I’m back bitches. After a 4 year hiatus everyone’s favorite marvel account is back and what better way to celebrate the return of my marvel account by writing a Star Wars list! Not just any Star Wars list either; today I want to talk about some of the best heroes who aren’t in the movies. I think a misconception carried by many casual fans of Star Wars is that there only is the Skywalker Saga when that is completely not the case. Quick note before we start, I am talking about Canon characters who do not play roles in the movies. For example, Quinlan Voss would count even though he’s in Phantom Menace but doesn’t even speak and is only visible to eagle eyed viewers. Also, this is in no particular order.
#1- Ahsoka Tano
A Torgutta female discovered by Plo Koon, Ashoka Tano is arguably the best female character in Star Wars. Appearing in primarily the Clone Wars TV show, Ashoka also has prominent roles in Rebels, her own novel and countless other comics. She even appeared as a voice to Rey in Rise of Skywalker, even though I don’t think she’s dead for what its worth. Ashoka was introduced as Anakin’s padawan in the Clone Wars show. Well she did start of to be kind of bratty and annoying, she grows with the show and becomes a much more fleshed out character. From the constant parallels to the former Sith lord Maul to her late season clash with Barris Offee and eventual team up with Assaj Ventress, Ahsoka has some of the most memorable stories in the Clone Wars. A problem some people had was that Ahsoka was just another reason that Anakin became Vader. This argument does have merit but if you read Ahsoka’s book or watch Rebels, it is clear that Ahsoka is much more than just Anakin’s padawan. Some of her best battles are actually the best battles of the shows she is in. Her fight to protect the force sensitive children against the inquisitors is the stuff of legend. She also fights a movie character in that show that is the best action of the whole series, but I won’t spoil that.
#2- Cal Kestis
Jedi: Fallen Order produced a lot of great characters but where the game thrives is how you feel about Cal. Cal, played perfectly by Cameron Monaghan, starts of as a scrapper but we get to watch him grow into a Jedi. He was a padawan during Order 66 and like Kanan Jarrus, he watched his master die protecting him. Through flashbacks we see this relationship play out and begin to understand why Cal has been cutting himself off from the force for all these years. But when he is finally able to tap back into the force, we really feel the weight off his shoulders. Cal is powerful too. Multiple times throughout the game do you have to fight in boss battles against some tough enemies but Cal perseveres. Cal’s story will be exciting to see play out. I think having Cam Monaghan play him could lead to some interesting live action possibilities.
#3- Kanan Jarrus
Just like Cal, Kanan was alive during the prequel era, but going by a different name. Trained by Depa Billaba, Caleb Dume was poised to be a great Jedi master, even unintentionally giving Obi-Wan the idea to use the Jedi frequency as a warning. Unfortunately for Caleb, his master was killed in front of his eyes before he could finish his training. Years would go by before Caleb, now Kanan, would pick up his saber again. Let me tell you it is an awesome scene when he does. Kanan has some of the most memorable moments from Star Wars: Rebels. His fight with Ezra against the Grand Inquisitor, Maul blinding him, Bendu training him to a blast killing him, Kanan was one of the characters who brought you back wanting more each time. His untimely death was so emotional due to the talent of the writers making him such a great character.
#4- Hera Syndulla
The mother of the Ghost crew, Hera was the calming presence on Rebels who kept everyone in line. Whether that meant keep Ezra from fighting Zeb or Chopper for causing overall chaos, Hera was always in charge. An episode that I think encapsulates Hera’s character is when they first meet and interact with Lando Calrissian. Lando sells Hera to a thief but Hera is crafty enough to figure out an escape. Another great thing about Hera is her loyalty to her ship. To quote her, “If I go out, it’ll be on the Ghost”. I don’t think there is a character besides Han Solo who has such a close relation to their ship. The Ghost is Hera’s home and the crew is her family and she will do anything to protect that. She probably gets that fierce loyalty from her father Cham Syndulla, the fierce protector of Ryloth we see in the Clone Wars. One of the things that makes Hera great is she is not defined by the men of her life. There are plenty of times that the entire Ghost crew would have died if Hera was not there protecting them.
#5- Captain Rex
Of all the clones, there is one who stands out amongst the rest for his valor, skill and dedication. That would be Captain Rex. Captain Rex is the audience’s eyes into what life as a clone is like. Some of the darkest and most complex arcs in the entire Clone Wars series show Rex as the main character. Whether that is early in the series and we see Rex deal with a deserter. Rex at first believes that the deserter is traitor for leaving the Grand Army of the Republic but begins to learn that war is not the only way. Rex also deals with the death of many of his brothers which shows how that there is more to life than being a soldier. Rex then continues his fight to Rebels. However, this fight feels justified. Rex was out of combat done, with war but he had to get his revenge on the Empire. Knowing that he technically fought at the battle of Endor is a good way to bring the character full circle.
So thats my list. I am gonna come back and write the villains version of this real soon. Who did I leave out? Who was on the list who shouldn’t have been? Leave a comment and we can discuss. Find me on twitter @marvelopedia !