The Star Wars franchise has captivated fans for generations (over 4 decades to be exact). With Jedi and Sith Lords usually taking center stage within the storyline, those who don’t have any force powers are often overlooked.
Yet, despite not being able to wield a lightsaber or having the power to shoot lightning from their fingertips, there are non-force characters who can hold their own just fine, along with others who think they’re strong but are essentially weak.
Force sensitive individuals may have most of the lead parts in Star Wars, but they only make up a small part of the galactic population. According to fandom statistics, there were around 10,000 Jedi alive prior to The Clone Wars, and around 400 Quadrillion humans and species in the galaxy.
This means that those who use the force weren’t the only ones who knew how to fight. Despite the huge gap in numbers, it can be assumed that a force wielder would win against a non-force user in hand-to-hand combat 99% of the time. However, what about the other one percent?
We’ve taken popular non-force Star Wars characters from Disney’s new canon only, and ranked them according to brains, raw strength, skills, and abilities.
From Mon Calamari to human smugglers and bounty hunters, here are the 9 Strongest (And 8 Weakest) Star Wars Non-Force Users, Ranked.
17. Strongest: Admiral Ackbar
Gial Ackbar served as a tactical leader and soldier for over 60 years. Often regarded as a brilliant tactician, it would be wise not to underestimate him based on appearance. Ackbar began his military career during the Clone Wars, serving as a Mon Calamari soldier before being promoted to a revolutionary leader.
His skills in hand-to-hand combat were top notch, excelling in the use of Kar-shaks.
Using what is known as a traditional melee weapon used by the Mom Calamari, Ackbar was highly proficient, even long after the events of the Return of the Jedi.
In the Clone Wars, he helped to secure Prince Lee-Char's ascent as King of Mon Cala and would become a formidable commander within the Alliance due to the Empires subjugation of non-humans. He led the fleet during the Battle of Endor and would become fleet admiral during the Battle of Jaku.
16. Weakest: Basic Stormtrooper
There are various skill levels within the ranks of being a stormtrooper, and the ones listed here do not include very skilled individuals. The basic and bottom-tier rank for all of those who enlisted in the Imperial Army were called stormtroopers-- also known as bucketheads.
Once the clones were transitioned into retirement, various positions opened for humans who wanted to join the Empire. The humans who served as basic stormtroopers weren’t the sharpest tools in the galaxy.
They are notorious for their bad aim and were commonly used as pawns on the front lines or as basic guards. Palpatine used them as a first line of defense and as an imposing looking force. This is why they were outfitted in so much gear, because fear was more important than functionality.
15. Strongest: Padmé Amidala
Padmé Amidala wasn’t just another pretty face within the Star Wars franchise. Elected as Queen of Naboo at only 14 years old, Padmé survived the Trade Federations blockade due to her own skills as a fighter and her alliance with the Jedi Order.
Padmé Amidala had the heart of a true leader, never one to shy away from danger while willing to put her life on the line for her people when necessary.
Even after relinquishing her position as Queen, she continued to serve beyond what was required of her as senator.
Iain McCaig, a concept artist at Lucasfilm, stated that Padmé Amidala was originally meant to attack Anakin on Mustafar after she realized what he had become. The storyboards in Revenge of the Sith had her holding a knife to his neck, but stopping short, failing to go through with it.
14. Weakest: Ewoks
Often regarded by fandom as the most despised Star Wars creature, the Ewoks are a species of furry bipeds native to the forest moon of Endor. Although if you want to get technical, they were simply a marketing ploy to increase toy sales from Return of the Jedi.
Ewoks can possess greater strength than humans, but their size often works against them unless gathered together in large numbers. Most Ewoks only stand around one meter tall and are covered with fur from head to toe.
In the original script of Return of the Jedi, Wookiees were supposed to be the creatures who defeated the Empire, but Lucas changed it to Ewoks. They are never mentioned by name in the movie-- only in the credits and novelization.
13. Strongest: Poe Dameron
Poe Dameron is a military brat who serves as a hot-shot Top Gun type pilot with the Resistance. He was born just two years after the Battle of Endor and both his parents were part of the Rebel Alliance. Poe grew up on Yavin 4 and even had a work of art in his backyard painted by none other than Luke Skywalker himself.
Dameron is known as a bad liar by his comrades and has a super headstrong personality. Much like Luke, he relies heavily on his droid BB-8, especially after he found out there was a mole in his squadron.
Poe has been flying starships since he was 6 and can fly anything.
Many Star Wars fans believe he is a rehashed version of Dash Rendar from the EU, though this has never been confirmed by anyone in the Kathleen Kennedy camp.
12. Weakest: Jabba the Hut
A gambler and smuggler at heart, Jabba the Hut wasn’t very strong. However, he made up for his weaknesses by playing the system and surrounding himself with those who were powerful. The end effect was his domination over the Outer Rim.
Jabba loved to indulge himself in everything. His birth name was Jabba Desilijic Tiure and he was born on Tatooine. Despite his power over the Outer Rim, many considered him nothing more than a joke. Star Wars Rebels plays off this through the character Ezra Bridger. As a running joke, he often refers to himself as Jabba when undercover.
Originally George Lucas wanted Jabba to be a human male smuggler but changed his mind early on. The noises he makes in Return of the Jedi, is in fact bubbling cheese. Gross.
11. Strongest: Thrawn
Cherry picked out of the Star Wars EU, Thrawn is a huge fan favorite. Mitth'raw'nuruodo is a Chiss from the Unknown Regions. His intelligence surpasses anyone on this list, but sadly Thrawn’s strength isn’t on the same level as was featured in his trilogy of books (now considered Star Wars Legends).
Thrawn was reprised through the series Star Wars Rebels, an animated show which is currently in its last and fourth season on Disney XD. He’s had one book published under the new canon with rumors of a second on the way.
As a former member of the Chiss Ascendancy, Thrawn tends to be cool and collected but has the tendency to be ferocious when necessary.
He rarely makes mistakes, and when he does, Thrawn is quick to acknowledge and learn from them.
10. Weakest: Watto
Featured in Phantom Menace, Watto is what most refer to as pure scum. He fronts himself as a junk dealer while also delving into the world of gambling and slavery.
Watto thinks he’s slick, but when matched against a real opponent like Qui-Gon Jinn, he didn’t stand a chance. As with most scoundrels living on Tatooine, Watto could resist the Jedi mind trick. However, when it came to gambling and money, Watto was pudding in the Jedi’s hand.
Despite Watto being a creep, his personality wasn’t abusive. This was likely due to his overall weak characteristics. Watto wouldn’t last a full minute in a real fight. His skills were primarily swindling, which is why he thrived on Tatooine. Once beaten by Qui-Gon, however, he could never recover his losses.
9. Strongest: Lando Calrissian
Lando Calrissian was also a gambler and smuggler like Watto, but he lived his life by a different moral code. He also knew when to call something a loss and move on. Lando always had his hand in several pots at a time, keeping himself protected financially while still living the life in which he thrived.
Calrissian was also a skilled fighter, be it in a ship or hand-to-hand combat.
When Lando joined the Rebel Alliance, he was a key asset due to his tactical and physical skills.
Lando Calrissian was born on the planet Socorro. Most of his backstory has been altered in the transition from EU to canon, but he remains a savvy business smuggler with leadership talents.
The biggest change in his history takes place in Star Wars Rebels. Lando has a mining operation set up on Lothal where he meets Ezra and the other members of the Ghost.
8. Weakest: Finn
Finn, previously known as FN-2187, is currently one of the main characters introduced within the new Star Wars trilogy. Despite his good looks and luck, Finn isn’t that strong of a character, which makes sense since he used to be a stormtrooper for the First Order.
Based on The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi alone, Finn has lost every battle he’s been in. He lost to Rey on Jakku, and he technically lost while manning the guns in the Special Forces TIE that he and Poe stole.
Outside of Maz Kanata's castle, Finn squares off with a Riot Control Stormtrooper (dubbed T8-TR) and loses to him too. He loses to Kylo Ren despite holding his own for a moment and when given a chance to redeem himself. Finn also technically loses against Captain Phasma in The Last Jedi.
7. Strongest: Phasma
There are two Phasma’s in canon. There’s the Captain Phasma who audiences have been shown in the movies, who gets barely any screen time, is thrown in a trash compactor, and falls to her death.
The other is Phasma, introduced to Star Wars fans through her own novel.
While Captain Phasma might seem weak on screen, the reality of her strength is largely untold.
Once the strongest member of her tribe on the desolate planet Parnassos, Phasma encountered a stranded Brendol Hux. Hux would take a liking to her and would appoint Phasma in charge of the child army he was developing.
When challenged by Cardinal, a high ranking and powerful officer who was demoted because of her, she wins easily. Her combat skills are top rank, but sadly aren’t shown in the movies.
6. Weakest: Greedo
Famously known for his scene with Han Solo in the Mos Eisley cantina, Greedo was a Rodian bounty hunter who grew up on Tatooine in Mos Espa. While he might have had the title of bounty hunter, Greedo was better at escaping rather than taming trouble.
His botched kidnapping of Chairman Papanoida's daughters, Che Amanwe, and Chi Eekway while working for Jabba the Hut is a perfect example.
Greedo was also known for catching small time criminals, helping them escape, and then catching them again for another bounty. This caused tension between him and Jabba which is why he felt the need to square off against Han Solo, as a way to redeem himself.
Sadly, his aim wasn’t as sharp, and Solo won the draw in the “who shot first” scene from A New Hope.
5. Strongest: Boba Fett
Much like Captain Phasma, Boba Fett’s screen time makes him seem like a sub-par bounty hunter who is easily taken down. However, when you consider Star Wars: The Clone Wars and the comics, Boba Fett wasn’t one to mess with. Defeating Cad Bane in a western style shootout, Fett was an expert marksman, pilot, and tactician.
In the Marvel comics, it is Boba Fett who discovers Luke Skywalker’s name for Darth Vader.
He’s beaten opponents stronger than him and was able to survive the most extreme circumstances.
This is why fandom hasn’t counted him out yet. Theories of his survival within the Sarlacc pit grow stronger as time passes. As fans are patiently waiting for his character to be revived. If anyone could survive against the Sarlacc, it would be Boba Fett.
4. Weakest: Nute Gunray
Nute Gunray was a Neimoidian who was Viceroy of the Trade Federation and a high-ranking member of the Separatist Confederacy. Despite his high ranking, however, Gunray was nothing more than a spoiled brat surrounded by a powerful droid army. He enjoyed the finer things in life, often refusing to get his hands dirty.
Gunray was so lazy that he had a special mobile throne room style chair built so he wouldn’t have to walk. Even as a tactician, Nute lacked the proper skills. His entire army was bested by a child, two Jedi, and a small attack force led by Padmé Amidala.
He was essentially a rich spoiled brat who longed for power but couldn’t hold his own when challenged. His demise was fitting and well deserved.
3. Strongest: Chewbacca
Chewbacca is much more than Han Solo’s right-hand man. Known famously by his closest friends as Chewie, his career as a trained fighter began when he was captured by Trandoshan slavers and held captive on Wasskah. Freed by Ahsoka Tano, he returned to his home planet and commanded Wookiee forces during the Battle of Kashyyyk.
Naturaly, Wookiees are a strong species who train as fighters at a young age. Chewbacca was one of the strongest of his species, making him a formidable opponent.
Chewie is also a master pilot and mechanic, who has incredible fighting skills.
His handcrafted and specially modified Bowcaster is one of the most powerful hand-held weapons featured in Star Wars. But if all else fails, he can simply rip a limb off his opponent with brute strength.
2. Weakest: General Hux
There is a running joke within the Star Wars franchise that it often portrays leaders of the enemy as incompetent and weak. There are a few exceptions to this rule like Thrawn and Grand Moff Tarkin. However, mostly, the commanders in charge (human or otherwise) were incompetent in their ability to lead.
General Hux is a play on that, but with him as a General in charge of the entire First Order. He’s essentially a brat who was given the position because his father had power, of which he acquired by taking his own dad out of the equation.
He has moments of tactical genius, but it’s often overshadowed by his immaturity and lack of experience. As seen in The Force Awakens, he is quick to run when things don’t go as expected.
1. Strongest: Han Solo
Revered as one of the most beloved characters in the entire Star Wars franchise, Han Solo could take down everybody on this list.
He might not rip limbs like Chewie, but he’s quick on his feet and a tactical genius.
Plus, he was one of the best pilots in the entire galaxy while being a capable shooter with his DL-44 heavy blaster pistol.
Despite much of his past being wiped out, thanks to the new Disney canon, Han Solo has earned every title given to him. With the release of his own movie coming this spring (Solo: A Star Wars Story), fans are excited and hesitant as to how the most famous smuggler in the galaxy will be portrayed.
If he’s still a womanizer, scoundrel, and slick pilot, then it’s likely that most of the Star Wars fan base will be pleased.
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What do you think? Who do you think is the strongest (and weakest) non-force user in Star Wars? Let us know in the comments!