Star Wars: 10 Reasons The Prequel Trilogy Is Better Than You Remember

Darth Vader is the ultimate movie villain and that's not up for debate. He is a ruthless, unstoppable force and has earned a place as one of cinema's most iconic characters ever.

His absence in the prequels isn't too much of a loss though, as there are plenty of other bad guys that do a decent job of terrorising the galaxy. Each of the three films offers its own unique villain that shine in their own ways.

Darth Maul personifies the adage that bad guys always seem to be cooler, and the ease with which he despatches of Qui-Gon Jinn shows that he is a force to be reckoned with. It would have been nice for Maul to have had a bit more screen time, but thankfully, fans who crave more of Dathomir's favourite son can turn to both the Clone Wars and Rebels animated series where his quest for vengeance continues.

Count Dooku's backstory of Jedi-turned-Sith also does well in fleshing out the lore of the Star Wars universe, and while he may not be as physically intimidating as Maul, he serves as a more calculated, methodical villain who combines supreme intelligence with a mastery of lightsaber combat.

Revenge of the Sith does eventually feature Darth Vader, but General Grievous fills the role of menacing cybernetic monster in the meantime. While none of these baddies quite reach the levels of Vader himself, each of them earn their place in the franchise and are welcome additions to the Star Wars rogues' gallery.