Summary
There’s no shortage of iconic villains in theStar Warsfranchise. They certainly aren’t shy when appearing in the manyvideo gamesthat the property has spawned. They even make guest appearances in other games, whether it’s Darth Vader popping up as a playable character inSoul Calibur IVor Emperor Palatine himself delivering a broadcast inFortnite.
A host ofStar Warsvillains, however, made their very first appearances not in movies, comic books, or TV shows, but in video games. Some of these titles are recent, but others many go back to a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, when only the classic trilogy of episodes 4 to 6 existed. There’s plenty to choose from, so here are the bestStar Warsvillains that fans first met in video games.
HK-47 may not be a Sith, but that doesn’t mean this deadly mechanical assassin isn’t a threat to the Jedi. The bloodthirsty droid is also notable for a dark sense of humor, famously referring to organic beings as “meatbags.”
Originally constructed by Darth Revan tohunt and kill the Jedi, the robot proves to be lethal, cold-blooded, and efficient in combat. Still, the character got a redemption arc of sorts when it had its memories wiped and made to serve the Jedi themselves.
One of the more heartbreaking twists in recentStar Warsgames belongs to Bode Akuna, the Han Solo-esque figure inStar Wars: Jedi Survivor.He is initially a vital ally to the protagonist, Cal Kestis, and spends much of the game assisting the hero as he tries to outrun the Empire.
By the third act ofStar Wars Jedi: Survivor, the Force-sensitive smuggler (who totes a nifty jetpack) ends up betraying Cal, as he misguidedly believes that it’s the best way to protect himself and his daughter Kata from the Empire’s clutches. Though Kestis ends up killing him in a duel, it’s a gut-wrenching outcome for the former ally.
The Second Sister continues the tradition of antagonists, in the style ofDarth Vaderand Kylo Ren, who do not enter the world evil willingly, but are twisted by outside forces. In the Sister’s case, it is revealed that she was a former Jedi betrayed by her master, only to be captured and brainwashed by Empire heavies.
She makes a memorable introduction inStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Orderwhen she slaughters Cal Kestis' friend Prauf and then bests the young Jedi with little effort. After proving to be a formidable foe for much of the game, she finally sees the light after a climactic duel with Kestis, only to fall victim to Darth Vader’s lightsaber.
Darth Sion also goes by the alias ‘The Lord Of Pain,’ a title he earned via a horrific origin story. After being struck down in an earlier battle, he discovered he could hold his body together by fusingthe Dark Sidewith sheer will.
Utilizing his pain, fear, and hatred to their utmost, he brought his body back from near death. Sion’s striking appearance makes him look more like a zombie than a Sith Lord, and his ability to withstand unbearable agony makes him one of the most formidable foes in theStar Warscanon, as he is all but immortal.
With none other thanLuke Skywalkeras his master, Desann’s future looked bright until his training went awry. He struck down a fellow padawan out of anger, thus cementing his affiliation with the Dark Side. This began a dramatic arc that ended with him being killed by Kyle Katarn.
Desann’s status as the main antagonist ofJedi Outcastis well-deserved. A former loner and outcast due to his sensitivity to the Force, he became an intimidating bully in training and went on to lead an insurrection against the New Republic, in the process attempting to create a new army of Dark Jedi.
Had Gideon Task’s parents not been killed in an Alliance bombing raid, he might not have signed up for duty as an Imperial solider. But fate had other plans for him, and he made his way up the ranks until he found himself in the high command of the Empire’s notorious Inferno Squadron.
Working as the principal villain forStar Wars Battlefront II,his extended lore is also fascinating. It is revealed that following the destruction of the Death Star, Hask is embedded with a group of rogue Imperials who would go on to form The First Order.
Rom Mohn belongs to the library of characters and stories once known as the Expanded Universe, before Disney ret-conned the whole enterprise as the non-canonicalStar Wars Legends.Nevertheless, General Mohc stands out as one of the first majorStar Warsvillains to be introduced after the classic trilogy.
His biggest claim to fame was that he was the brains behind the Dark Trooper project, a major threat in theDark Forcesgame. He also served as the inspiration for Moff Gideon inThe Mandalorian.Fans ofDark Forceswill remember the thrill of watching Mohc interact with Darth Vader in a pivotal cutscene, and, like Gideon, he eventually dons the legendary Dark Trooper armor himself to do battle.
3Grand Admiral Thrawn (Tie Fighter)
A Tenacious Strategist And Bane Of The Alliance
One of the heavy hitters in the line-up of fan-favourite villains, Thrawn’s unsettling red eyes and blue skin make him a classic bad guy. Thrawn was responsible for leading the remnants of the Empire after its defeat, providing a series of headaches for the Rebel Alliance.
While he has his origins in the Expanded Universe, his popularity was such that after appearances in a number of novels and video games, he was brought into the official canon. Thrawn eventually showed up in the animated seriesStar Wars Rebels,and later, the live-action TV seriesAhsoka.
2Darth Malak (KOTOR)
A Fearsome Nemesis Of The Old Republic
Darth Vader’s predecessor in more ways than one, Malak was a former Jedi Knight of immense courage and fortitude who was undone by an encounter with a former Sith Emperor, marking his transition to the Dark Side under the Emeperor’s tutelage. But it gets worse. A critical Lightsaber strike destroyed Malak’s jaw, leaving him with a ghoulish metal prosthesis.
Malak was one ofthe most high-profile Sith lordsin the Old Republic timeline, and his striking character design helped him stand out. His unmasking in the game was a shocking spectacle for players at the time of the game’s release. Malak gave little mercy to foes, and gave an unforgettable final line after he was vanquished: “And in the end, as the darkness claims me, I am…nothing.”
1Darth Nihilus (KOTOR 2)
A Nightmarish Figure With Fearsome Power
Darth Nihilus makes the top of this list for a couple of reasons. There’s the incredible character design, making him look more like a wraith than a Sith Lord. There’s his extraordinary (and terrifying) ability to drain the life force from any living thing, a vampire-like power which helps earn his nickname The Lord of Hunger. And there’s also his status within the widerStar Warsuniverse.
Nihilus represents a living wound in the Force, having been near a catastrophic force event which he then absorbed. He is the main antagonist inKnights Of The Old Republic II,and his goal is to consume as much life in the galaxy as possible. Even after he is killed ina lightsaber battle, canonically, it turns out that his spirit lived on in his armor. He was eventually able to create a holocron of himself to let him communicate with others.
