The year 2002 was a belter when it came to big Hollywood blockbusters. There was the release of the first Spider-Man movie, with Sam Raimi's trilogy getting off to a successful start. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers both released as well.
And then there was also Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, the second act of George Lucas' prequel trilogy. Though divisive, it certainly introduced many memorable characters, and it's a classic amongst the franchise's roster.
Boba Fett
Fans of the original trilogy and The Mandalorian know all about Boba Fett. He's a Bounty Hunter, one of the toughest in the entire galaxy, somebody who won't think twice before firing a gun or unloading cannons on his enemies. However, for Attack of the Clones, Lucas made the decision to introduce a younger version of the sharpshooter.
It's a wise move because it gives Boba more depth as a character, showing he was bloodthirsty right from the off. It also explains why he would work with the Empire, having been crushed when Mace Windu slaughters his father Jango Fett on the planet of Geonosis. Even as a child, he was always ready for battle.
C3-PO
Humor can be tricky in Star Wars, as Lucas found out when The Phantom Menace hit theatres back in the summer of 1999. In that film, he used Jar Jar Binks to make audiences laugh. But, for the second act of the trilogy, he cut Jar Jar's screen time down.
Instead, it was C3-PO who was used to prompt giggling. And this decision paid off, with the loveable albeit slightly irritating droid failing to disappoint. It's hilarious seeing him board a spaceship for the first time, while it's also enjoyable when his head is accidentally placed onto a battle droid's body.
Palpatine
In the first movie of the prequel trilogy, Palpatine operates in the shadows. He puts a good show on in public but, behind the scenes, he's beginning to orchestrate the downfall of the Jedi Order. And things are cracked up several notches for the next movie in the series.
The Sith Lord manages to get the emergency powers he wants to rage war which, of course, is all part of his plan. Its also ominous when he says 'everything is proceeding as I have foreseen' at the end, which paves the way for Anakin Skywalker's transformation into Darth Vader in Revenge of the Sith. He spends most of the film grooming the young Jedi, too, which only enhances his role.
Count Dooku
One complaint fans had with The Phantom Menace was the decision to kill off Darth Maul. Though he was later resurrected in The Clone Wars, his demise meant Lucas needed another villain to pose a threat and up the stakes. And, in Christopher Lee's Count Dooku, he acquires it.
Dooku isn't as intriguing as Maul, but his backstory of being a fallen Jedi makes him the perfect reflection of what would happen to Anakin further down the line. He's a capable fighter, holding his own against Anakin, Yoda, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, and his escape suggested another fine showing lied in wait. Ultimately that didn't happen, with Lee's character killed off early into Revenge of the Sith.
Mace Windu
Samuel L. Jackson is a pretty confident actor. When he was shooting Attack of the Clones, Lucas asked him what color lightsaber he wanted between blue and green. And Jackson, being the charismatic fellow he is, decided to propose the color purple instead.
And it's awesome seeing Mace Windu wield the blade in that movie. He's a sensational fighter, beheading Jango Fett and helping Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Padme Amidala escape certain death. Without him, the heroes of the galaxy would have been mauled by the Geonosian creatures - therefore depriving fans of the chance to see them in the next part.
Yoda
Yoda, during the events of the original trilogy, has lost his mind after spending so many years in isolation on the planet of Dagobah. For the prequels, however, Lucas decided to show a far more normalized version of the character.
This pays off, with Yoda living up to his reputation as one of the strongest Jedi in the galaxy. He provides words of wisdom to Obi-Wan, mentors young Jedi Knights, and even engages Count Dooku in a fiery lightsaber duel. This was certainly a case of a creature operating at the very peak of his powers.
Padme Amidala
Strong female protagonists are always great, offering much variety to how things used to be. And Natalie Portman's Padme Amidala was just as heroic, courageous, and combative as Princess Leia before her.
Padme is more than a match for Anakin, with the two bouncing off each other - especially when they're stuck together on planets such as Naboo and Tatooine. She also holds her own on Geonosis, being the first of the three main heroes to navigate her escape. And her marriage to Anakin at the end of the movie shows she's not one to always obey the rules - making her automatically more admirable as a result.
Jango Fett
Regarding Boba Fett, one complaint fans had with the character during the original trilogy was his lack of action. Sure, he helps escort Han Solo to Jabba the Hutt during The Empire Strikes Back. But he dies far too easily in Return of the Jedi and, until The Mandalorian, was something of a joke within the fandom.
The same doesn't apply to Jango Fett, however. He's a brilliant soldier, coming close to killing Padme Amidala and Obi-Wan Kenobi. He oozes villainy, pressing ahead with his dastardly schemes over the course of the movie. And his death at the hands of Mace Windu is a major shame because it deprives fans of the chance to see him in action again. At least, for the time being...
Anakin Skywalker
Question the dialogue, sure. But Hayden Christensen's Anakin Skywalker became a poster boy for many young people after Attack of the Clones, perfectly portraying a conflicted Jedi on the slide towards the dark side.
Christensen shows Anakin at his ferocious best, such as when he fights Count Dooku and heroically goes after Zam Wessel during the early embers of the movie. And he does a good job at foreshadowing the character's transformation, too, especially when he cuts down the Sand People. Most of the stick he got was undeserved and it'll be great to see him reprise his role when Kenobi releases next year.
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Ewan McGregor did a good job as Obi-Wan Kenobi during The Phantom Menace. But, in Attack of the Clones, he's the star of the show. He's stellar as a condescending Jedi Master to Anakin Skywalker, regularly putting his apprentice down and being stern towards the youngster.
He also shows why he's so highly-regarded, taking part in the fight on Geonosis. And he provided some pretty good meme content, too, so that's always a bonus.