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I see folks are ranking Star Wars again. So let me step in here and help you out.
Here is the definitive ranking of Star Wars.
Here is the definitive ranking of Star Wars.
Now, to do this right, we can’t just rank the Skywalker saga. We have to include the spinoffs. The cartoons. The TV series. Yes, the holidays specials. We’re going to do pretty much all of it, folks.
I will not be ranking animated shorts: Forces of Destiny, Galaxy of Adventures, Blips, Rollout. I’m going to skip the Droids and Ewoks cartoons (1985 - 87) and most Lego Star Wars content. We have to draw a line somewhere.
We’ll start with Tier III Star Wars. These are objectively bad. Some of them are cash grabs trying to capitalize on the brand name. Some are experiments that didn’t work out. Some have promise they never fulfilled.
30. The absolute worst thing Lucasfilm ever put out: the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special (1978), a staggeringly weird variety show of Wookie home life, Age of Aquarius spirituality, and a cartoon Boba Fett. It deserves its reputation, and yes, it is so bad it is good.
28/29. Following that are two more early stumbles: Caravan of Courage (1984) and Ewoks: Battle for Endor (1985). Meant to be family friendly romp, fun until nearly all the family is brutally murdered at the start of #2.
27: Star Wars: The Clones Wars (2008 movie), the worst Star Wars theatrical release. The animation is in its infancy, story is thin, action is overbearing and bombastic. Plus side: the first canonical appearance of Ahsoka Tano, and we welcome @HerUniverse @JATactor @MattLanter
26. The Clone Wars animated series, seasons 1-2. This series ended up spectacularly strong, but the early seasons are ... uneven. High points include Malevolence, Ryloth, and the first Mandalore arc.
25. Episode I: The Phantom Menace. I know the prequels have their fans. But Ep I is narratively unnecessary and plays too hard to the youngest audience. Plus side: Maul, Duel of the Fates, and Qui-Gon. Maul's life after this movie is...impressive.
24. Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002). This had so much going for it. Let me just give a shout out to the costume design. And “Across the Stars” is an excellent addition to the Star Wars musical landscape. Battle of Geonosis! But… sand….it gets everywhere.
23. Star Wars Resistance (2018-2020). Ok, confession. I haven't seen every episode. But not even my kids were terribly interested in continuing on.
We now get into Tier II Star Wars. These are solid, fun, and entertaining. Some are even essential to the core of what Star Wars is...but some flaw or other holds it back from greatness.
22. The Lego Holiday Special (2020). This was fun. Traveling through time to unite Star Wars heroes across the ages is inspired. But it could have done so much more-- Anakin meets Vader! Young Luke meets Old Luke! Padme meets Leia! Alas, many missed opportunities.
21. Clone Wars (2003 Tartakovsky series). Genuinely weird, but in a good way, this was an experiment that worked out pretty well to expand both the Star Wars universe and the possible ways of tellings its stories. First appearance of Asajj Ventress.
20. Darth Bane Trilogy, (2007 – 2010). I'm cheating by including novels, but really, if you're a Star Wars fan and haven't read these books, do yourself a favor and get this for Christmas. Lots of Sith lore here.
19. Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017). This is a masterpiece of a film with the best cinematography of any Star Wars movie and a strong directorial theme. Why so low? I don't prefer its interpretation of Luke. But its still Star Wars, so I still love it.
18. The Clones Wars (Seasons 3-7). There are 133 episodes in the whole series. It lasted so long it really conveys the galactic sweep and epic canvas of the saga like nothing else in Star Wars.
17. Star Wars: Rebels (2014-2018). This was a pretty fantastic series. Clone Wars had higher highs but also lower lows. This was more consistently strong, and added some interesting stuff to Star Wars mythology.
16. Solo (2018). This was unfairly targeted by fan backlash after Last Jedi. It's an excellent swashbuckling popcorn flick and I really want to see more of Alden's young Han Solo and Glover's young Lando.
15. Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (2019). This is really strong as a movie about Rey's near-fall to the dark side. Daisy is excellent in the role. It doesn't work well as the supposed finale of the whole Skywalker Saga, and I didn't need the Palpatine family tie either.
14. Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983). Heresy for having this so low on the list? The first and final acts are just perfection and the Saga wouldn't exist without them. But that middle hour is very long and pretty boring.
13. Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Yes, I'm ranking one of the prequels above one of the originals. ROTS is grand, operatic, Wagnerian. This movie *enhanced* the OT in so many ways. Just one: Ewan wailing "You were my brother Anakin!" Peak Star Wars.
Ok, now we get to Tier I Star Wars. These are not just fun entertainment. These are core to what makes Star Wars truly great.
12. Knights of the Old Republic (2003). Haven't played all the way through, but this video game expanded the bounds of the Star Wars universe like nothing else. I am certain we'll see Revan and crew on screen someday soon.
11. Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith (2017-2018). Until we get a Vader TV series on Disney plus, make do with this limited run comic collected together as a graphic novel.
10 Clone Wars. Just want to call out some specific stories and arcs that are the peak of the series: Landing at Point Rain, Mortis, Umbara, The Lawless, The Wrong Jedi.
9. Clone Wars: The Siege of Mandalore (2020). The final four episodes of the Clone Wars is essentially a standalone movie about Ahsoka, and it is amazing.
8. Star Wars: Rebels: Twilight of the Apprentice (2016). This culminates several story lines that had been developing over *years* and multiple series. The payoff is extraordinary.
7. The Thrawn Trilogy (1992 – 1994). Cheating again with more novels. These were the sequels to me for twenty years, and introduced one of the greatest villains ever.
6. Darth Plagieus (2012). Another novel! This is a Palpatine origin story with tons of Sith lore that leads straight into Episode I. I hope the TV show Acolyte covers this terrain.
4. Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015). It's derivative....of something I love! I'll never forget watching this in the theater with my kids on opening day. Lighting in a bottle. It is one of the most re-watchable Star Wars movies.
3. Rogue One (2016). It's like someone filmed me playing with my Star Wars toys when I was five and turned it into a $200 million movie. And, of course, the Hallway.
Finally, we arrive at Tier Zero. There are only two entries in Tier Zero. You know what they are. Star Wars would not exist without them.
2. Episode V: Empire Strikes Back (1980). An astonishing cinematic classic. Read my essay on it here: http://christandpopculture.com/spawn-of-the-dark-father-the-empire-strikes-back-as-greek-tragedy/?utm_content=bufferdaafb&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer
1. Of course, Episode IV: A New Hope. How could it be anything else? The grand myth of our time.
So that's it folks, the final ranking of all Star Wars. No need to rank them again. Until the next movie and series premiers.
I have spoken.
I have spoken.
Thank you George Lucas, @starwars @Lucasfilm_Ltd Kathleen Kennedy and everyone else for decades of great stories. I rank them because I love them!
