There are few pop culture phenomena quite like the original Star Wars trilogy, a set of movies that kicked off the biggest franchise of all time and is one of the greatest trilogies ever made. From its originality to the story to its awe-inspiring nature, there are many reasons why the original trilogy is so phenomenal, with one of the most significant being the characters within it.

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The trilogy has some of the most iconic characters in cinematic history, and a handful of them go on journeys across the three movies that are crafted with brilliant writing and resonate with the audience. However, not everyone has a great arc, even if they are a great character.

The Emperor

Emperor Palpatine smiling in his throne room in Return of the Jedi

The Emperor, Sheev Palpatine, AKA Darth Sidious, is one of the most iconic villains in film history and is utterly brilliant in his role in Return Of The Jedi and his tease in The Empire Strikes Back.

However, just because he is phenomenal does not mean he has a great arc. He does not really have one. He has pretty one-dimensional goals, defeat the rebels, rule the Galaxy, and either turn or kill Luke. That is all done brilliantly. But as for an arc, there is not one; he is already who he is by that point; his real stories come from the prequels and other content like The Clone Wars, novels, and comics.

Chewbacca

Chewbacca in Star Wars

Chewbacca is another character who is great, who is beloved, and who does not really have an arc in the trilogy. In many ways, Chewie is mistreated a bit in the movies, made more of a side character who goes along with the heroes.

The only true development Chewie goes through in the trilogy is meeting Luke, Obi-Wan, Leia, etc. he grows friendships and finds a family with Han when he joins the rebellion. But he is still the same Wookiee; he is never focused on as having an arc or a story, the co-pilot, the best one in the Galaxy? Yes, but in terms of character arc, Chewie has a pretty non-existent one in the original trilogy; it is more evident in Solo and other content. Chewie deserves better.

Yoda

Yoda in the Dagobah swamp in The Empire Strikes Back

Yoda is a tough character to rank in terms of character arc in the original trilogy as, like the two characters previously mentioned, he does not really have one, but being so important to Luke's arc, and revealing more about himself, ranks him a bit higher.

Yoda appears on Dagobah pretending to be a crazy old hermit before revealing himself to be the wise Jedi Master, and from there, his training of Luke begins, which is the source of some of the very best scenes and quotes in the original trilogy. Yoda seems to move from doubting Luke, his immaturity, and his emotion to trusting and believing in his student right before his death in Return Of The Jedi. The growth of Luke actually rubs off on Yoda in that it gives Yoda more of an arc than the likes of Chewie, without really having an arc.

Obi-Wan Kenobi

Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi in his Tatooine hideout in Star Wars A New Hope

Next is another Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, one of Star Wars' greatest characters and a crucial component of the original trilogy even beyond his death in A New Hope.

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Obi-Wan goes from an old, trustworthy mentor to a Force Spirit who has more to reveal to Luke about his past, manipulating the truth until it came out. He does not have much of an arc, acting more of a mentor and support character for Luke's arc, but in going full circle with Vader/Anakin and revealing more information to Luke, he gets more characterization than others.

R2-D2 & C-3PO

C-3PO and R2-D2 in the desert of Tatooine in Star Wars

The first Star Wars characters fans are introduced to are the iconic droid duo of C-3PO and R2-D2, who are scarcely apart in the trilogy, acting as both loyal friends/sidekicks and as levity for the films.

Their arc pretty much runs its course in A New Hope; they go on a short journey and find their way into the hands of Luke. From there, it is simply them joining the rebellion and becoming a part of the family formed between the characters, while also bickering like an old married couple and being the best of friends.

Lando Calrissian

Introduced in The Empire Strikes Back like Yoda and the Emperor, Lando Calrissian oozes charisma and is a beloved character whose new Disney+ series fans cannot wait for.

Lando does get an arc in the original trilogy, far more of a significant one than the characters above. He starts off as an administrator who gives up his friend to the Empire, but quickly realizes his mistakes and helps out Leia, Chewie, etc. escape, as well as the people of Cloud City before becoming a General in the rebellion, joining the fight, even destroying the second Death Star, and it is fantastic.

Leia Organa

Princess Leia holding a blaster

Princess turned General Leia Organa is one of the greatest, most badass women in pop culture history and is an inspiration to people of all ages, genders, and culture across the world with her strong will, heart, brains, leadership, and fearlessness, all shown in spades in the original trilogy.

Leia's arc in the trilogy is partly about aiding the rebellion, moving forward in the fight against the Empire. But it is also about letting her emotions out a bit, being human, not focusing solely on the rebellion, but appreciating the family she has found and allowing herself to love Han as she does deep down, all while being a leader and hero in the Galaxy.

Han Solo

Han Solo shrugs in Star Wars Return of the Jedi

Speaking of Han Solo, everybody's favorite scoundrel instantly became an icon upon his arrival in A New Hope. Throughout the trilogy, he was a consistently excellent character with an arc that made fans love him more and more.

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Han started as a pessimistic, selfish smuggler who only cared about credits and saving his and Chewie's skin. As time went on, though, he began to see the bigger picture, the fight at hand; he found a family, he fell in love, and became a General in the rebellion, fighting the good fight instead of working for crime lords like Jabba the Hutt.

Darth Vader

Vader and Palpatine on board the Death Star in Return of the Jedi

If there is any singular character who can be classed as the main character of the Skywalker saga, it is undoubtedly Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker, whose entire lifetime arc concludes Return Of The Jedi chronologically.

Starting as a badass, terrifying villain who was iconic yet one dimensional in that he was purely evil, audiences got treated to some insight into Anakin Skywalker's life and fall to Darth Vader, most notably his relationship to children Luke and Leia. Then, his redemption comes to fruition in Return, and it is spectacular, emotional, and everything fans could have wanted for such an awesome character.

Luke Skywalker

Star Wars A New Hope Luke lightsaber

Of course, as great as Anakin's overall story is, in terms of the original trilogy only, no character arc is on the same level as that of its main protagonist, the character who goes on the famous hero's journey, Luke Skywalker.

Starting as a simple farm boy on a desolate desert planet, Luke's dreams of the stars came to fruition throughout the trilogy. His arc is much more than just getting off Tatooine and joining the rebellion, though. Luke loses and gains family; he grows from an innocent, immature, emotional boy to a Jedi who is in control, who believes in his father, who saves the Galaxy. His character arc is incredible and one of Star Wars' very best, something that will never change.

NEXT: Star Wars: The Main Original Trilogy Characters Ranked By Likability