The Star Wars franchise has a tonne of central characters who draw fans in with their story, development, and the sheer charisma and energy they exude. However, the saga also gives fans memorable side characters who, despite perhaps not being the main focus or not having a lot of screentime, steal their scenes and get audiences curious to see more of them.
Whether it is because they deliver one iconic line or because they are so entirely badass in every small appearance they make, many minor characters in Star Wars give off considerable main character energy.
Admiral Gial Ackbar
While leading the Rebel Alliance's fleet attack at the Battle of Endor, Admiral Gial Ackbar became one of Star Wars' most memorable characters with his line, "It's a trap."
Ackbar has been a fan-favorite ever since and has had similarly small roles in The Clone Wars and the sequel trilogy. With his role as a leader and his epic Mon Calamari delivery of lines, Ackbar is someone fans are unlikely to get sick of and one who steals Return Of The Jedi despite his minuscule amount of screentime.
Maz Kanata
Despite all of the amazing characters and the epic Skywalker saga moments it gave fans, the sequel trilogy wasted many characters, not least of all Maz Kanata, a truly fascinating individual who never got to shine past The Force Awakens.
Audiences came out of the trilogy's first installment with so many questions, a good handful of which revolved around her. Maz is very old, wise, eccentric, and someone sequel fans want to get to know more and more. It would not have been rejected or out of place to have her be one of the central components and most prominent characters in the sequel trilogy.
Chirrut Îmwe (& Baze Malbus)
It is a bit hard to call Chirrut and Baze side characters; they are central members of Rogue One in the titular film. However, they are not as major as Jyn, Cassian, or K-2SO, and their role in other Star Wars media thus far has been minuscule.
Whether it be through Chirrut's connection to the Force, the banter and dynamic between the two characters, or the overall charisma they both have, these characters came out of Rogue One as two of the most memorable. They could easily lead their own story together, having not only an interesting relationship but being interesting individuals who could help fans explore the Force.
Bail Organa
With his second name Organa, prequel trilogy audiences immediately knew there was an importance in Bail Organa that only got amplified by his small but impactful presence in the story of the prequels and his place in the Galactic Senate.
Bail is a character whose exploits as a rebel leader undercover in the Imperial Senate are always welcome in content surrounding the Galactic Civil War era. Whenever he appears on the screen, there is an immediate aura, a feeling that he is a crucial figure, even though he has never joined a piece of Star Wars as the central focus, or even a heavily promoted part of it.
Zorii Bliss (& Babu Frik)
The Rise Of Skywalker is a film with many flaws, neither Zorii Bliss nor Babu Frik are examples of such. The latter stole the entire movie, a phenomenon that was, for a time, on par with Grogu in terms of popularity.
Bliss is so magnetic, a total badass, and is one of the best characters introduced in the film. Her dynamic with Poe is one of the standout character relationships in the film. She immediately felt like she could go off with the Resistance heroes and be an essential part of the fight, which she eventually did at the Battle of Exegol. Audiences never got to see too much of her, but fans hope that she gets focused on content that gets set post-sequel trilogy.
Paige Tico
The opening sequence of The Last Jedi is nothing short of exhilarating. It is a short movie within a movie, and while Poe is the central character, Paige Tico stole it all, sacrificing her life to take out a First Order Dreadnaught.
The entire ordeal made audiences love Paige. She was a side character in the grand scheme of the sequel trilogy but is one of the best characters in The Last Jedi. In those opening minutes, she was the main character, and she fit the role beautifully, making her mark as a character regarded as one of the best minor characters in the Skywalker saga.
Wedge Antilles
The unsung hero of the Rebel Alliance is Wedge Antilles, one of many memorable rebel pilots who exude leading character energy alongside Biggs Drklighter, Jek Porkins, and more.
From a certain point of view, Wedge is the main character. He fights in and plays a crucial role in the Battle of Yavin, the Battle of Hoth, and the Battle of Endor, helping destroy two Death Stars. On top of that, he fights in the Battle of Exegol and led Phantom Squadron during the Battle of Jakku, which ultimately saw the end of the Empire. He is a true hero in the Galaxy.
Lando Calrissian
Calling Lando Calrissian a side character does push the boundary of what a side character truly is. However, he only has accumulative original trilogy screentime of around 15 minutes and only gets the spotlight to himself in one or two sequences.
Lando makes the most of that limited screentime, though. Through the combination of his smooth, electric charisma and his heroics on Bespin and in Return Of The Jedi, Lando becomes one of the most important and beloved heroes in the saga. Lando is no minor character, but he is to the side of the likes of Luke, Leia, Han, and Chewie. He makes sure to steal the show from all of them in every second he has in front of audiences, though. Lando will, of course, become the main character in his Disney+ show, for which fans are waiting in anticipation for.
Mon Mothma
Mon Mothma only appeared in one scene in Return Of The Jedi, but audiences could immediately sense the importance emanating from her. Her roles in Rebels, Rogue One, and other content furthered this.
Fearless, intelligent, resilient, and a true leader, Mon Mothma was not a warrior but someone who fought the Empire just like the pilots and soldiers on the front lines. She has become one of the most beloved side characters in Star Wars and one who undoubtedly gives off main character energy.
Bo-Katan Kryze
In all of her appearances in The Clone Wars, Rebels, and The Mandalorian, Bo-Katan Kryze is a standout character and one of the biggest badasses in the franchise which fans would happily follow in her own story.
She is vital to a couple of stories and episodes of the three shows in which she appears. Still, generally, she is not the main character, certainly not on the level of the likes of Ahsoka, Din Djarin, or the specters with whom she shares her stories. She is, though, completely capable of being one. With great performances from Katee Sackhoff, an incredible story, and such a deep connection to everything Mandalore and Mandalorian in the canon, Bo-Katan exudes significance, and fans are excited for her role to get increased in the future of Star Wars TV.