There has been a slew of fantastic Star Wars video games over the years, but there is none more acclaimed and more loved by fans than Knights Of The Old Republic, which is heralded as the best of the best by so many gamers. A lot of that is down to the great characters throughout the story that make the playing experience and narrative so enjoyable.
Between the player, the central villain, and the party members aboard the Ebon Hawk, Knights Of The Old Republic has a number of main characters, ranging from good to great to totally awesome.
Canderous Ordo
One of the more villainous party members aboard the Ebon Hawk and a warrior to the core, Canderous Ordo is a Mandalorian, a skilled fighter, a ruthless uncaring presence, and someone with many stories to tell.
He is not the most exciting person to bring on missions, best being left for conversations aboard the Ebon Hawk or when a solid gunfighter is needed. He is undoubtedly cool but not a wholly necessary companion for the story or the development of the playable character.
Juhani
Juhani is a character who players do not need to take as one of the nine party members. The player chooses to either slay Juhani during the Jedi trials or let her live, allowing her to redeem herself.
If the latter is chosen, the player is joined by a pretty great tank and a fairly interesting companion to converse with. There is a good amount of new dialogue and experience to be unlocked by talking with Juhani, discussing the light and dark sides of the Force and how hard it is to resist the temptation of the darkness and power, something many villains like Kylo and Vader struggled with.
Darth Malak
Darth Malak is the central antagonist of Knights of the Old Republic and has an intimidating presence that is clearly based on the classic Star Wars villains, which to many can make Malak seem a bit one-dimensional.
Nevertheless, Malak proves to be a good presence in the game and a Star Wars villain who is not only powerful but also intelligent and ruthless, as shown by his destruction of Taris. Fighting Malak in the game's climax is a difficult but rewarding challenge that proves to be a great end to an outstanding video game.
Mission Vao
Before the destruction of Taris at the orders of Darth Malak, the player comes across Mission Vao, a young, energetic, rebellious Twi'lek who is bursting with personality and who joins the crew.
Mission is highly skillful with attributes valuable on multiple planets and tasks, but on top of that, has a personality and demeanor that is along the lines of a very young Ahsoka Tano. Mission may not be for every player, but she has an interesting story, and her relationship with Zaalbar is great to watch.
Zaalbar
Every Star Wars fan has a soft spot for Wookiees, and Zaalbar is no different. The best friend and companion of Mission is a fantastic addition to the crew of the Ebon Hawk.
Big, powerful, and very reminiscent of Chewbacca, Zaalbar has a surprisingly great story arc and history when the game takes the player to Kashyyyk. Loyal to Mission and the player's character, Zaalbar is more than a loveable character. He is also an incredibly gifted melee combatant who is helpful in most battle situations.
Carth Onasi
Carth Onasi is the first companion players meet in Knights Of The Old Republic, landing on Taris with him following what unfolds on the Endar Spire. He is a constant presence from start to finish.
Not everyone is a fan of Carth's story and personality, but there is no doubt he is a hero to the Republic in the game. Carth has a checkered past and an internal struggle, with the character presenting many different dialogue options and character avenues for the player.
Bastila Shan
Bastila Shan is a skilled Jedi, potential romantic partner, and overall a fantastic part of Knights Of The Old Republic, playing a massive role in the story and the player's journey.
Skilled in the Force, Bastila is just an ideal party member to take on missions. Intelligent with attributes and fighting skills, Bastila can take out groups of enemies on every planet the party arrives on. Her part in the famous twist of the game cannot be understated either, and it is because of all this that so many fans want to see her in the mainstream TV or film canon.
Jolee Bindo
One of the characters fans are excited to see in the upcoming remaster of Knights Of The Old Republic is Jolee Bindo, a Force user who does not align with the Jedi Order and who is a brilliant addition to the game.
Bindo is an example of what fans would call a gray Jedi if they existed in canon. He walks the line between light and dark. With his cantankerous temperament, he is both a powerful ally and a hilarious character to interact with throughout the latter half of the game.
HK-47
T3-M4 deserves a shoutout for his role in the game as the cute and loveable droid companion. However, there is no doubt the best droid, and the best non-humanoid in the game in general, is HK-47.
This machine is full of violent tendencies, a hatred of meatbags, and a consistently hilarious presence throughout the game. The droid is a beloved fan favorite that they are desperate to see more of. He does not have emotional depth or a particularly brilliant backstory, but the optional party member is excellent.
Darth Revan
The incredible twist of Knights of the Old Republic is that the mysterious playable character is, in fact, legendary Sith Lord Darth Revan, who has fallen to the light side - with the option of reverting back to the dark throughout the game.
Revan is just an awesome character, and in Knights of the Old Republic, there is so much depth and brilliance to their story. Customizing the character and deciding their path makes it hard for them not to be the very best character in the game, but that does not take away from the quality of writing in the saga and the overall intrigue of the character.