A Guide to the Women of the Star Wars Universe
With today's release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, we're so excited to see another Star Wars film with a female lead.
Of course, Jyn Erso isn't the only powerful woman in the Star Wars saga. The films (and animated TV series) have featured some of our favorite leading ladies. If you're not familiar with all of them yet, here's a handy guide.
Warning: If you're not fully caught up on your Star Wars lore, spoilers abound—but don't worry if you haven't seen Rogue One yet!
Ahsoka Tano
Ahsoka trains as Padawan under a young Anakin Skywalker. Though she begins her journey impatient and reckless, her ability to lead soon allows her to gain Anakin's respect. Eventually, she's framed for an explosion and murder. Although she is found innocent, she decides to leave the Jedi Order to pursue a life free from their influence and eventually becomes a rebel agent.
(Star Wars: The Clone Wars via Lucasfilm)
Asajj Ventress
As a young girl, Ventress is rescued by a Jedi called Ky Narec, who trains her in the ways of the Force. When Ky is killed before Ventress can complete her training, she becomes vengeful, believing the Jedi are responsible for failing to protect her master, as well as her home. She falls to the dark side, eventually getting recruited by Count Dooku to defeat Anakin Skywalker. Only after discovering her talents as a bounty hunter does she decide to make peace with her past and lend an occasional hand to the good guys.
(Star Wars: The Clone Wars via Lucasfilm)
Bazine Netal
Bazine Netal is a skilled and powerful bounty hunter. She frequents the pirate Maz Kanata's castle in search of new jobs and tips, and when she spots BB-8 alongside Han Solo, Rey and Finn, she's the first to announce the droid's whereabouts to the First Order.
(Star Wars: The Force Awakens via Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Captain Phasma
Phasma is one of the highest-ranking members of the First Order as a captain commanding all of its stormtrooper soldiers. She's cold, calculating and unemotional, making her a very strong leader in the eyes of the First Order. But when Han Solo and Rey find her, she reveals that her life is more important to her than the Order, lowering the Starkiller Base's shields to save herself. Ultimately she's thrown into a trash compactor and her actions allows the Resistance to destroy the base—but is that really the end of Phasma?
(Star Wars: The Force Awakens via Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Hera Syndulla
Hera, the daughter of Resistance leader Cham Syndulla, is a Twi'lek who grows up during the Clone Wars. She's a headstrong pilot with maternal instincts who dedicates her life to fighting the Empire. As captain of a ship called the Ghost, she leads a ragtag group of rebels called the Spectres, making them all the best they can be to take down the evil Emperor.
(Star Wars Rebels via Lucasfilm)
Jess Pava
Jess, aka Blue Three, is an X-wing fighter pilot for the Resistance. Luke Skywalker is a major influence in Jess' decision to become a fighter pilot, which pays off as Jess plays a critical role in destroying the Starkiller Base.
(Star Wars: The Force Awakens via Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Jyn Erso
Jyn Erso has a troubled past, but must learn to put it behind her to achieve her goal—to bring down the Empire. She's a lone wolf who likes to act first and ask questions later, but she must learn to work with a team and join the Rebel Alliance if she truly believes in her cause.
(Rogue One: A Star Wars Story via Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Leia Organa
Princess Leia, later General Organa, is a powerful Rebel Alliance leader from Alderaan. Though some may perceive her as weak, she knows how to lead and isn't afraid to get her hands dirty, organizing battles, fighting and even disguising herself as a bounty hunter to save Han Solo from crime boss Jabba the Hutt.
(Star Wars: A New Hope via Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Luminara Unduli
Luminara Unduli is a Jedi Master from the planet Mirial who fought the Separatists during the Clone Wars. She fought bravely at the battle of Kashyyyk, before being arrested and executed under the evil Emperor's Order 66 to exterminate the Jedi. After her defeat, the Emperor demonstrates just how important she was, using her to lure other Jedi into his traps.
(Star Wars: Attack of the Clones via Lucasfild Ltd.)
Maz Kanata
Maz Kanata is thousands of years old and lives in a massive, ancient castle on the planet Tokadana. She's known as a pirate queen and offers her castle up as a haven to smugglers, as long as they're willing to maintain peace there. She's also a collector of trinkets and odd objects, including a lightsaber built by Anakin Skywalker and later used by his son, Luke. She gives it to Rey when it calls out to her.
(Star Wars: The Force Awakens via Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Mon Mothma
While Mon Mothma never hides her disdain for Palpatine and his evil policies, she is a double agent of sorts, working as a leader in the Galactic Senate's Loyalist faction while also secretly creating the Rebel Alliance against the Empire. She also plays a critical role in Rogue One.
(Star Wars: Return of the Jedi via Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Mother Talzin
Talzin is a Nightsister from the planet Dathomir, and the mother of Darth Maul. The Nightsisters are force-sensitive witches who use their powers to control their environments, as well as the males of their species. The Nightsisters begin to use their powers to target the evil Count Dooku, and Talzin sends her son, Savage Opress, to train under Dooku and infiltrate their ranks.
(Star Wars: The Clone Wars via Lucasfilm)
Padmé Amidala
Padmé is a gifted and generous politician who is elected Queen of Naboo at the young age of 14. She leads well, often disguising herself as one of her handmaidens in order to temporarily escape the royal life. She's also a fighter, taking part in the Battle of Geonosis. She falls in love with and marries Anakin Skywalker in secret and eventually becomes mother to twins Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa.
(Star Wars: Attack of the Clones via Lucasfilms Ltd.)
Rey
Rey is an orphan who lives as a scavenger on the planet Jakku. She collects scraps in order to survive until her life is changed forever when she meets a former stormtrooper called Finn and the droid BB-8. It's not long before she discovers she is Force-sensitive, and she decides to seek out the mentorship of the legendary Luke Skywalker in order to pursue her destiny.
(Star Wars: The Force Awakens via Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Sabine Wren
From the time she is a little girl, Sabine is trained as a Mandalorian warrior. She decides to put those skills to use as a bounty hunter alongside her best friend, Ketsu Onyo. After Ketsu abandons her, Sabine joins the Spectres alongside Hera Sydnulla and the Jedi Kanan Jarrus to put her talents to a good cause.
(Star Wars Rebels via Lucasfilm)
Satine Kryze
Satina Kryze is a duchess and gifted politician during the Clone Wars. Her goal is to make the planet of Mandalore a peaceful place, but its history built on a warrior culture makes this difficult. She and Obi-Wan Kenobi fall in love, and he even says he'd be willing to leave the Jedi Order for her, but Darth Maul ends her life in return for his earlier defeat.
(Star Wars: The Clone Wars via Lucasfilm)
Shaak Ti
Shaak Ti is a member of the Jedi Council as well as one of the Jedi Generals who trained Clone troopers on the planet Kamino. In the Battle of Geonosis, she is part of the team that helps rescue Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala from execution. She is later killed by Anakin under the influence of the evil Emperor.
(Star Wars: The Clone Wars via Lucasfilm)
Yaddle
Yaddle is yet another female Jedi Master and part of the Jedi Council. As a member of Yoda's species, she's similar to him in appearance. After the Battle of Naboo, she decides to step down and leave the Jedi Council.
(Star Wars: The Phantom Menace via Lucasfilm Ltd.)
Zam Wesell
Zam Wesell is a bounty hunter and a Clawdite, allowing her to shapeshift and take on various appearances. She worked closely with Jango Fett, and her last mission was to assassinate Padmé Amidala. When she fails, Fett kills her before she can give his name.
(Star Wars: Attack of the Clones via Lucasfild Ltd.)
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