Top 20 Star Wars Characters First Introduced In TV Shows

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While the Star Wars films are famous for their memorable characters, many of the franchise’s most popular figures actually debuted on television. Although new Star Wars movies are planned, Lucasfilm has clearly prioritized creating TV shows since 2019.

The popular Disney+ series The Mandalorian—which will be the foundation for the 2026 film The Mandalorian and Grogu—was a huge hit. Its success opened the door for Star Wars to explore television storytelling in a brand new way.

Disney+ has significantly expanded the world of Star Wars for television audiences. From continuing storylines like Star Wars: The Clone Wars and live-action series such as Obi-Wan Kenobi, to critically acclaimed shows like Andor, the streaming service has made Star Wars as prominent on TV as it is in movie theaters. This expansion doesn’t include earlier Star Wars shows released before 2019.

The TV series Star Wars: The Clone Wars expanded the story between Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace and Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, adding a lot to the official Star Wars story. With so many memorable characters in the Star Wars universe, many of them actually made their first appearances on television.

Omega

Image via Disney+

Omega ranks among the best Star Wars characters who first appeared in a TV show, and she’s one of the newest additions. She was introduced in 2021 in Star Wars: The Bad Batch, a series that spun off from The Clone Wars. The show follows a team of clone troopers as they adjust to the changing galaxy under the Empire.

I was worried about including a child character, Omega, in the show at first. Star Wars doesn’t have a great track record with kids, and usually, child characters in shows with adults end up being irritating. But Omega completely breaks that mold – she’s the emotional center of Star Wars: The Bad Batch.

Michelle Ang’s fantastic voice work makes the character instantly endearing, and she’s written as a fully realized person, not just a typical annoying child. Over the three seasons of The Bad Batch, we see significant development in her story, culminating in a moving conclusion that also connects to the larger Star Wars universe.

Omega is instantly likable, becoming the heart of the show and securing her place on this list. She ranks slightly lower only because other characters have been part of the Star Wars universe for a longer time, allowing for more extensive development.

​​​​​​Cad Bane

Cad Bane’s official backstory in Star Wars isn’t very detailed, which is why he’s ranked relatively low on this list, similar to Omega. However, this bounty hunter, first appearing in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, perfectly captures the franchise’s exciting and stylish moments – prioritizing awesome action over strict logic.

Cad Bane is a smooth, skilled, and seemingly unflappable bounty hunter who constantly challenges the Jedi during The Clone Wars. Corey Burton’s voice acting perfectly captures Bane’s confidence, making him a formidable opponent even against the most powerful Jedi in the Star Wars universe.

As a big fan of the animated Star Wars shows, I have to say Bane is one of the most compelling villains introduced in The Clone Wars. It was great to see him pop up again in The Bad Batch and The Book of Boba Fett, though I felt The Book of Boba Fett didn’t quite do his character justice. Honestly, because we only got hints of his past in Tales of the Underworld, it’s hard to place him among the very top villains, but he’s still a real favorite among fans of the TV series.

Bo-Katan Kryze

Image via Disney+

Bo-Katan Kryze first appeared in Star Wars: The Clone Wars as a Mandalorian warrior who opposed the Jedi. While she didn’t have a lot of development in that series initially, her alliance with Obi-Wan Kenobi in a particularly strong storyline gave her character more depth and made her relatable. This continued as her story evolved in Star Wars: Rebels.

Bo-Katan’s character truly came into its own when she appeared in live-action on The Mandalorian. She’s a compelling and powerful figure in the show, and her story expanded the scope of the series from a small bounty hunter adventure to a larger quest to take back a whole planet.

Bo-Katan’s character, while strong, feels a little simplistic. The show could have benefited from exploring her backstory, particularly her relationship with her sister who died during the Clone Wars. Developing this would have made Bo-Katan an even more compelling character and solidified her place among the best Star Wars characters brought to life on television.

Asajj Ventress

Asajj Ventress is a long-running character in the world of Star Wars. She first appeared as a villain in the original Star Wars: Clone Wars animated series. Later, with the release of the 3D animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars series – which also introduced characters like Bane and Bo-Katan – Ventress became officially part of the Star Wars story.

Asajj Ventress was a compelling villain in The Clone Wars, bringing a surprising level of darkness to the show. She had a fantastic, playfully antagonistic relationship with Obi-Wan Kenobi, and her backstory as a former Jedi Padawan who became a Sith assassin—due to a manipulative and harmful teacher—added emotional complexity to her character.

Asajj Ventress’s journey for revenge after being betrayed by Count Dooku and the Empire is a highlight of the series. Her story continues in the novel Star Wars: Dark Disciple, and her recent turn as a Force-sensitive bounty hunter in The Bad Batch is incredibly engaging. We’re excited to see what happens to her next.

Asajj Ventress is a standout character in Star Wars television, thanks to her complex development and the show’s nod to the beloved 2D Clone Wars animated series.

The Stranger/Qimir

The new series The Acolyte has sparked a lot of debate, but almost everyone agrees that the character Qimir, also known as The Stranger, is a standout. Played by Manny Jacinto, this Sith villain is one of the most interesting Star Wars villains we’ve seen in years. He has a compelling history connected to the Jedi and, even more excitingly, links to Darth Plagueis the Wise – a character fans have been eager to learn more about for decades.

The Stranger was a captivating character, offering a unique and nuanced perspective on the political landscape of Star Wars, as well as the Jedi and Sith. He was also incredibly skilled in combat. The action sequences featuring him were spectacular, showcasing him as arguably the best lightsaber duelist in years and highlighting his impressive armor that could even disable lightsabers.

While The Acolyte didn’t fully live up to its potential, the character of The Stranger was a clear highlight. Many viewers found him to be the most captivating Star Wars character in a long time, and he’s easily one of the best new characters introduced in a Star Wars TV show. Had the series not been canceled, he could have become even more significant.

Saw Gerrera

Image via Disney+

Initially, Saw Gerrera, as seen in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, was a straightforward character: a fighter against the Separatists who suffered a personal loss when his sister died, and he mostly appeared in minor roles. But through his expanded portrayal in Star Wars Rebels, Andor, Rogue One, and various Star Wars novels, he’s become a much more complex and compelling figure.

Saw Gerrera stands out as a unique Rebel due to his willingness to use extreme violence, making him an unpredictable element. Combined with the trauma he’s endured and his resulting paranoia, which fuels his relentless drive to dismantle the Empire, he’s become one of the most compelling characters in the Star Wars universe.

Saw Gerrera is a compelling character, but he doesn’t quite reach the top tier because he’s always been a supporting player. Unlike characters who’ve had their own dedicated shows or seasons to explore their story, Saw’s development has been limited, keeping him just outside the top 15.

Agent Kallus

Many fans consider Star Wars Rebels to be the strongest Star Wars animated series, largely because of its well-developed characters. A prime example is Kallus, whose journey showed a side of the Star Wars universe never before seen: an Imperial officer switching allegiances to join the Rebel Alliance. While the Star Wars saga has explored characters finding redemption, it hadn’t previously shown a typical Imperial agent losing faith in the Empire.

Initially, Agent Kallus was portrayed as a villain – he captured Wookiees, attempted to kill Jedi, even children, and was involved in the destruction of the Lasat people. However, as the story unfolded, we learned he wasn’t fully aware of the Empire’s extreme actions and deeply regretted the genocide, making him a far more nuanced and complicated character.

Watching Kallus lose faith in the Empire and ultimately become a Rebel spy was a highlight, especially learning about the surviving Lasat people. He really added a fresh take on the theme of redemption, which is central to the entire franchise. If he’d appeared in more shows beyond Rebels, he could have easily become an even more popular character.

Garazeb Orelios

Garazeb Orelios, often called Zeb, initially clashed with Agent Kallus, as Zeb believed he was the last of his people, the Lasat. However, their relationship evolved beautifully when Kallus genuinely regretted his actions under the Empire. This transformation made Zeb a particularly endearing character, showcasing his incredible ability to forgive.

Let me tell you, Zeb is a genuinely funny character on Star Wars Rebels, providing a lot of the show’s comedic moments. But he’s not just a joke – he can absolutely hold his own in a fight! Rebels really delivered some of the best characters in the entire Star Wars universe, and Zeb, for how uniquely memorable he is, absolutely deserves a place on any ‘best of’ list.

Now that Zeb is coming to life in The Mandalorian and Grogu, he has the potential to become one of the most popular Star Wars characters to originate on television.

Sabine Wren

Image via Disney+

Sabine Wren from Star Wars Rebels is more prominent than characters like Zeb and Kallus because she’s already appeared in live-action. This mirrors what happened with Ahsoka, who was brilliantly portrayed by Natasha Liu Bordizzo and successfully adapted for a new series.

Sabine started as a Mandalorian with a troubled past, fighting alongside the Rebel Alliance. Over time, she grew into a leader dedicated to rebuilding Mandalorian culture by battling the Empire and accepting the responsibility of her people’s legacy. Becoming a Jedi further cemented her status as a remarkable character, and we’ll see even more of her story unfold in the second season of Ahsoka.

Dedra Meero

Credit: MovieStillsDB

Now that Andor has finished – and is widely considered the best Star Wars TV show so far – it’s unclear what the future holds for the franchise. Andor’s biggest strength was its deep and complex characters. Dedra Meero is a prime example; like Kallus before her, she’s an Imperial officer presented not just as a villain, but as a fully realized person.

Okay, so this is something I didn’t expect to say about a Star Wars villain, but I found myself genuinely rooting for Dedra Meero. It’s wild! She’s an Imperial officer who, let’s be honest, has done some terrible things – torture, killing, the whole nine yards. But the show cleverly positioned her as the underdog within the Empire, battling other power-hungry officials. And honestly? It worked. I, along with a lot of other viewers, couldn’t help but want to see her win, even knowing what she’s capable of. It’s a really interesting dynamic and a first for this franchise, in my opinion.

Dedra wasn’t fully recognized as a villain until viewers saw her alongside the heroes of Andor, which really highlighted the show’s skillful writing. Denise Gough gave a fantastic performance as Dedra, portraying both her cruel side and her moments of vulnerability, like the powerful panic attack in season 2, episode 8. Had Andor continued for more than two seasons, Dedra might have become an even more prominent character.

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2025-11-05 19:13