30 Greatest Star Wars Characters

5. Obi-Wan Kenobi

alec-guinness-ben-obi-wan-kenobi-and-mark One of the essential characters in the Star Wars universe, Obi-Wan Kenobi trains both Anakin and Luke Skywalker and was a key general during the Clone War. He survives Order 66 and inflicts on Darth Vader the wounds that require him to wear his suit of armour. During the Rebellion, Kenobi is contacted by Princess Leia to help escort plans for the Death Star to Bail Organa. Aboard the Death Star, he sacrifices himself so that Luke, Han and Leia can escape and so he can guide Luke by becoming one with the force. Kenobi ranks this high due to Alec Guinness turning in an Academy Award nominated performance (the only acting nomination in a Star Wars movie) and completely embodies the "wise old man" archetype that has always been a staple of adventure stories. Ewan McGregor does a serviceable job in the prequels but Guinness remains the defining take on the character. As a bonus, Kenobi beats General Grievous, Darth Maul and Anakin Skywalker in lightsaber duels, undoubtedly the most impressive onscreen combat resume of any Star Wars character.
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I love movies, literature, history, music and the NBA. I love all things nerdy including but not limited to Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, and Firefly. My artistic idols are Dylan, Dostoevsky, and Malick and my goal in life is to become like Bernard Black from Black Books. When I die, I hope to turn into the space baby from 2001: A Space Odyssey.