The eleven Star Wars live-action movies feature a compelling and emotionally engaging cast of characters who are more than the sum of their Force powers or their starfighter piloting skills. Human or not, these Star Wars characters are people, complete with their own emotions, insecurities, flaws, and moments of personal triumph or tragedy.
This emotional complexity helps make even the most outlandish space hero more sympathetic and grounded, and sure enough, many of Star Wars‘ best characters are the ones who are deeply attuned to their emotions. These emotional characters are known for their furious outbursts, their heart-wrenching grief, their indignant irritation, and their love for family and friends.
10 Watto Loves Deals & Hates Losing Wagers
The prequel trilogy introduced many new emotional characters to the saga, including Mos Eisley’s winged junk dealer, Watto. A Toydarian, and able to resist Jedi mind tricks, forcing even customers like Qui-Gon to haggle to get a deal on parts.
Watto usually keeps his cool around customers, but he won’t hide his frustration or annoyance with troublesome individuals. Watto is also rather cocky and excitable, in love with podracing and gambling, and will throw a tantrum if he loses a wager he was sure he’d win.
9 Finn Wears His Heart On His Sleeve
Stormtrooper FN-2187 listened to his heart when Captain Phasma ordered her troops to fire on innocent villagers on Jakku. He had a heart of gold and knew that the order was wrong, so he asked Poe to help him escape the First Order and do some good in the galaxy.
FN-2187, renamed Finn, became a bold, emotionally charged hero who never hesitated to tell others what he was thinking. He was openly annoyed when Maz Kanata presumed to understand him, and he often cries out in shock or horror when something bad happens to allies like Rey or Han Solo.
8 Rose Tico Knows The Fight Is Personal
Rose Tico made her debut in 2017’s The Last Jedi, shortly after the desperate space battle against Snoke’s flagship, the Supremacy. Rose was understandably in tears after her sister died in the battle, and she was outraged when Finn tried to ditch the fleet to cut his losses.
Rose’s fight against the First Order was personal since she grew up on a world where the locals were exploited to serve them. She could barely hide her indignant anger when she saw countless people on Canto Bight who had gotten rich selling weapons to the First Order.
7 Princess Leia Organa Has A Tough But Fair Attitude
Princess Leia Organa may be hotheaded and stubborn at times, but she is a heroic person at heart, like her mother Padme Amidala before her. Leia usually acts dignified and cool as a proper princess, but her heart blazes with passion for the Rebel cause.
Leia was heartbroken when the Death Star destroyed Alderaan, but she soldiered on, even aiding Luke and Han Solo in her own rescue mission. Leia often verbally clashed with Han and found him incredibly annoying, but in Empire, she actually started to like their fiery encounters and embraced his love for a time.
6 Han Solo Doesn’t Like Being Told The Odds
The lovable rogue Han Solo tries to play it cool when he’s dealing with Jabba the Hutt or other gangsters, but he’s also an emotional fellow who can’t easily restrain his tongue. If anyone insults his ship, he’s quick to snap back, and he also tends to argue passionately with friends and foes alike.
Han also developed amorous feelings for Princess Leia, which she returned, and Han experienced some drama about it in Return of the Jedi. In his later years, Han was often moody and impatient, and he got pretty angry when Finn revealed he didn’t actually have a plan to sabotage Starkiller Base.
5 For A Jedi, Luke Skywalker Is Highly Emotional
Galactic hero Luke Skywalker reined in his anger so he wouldn’t give in to the Dark Side when he was fighting Darth Vader in Return of the Jedi, but otherwise, he is one emotional Jedi Knight. Luke was always hotheaded and reckless in A New Hope, and Vader often provoked him after that, too.
In the Star Wars sequel trilogy, Luke was somewhat calmer, but still had strong feelings about the Jedi Order and his own failures. He reacted strongly to Rey’s attempt to meet Kylo Ren, and he had an outburst when Yoda destroyed the Jedi’s sacred tree. However, Luke kept his cool when remotely fighting Kylo Ren, and died peacefully.
4 C-3PO’s Emotions Are Simulated But Quite Strong
It’s up for debate whether droids like C-3PO truly have emotions at all, but if generous Star Wars fans say they do, then C-3PO ranks among the saga’s most emotionally volatile characters. Oddly, protocol droids like C-3PO are all about etiquette, negotiations, and translating, duties that call for a cool composure.
C-3PO often loses his digital cool when bold, reckless characters like Anakin, Luke, Han, and even R2-D2 rush off to save the day, leaving a frustrated, terrified C-3PO shuffling after them, complaining the entire time. C-3PO also gets into heated arguments with R2-D2 quite regularly and generally lives to complain about his circumstances.
3 Jar Jar Binks Overreacts To Almost Everything
Jar Jar Binks is a Gungan who was kicked out of Otoh Gunga for crashing Boss Nass’ favorite underwater speeder. Overall, Jar Jar is a hapless troublemaker who means well but is prone to making messes an panicking, with his emotions running high.
Jar Jar is often cheerful, terrified, confused, or simply overwhelmed in the prequel trilogy, and he hardly ever gets a moment of rest. He’s rarely angry or wrathful, but he reacts strongly to danger or unpleasant surprises all the same.
2 Kylo Ren Can’t Handle His Overwhelming Emotions
Ben Solo was a promising Jedi student under his uncle Luke, but then he fell to the Dark Side and assumed the identity Kylo Ren, leader of the Knights of Ren. At times, he acted cool and aloof when he was trying to intimidate people or make an impression, but he also struggled with his volatile emotions.
Kylo Ren is prone to severe bouts of rage, often fueled by frustration or fear of failure. His intense, conflicting emotions even drove him to murder his father Han on Starkiller Base, but it brought him no peace. He also tends to get angry and passionate when he’s on the verge of gaining or losing something important, like Rey’s loyalty.
1 Anakin Skywalker’s Fierce Emotions Led Him To Ruin
In The Phantom Menace, Anakin Skywalker was a passionate and cheerful kid, but things took a dark turn in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. Anakin’s anger and fear of loss overwhelmed and controlled him, making it easy for Darth Sidious to manipulate Anakin into becoming Darth Vader.
Anakin threw regular tantrums, venting his frustration about Obi-Wan’s cautious attitude and his rage on the Tusken Raiders. Anakin was almost speechless with fury when Obi-Wan and Padme both turned on him on Mustafar, to the point he nearly choked his wife to death with the Force. He also bitterly told Obi-Wan how much he hated his former mentor as he burned alive.