A huge part of the Star Wars saga’s success is the popularity of its iconic characters. From Darth Vader to Obi-Wan Kenobi to Emperor Palpatine, George Lucas came up with some of the most recognizable and universally adored characters ever created to populate a galaxy far, far away.
There’s a lot that goes into creating an iconic character, but two important aspects are giving them the perfect introduction and sticking the landing with their death. The Star Wars prequel trilogy excelled in these areas, featuring some unforgettable character intros and demises.
10 Debut: R2-D2
The revelation that Anakin created C-3PO was a bit of a stretch, but R2-D2 gets the perfect reintroduction in The Phantom Menace. Along with a bunch of other expendable astro droids, Artoo goes out on the wing of Padmé’s ship in the midst of an intense space battle.
While the other astro droids drop like flies around him, Artoo narrowly avoids blasts from all angles to valiantly repair the ship.
9 Death: Qui-Gon Jinn
Liam Neeson made an unforgettable impression as Qui-Gon Jinn, the Jedi master who trained Obi-Wan and the only one who believed in Anakin. During the “Duel of the Fates” with Darth Maul, Obi-Wan watches helplessly from behind a laser barrier as Maul fatally stabs his master in the torso.
After poetically bisecting Maul with Qui-Gon’s lightsaber, Obi-Wan joins his dying master’s side and promises to fulfill his final wish: training Anakin as a Jedi. In the larger context of the saga, this is a heartbreaking twist of fate.
8 Debut: Darth Maul
There’s an air of mystique around Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace. He’s introduced as Palpatine’s new apprentice, a man of few words who looks like the Devil.
His true debut is when the hangar doors open on Naboo and John Williams’ “Duel of the Fates” kicks in. As Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan prepare to fight Maul, the Sith Lord reveals that his lightsaber has a second blade.
7 Death: Jango Fett
Mace Windu brings a Jedi strike force to liberate Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Padmé from the Separatists’ gladiatorial arena in Attack of the Clones, leading to an intense battle involving dozens of Jedi Knights fending off legions of droids. In the midst of the melee, Windu deftly decapitates bounty hunter Jango Fett.
In the aftermath of the battle, there’s a heartbreaking moment in which Jango’s young son Boba finds his dad’s helmet and holds it against his own head. Windu’s killing of Jango inspired Boba’s lifelong hatred of the Jedi.
6 Debut: The Grand Army Of The Republic
Just when the Jedi find themselves outnumbered by the Separatists’ droid armies and prepare to surrender to Count Dooku in the Battle of Geonosis in Attack of the Clones, Yoda shows up with the cavalry.
A bunch of gunships storm the arena and create a perimeter around the surviving Jedi as the Grand Army of the Republic makes its glorious debut.
5 Death: Count Dooku
When Anakin and Obi-Wan arrive to ostensibly save Chancellor Palpatine from Count Dooku, Obi-Wan is quickly defeated, but Anakin manages to overpower the budding Sith Lord. Palpatine encourages him to kill Dooku, which marks the beginning of the end as Anakin completes his journey toward the dark side.
Christopher Lee nails the look of devastation in Dooku’s eyes as he realizes he wasn’t Palpatine’s true apprentice after all and he was just a pawn in his masterplan.
4 Debut: General Grievous
General Grievous’ greatest scene in Revenge of the Sith is undoubtedly his “Hello there, General Kenobi” duel with Obi-Wan, but his initial introduction in the opening set piece brilliantly establishes the character.
In addition to establishing his persistent cough and mustache-twirling banter with the Jedi, this scene also characterizes Grievous as ultimately pretty cowardly as he abandons ship at the nearest opportunity.
3 Death: Everybody Killed In The Great Jedi Purge
As soon as Palpatine is granted full control of the Republic, one of his first orders of business is to kickstart the Great Jedi Purge. He tells the clones protecting Jedi to “execute Order 66,” and what follows is a harrowing montage of startled Jedi being brutally killed by their cloned comrades.
According to Ian McDiarmid, this montage was originally even darker and more violent. The version that appears in the final movie – which is already pretty dark and violent – was toned down from the initial cut.
2 Debut: Obi-Wan Kenobi
In the original trilogy, Alec Guinness made an icon out of Obi-Wan Kenobi at the end of his life. Guinness played Kenobi as a wise old wizard withered by years of war and exile. In the prequels, Ewan McGregor was tasked with playing a younger, naiver Obi-Wan.
The Phantom Menace gives him a terrific introduction as a bright-eyed padawan who still has a lot to learn from his master, getting ready to take the trials and join the council.
1 Death: Anakin Skywalker
Technically, Anakin Skywalker doesn’t die until he sacrifices himself to save his son from the Emperor in Return of the Jedi. However, from a certain point of view, Anakin dies when the Vader mask is lowered onto his face, solidifying him as a Dark Lord of the Sith.
Palpatine chips away the last shred of Anakin’s humanity and turns Vader into his full-time puppet with a well-placed half-truth: “It seems, in your anger, you killed her," referring to Padmé's demise.
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