- Photo:
- Star Wars: Rebels
- Disney XD
The Most Interesting Star Wars Species, Ranked By Die-Hard Fans
Copy link
Ever since audiences saw Star Wars (retroactively renamed Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope) for the first time in 1977, they've seen many incredible, creative characters and destinations in a galaxy far, far away. The most interesting Star Wars species have been protagonists of every important battle, revolution, and story in the universe, deciding the destiny of planets and civilizations along the way.
One of the franchise's strengths is how every species has its own philosophical and biological facts and attributes, with its own heroes and villains, worries for survival, and way of life. Even so, the most advanced races must be aware of other powerful creatures in the galaxy that will kill them instantly, creating a unique ecosystem.
Are you a fan of lifeforms that look cute and cuddly? Green reptilian creatures with slow draws in a gun duel? Slug aliens with an eye for crime and perversion? Sit in a cantina, order a few blue milk shots, listen to the band, and rank some of the most interesting species in the whole galaxy.
- 183 VOTES
Whatever Yoda Is
- Photo:
- Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
- 20th Century Fox
Planet Of Origin: Unknown
Standout Characters: Yoda, Grogu, Yaddle
Defining Traits: The planet and origin of this species is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma - with a unique speech pattern. They are small, have green skin, large eyes, large pointy ears, and age very slowly. Only three known members of this species exist in the galaxy, and all three are Force-sensitive and very powerful.
Most Memorable Appearance: Yoda and Grogu are such charismatic characters that each of their appearances is memorable. Their biggest highlights are Yoda battling Darth Sidious in the Galactic Senate and Grogu’s training with Luke Skywalker, an homage to when Yoda trained Luke.
- Photo:
- 273 VOTES
Zabrak
- Photo:
- Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
- 20th Century Fox
Planet Of Origin: Iridonia and a Colony in Dathomir
Standout Character: Darth Maul
Defining Traits: Human-like appearance but with horns, two hearts, numerous tattoos on face and body, very independent, and fierce warriors.
Most Memorable Appearance: One of the best prequel characters, Darth Maul, proved being a Sith could be very cool, especially when wielding a double-bladed lightsaber. He killed Qui-Gon Jinn and survived being severed in half at the waist by Obi-Wan Kenobi to keep creating chaos and death for many more years.
- Photo:
- 380 VOTES
Wookiee
- Photo:
- Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope
- 20th Century Fox
Planet Of Origin: Kashyyyk
Standout Characters: Chewbacca, Tarfful
Defining Traits: They’re tall, hairy bipeds whose speech is almost all grunts. They’re also very strong (much more than humans), intelligent, good with technology, sore game losers, loyal, and brave.
Most Memorable Appearance: The Resistance wouldn’t have defeated the Empire without everyone's Wookiee bestie, and it still stinks that he didn’t get a medal after the Battle of Yavin. Among his memorable moments was when he almost choked Lando Calrissian to death after the latter's betrayal, saving Han Solo in the process.
- Photo:
- 474 VOTES
Togruta
- Photo:
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars
- Lucasfilm
Planet Of Origin: Shili
Standout Characters: Ahsoka Tano, Shaak Ti
Defining Traits: Colorfully pigmented skin, large horns called montrals connected to three head tails called lekku (similar to the Twi’lek). The species is also quite Force-sensitive and courageous, making them optimal recruits for the Jedi, even if their passion for battle doesn’t bode well with the Jedi's more pacific ideals.
Most Memorable Appearance: Ahsoka is a fan favorite who battles and holds her own against Darth Vader, who used to be her Master, Anakin Skywalker, before he went to the Dark Side. She even slashes her ex-mentor's helmet, showing how little is left of her former friend.
- Photo:
- 558 VOTES
Nautolan
- Photo:
- Star Wars: Rebels
- Disney XD
Planet Of Origin: Glee Anselm
Standout Characters: Kit Fisto, Nakano Lash
Defining Traits: An amphibious species that can breathe on land and in water, they have green skin, big black eyes, and tentacles that allow them to understand other beings' emotional states.
Most Memorable Appearance: Kit Fisto was a Jedi Council member and also one of their best with a lightsaber. Even so, he perished fighting against Palpatine in the same battle that ended Mace Windu’s life.
- Photo:
- 660 VOTES
Kaminoan
- Photo:
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars
- Lucasfilm
Planet Of Origin: Kamino
Standout Character: Nala Se
Defining Traits: Tall, slender, elegant humanoids with large eyes and oblong heads atop their long necks. They’re also intelligent and technologically advanced. (According to George Lucas, longtime director of the Star Wars films, “the Kamino design was a very deliberate nod to the classic alien of Close Encounters.”)
Most Memorable Appearance: If you need clones, the Kaminoans are your first and only call, so their most infamous appearance might be when they created the Republic clone troopers - the ones with the Order-66 biochip that made them eliminate most of the Jedi. Without the Kaminoans' smarts and clone-creating tech, there might have been peace a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.
- Photo:
- 769 VOTES
Twi’lek
- Photo:
- Star Wars: Rebels
- Disney XD
Planet Of Origin: Ryloth
Standout Characters: Hera Syndulla, Bib Fortuna
Defining Traits: Their brightly colored skin comes in almost all colors. They also have two “tails” - called lekku - hanging from the back of their heads, which they use for communication and brain functions. The galaxy apparently has the hots for their females, which sadly means many female Twi’lek have been sold as slaves.
Most Memorable Appearance: Hera Syndulla is among the race's most famous members, and deservedly so. A pilot and Rebellion leader, she created the found family of her ship, the Ghost, one of the biggest thorns in the Empire's side. She also secured Chopper Base, a rebel base from which to attack the Empire.
- Photo:
- 858 VOTES
Chiss
- Photo:
- Star Wars Rebels
- Disney XD
Planet Of Origin: Csilla
Standout Character: Grand Admiral Thrawn
Defining Traits: Humanoid species with blue skin, red eyes, and dark blue hair. There’s not much known about them, as they used to be an almost mythical species in the Unknown Regions who don’t care what happens in the rest of the galaxy. They are intelligent, powerful, and conniving.
Most Memorable Appearance: Grand Admiral Thrawn - a brilliant military strategist, art collector, and coldly calculating man - is solid proof the Chiss exist. When he was sent to another galaxy by Ezra Bridger and disappeared for years, the Empire failed. Coincidence? Probably not.
- Photo:
- 956 VOTES
- Photo:
- Ewoks
- ABC
Planet Of Origin: Endor
Standout Characters: Wicket W. Warrick, Chief Chirpa
Defining Traits: Small, cute, teddy bear-like creatures with primitive armament but fierce - they eat their opponents after a battle. The Ewoks are the Phish of the galaxy; you either love them or hate them, with no in-between.
Most Memorable Appearance: Some people love to ridicule Ewoks, yet they were a game-changer in the Battle of Endor and helped the Rebel Alliance destroy a second Death Star in Return of the Jedi. They also know how to celebrate a win, even if creating musical instruments from severed Imperial heads might be going a bit too far.
- Photo:
- 1048 VOTES
Duros
- Photo:
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars
- Lucasfilm
Planet Of Origin: Duro
Standout Character: Cad Bane
Defining Traits: A humanoid species with blue skin, red eyes, and no lips or nose, they’re among the most alien-looking creatures in the galaxy. This colonial race is all over the galaxy, including in a Tatooine cantina with unique music.
Most Memorable Appearance: Bounty hunter Cad Bane might be the coolest Duro of them all, shooting first and asking questions later. Every scene he’s in becomes a Sergio Leone film, as he dresses like a spaghetti Western character - but with better tech. He even stole a holocron from a Jedi temple, avoiding Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, and survived to tell the tale.
- Photo:
- 1161 VOTES
Tusken Raider (Sand People)
- Photo:
- Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
- 20th Century Fox
Planet Of Origin: Tatooine
Standout Character: URoRRuR’R’R
Defining Traits: Also known as Sand People, members of this race are tall and dress in robes and rough wrappings to protect them from the heat. They’re fierce, aggressive raiders who will kill anyone near their territory, using both rifles and gaderffii sticks.
Most Memorable Appearance: Tusken Raiders killed Anakin Skywalker's mother, starting his descent into the dark side. If she had never met them, the galaxy would’ve been a much safer and happier place, with fewer rebellions and more pod races.
- Photo:
- 1256 VOTES
Hutt
- Photo:
- Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
- 20th Century Fox
Planet Of Origin: Nal Huta
Standout Characters: Jabba, Zero
Defining Traits: These giant slug creatures love credits and power over anything else. This mobster species is like the Corleones of the galaxy, as every illegal thing happening has Hutts' sticky imprint all over it - so much so that even the Empire prefers to look the other way than mess with them.
Most Memorable Appearance: Jabba the Hutt is the biggest, ugliest, scariest criminal boss in Tatooine, and he alone almost did what the Empire couldn’t: kill Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia. The latter took her revenge, but for a moment, the whole world was an oyster for perverse, vicious Hutt.
- Photo:
- 1352 VOTES
Rodian
- Photo:
- Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
- 20th Century Fox
Planet Of Origin: Rodia
Standout Characters: Greedo, Bolla Ropal
Defining Traits: Green-skinned, reptilian humanoids with large eyes (of various colors but with no pupils) and two head antennae. Although most of them are good characters and even Jedi, some Rodians are bounty hunters, even if they never shoot first.
Most Memorable Appearance: A cantina. Two individuals exchange some menacing words. Someone shoots first, and someone dies. Unfortunately for Rodia, Greedo wasn't quick enough with his gun to be a good bounty hunter, perishing because Han Solo shot first.
- Photo:
- 1460 VOTES
Human
- Photo:
- Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
- 20th Century Fox
Planet Of Origin: All over the galaxy
Standout Characters: Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Rey, Finn, Poe Dameron
Defining Traits: One of the most extended races in Star Wars lore, many Force-sensitive humans fill the ranks of both Jedi and Sith. It’s a diverse race that has done both the best and worst things to the galaxy. Humans can be intelligent yet treacherous, empathic yet cruel, honorable yet greedy.
Most Memorable Appearance: Most Star Wars adventures have a human at their center, so there’s a lot to pick from. Luke Skywalker destroying the Death Star might be one of the best moments.
- Photo:
- 1564 VOTES
Gungan
- Photo:
- Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
- 20th Century Fox
Planet Of Origin: Naboo
Standout Character: Jar Jar Binks
Defining Traits: An amphibious species that can live underwater and on land, Gungans are tall and lanky with lizard-like heads, snail-like eyes, and a speech pattern that can get on other species' nerves. They’re technologically advanced and use biomechanical weapons.
Most Memorable Appearance: This race had the bad luck of being represented by the exasperating Jar Jar Binks, making every fan roll their eyes at him and his people. His best moment was when he negotiated a treaty between the Gungans and Naboo’s Queen Amidala against their common enemy: the Trade Federation and their invasion of the planet.
- Photo:
