows have a bit of a history regarding the reception and treatment of new characters and actors. While perhaps change is always difficult, many Star Wars characters were subjected to vitriol when they first appeared. Of all the characters who have received criticism or been strongly disliked by Star Wars audiences, these 10 received the most hate; however, most of these characters deserved so much better.

Related "Twice The Pride, Double The Fall": 10 Star Wars Characters Whose Pride Is Their Undoing Many Star Wars characters have immense powers, but unfortunately for these 10 characters, that contributed to their ego and ultimately their demise.

10 Pong Krell's Treatment Of The Clones Caused Much-Deserved Hatred

First Appeared In: Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Rogue Jedi Master Pong Krell is one of few inclusions on this list who genuinely deserved the backlash. Introduced in Star Wars: The Clone Wars as a Jedi, Krell quickly revealed himself to be outright abusive to the clones, berating them and treating them as though they were sub-human. At first, he seemed to be a corrupt Jedi whose focus on winning on the battlefield overshadowed the Jedi ideals of peace and compassion. However, Krell was actually aiding the Separatists and using the dark side of the Force.

Notably, being an evil character doesn't equate to being a hated character. Many of Star Wars' most celebrated characters, in fact, are on the dark side of the Force. Darth Vader in particular consistently ranks highly among the most beloved Star Wars characters despite his heinous acts in both the prequel and original trilogies. The issue with Krell was something else entirely. Rather than out-and-out evil like Darth Vader or even like Palpatine, Krell came across as sneaky and cowardly. He wasn't an intimidating, powerful Sith Lord; he just seemed like an awful, heartless fallen Jedi.

Being an evil character doesn't equate to being a hated character.

Moreover, Krell not only attacked and killed clones but also specifically harmed the 501st legion, arguably the most popular clone troopers in the franchise, perhaps only second to the Bad Batch. This context made it all the worse. Krell had stepped in for Anakin Skywalker, as he wasn't able to lead his men on that mission. Knowing that not only would Anakin never have treated his clones that way but also that, were he made aware of what Krell was doing, he would put a (likely violent) end to it made it all the more brutal and insufferable to watch.

Krell's popularity in Star Wars hasn't seemed to wax or wane. From his first appearance in The Clone Wars to contemporary opinions, Star Wars audiences seem to almost universally dislike this character. In part, this probably does boil down to character development and context. Star Wars can certainly do evil well, but with Krell, he wasn't meant to be likable—and it worked.

9 Captain Phasma's Cold Demeanor Is Nothing Like Gwendoline Christie

First Appeared In: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Like Pong Krell, Captain Phasma deserved to be disliked by Star Wars audiences; however, that had nothing to do with Phasma actress Gwendoline Christie, who played the role perfectly and couldn't be less like her cold, cruel character. Like Krell, Captain Phasma was meant to be hated; it wasn't a failure of the writing or the actress. Phasma was a First Order lackey who made small grabs for power by bullying the stormtroopers who reported to her. Her character immediately established herself as antagonistic in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Worse still, she was first depicted speaking down to Finn specifically, who is a considerably more beloved character from the Star Wars sequel trilogy. This became even darker when Star Wars also revealed that many of the First Order's stormtroopers were kidnapped as children and forced to serve the First Order, Finn among them. This made Phasma complicit in something even darker than the original trilogy stormtroopers or the prequel trilogy's clone troopers. Again, though, that is the point; Captain Phasma is supposed to be an irritating, vile character; that's what makes Finn's "I'm in charge now, Phasma" so satisfying.

One issue with criticism of Star Wars characters is the idea that they were written poorly or portrayed incorrectly when they're really just terrible people. It would be difficult to argue that Phasma isn't terrible, as she callously told the troopers to kill Finn and Rose Tico painfully, but that was by design. That Captain Phasma is hated isn't a reflection of any failure; it's the very nature of her character. While some viewers did take a liking to her, as rooting for a villain can be fun, the criticism of her character proves Star Wars made her perfectly bothersome.

That Captain Phasma is hated isn't a reflection of any failure; it's the very nature of her character.

8 Vice Admiral Holdo's Sacrifice Didn't Get The Love It Deserved

First Appeared In: Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo is the first of many characters on this list who did not deserve the bewildering vitriol she received. Played by the incredible Laura Dern, Holdo first appeared in Star Wars: The Last Jedi as Leia's second in command who took charge of the Resistance after General Leia Organa's somewhat confusing flight through space left her incapacitated. There's simply so much to love about Holdo. For one, she is responsible for one of the coolest moments and most satisfying sounds in Star Wars.

To save the Resistance when they were on the brink of being eradicated, Holdo jumped to lightspeed, crashing straight into and through the First Order's Supremacy ship. Holdo was well aware that the move, coined "the Holdo Maneuver," would kill her; she was willing to make that sacrifice to save the Resistance and give them a fighting chance to get away. In addition to successfully saving them and being an incredible act of courage, the sound his maneuver makes in the movie is absolutely astounding.

Holdo's design is also simply undeniably cool. Her chic look and purple hair felt truly unique in Star Wars, and it almost distracted from the character being played by an actress so well-known in other roles. However, audiences took issue with Holdo, mainly because of her interactions with Poe. Following Poe's reckless attack on the First Order that caused numerous Resistance lives, Leia put Holdo, not Poe, in charge. Because of that, Poe constantly questioned Holdo's authority until the very last.

Many viewers bristled at Holdo's assertive responses and found her arrogant. Notably, Poe's hostility toward Holdo and attempt to stage a mutiny despite her being hand-picked by Leia herself largely did not get read in the same way. Arguably, this comes down to viewers taking issue with a woman in a position of power being so authoritative. Perhaps because Leia was already so beloved, she seemed not to receive the same treatment. However, it's difficult to separate the hate Holdo received from the fact that she was a woman in charge.

7 The Bad Batch's 'Kid' Omega Deserved A Much Warmer Welcome

First Appeared In: Star Wars: The Bad Batch

Omega is one of the most confusing additions among Star Wars' most disliked characters because she was so lovable and such a fascinating addition from the beginning. Although Clone Force 99 had already demonstrated that not every clone was precisely uniform, Omega was a shock as an unaltered female clone of Jango Fett. Moreover, her spunky attitude made her fit in perfectly and quickly with the Bad Batch members, as did her willingness to put herself in harm's way and face confrontations bravely.

Thankfully, perceptions of Omega did largely change over time. Very similar to Ahsoka Tano, despite being disliked at first at a younger age, Omega grew on many viewers as she proved herself to be strong, capable, and witty. Her story also became increasingly interesting in Star Wars: The Bad Batch, which certainly helped. In fact, The Bad Batch season 3 heavily focused on her possible Force sensitivity, which, following the show's finale, still hasn't exactly been addressed in Star Wars.

Perceptions of Omega did largely change over time.

It's nearly impossible for audiences to now dislike Omega if they like the Bad Batch members, who are much more widely liked in the franchise, as The Bad Batch finale saw Hunter describe Omega as the Bad Batch's kid. The familial bond Omega had with the Bad Batch, perhaps Hunter and Wrecker in particular, was wonderfully heartwarming. Excitingly, it seems Omega's Star Wars story might not be over even with the conclusion of The Bad Batch, as the finale revealed that she would go on to be a pilot in the Republic.

6 Reva Sevander's Inquisitor Story Was Heartbreaking And Fascinating

First Appeared In: Obi-Wan Kenobi

Reva Sevander actress Moses Ingram received some of the worst hate the Star Wars fanbase has ever exhibited. Ingram played Reva, an ex-Jedi youngling and current Inquisitor with a secret vendetta against Darth Vader, in the Obi-Wan Kenobi show, in which the character was introduced. Her character was absolutely fascinating, with her at first seeming like any other cruel, bloodthirsty Inquisitor. However, the show included a shocking plot twist. Reva was actually one of the Jedi who survived Order 66 after seeing her young friends cut down in front of her. Because of that, she wanted to kill Vader.

In spite of that unique, intriguing characterization, the backlash against Reva and Moses Ingram was brutal. A message from Obi-Wan Kenobi actor Ewan McGregor addressed the vitriol that was being thrown Ingram's way directly and was shared by Star Wars' official account on X.

McGregor explained:

"It seems that some of the fanbase, from this influential fan base, have decided to attack Moses Ingram online and send her the most horrendous, racist DMs, and I heard some of it this morning, and it just broke my heart."

McGregor went on to say:

"Moses is a brilliant actor, she's a brilliant woman, and she's absolutely amazing in this series. She brings so much to the series, she brings so much to the franchise, and it just sickened me to my stomach that this had been happening.

As McGregor perfectly explained himself, this response to Ingram was absolutely heartbreaking, cruel, and entirely undeserved. Ingram's ability to play a murderous, perhaps even sadistic Inquisitor (she was willing to torture 10-year-old Princess Leia, after all) but also so beautifully capture the pain and damage Order 66 had caused her as a child was quite impressive. Her emotion, too, when she realized she couldn't bring herself to kill young Luke Skywalker was also well done. Perhaps, as with the prequel trilogy actors, time will be kinder to Reva; however, the audience reactions at the time were shocking.

1:58 Related Star Wars: All 14 Inquisitors In Canon Explained Star Wars' Inquisitors were Darth Vader's elite death squad of Jedi-killing dark side users. Who were these Imperial agents and what were their fates?

5 Ahsoka Tano Has More Than Proven Herself

First Appeared In: Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Surprisingly, given how beloved Ahsoka Tano has become in Star Wars, Ahsoka was also very poorly received when she was introduced. Ahsoka shocked audiences by becoming Anakin Skywalker's Padawan in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars movie. As the prequel trilogy hadn't mentioned Anakin having a Padawan, this was quite unexpected—although George Lucas himself had wanted Anakin to have a Padawan. This plot twist wasn't mainly what audiences took issue with, though.

Instead, many viewers said that they found her annoying. In part, this was because Ahsoka was intended to be sarcastic and antagonistic to Anakin; this was the reason Anakin gave her the nickname 'Snips.' However, that characterization was quite similar to Anakin's, who was constantly arrogant, entitled, and a bit sassy. Of course, part of this simply came down to age. Ahsoka was just 14 at the beginning of The Clone Wars, so she brought a teenage attitude. This was really perfect, though, as Anakin needed someone who challenged him (which frequently delighted Obi-Wan).

Over time, the bond between Anakin and Ahsoka won most viewers over, and, clearly, Star Wars took notice and explored her character further because of it. Although Dave Filoni originally intended to kill Ahsoka in the show, he ultimately decided against it. Since then, Ahsoka appeared in Star Wars Rebels and even transitioned to live-action, with Rosario Dawson taking up the torch from Ahsoka voice actress Ashley Eckstein and appearing in The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and even Ahsoka, the character's own show. Thankfully, these follow-up appearances have meant most audiences finally giving Ahsoka the love she deserves.

These follow-up appearances have meant most audiences finally giving Ahsoka the love she deserves.

4 Jar Jar Binks Received Some Of Star Wars' Worst Backlash

First Appeared In: Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

Jar Jar Binks and the actor Ahmed Best were some of the main victims of the intense criticism and backlash to the Star Wars prequel trilogy. The character first appeared in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, which had a lot riding on it as the first movie to follow the iconic original trilogy. Unfortunately, many viewers found that the movie didn't measure up, and they took that out on the actors. Jar Jar Binks in particular was criticized and even openly hated because of the way he spoke and his clumsy, goofy personality.

The biggest shame here is how that perception of Jar Jar being irritating was directed at Ahmed Best, who was simply playing the role he was given. Best neither created Jar Jar's character nor wrote his lines, so this was a confusing target of the disdain for Jar Jar Binks. Sadly, this did have a major impact on Ahmed Best, and reasonably so. Best was just 25 when he took on the role, and he heartbreakingly believed this would be an incredible turning point in his career. After all, Star Wars is a major, iconic franchise.

The biggest shame here is how that perception of Jar Jar being irritating was directed at Ahmed Best, who was simply playing the role he was given.

That wasn't how it played out for Best in The Phantom Menace, however. In fact, Best has since described the period in which he faced so much scrutiny as the lowest he's ever been. Star Wars was well aware that Best had experienced such painful treatment, though, and healed the situation in one of the best redemption arcs in the franchise to date.

Best recently returned not as Jar Jar but as Jedi Master Kelleran Beq in The Mandalorian. Not only did Best become a Jedi, but he also became the very Jedi who saved Grogu from Order 66. This was a perfect change for Best, who is now getting the love he always deserved.

3 Jake Lloyd Perfectly Captured Young Anakin Skywalker

First Appeared In: Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

Jake Lloyd was yet another victim of the hate for the Star Wars prequel trilogy. Lloyd played young Anakin Skywalker in The Phantom Menace, who shocked audiences by appearing not as a Sith Lord or even as someone already exhibiting signs of evil but rather as a slave on Tatooine who was known for being kind, selfless, and innocent. This surprising twist was ultimately perfect for Anakin's character; as George Lucas has made clear, the tragedy of Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader is meant to show that, under the right conditions, anyone can turn to evil.

The tragedy of Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader is meant to show that, under the right conditions, anyone can turn to evil.

Anakin was first an adorable little boy who was foretold in the Chosen One prophecy to be the one to destroy the Sith. Moreover, he immediately showed how compassionate he was, bringing Qui-Gon Jinn, Padmé Amidala, and Jar Jar Binks to safety during a sandstorm after having only just met them. Jake Lloyd, despite the criticism, played this role perfectly. Not only was Lloyd an absolutely adorable child, but he also captured Anakin's innocence wonderfully, while peppering in the cheeky character traits that would develop into Hayden Christensen's portrayal of older, more egotistical Anakin and ultimately Darth Vader.

Presumably, Jake Lloyd received this treatment (unfairly) because audiences were simply unhappy with how the story was being told. Again, though, Lloyd wasn't responsible for the writing or the choice to make Anakin a young boy in The Phantom Menace. He, like Ahmed Best, was portraying the character the way he was meant to. Soon after, Hayden Christensen received similar treatment, with many criticizing his portrayal in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. While Christensen has experienced a (well-deserved) redemption, though, Lloyd has yet to receive his.

2 Rose Tico's Star Wars Story Deserved Better

First Appeared In: Star Wars: The Last Jedi

As hated as the prequels were, the sequel trilogy was received even worse, and Rose Tico actress Kelly Marie Tran got much of the brunt of it. Rose was introduced as a Resistance fighter who was too shy and uncertain to really join the action. However, with the death of her sister, Paige, Rose was emboldened enough to stop attempted deserters. This is precisely how Rose encountered Finn, who was attempting to leave the ship to go help Rey in The Last Jedi.

The two then shared an interesting arc in the movie, even taking down characters such as Captain Phasma after infiltrating a First Order ship. Despite that interesting start, though, both Rose and Tran were highly criticized following The Last Jedi, and, unfortunately, this led to both being almost entirely written out of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Rose barely appeared in the movie and had very few lines, which was truly a shame for the character and the actress, who both deserved better from the fanbase and in the movies.

Audiences largely seem to have yet to come around on Rose; however, Rey's upcoming Star Wars movie could change that. While Tran hasn't been confirmed to be returning in the movie, set 15 years after The Rise of Skywalker, this would be the perfect opportunity for a redemption arc and to ameliorate some of the damage done by Rose being sidelined in The Rise of Skywalker. Hopefully, Tran would be open to that return and Star Wars will make things right through that opportunity.

1 Rey Skywalker And Daisy Ridley Both Received Unfair Treatment

First Appeared In: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Rey Skywalker actress Daisy Ridley was perhaps the biggest victim of the hate for the sequel trilogy. Some viewers immediately took a disliking to her in The Force Awakens, claiming she had too much power as someone who had never been trained as a Jedi and critiquing the fact that she had other skills such as being an incredible pilot. Criticism worsened when decisions such as having Palpatine shockingly return in The Rise of Skywalker were made. Similar to the prequel trilogy actors, though, Ridley had nothing to do with how the story arc of the movies progressed.

Instead, Ridley marvelously played Rey, which is even more impressive given how new Ridley was to acting at the time. The hate for Ridley and Rey again seems to come down to audiences perceiving actors and characters as at fault for storyline issues and changes to other Star Wars characters, such as Luke Skywalker appearing not as a powerful Jedi Master in the sequel trilogy but as a hermit who has become bitter and hopeless. This displacement of frustration about the movies' stories and plotline decisions remains confusing, though.

Ridley wasn't responsible for the way her character was written, nor was she to blame for the issues (some of which were legitimate) audiences had with the sequels. Like Tran, hopefully Ridley, who is confirmed to be returning in Rey's new movie, will be welcomed back to Star Wars more graciously. The actress has already expressed excitement about the story to come in the new installment, which bodes well for the much-deserved redemption of both Rey and Ridley. As with many of the most disliked Star Wars characters, Ridley has more than earned love for her role.

Source: Star Wars

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