While The Last Jedi is undoubtedly one of the most divisive Star Wars movies, there are some utterly incredible aspects to the film, not least the characters. There are some whose arcs fall by the wayside or who are intertwined in some fairly lackluster storylines, but the best characters in The Last Jedi are some of the greatest in the Skywalker saga.
Characters like Supreme Leader Snoke are arguably hurt by the fact that he ends up being just a puppet of Palpatine. But in the case of this movie alone, even characters whose arcs ended in an arguably unsatisfying manner are able to still shine.
Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo
One of the more divisive characters in The Last Jedi is Vice Admiral Holdo, whose attitude and treatment of Poe, necessarily keeping him and others in the dark, has led her to have many critics.
Nevertheless, Holdo brought a lot to the table in The Last Jedi. As a strong female leader within the series, Holdo helped keep the Resistance alive and is responsible for one of the most gorgeous shots in Star Wars history by way of the Holdo maneuver.
General Armitage Hux
The humor in The Last Jedi can be very hit and miss. A lot of it just does not fit. Hux does have a couple of these moments, but he also provides some great moments of humor throughout the movie.
Hux pulling a gun on an incapacitated Kylo, asking, "Do you think you got him." and even some of his general facial expressions are all hilarious. Hux could be considered one-dimensional compared to some other complex characters, but he plays his role in the movie well, and his dynamic with Kylo is always watchable.
Rose (& Paige) Tico
Rose Tico (and Kelly Marie Tran) got a lot of hate after her outing in The Last Jedi, mainly for her and Finn's whole plotline being viewed negatively.
However, Rose was crucial to Finn's story in helping him see that his place was with the Resistance and helped convey the message of hope throughout the movie. Her sister, Paige, was vital to the fantastic opening sequence of the movie, too, a sequence that acted almost like a short film, with Paige destroying the Dreadnought. The sisters are great characters who will likely get better the more they pop up in canon.
Finn
Even even though there is massive disappointment amongst fans that they never got to witness Finn become a proper Jedi/light side Force wielder in the sequel trilogy, he is still a standout character in The Last Jedi with so many incredible moments.
He is still trying to figure out if his place lies with the Resistance throughout most of the story, taking him on a journey with Rose that is, unfortunately, the movie's weakest subplot. Nevertheless, Finn has great moments, and John Boyega's performance highlights both his and Finn's natural charisma and the character's internal struggle mirrors Rey's.
BB-8
BB-8 was an excellent addition to the Skywalker saga, a droid who is not only adorable to look at but infinitely entertaining, stealing the show in The Force Awakens and being a fan-favorite again in The Last Jedi.
BB-8 and Poe have a terrific dynamic in the opening sequence. From there, fans get to see BB-8 help out Finn and Poe and pop up to provide some humor throughout their storylines. BB-8 is never going to be a hugely complex, layered character, but in The Last Jedi, there is a lot of heart and hilarity coming from the astromech droid.
Leia Organa
Another hugely divisive aspect of The Last Jedi is Leia's so-called 'Mary Poppins-esque' moment. No matter whether that is one of the best moments or not, Leia is spellbinding during her time in the movie.
It is sometimes hard to watch her in the movie given the circumstances of Carrie Fisher's tragic death, but the legendary actress delivered once again. Leia is an inspiration to all those who oppose the First Order and a fierce leader, with wisdom and dry snarky comments to offer up at any given moment. She is a key reason why the Resistance lived to fight another day at the movie's end, and that interaction with Luke on Crait is one of the sequel trilogy's most heartwarming moments.
Poe Dameron
Poe Dameron is front and center of the epic opening sequence as he and the Resistance pilots take out a First Order Dreadnought, and the showcasing of his impressive piloting skills is just a kickstart for his arc throughout the movie.
Poe is more in the background compared to the other central characters of the movie, but that does not stop him from having an arc that makes him more layered by the time the credits roll. As always, Oscar Isaac oozes roguish charm, and the back and forth between him and Leia from start to finish is a joy to watch as Poe desperately tries to learn what it means to be a leader.
Rey Skywalker
Rey undergoes an intense journey in The Last Jedi. The scavenger from Jakku is far from home and desperately trying to not only save the Galaxy but figure out her place in it all while trying to find out where she came from.
Rey is great on her own; she has fantastic character moments throughout the movie, impacting the events of the trilogy so significantly with her actions. She truly shone in The Last Jedi in her interactions with other characters. Her relationships with Luke Skywalker and especially Kylo Ren are immense, and being involved in sequences like the throne room scene automatically makes her one of the most watchable characters.
Luke Skywalker
There are many fans who hate how Luke Skywalker was written in The Last Jedi, but his arc is very powerful throughout the film, and Mark Hamill delivers a great performance.
Older, wiser, broken, isolated, this is a Luke Skywalker who has lost the hope he had as a farmboy on Tatooine, someone who has seen the horror of the universe and who has fallen to the pressure of his legendary status. His redemption arc within the movie brings him face-to-face with the full might of the First Order in the largest display of Force power in the Skywalker saga, leading to him saving the day and saving the Resistance.
Kylo Ren
What a character Kylo Ren turned out to be. A standout in The Force Awakens, over three movies he cemented his place as one of Star Wars' best and most complex villains, with The Last Jedi deep-diving into the conflicted psyche of the young Ben Solo.
Adam Driver delivers one of the Skywalker saga's greatest performances, portraying the internal struggle of Kylo– the pain, and the incredible anger he feels, especially after killing his father. Kylo's interactions with Rey are some of the best scenes in the sequel trilogy, and his face-off with Luke Skywalker in the finale is unforgettable. Kylo Ren is arguably the sequel trilogy's best character, and The Last Jedi may well show the very best that fans get from the exceptional, layered villain.