Every Star Wars Film/TV Show RANKED
Well, we have been tempted by the Dark Side of the Force and chose violence today. Pretty much deciding to piss off all Star Wars fans with this ranking! There is a lot of Star Wars media we’ve covered for this ranking and I am still pretty sure we haven’t mentioned everything on this list. This list also caused a lot of frustration and conflict within our own writing team when ranking the franchise. If there is something we missed, please let us know. But until then: enjoy, rage, or cream your pants as to see where we give our ranking of all the Star Wars content, both canonical and otherwise!
S-Tier
Star Wars Episode IX: Duel of the Fates (LEAKED SCRIPT)
This one has a unique status amongst both the Star Wars community and the Film Purgatory inner circle. The script, Duel of the Fates, hasn’t technically been confirmed (as far as I know) to be Colin Tevorrow’s and Derek Connelly’s version of Episode IX before parting ways with Disney and Lucasfilms. I will say, I found this script, read it in a whole 2 hours, and was completely blown away by the mature tone and fulfilling character development. It made much more sense than The Rise of Skywalker, but more on that later. The fan service that could’ve been, with Luke Skywalker holding the blade of a lightsaber as a force ghost, more intimidating Knights of Ren, and more complete arcs for Kylo Ren, Rey, and Finn (both Rey and Finn were nerfed, but Finn especially). It truly brought a tear to my eye. It’s just a shame we never got to see it on the big screen!
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
This one should be obvious. One of the most beloved sequels of all time, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back expands upon the original film in many ways. The score is amazing, with this film introducing more iconic songs including the de facto theme of the Empire. The characters and plot are a major step up from the original, bringing in a darker tone with the heroes constantly on the backfoot from the Empire’s endless pursuit. Han Solo and Princess Leia have great and believable romantic chemistry and are entertaining to watch. Meanwhile, Luke continues his journey with the great muppet Yoda, giving us more of the spirituality of the force and makes it compelling and interesting to witness. So many iconic moments are dotted throughout the film, from the opening battle on Hoth to the Dark side cave on Dagobah. The third act proves to be one of if not the best third acts in the series, showing so many emotions in such a short time and delivering more great moments throughout, as well as the reveal that changes the course of the whole franchise. Combined with great action, production design, cinematography, and acting, The Empire Strikes Back easily makes the S-tier of this list.
Star Wars: Rebels
I’ve been told by my colleagues that putting Star Wars: Rebels in the S-Tier is an extremely controversial rank. Come at me if you disagree, I will defend Rebels with my dying breath. It may be meant for younger audiences, but its writing is incredibly strong with the force. So strong in fact that I, a 20-something college student, can watch it on repeat and still enjoy it with all my heart. Its strong writing is also complimented by its colorful cast of misfits and incredible antagonists. Giving us some of the best villains in all of Star Wars; from The Grand Inquisitor to Darth Vader to the menace himself, Grand Admiral Thrawn. Rebels also managed to deepen Star Wars lore as well, bringing in the Sith planet Malachor, the force-wielder Bendu, The World Between Worlds story arc, and deepening the legend to the Mandalorian Darksaber. Rebels may have been marketed to young kids, but it perfectly mixes the tone of the original trilogy with mature themes everyone can relate to.
Andor
You cannot get a much darker look at Star Wars than with Andor. The acknowledgement of the gray area in between the rebellion and empire’s versions of peace is a compelling watch. Not to mention how well acted all the characters are. You really have to give the writing team credit as they managed to create morally gray characters that are capable of standing on their own without help but can function as a unit when need be. Cassian Andor is remarkable as he becomes the rebel spy we grew to love in Rogue One, the action and visuals are stellar as well. But the dialogue can be downright bone chilling and inspiring. Having 3 separate occasions where the words intimidated more than a blaster or lightsaber! This really has me excited for Season 2!
A-Tier
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Unlike the bombastic and homage to the Original Trilogy that was The Force Awakens, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story took a far different approach, focusing on a smaller, yet grittier story. The film is simple enough: it explores how the Rebel Alliance got ahold of the Death Star plans. However, what doesn’t get addressed enough is the sacrifice made in order to get those plans. The Rogue One squad isn’t your typical run-of-the-mill special forces , but rather ordinary people and experienced soldiers who fought for a cause. Not to mention that every character in the squad feels distinctly different from one another, with K2SO’s sarcastic nature, Cassian Andor being the focused soldier, and who can forget Donnie Yen as the blind badass Chirrut Imwe?
And of course, I can’t mention Rogue One without mentioning one of the most epic scenes in Star Wars history: the Darth Vader hallway slaughter. But besides these epic moments, to me, Rogue One truly puts the war in Star Wars. From the battle cry “For Jedda!” to the impact felt by the Empire’s shadow, Rogue One never shies away from the grittier aspects of war and terror, something that’s sorely missing in Star Wars. With a smaller yet more focused story, memorable cast and darker direction, Rogue One does what not many Star Wars films do.
Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi
Arguably the most divisive Star Wars film that has been released, The Last Jedi served as the follow-up to J.J. Abrams’ The Force Awakens. Fans complained that The Force Awakens relied too heavily on nostalgia and demanded that its sequel do something different. Disney followed up with The Last Jedi, with Rian Johnson replacing J.J. Abrams. What followed was pure pandemonium, with critics praising The Last Jedi’s ambition, while hardcore fans absolutely despised it for the treatment it gave to Luke Skywalker and Supreme Leader Snoke. Many claimed that Luke in the film acted out of character compared to his younger self and that the story written by Rian Johnson, most famous for his films Looper and Knives Out, took a shit on the legacy George Lucas created.
But truth be told, most of these complaints were largely bullshit. Luke is 30 years older and is bound to change as a person. Not to mention that he regretted trying to kill Ben Solo and went into self imposed exile because of it. I can’t help but commend Rian Johnson for taking these narrative risks to add complexity to the sequel trilogy, even if they don’t all pan out. The lightsaber battles are great, the battle sequences are epic and the film wears its dire tone and heart on its sleeve. Making for arguably one of the best in the franchise.
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
The third installment of the Prequel Trilogy and fan favorite, Revenge of the Sith is often considered the darkest Star Wars film. And boy does it show, with fans seeing Anakin burn to a crisp in addition to the presence of brutal mutilation and death. But what surprised me and many other fans is the portrayal and evolution of Anakin. Gone were the days of the bratty young man who was awkward around Padme, and in his place is a seasoned war veteran. But if there’s one aspect of Anakin that remained, it would be his strong attachment to his loved ones, in particular Padme. And unfortunately, it is ultimately his love for her and fear of losing her that drove him to the dark side.
Cinematically, this is perhaps my favorite of the bunch. While George Lucas’s over-reliance on CGI was a bit much at times in both The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones, it blends particularly well in Revenge of the Sith. My favorite example is General Grievous. He looked so real that he actually could’ve been present while fighting Obi Wan! The only downside I can really think of is that the middle part of the film does drag a bit. However, it never truly feels boring. Even the silent scenes are masterfully shot and acted, especially any scene involving Hayden Christensen. While Hayden’s acting in the prequels has been questionable, his facial acting is perhaps one of the strongest elements throughout the entire Prequel Trilogy! With a strong story about the fall of a hero in addition to well-choreographed lightsaber duels and an epic score by John Williams, Revenge of the Sith belongs with some of the best.
The Mandalorian
This was one of the most unexpected creations to happen to Star Wars and also single handedly saved the franchise from itself, after the controversy surrounding The Last Jedi. Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni came together and created a pop culture phenomenon with The Mandalorian. They managed to tell a compelling story with enriching lore to the Mandalorian culture, along with a cool protagonist, adorable sidekick, and sinister antagonist (played by none other than Giancarlo Esposito). The first season was a strong start, but season 2 managed to double down on all the aspects that made The Mandalorian epic and was capable of elegant world building to the Star Wars Universe. Even though it was safe to say the third season was not as great as season 2 it was still fantastic, I can’t wait to see what Season 4 brings, along with the rest of the extended Mandalorian Universe as it expands.
Star Wars: Visions
Lucasfilms definitely took a huge risk with Star Wars: Visions as it is their first mainstream foray into the anime genre. It works as both a welcome to newcomers for anime and caters to the anime fans as well. I will admit that not every episode is good, but that is only about 1 or 2 of them. Most of the episodes tell their own story with their own unique style, without retreading any sort of formula. Not only that but it acts far more mature than you’d expect. Hell, the first episode of Visions is far better than most of the Skywalker Saga! Let’s see how much variety Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 brings!
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008-2020)
While it didn’t have the strongest of starts with a sluggish first season along with not so great visuals. Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series only got better as each season progressed, both in terms of storytelling and animation; along with making one of the most maligned characters at the time, Ahsoka Tano, become a beloved fan favorite. They even gave more depth to one of the coolest characters in all of Star Wars, Darth Maul, and gave him the proper development he deserved. The toughest thing this show managed to do was create a diverse cast of characters that were made up almost completely of clones. Characters like Rex, Fives, Heavy, and Cody all have distinct personalities to tell them apart even though they are all identical, again a testament to the writing. Overall, The Clone Wars has been dubbed the crown jewel of Star Wars for a long time and it is easy to see why, with its diverse cast of colorful characters, mature storytelling, and breathtaking animation.
B-Tier
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
The one that started it all, A New Hope is very much a traditional hero’s journey. What makes it not typical is how well done it is. From the effects, production design, cinematography, and music (especially the music), every aspect works strongly to give a great experience. The characters are good for a first outing and they are all charming and likable with sturdy arcs for several characters. Alec Guinness is great as Obi-Wan along with Peter Cushing as Moff Tarkin and the young Ford, Fisher and Hamill give good performances as well. Rounding the cast, James Earl Jones gives his voice in the defining role of his career. The film basically does everything it can do well and makes a strong launching point for the franchise. Its only real failings are in its simplicity and its varying levels of quality for its dialogue. For a film with a brutal production behind it, the film turned out to be something truly great.
Tales of the Jedi
If there’s a show that I expected, it would be an anthology series based on the Jedi, mostly Count Dooku and Ahsoka Tano. While both characters were met with relatively cool reception, they evolved into fan favorites over time. And although Ahsoka had her moment to shine in The Clone Wars, Rebels and The Mandalorian, that couldn’t really be said about Dooku. However, in Tales of the Jedi, not only do we see the Count in his Jedi heyday, but we also get a glimpse on how Sidious corrupted him to the Dark Side in a way that eerily mirrored Anakin’s corruption. This is probably the best part about the series, as it is very compelling to witness Dooku fall from grace, as well as see his relationship with Qui-Gon and Mace. The Ahsoka episodes are good, showing us some good moments with her, but Dooku is the real highlight of the show. The show is very short, at only six episodes less than ten minutes each, and it honestly makes me want to see more Jedi get the spotlight in potential future seasons.
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
The first end to the franchise, Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi closes the original trilogy with a bang with one of the franchises strongest third acts. The climax is exciting, fun, dramatic and memorable. From the space battle, to the fight on the moon of Endor and especially Luke’s struggle on the Death Star. In fact, anything involving Luke and Vader in this film is some of the best Star Wars content out there. It is well written, acted, directed and hits with the emotional impact of a wrecking ball. The final Lightsaber duel between the two is also one of the series best and is the most emotional fight in the franchise. The stunts are action-packed, from the fight on Jabba’s desert flotilla to the speeder chase on Endor. Along with this, the effects, acting, directing and once again, the music just pulls at your heartstrings.
However the film is far from perfect. The first act at Jabba’s palace while having a great ending, drags for a little too long. The same with the second act on Endor. The film also has an issue with tone, flipping from being a whimsical adventure, to being dark as hell. This can be best shown in the short scene involving an Ewok trying to wake up his dead friend which is one of the franchises’ most bizarre moments. It feels like the tone of Episode V was fighting with the adventure tone of Episode IV for dominance and this is the result. Also because someone will ask, the Ewoks don’t suck but honestly aren’t anything special either, they are a net neutral for the film. The film is overall a good outing and a strong end for the original trilogy.
The Book of Boba Fett
This show gets a lot more hate than it truly deserves. It gives us the long awaited spinoff of Boba Fett, one of the most badass bounty hunters in the Star Wars canon and puts him front and center. His re-introduction in The Mandalorian Season 2 was a return to form for the character and helming his own show is no different. Temuera Morrison is exceptional as Boba Fett and manages to maintain a powerful charisma throughout the show. There is the unfortunate backdraw of the studio having a lack of faith in the show itself. Mostly because the best two episodes don’t feature Boba Fett and more of the Mandalorian, Grogu, Luke Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, etc. That was really depressing and hurt the overall quality of the series in my opinion. At least, the finale found its footing again with an epic battle on Tatooine along with the live action debut of Cad Bane! I hope Season 2 gets greenlit, I want to see more of Boba Fett as a mob boss.
Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003)
Made by Genndy Tartakovsky of Samurai Jack fame, Star Wars: Clone Wars is one of the most quietly important entries into the franchise, its success leading to its more well known 2008 sibling to be created which would lead to many other shows later on. Set between episodes 2 and 3, the show follows the titular Clone Wars as they escalate further and further. The show was released in three seasons, the first two being collectively known as volume one and the third being volume two. The episodes in volume one were two to three minutes each while volume two’s episodes were 12 minutes long. Collectively the series takes around two hours to fully see and it is well worth the watch.
Its strengths are obvious from the start with the animation being the most kinetic of the animated Star Wars shows. The stylization also makes the show one of the most visually impressive works in the franchise. There is little dialogue in volume one and while volume two has more, it is still kept to a minimum, making this the most visual entry in the franchise. Despite this the writing is top notch, arguably better than the entire prequel trilogy. The character work is sparse, but what is there is well done. The action is spectacular, each scene being memorable to watch. From Mace Windu on Dantooine where he fights droids Bare Handed to the fight between Anakin and Asajj Ventress on Yavin 4 to the efficient ARC troopers led by the forgotten Captain Fordo, the beta Captain Rex, to the battle of Coruscant and the only real depiction of Papaltine’s kidnapping which leads directly into Revenge of the Sith. The heroes and villains alike get their moments to shine. One of the most notable examples of this is General Grievous, who in this show is genuinely intimidating and efficient at his task of killing Jedi. His portrayal is so good that many find it superior to his portrayal in the rest of the franchise. Overall while the show isn’t too in depth in story, it more than makes up for it in everything else it does. From the great action to the spectacular visuals Clone Wars is a great show that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch
Just a disclaimer, but I haven’t seen season 2 yet, but I have seen all of season 1 and that is the most anyone here has seen, so you’re stuck with me. Our bad. Anyways, The Bad Batch is a good show. If you doubted Dee Bradley Baker as a great voice actor, then this show should serve as proof, with him voicing four of the five main leads along with a main antagonist and every clone in the show. And he manages to make each one feel like completely different characters. The titular bad batch are a fun group of characters who are all distinct with their own personalities, fighting styles and voices. The only lead not voiced by baker, Omega, is likable and acts as a good heart of the group. The best character however is Crosshair, bringing an interesting but sympathetic villain who has more agency than expected and a great dynamic with the leads, as well as the most development of the whole cast.
The show’s main weakness is probably how formulaic it gets and how the Batch themselves lack much development. Omega has the most development during the series, while Hunter develops at the start and end of the season but is mostly static during the season. While Wrecker has a little bit of an arc, it doesn’t change him much and the remaining members are mostly static, especially Echo. Overall The Bad Batch is a fun show that while not amazing, is still a worthwhile show. Now I should definitely get to season 2, which will hopefully continue to improve the show.
C-Tier
Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)
Many fans were begging Disney to release an Obi-Wan Kenobi led project since Ewan McGregor hung up the lightsaber after Revenge of the Sith. It took almost 20 years but we got it and it was…good. I can’t say I have a lot of complaints about this series as I set my expectations too high and the fandom toxicity surrounding the project really soured my experience as a whole. But there is still a lot of love about it. Ewan McGregor in particular is glorious as Obi-Wan along with the return of Hayden Christensen as Anakin/Darth Vader. Seriously, Hayden got much better writing to work with as it was a lot of fun to see him as The Chosen One, and tragic when he came around as Vader.
Plus, the fights in this are great! The finale itself is basically two force wielders going God Mode on each other. Especially seeing Vader be an absolute menace in Episode 3 and onward. I also have to mention how absolutely disrespectful he is to Reva with their duel in Episode 5, mopping the floor with her. Another thing, Moses Ingram doesn’t give a terrible performance as Reva in Obi-Wan Kenobi, her development was better in later episodes than the first one. It isn’t what many fans “wanted”, I guess, but it is what we got and I will enjoy it and be grateful.
Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens
After 10 years of anxiously waiting for another trilogy and Lucasfilm being bought out by Disney, they gave us another Star Wars film. It gave us a brand new diverse cast of lovable characters like Rey, Finn, Kylo Ren and Poe along with bringing back the legacy characters like Leia Organa and Han Solo. The biggest problem with it though is that it is a carbon copy of A New Hope. Like down to the smallest detail, with Starkiller Base being the new Death Star and their plan to destroy it being the exact same as well. I do enjoy this film as the lightsaber battles are great and the characters are memorable, it is just a shame they played it too safe with the story.
Solo: A Star Wars Story
While being a fun and escapist adventure film, there are a few things this film suffers from, both are a cliched and predictable plot and an unfortunate boring lead. Which is even sadder considering that Han Solo was the title character. The supporting cast is far more charismatic and memorable, especially Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian, Emilia Clarke as Qi’ra, and of course Chewbacca. The action sequences are also quite memorable, with the initial train heist and The Kessel Run being prime examples, along with a well crafted fan service cameo from Darth Maul. Solo had the capabilities to be a great spinoff, it just got lost under the weight of mediocrity and an inability to take true risks.
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
One of the most hyped up films in the series, Phantom Menace is infamous for not being that good. And decades later, the film doesn’t really get better. The story is not very exciting, and the politics is not even the reason why. The dialogue and writing in general is of low quality, with most of the characters being flat in personality and mostly not being memorable. Did anyone even notice that Captain Panaka doesn’t show up for the remaining films, or even know who Sabe is without looking it up. Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor are great actors playing interesting characters but they honestly aren’t too impressive performance wise, despite having great stage presence. While the villains are memorable, they also have problems from the probably unintentional stereotyped accent of Nute Gunray, to Darth Maul lacking in dialogue and dying too soon. Everyone talked about Jar Jar and young Anakin Skywalker but it is little in comparison to the directing, which is severely lacking.
The effects are really good for the time, but have not aged well. This really hurts the film considering how much emphasis is placed on them through the following two films would fall in this trap much harder than this film. The sets are still really well made and the music continues to be some high tier music in film, with Dual of the Fates being one of the franchise’s most remembered songs. The final lightsaber fight remains one of the film’s highlights from the previously mentioned music, too the stunt work of Ray Park as Darth Maul and the choreography in general. The film is overall a great spectacle, but it unfortunately skips out on substance behind the spectacle that would make this film truly great.
D-Tier
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)
So most probably forgot this one existed, but here it is, the lowest grossing Star Wars film. The Clone Wars Movie is very run of the mill in terms of plot, being about Jabba the Hutt’s son being kidnapped in a scheme to secure trade routes. The film is however very disjointed, starting with an unrelated battle that could be cut or trimmed from the plot and little would be lost. Really it just feels like an episode of a TV show…. Which it is. George Lucas saw some footage of the early episodes of the then upcoming Star Wars: The Clone Wars series and thought up the idea of them being a film. So the episodes were woven into a film. With that being known, a lot about the film sort of clicks. Not in a way that makes it really good, but in a way that its existence makes sense.
So the plot is basic and bare bones. The biggest twist is probably Padme showing up two thirds of the way through to investigate a new character introduced in the back half of the film who is also the guy who helped cause the whole issue. This just happens without any real hints or foreshadowing. This doesn’t even get into the real issue of the plot basically being a set of TV episodes spliced together. Actually that is basically the issue with the film, it just isn’t one. It was not made to be a film, it was made to be a TV show. On the merits of a TV show it isn’t that bad. Some of the dialogue is humorous, especially from Obi-Wan and his dynamic with Anakin is fun to watch. The action and music are fine, nothing that wouldn’t be in the actual show. Really this film could probably be interchanged with Phantom Menace on this list and the point would be the same. Ultimately The Clone Wars Movie is just 1st season Clone Wars only as a film. It isn’t insulting, not that memorable.
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Attack of the Clones should have been more exciting than it actually was. It is a mystery thriller with many interesting set pieces and a climax with a large group of Jedi that is the start of a full scale war. The film also shows Anakin’s problems that will lead him to the dark side, as well as his relationship with Padme. In theory this film should be exciting and interesting. But the film just drops the ball on so much. The writing is just bad from the mystery plot being a complete mess that barely makes sense (one of us would say it makes no sense) without several leaps of faith. Then there’s the infamous romantic dialogue that sounds like an overly pretentious person who never had a romance in their life trying to write fake Shakespeare for Romeo and Juliet 2: Electric Boogaloo. Anakin gets done dirty by the writing and dialogue the most, where the petulant teenager part is played way too effectively that it outshines almost everything else. The only thing it doesn’t outshine is his creepiness in romance along with all of the red flags that he casually drops to his would-be partner, and that is before his evil moment where he slaughters a village of Tusken Raiders. By the time he and Padme actually get together, it leaves the viewer wondering why they are together rather than being a satisfying payoff to a film’s worth of buildup.
The effects are good for the time, but like Phantom Menace, the effects don’t fully hold up. The overuse of CG backgrounds are at the worst in this film with a third of the film clearly having been shot with the actors in front of a greenscreen making everything feel a lot less real, something that is a flaw of the prequels in specific. The world feels sterile rather than lived in and the actors sometimes feel somewhat lost when interacting with the CG characters. While John Williams once again delivers an amazing and heartfelt score, it isn’t enough to save the film. Not even Cristopher Lee as the villain helps this film out with his decent performance. The acting in general shows a lot of potential, especially with Hayden Christensen who does a great job when he emotes. But once again the bad writing and lazy direction rear their heads and leave us with performances that are subpar at best. The film in general has a lot of great ideas but ultimately a lousy execution that ruins the film as a whole, leaving us with one of the worst entries in the series.
Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker
Oh boy, if there was ever a time Star Wars fumbled the bag, this would be the prime example. Yes, some of the others listed this low, either have an extremely convoluted plot or irritating dialogue, but Rise of Skywalker really is the worst of both worlds. Being extremely bland and relying solely on nostalgia after the horrendous fan reception for The Last Jedi. This is no fault of director J.J. Abrams, but rather Disney and Lucasfilms for screwing over basically everyone for reacting the way they did to the Toxic Star Wars Fans. The Force Awakens may have played it too safe and The Last Jedi, to say politely, wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But to rely solely on fan service to make the film work was idiotic and shortsighted.
The fan service, while great in moments, never served the bigger story that much. Along with the backtracking in story from making Rey and nobody to making her a Palpatine. Don’t get me started on the eye-rolling epilogue of “Rey Skywalker” The only moments I’d say made Episode IX worth the price of admission would be Rey and Kylo Ren’s duel on the remains of the 2nd Death Star and the voices of the Jedi in the climax. I was never disappointed in Star Wars until this film. I hope Daisy Ridley and Rey get redemption in her newly announced upcoming Star Wars projects.
F-Tier
The Star Wars Holiday Special
We don’t have to explain why The Star Wars Holiday Special is this low on the ranking. Just look at that mug.
