Who Are The Bravest Characters In The Original Star Wars Trilogy?
The heroes of the original Star Wars trilogy have solidified themselves as some of the most beloved characters in pop culture for a variety of reasons, not least of all how they act in the face of the Empire, but also how they fight for survival and for peace in the Galaxy. There is bravery about all of the central heroic characters, from the droids and the Generals to the Jedi.
Whether it be Artoo's fearlessness in facing larger opposition or Leia pushing through as a leader despite all of her loss, there is a modicum of bravery in all of the main characters, deep down, highlighted either in one incident or consistently through the three films.
10 C-3PO
If there is any central hero in the Star Wars original trilogy who could be considered not brave, it is Threepio, whose nervousness is often played for laughs and a huge part of his character.
Nevertheless, Threepio is still there alongside Artoo fighting in the Galactic Civil War. While he would much rather be sitting on the sideline in safety, performing his duty as a protocol and etiquette droid, Threepio gets dragged into situations that scare him to his circuits, forcing a base level of bravery from him.
9 Yoda
It is hard to really compare the bravery of Yoda to the other heroes in the trilogy, as throughout the movies he spends his time in exile in Dagobah training Luke, after all.
However, Yoda was never devoid of courage. His decision to train Luke - giving him crucial lessons and imparting priceless wisdom - was all born out of a sense of trust and bravery. Yoda never spends his time fighting the Empire in the trilogy, but he still deals with the mental and emotional ramifications of the Clone Wars, helps Jedi from across the Galaxy through the Force, and goes to rest when he has trained Luke enough.
8 Anakin Skywalker
In his short time as his old self, Anakin Skywalker made a colossal impact on the original trilogy, heroically turning his back on the Emperor. And his villainous Darth Vader moniker, the Chosen One, showed immense bravery in his mere minutes in Return Of The Jedi.
Of course, it can be argued that Anakin showed a severe lack of bravery for so long, overpowered by his darker internal struggle. But those final few moments where he saves his son, kills the Emperor, and gives up his life were immensely courageous, and a single act that defined a whole character redemption.
7 Lando Calrissian
Lando Calrissian's bravery throughout his two appearances in the trilogy increases greatly, with the character doing a full 180 from betraying an old friend and submitting to the Empire's demands to defying and battling them.
Lando could not do much when the Empire arrived on Cloud City, he would have died had he resisted, and Han's fate would have been the same. In helping rescue Leia, Chewie, and the droids defy the Empire, and then going on to play a role in the rescue of Han and the destruction of the second Death Star - becoming a General in the rebellion - Lando more than made up for that initial betrayal and showcased a lot of bravery.
6 R2-D2
There is absolutely no doubt that Artoo is totally fearless and willing to fight for his friends. He displays this throughout the trilogy with sass and sheer loveability, helping make him one of the franchise's most iconic characters.
As soon as fans are introduced to the little Astromech, he displays his courage, traipsing through Tatooine to find Obi-Wan, even abandoning Luke and going on his own to find the Jedi. From there, his roles on Bespin and in the Battle of Endor further establish that Artoo is no typical droid, he is always heroic and there to help save the day. His bravery is rarely on as large a scale as the other heroes, though, making theirs more noticeable and arguably more important.
5 Chewbacca
With Chewbacca not being at the forefront as often as other heroes, his bravery can often go underappreciated, but the Wookiee showcases it repeatedly throughout the movies alongside his loyalty and love for his friends.
Chewie has moments of nervousness and even fear, such as the entire trash compactor sequence. But his fearless rescuing of his friends, fighting against stormtroopers on the forest moon of Endor, co-piloting the Falcon, and just generally fighting the fight in every movie, Chewie's valor is on display for everyone to see.
4 Han Solo
Han Solo spends a lot of time in the trilogy distancing himself from the cause, from the fight against the Empire, often showing a desire to simply pay off his debts and go back to smuggling. His good heart, though, takes over time and time again, inciting a lot of courage.
The choice to return at the end of A New Hope was bold and brave, solidifying himself as an enemy of the Empire at that moment, choosing to help Luke and the rebels, rather than run off with the reward. Other than simply fighting against the empire during the Battle of Endor, Han showed fearlessness in his iconic asteroid run and courage in the face of his own mortality on Bespin.
3 Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan has one huge moment of bravery throughout the films that transcend most contributions from the other characters in terms of significance, considering that his was the ultimate and emotional sacrifice -- his own life.
In the latter two-thirds of the trilogy, Obi-Wan only appears as a Force spirit, not showing much involvement in the action and bravery. That one incident, though, surpasses what most do. This is especially true when considering the history of Anakin and Obi-Wan and what Obi-Wan had to suffer through in exile, which in itself was incredibly resilient. More than most, Obi-Wan was smart with his bravery, never rash or diving headfirst into situations, but no less courageous.
2 Leia Organa
Many of Leia's personality traits and aspects of her temperament have helped make her such an icon over the past four decades. Her unwavering hope and heart and fearlessness are just two of these.
Leia's bravery not only rears its head in terms of never backing down from a fight and always standing up for herself and the cause but also in how she copes with the tragedy she experiences. She loses her entire planet, friends, and family, all after never knowing her birth parents outside of vague memories of her mother, Padmé. She also temporarily loses Han, yet, through it all, she perseveres and is able to lead the rebellion to victory, kill Jabba the Hutt, and be a hero unlike any other.
1 Luke Skywalker
There is definitely an argument for Leia being the bravest character in the original trilogy. However, it is extremely difficult to argue against Luke, whose actions in the trilogy speak for themselves.
From the trench run to training to be a Jedi to facing off against Vader twice, Luke never backs down in the three films. He always dives headfirst to save his friends, to do what he feels is right for the people of the Galaxy and those around him. Perhaps Luke's greatest feat of courage, as well as arguably the biggest in the trilogy, is when he throws down his lightsaber, refusing to kill his father and refusing to give in to the dark side, a moment that lives in history as one of Star Wars' best.