Nine mainline films and three trilogies, Star Wars is perhaps best known for its dynamic roster of villains, but which trilogy boasts the best set of antagonists? Fans are furiously debating en masse the topic.
It’s essentially the off-season for Star Wars, with Obi-Wan Kenobi recently finishing its six episode run on Disney Plus and a good few months away from the Andor series. What is there to discuss now but that which has already happened? Darth Vader made a big return in Kenobi, but are his Original Trilogy antagonist mates the best in the franchise?
The prequel trilogy had the likes of Darth Maul, General Grievous, and Palpatine. The original trilogy with Darth Vader, Jabba the Hutt, and Palpatine. The sequel trilogy with Kylo Ren, Snoke, and Palpatine. Sensing a bit of a theme here.
Well, after the Palpatine thing has been pointed out, let’s all agree the Palpatine trilogy is the best one.
Hey, maybe when Disney eventually gets around to a fourth trilogy, we’ll see McDiarmid return yet again as a version of Palpatine. Secrets only the Sith knew, and all.
It’s fair to say fans are mostly on team Original Trilogy. Vader, Tarkin, Palpatine, Jabba, all just brilliant villains and all different kinds of villains. Particular praise from one commenter goes to Tarkin, saying he “exudes a level of villainy only hoped to be attained by old British actors”.
All that being said, there’s also plenty of love for the other two trilogies. Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren and Andy Serkis’s Snoke both receiving praise.
The prequels definitely had much more of a chance to round out their villains due to The Clone Wars: when the films first came out, the villains weren’t particularly well received by critics or fans. Star Wars goes in cycles, and soon fans will love the sequels.
The entire saga can be streamed on Disney Plus.