There are spoilers ahead!

The parent of all transmedia franchises, Star Wars is an absolute juggernaut of an IP. Yet, no matter how big it gets, at the core of the franchise lies what started it all: the movies. From Episode IV — A New Hope to Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker, these are some of the most popular and influential sci-fi blockbusters ever made. Throughout each of the films, dozens of memorable characters have been introduced; the best go down in history as some of the most iconic images of the genre.

At their worst, though, Star Wars characters can be full of wasted potential. From terrifying villains who never come to anything greater (at least in the films), like Darth Maul, to heroes with lots of room for development that fail in execution, like Mace Windu, there are plenty of characters that the Star Wars movies failed, leaving fans craving more.

10 The Clones

Played by Temuera Morrison

Nowadays, it feels like the image of the Clones is inseparable from the concept of Star Wars. Thanks to novels, video games, and especially shows like The Clone Wars and The Bad Batch, these characters are among the most beloved in the franchise. The iconic appearance and unique personality of each Clone are distinctly recognizable, and their role in the story of the Skywalker Saga is crucial.

Alas, there are a few glaring issues with these crucial players. In their two appearances in the films—Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith—the Clones don't really have much personality, let alone uniqueness. It was the shows and other extended media that placed some Clones among the best characters in the franchise. In the prequels, they are little more than a plot device and lack any genuine role in the story other than being there. As such, in a vacuum, their betrayal doesn't really have much of an emotional impact.

9 Wedge Antilles

Played by Denis Lawson

It's pretty much universally agreed that the Star Wars original trilogy is superior among even the best movie trilogies of all time. As such, the character writing is virtually impeccable all across the board. There are a few noteworthy exceptions, characters who mostly feel like shadows of what they could have been. One such example is Wedge Antilles, played by Scottish actor Denis Lawson (Ewan McGregor's uncle).

The Star Wars novels have turned Wedge into a fan-favorite, a calm and focused starfighter pilot who's among the most loyal servants of the Alliance and Leia Organa. However, none of these traits come across to viewers who only watch the movies. There, Wedge is more of a stock character that just so happens to have a name and shows up relatively often. Those willing to do some reading or watch a few shows will be treated to one of the franchise's most entertaining characters. Those not interested, however, won't really get what all the hype for Wedge Antilles is about.

8 General Grievous

Voiced by Matthew Wood

When General Grievous was introduced to the public in Genndy Tartakovsky's original 2D-animated series Star Wars: Clone Wars (no longer canon), he was a terrifying force of nature that was not to be messed with or underestimated. The cyborg leader of the Separatist Droid Army during the Clone Wars, Grevious was one of the most intriguing elements of one of the most fun eras of Star Wars lore.

When the villain was introduced to the movies in Revenge of the Sith, fans weren't exactly disappointed, but they certainly felt that live-action Grievous didn't live up to his animated counterpart. He wasn't nearly as formidable or tactically brilliant but an imposing brute and a bit of a coward. Unfortunately, this was also one of the few cases where the Cartoon Network's The Clone Wars didn't really improve on a prequel character. Thus, Grievous' legacy is uneven, but at least his introduction will always be an all-timer.

7 Count Dooku

Played by Sir Christopher Lee

The main antagonist of Attack of the Clones and one of the masterminds behind the Clone Wars, Count Dooku is a fallen Jedi who, under the teachings of Darth Sidious, becomes the leader of the Separatists. Mysterious, sinister, and with some kind of valid points, he is a chess master who the Galactic Republic often struggles to keep up with.

However, most of Count Dooku's backstory and interesting personality come from extended universe material, like novels and The Clone Wars. In the movies, though the late legend Sir Christopher Lee brings tons of gravitas to the role, and the Sith master's powers and dueling abilities make him a treat to see in combat, he's not much of a memorable villain. In live-action, he lacks presence, doesn't do very many interesting things, and is disposed of quite easily.

6 Mace Windu

Played by Samuel L. Jackson

Most often, it's villains who are full of wasted potential in Star Wars. However, heroes like Mace Windu are just as tragic cases of not being fully developed by the script. Played by the always-enchanting Samuel L. Jackson, this Jedi Master is one of the most revered members of the Jedi council. One of the very few practitioners of Form VII of lightsaber combat—a very aggressive combat style that made the user prone to tapping into the Dark Side)—he was second in power only to Master Yoda.

Sadly, George Lucas's prequel trilogy never really knew what to do with Windu. In Episode I — The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones, he is mostly just an interesting guy who holds a vital place in the Council. Though he took on a much larger role in Revenge of the Sith, that increase in narrative importance didn't come with much backstory, development, or any significant arc. In the movies, Windu is always cool and intriguing, largely thanks to Jackson's natural flair, but not much more.

5 Supreme Leader Snoke

Played by Andy Serkis

Many things in Disney's Star Wars sequel trilogy are full of wasted potential. However, Supreme Leader Snoke is among the disappointing characters that hurt the most. Introduced in Episode VII — The Force Awakens as a mysterious evil overlord shrouded in a dark mist, Snoke was someone who fans were dying to see more of in subsequent sequels.

In the highly controversial Episode VIII — The Last Jedi, Snoke plays a much larger role, and his presence becomes clearer to spectators. All of a sudden, though, Kylo Ren disposes of him with the ease with which one slices through a stick of butter. This divisive creative decision was derided by many and loved by others. What can't be denied is that it was a bold way of using Snoke as a stepping stone to set up Kylo as the big bad of the trilogy. However, the tragic series of missteps in Rise of Skywalker made Snoke's entire presence entirely pointless. As such, he lives on as one of the franchise's most underwhelming antagonists.

4 Captain Phasma

Played by Gwendoline Christie

Played by the imposing 6'3" Gwendoline Christie in a gorgeous suit of silver stormtrooper armor, Captain Phasma was one of the characters fans were most excited about when they watched the trailer for The Force Awakens. Unfortunately, Star Wars has a history of wasting characters who have an iconic look but not much going on under the surface; such was the case with Phasma.

Generously put, Phasma is a bit of a "nothing" character. She looks great and is sometimes a decent threat against the heroes, but she doesn't have much of a personality or a backstory of any kind. Phasma is the embodiment of a forgotten character, introduced with a bang but disposed of with a fizzle. Although the novel that carries her name adds a lot to the character and retroactively makes her more fun to watch in the films, the films by themselves don't do her any favors.

3 Boba Fett

Voiced by Temuera Morrison

Boba Fett is probably the most iconic Clone in the Star Wars franchise, engineered to age so that he would grow up as Jango Fett's son. After his father's death, Boba became hell-bent on getting revenge against Mace Windu. His plan, of course, doesn't pan out, but his experiences eventually turn him into the most skilled and feared bounty hunter in the galaxy.

All of the character's complexity, however, comes from shows and extended universe material. In his brief appearances in the prequel and original trilogies, Boba looks fantastic thanks to his memorable green armor but doesn't really have much else to offer. He's mysterious and imposing, but that's about where his personality ends. The pathetic way in which he dies in Return of the Jedi is simply the last nail in the coffin. It's a shame because Boba is clearly an interesting character; alas, Star Wars never really knew what to do with him, not even in his spin-off show.

2 Darth Maul

Played by Ray Park

The tragedy of Darth Maul is well-known among Star Wars fans. Thanks to shows like The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels, as well as other extended universe material, he's nowadays remembered as one of the best villains in the franchise. When he was first shown in the trailer for The Phantom Menace, fans certainly expected him to be, to put it mildly, a badass antagonist. However, the result was vastly different.

In Episode I, Maul looks terrifying and fights like a beast, making his duel against Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn one of the most entertaining in the franchise and cementing him as one of the coolest action movie villains of the '90s. However, he's not present in much of the narrative and doesn't have a personality or backstory. The character is killed off before fans can really get to fall in love with him... or so they thought. Though some think that there is far too much of Maul in shows like Clone Wars, the fact is that they are the ones that made him the fan-favorite he is today.

1 Finn

Played by John Boyega