A Definitive Ranking of Star Wars Content.

The Star Wars universe is expansive and rather large but with Disney Plus it's now easier than ever to watch all of that content. This list is my personal opinion, I understand that people may not agree with these assessement, but everyone's opinion is valid. Unless you think The Phantom Menace is the best film then you had better leave just now.

15. Episode I: The Phantom Menace

The Phantom Menace is technically the first installment of the Star Wars saga that we get and I personally think we're very lucky that A New Hope came out way before this movie because I'm unconvinced that we would have gotten the franchise that we have today out of it.

What I Like: I love the casting of Ewan McGregor as a young Obi-Wan Kenobi, I think he brings the part to life and gives us background on a character that we don't explore enough of in the original trilogy. The introduction of Darth Maul and that lightsaber battle between Maul, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon Jin was incredible and really cemented the prequals ability to create amazing lightsaber battles that are complex, well choreographed and entertaining to watch. The pod-racing scene was interesting and I think it was pretty well done, it was a new aspect of Star Wars that we hadn't seen before.

What I don't like: Where do I start? My hatred of The Phantom Menace comes from a lot of places. Firstly I love the character of Qui-Gon and hated that he was underutilised. Don't give me a minute of Darth Maul and then snatch him from me, I really hate when Star Wars dangles his character in front of me but doesn't give me any development it's so frustrating. The kid who plays Anakin Skywalker is literally the most annoying kid to ever walk the earth. I find Natalie Portman's performance of Padme Amidala to be stiff and barely worthy of calling acting. The overall storyline isn't that intersting and the writing isn't great. Do I even have to mention Jar Jar Binks?

Overall rating: 3/10

14. Solo: A Star Wars Story

I was never excited about this film to be quite honest with you. There are plenty other Star Wars characters I would rather have a stand-alone film about than Han Solo. It's one of those films where I'm like 'Thanks, but I never asked for this'.

What I liked: Donald Glover really brought Lando Calrissian to life for me, the same lovable but arrogant man we see in the original trilogy but a fresh take, I honestly couldn't see anybody else in this role. The inspired addition of Phoebe Waller-Bridge as a hilarious driod called L3 who just wants equal rights dammit! The realtionship between L3 and Lando is funny and honestly I would watch a spin off of the two of them. L3's death is sad and heartfelt and honestly the only part of the film that makes me feel anything. The film has some good callbacks to other Star Wars films which I enjoyed. For a split second Darth Maul shows up.

What I didn't like: Honestly I didn't feel like the story really worked, it didn't feel like I was watching a film about Han Solo, most of it was just an uninteresting heist movie. Alden Ehrenreich was not the right choice to play a young Han Solo, he lacked the charisma that is really assocaited with Han Solo. I would much have preferred to see someone like Dave Franco in the role, who has that effortless charm that makes the role so iconic. I wasn't a fan of Emilia Clarke's character, I found her to be predictable and therefore forgettable. Paul Bettany will never be a convincing villain, it just didn't work for me. STOP DANGLING DARTH MAUL IN FRONT OF ME DAMMIT! Also Thandie Newton is a phenomonal actress who was reduced to a side character that gives her life for a man who doesn't deserve her, how dare you do her that dirty. I felt like the film was too dark, the cinematography just wasn't up to scratch. Solo was trying so hard to be Rogue One, but she could never.

Overall rating: 3/10

13. Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Honestly the first two on this list are the only ones I really don't like, no worries it's all up from here starting with The Clone Wars movie.

What I liked: Okay so Ahsoka Tano is my favourite star wars character of all time and that's because of her character development. In this film we're introduced to her as a fourteen year old padawan who is supposed to train under Anakin Skywalker who is reluctant to teach. We get to see more of the iconic duo that is Anakin and Obi-Wan sassing each other from the beginning and eventually Ahsokoa joins the banter. We also get to see more of the clones who are never really explored in the prequal films, especially Captain Rex.

What I didn't like: Whilst it's a great film for introduction of characters and development I honestly forget most of the plot line. It's a very simple battle from what I can remember. I also hate Ahsoka's outfit in this film, why the hell would you send a fourteen year old into battle wearing a tube top? What man designed this?

Overall rating: 5/10

12. Episode II: Attack of the Clones

You might get the impression that I don't like the prequal trilogy and I'm not going to lie but it's my least favourite trilogy, I much prefer the sequals to the prequals and I don't think that will ever change. However that's not to say that the prequels are awful, I think when you take away the bad writing they are actually pretty good.

What I liked: Ewan McGregor is very asthetically pleasing. Natalie Portman stepped up her acting and actually made Padme a character that I enjoyed watching on screen. Whilst we'll get into the writing and the character of Anakin later I do have to say that the scenes where he can sense his mother in danger, her death and his subsequent slip to the dark side are very compelling and it's done really well, without these scenes his ultimate turn to the dark side in the following film wouldn't be as convincing. I enjoyed the introduction of Jango Fett and the clone army although more development would be nice. Count Dooku is always a really interesting character and Chrisopher Lee plays him so well, I enjoy watching him on screen.

What I didn't like: The writing in this film is honestly awful at many points. I find the relationship between Anakin and Padme to be poorly, written and poorly developed, it just happens so quickly with very little context. Hayden Christensen is given the worst lines to recite in this film and honestly some of them are laughably bad, making Anakin sound like a whiney child instead of a Jedi. I am also unconvinced that I like the character of Mace Windu, I find him to be arrogant and overbaring and it does Samuel L. Jackson's acting injustice.

Overall rating: 5/10

11. Episode IX: Rise of Skywalker

I am conflicted about this film because honestly there are so many elements of it that I love and so many that I really didn't like and it makes it hard to judge whether or not it actually was a good film.

What I liked: Overall I've really enjoyed Rey's journey over the course of the sequal trilogy, I think Daisy Ridely has done some phenomenal acting and I'm excited to see more of her. Unlike many people I wasn't mad about Rey's choice to take the Skywalker name because as she was standing there in Luke's spot as the sun was setting on Tatooine it just felt right for her to claim that name. Luke, Leia and Han were the closest she ever got to real parental figures and so it makes sense that Rey would want to honour that. I loved the comedic family moments between the core three Rey, Poe and Finn because that sort of teasing and shenannigans is exactly the sort of thing that family does. Leia's death made me cry way too many tears but the thought of her dying to bring her son back from the dark side was so beautiful. I loved the conflict in Kylo Ren from the beginning, and that's what made his return to the light side so convincing and brilliant.

What I didn't like: Ben Solo deserved to live, after everything he did to save Rey and resolve the conflict inside him I truly think he deserved better than death. I feel like some characters were just forgotten about, like Rose. She had no real part in the final segment despite having quite a substantial role in the previous film. Finn also deserved better than to be some side character who is trailing after Rey like a lost puppy dog. He should have been a Jedi and I can't work out why they didn't go there with his character. I wanted to see some more force use from Leia across the trilogy and we certainly didn't get enough of that. I also don't know how to feel about Palpatine's return and making Rey a Palpatine, I liked that she came from nothing much like Anakin Skywalker. Overall I feel like the sequal trilogy didn't really know how it was going to end and how to develop the characters properly which disappoints me. Also at some point it would have been cool to see Rey rocking a duel lightsaber as she's used to fighting with a staff.

Overall rating: 5.5/10

10. Star Wars: Rebels

Following on from The Clone Wars Series, Rebels is fun and gives insight into the period of time between Revenge of the Sith and Rogue One.

What I liked: I found that the inquisitors were really interesting and cool villians that injected some awesome fights into the series. I liked that they didn't overuse Darth Vader, instead only inserting him into the narrative when it really made sense. Darth Maul is back bitches. The return of Rex and Ahsoka had me screaming as I love both of those characters. The development of Ahsoka always astounds me as she's consistently the most badass character in Star Wars. Whilst Kanan and Ezra struggle against the inquisitors, Ahsoka makes fighting them look so easy. I love her new white lightsabers and her role in the Rebellion. The confrontation between Vader and Ahsoka is a brilliant and heart-wrenching scene. In the epiosdes leading up to them meeting we can see her slipping into denial about Vader's identity even though part of her is sure it's her old master. When she tells him she won't leave him again, implying that her abandoment of the Jedi and her master was part of the reason that he turned to the darkside, my heart breaks every time.

What I don't like: Honestly the new characters aren't that interesting and the major reason I love and watch this show is for the characters that have returned from The Clone Wars series. Honestly I couldn't care less about what happens to the main characters and that alone is enough to drop it further down the list. I also think that the series is a bit limited. They tend to stick to the one planet, Lothal, and blow up the Empire's ships and that's pretty much it.

Overall rating: 5.5/10

9. Episode IV: A New Hope

This is the film that started the franchise and introduced us to the iconic characters that are beloved to us today. Whilst not as memeable as the prequals and lacks the CGI that the sequels have, the original trilogy will always be the best trilogy.

What I like: It's a simple story that introduces us to the franchise really well and it will always remain iconic. Despite being released in the 70s, A New Hope introduced Princess Leia as far more than just a Princess. She's a politician and one of the most inportant people in the Rebellion against the Empire. When things go wrong Leia is there to sort her boys out and she's pretty handy with a blaster. Great writing, interesting characters and some cool action, A New Hope will always be timeless.

What I don't like: Whilst the story is timeless the effects are a little behind the times which obviously is to be expected. I'm not going to lie, I really don't like Han Solo in A New Hope until the very end. Up until that point he's arrogant, selfish and greedy and none of those are qualities that are appealing. I also think that Obi-Wan's character could have used more development (which we eventually get) to really create a picture of how important he is. I also don't like all the secrecy surrounding Luke's father. Everyone keeps telling him you're father was a great man, a great pilot, a great Jedi and conveniently miss out the part where he's now a Sith Lord and mass murderer. It just really bugs me.

Overall rating: 6/10

8. Episode VIII: The Last Jedi

Another devisive film much like Rise of Skywalker however the first time I watched this film in the cinema I thought it was the best Star Wars film since Empire Strikes Back. After watching it again I became less enamoured and realised it's flaws, however I still don't hate it as much as other people seem to.

What I liked: I liked the conflict between Poe, Leia and Holdo that wasn't merely a fight for power or who was right but a fight for survival. Dern played Holdo really well as a woman who just wanted to keep as many people safe as possible, ultimately sacrificing herself for everyone else. The dynamic between Hux and Kylo Ren reminds me of two brothers at odds and that's really funny to me. Rey trying to learn from Luke, her pull to the dark side and her decision to leave before her training is complete to save her friends is a direct callback to Luke and Yoda in Empire Strikes Back and I love that comparrison. The 'force-calls' between Rey and Kylo Ren were interesting and only further served to prove that he was not fully invested in the dark side of the force. The scene in the throne room where Kylo kills Snoke and he and Rey fight their way out is one of the greatest scenes I've seen in the Star Wars saga and the cinematography of the scene is phenomenal. Futhermore the cinematography of the final battle scene is also asthetically pleasing.

What I didn't like: I don't like what they did to Luke's character. The flashbacks where he considered killing his own nephew makes no sense, this was a man who could see good in Darth Vader and yet couldn't help his own nephew? I also didn't like his death scene, he deserved better. The whole storyline with Finn and Rose was pointless, it literally had no place in the narrative expcept 'oh we had better give Finn something to do' and 'oh while we're at it we had better give him a love interest and then forget she exists in the next film'. The fact that Snoke turned out to be a nothing villian too was rather maddening.

Overall rating: 6/10

7. Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

I rewatched this film just a few weeks ago and was blown away by how different my opinion was on it. I used to really dislike all the prequal films but Revenge of the Sith is actually a really good film. I do however have a question, why do all the Tiktok teens thirst over Anakin Skywalker when Daddy Wan Kenobi is right there?

What I liked: The writing for Revenge of the Sith is so much better than the other two prequal films and Anakin Skywalker transistions from whiney man-child to the dark side so well. Obi-Wan's sassiness and 'Hello there' line will never not be iconic. I think the opening scene when Count Dooku is executed perfectly captures how easily Anakin can be manipluated at this point in the storyline and furthermore the film provides context for his move from Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight, to Darth Vader, Sith Lord. The question of corruption and where does this corruption lie is the biggest question in this film and the answer is that it's everywhere. After rewatching this film, and the prequals in general, it's clear to me that the Jedi council were somewhat responsible for Anakin's turn to the dark side. They didn't trust him, they wouldn't allow him (or any Jedi) to show real emotion which isn't healthy and ultimately this led to the Jedi pushing Anakin to the dark side. The execution of order 66 is heartbreaking to watch and really well handled in my opinion. That final battle between Anakin and Obi-Wan is full of incredible choreography and brilliant acting from both McGregor and Christensen, it really brings the whole film to a climax.

What I didn't like: Whilst I appreciate the improvements made to Anakin's character there are still moments where he comes across as a whiney man-child and that still really annoys me. Furthermore whilst I liked the exploration of the corruption of the Jedi council it ultimately led me to dislike a few iconic characters such as Yoda and Mace Windu who I felt were hypocritical but that wasn't the vibe they gave off in other Star Wars projects. I also don't understand Obi-Wan's decision to leave Luke on Tatooine where his father was from, surely that would be one of the first places that Vader would look?

Overall rating: 7/10

6. Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

This could be considered a controversial placement for this film as I'm aware of how beloved it is but I do love this film, just not as much as some of the others.

What I liked: Return of the Jedi really wraps up the original trilogy storyline and it does it really well. The opening sequence with Jabba the Hutt where Luke really proves himself as a Jedi and Leia proves herself as a badass is brilliant. The connection Luke has with his father and the hope he holds that his father will save him could be considered foolish but ultimately he is right and Vader becomes Anakin again for a split second before his death. Furthermore when Luke tells Leia that she's his sister and then just bounces, I find that really hilarious and in character for Luke and I can understand why Leia would struggle to come to terms with this revalation. Whilst still unsure how I feel about the character of Yoda I think his death scene was handled really well. Also we have to mention Luke in the Channel boots, did he steal them from Leia?

What I didn't like: I didn't like Palpatine's death, I loved that Vader was the one to kill him, but I feel like a lightsaber battle or at least something with the force would have been a far more interesting and fitting way to kill him than throwing him off a platform. This is the most powerful Sith Lord in the galaxy, do you really think that fall is going to kill him? I also don't understand why Anakin was allowed to join Obi-Wan and Yoda as force ghosts, like yeah you saved one persons life but you murdered hundreds including a bunch of Jedi younglings, you don't get to go to force heaven after that. I also would have liked to see more of Leia using the force, although something tells me she would have been swayed to the dark side much easier than Luke.

Overall rating: 7.5/10

5. Episode VII: The Force Awakens

This was the first Star Wars film that I could go and see in the cinema as I was still super young when the prequals came out. Maybe that's why I feel a really strong connection with this film, it's certainly the best of the sequals.

What I Liked: We finally had a female Jedi in a Star Wars film (Yes, I know about Ahsoka but so many don't) and this is crucial to young women and girls because we're always told Star Wars is for boys but here's Rey kicking ass. I liked Rey's relationship with Han, almost a father figure in a way, and I like how powerful she was with the force as well. Her friendship with Finn is super relatable and the scene where she's trying to fix the Falcon and Finn can't hand her the right tool will never not be funny. I like the development of Finn in this film, and it's pretty much the only development we get from him, as he goes from reluctant stormtrooper to Rebellion hero and he's not afraid to admit that he's scared. The character of Kylo Ren was always divisive. Older Star Wars fans didn't find him to be a believeable villain and younger fans thought that was the point of his character. He's trying to hard to be Vader but ultimately he still feels that conflict, that pull to the light and that's what makes him such an interesting character. The reunion between Han, Leia and Chewbacca is beautiful and I love how much Chewie still cares about Leia. I think Poe's character is interesting but he doesn't get proper development until the later films in the sequals. Han's death whilst devestating is necessary I think for many reasons. The Rebellion needs a reason to keep fighting and the death of a loved one is always a way to do that. Rey needed to lose that father figure in order for her to realise her potential and stay with the Rebellion. Kylo Ren had to kill his father in order to prove he was dedicated to the dark side, however all it really did was prove that he's still conflicted. Overall I think it was a strong start to the Sequal trilogy.

What I didn't Like: It kind of was a rehashed version of A New Hope with a few changes here and there, they could have been a little more adventurous with the storyline. In all honesty I thought that they were setting up Finn and Poe to be gays in space but instead I got another queerbaited couple and that really annoys me. Snoke is a nothing villian, there's zero point to him.

Overall rating: 7.5/10

4. The Mandalorian

Honestly I was a little late to the party with this one because everyone was talking about it and everyone seemed to love it but I didn't hold high hopes. I was pleasently surprised by The Madalorian and I think Marvel and DC should take a page out of Star Wars book on how to make a good TV show.

What I liked: The casting is phenomenal, even the little roles are written and acted brilliantly. The balance between action and storyline is pretty much perfect. The overall storyline is really interesting and I'm looking forward to seeing exactly where they're going to go with it. The filming of this show looks like a full on Star Wars film and it's super impressive considering it's just a TV show, must have a huge budget. Just the idea of this stoic, violent and somewhat detatched man adopting a baby Yoda and protecting this child with his life is so funny and yet so compelling at the same time. Cara Dune is a really great character who in unapologetically badass and exactly what every woman needs to see on their screen. Honestly just watch this series, it's so good.

What I didn't like: Honestly there isn't much I don't like in this series. If you're not familiar with The Mandalorians as a race from the Star Wars universe then it could be a little hard to just jump in a fully understand this series. I guess there a bits of the storyline that are forgettable and there is one particualar episode where they try to force a love interest on Mando and I really didn't like that but overall they're my only complaints.

Overall rating: 8.5/10

3. Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

Probably the most iconic of all the Star Wars films, The Empire Strikes Back was my favourite Star Wars film for a very long time.

What I liked: Of all the trilogy movies I think The Empire Strikes back has the best and most coherent storyline and that automatically gives it a high ranking. The relationship between Han and Leia is developed really well in this film and by the time she says 'I Love you' although it's quick it is convincing. The introduction of Lando Calrissian is brilliant and whilst he's protrayed as a scoundrel you can understand his betrayl of Han and Leia to Vader to save his people. Luke's training with Yoda on Dagobah also features the most iconic fight in Star Wars history, Yoda with a stick versus R2-D2. This is the film that really defines Luke's character and establishes that he too feels the pull to the dark side. It also has the most compelling and well known cinematic moment in history, 'No, I am your father' which nobody saw coming. This film also introduces the fact that there is another Skywalker (Leia) and that creates some real interest and mystic for the next film.

What I didn't like: Honestly again there's not much to hate about this film and I think my only real issue with it was that sometimes with Luke on Dagobah it felt like an isolated story not really connected as one film.

Overall rating: 9/10

2. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

I already know that many people will disagree with me here and I understand that but Rogue One is a masterpiece and no-one can convince me otherwise.

What I liked: I loved the storyline and the fact that it took us right up to the beginning of A New Hope was just icing on the cake. The characters were all extremely likeable, well acted and well developed over the course of the film, something that Solo failed to do. The cinematography in this film was nothing short of incredible, that scene where Darth Vader boards the Rebel ship and ignites his lightsaber is one of the greatest shots I've ever seen in a film, period. Felicity Jones and Diego Luna as Jyn and Cassian have great chemistry and from the very beginning I could feel that chemistry. Jyn's character development from convict to orphan to hero of the Rebellion was a brilliant one to watch, and Cassian's willingness to put everything on the line to follow Jyn on a dangerous and unsanctioned mission really showed his development too. The final scene where they realise that they're going to die on the beach of Scarif and so they cling to each other projects more intimacy than any kiss would have at that point. Rogue One is my favourite Star Wars film, end of story.

What I didn't like: My only critisim is did Jyn and Cassian really have to die? It felt unnecessary.

Overall rating: 9.5/10

1. Star Wars: The Clone Wars Series

Oh My God if you haven't watched The Clone Wars animated series then what the hell have you been doing in this lockdown?

What I liked: Everything. Every. Single. Thing. The relationship between Ahsoka and Anakin that really cements their almost sibling like connection. The Clones Wars series provides further context for Anakin's turn to the dark side and it gives us background to Obi-Wan and even provides a compelling and interesting love interest for him. We finally get actual storylines for the clones which they have always deserved. The story arcs that take place over the course of the seven seasons of this show are the best story arcs in all of Star Wars history and the final four episodes of the seventh season are cinematic masterpieces, seriously. I FINALLY GET THE DARTH MAUL CONTENT I CRAVE AND IT IS GLORIOUS. There's more Count Dooku, Palpatine, Mace Windu and these characters all finally get a little more context that really delves into their characters. But what makes this show so incredible is Ahsoka Tano. She is, in my opinion, the most powerful force weilder in Star Wars by the end of season 7 and after that she's under-utilised. She defeats Darth Maul and makes it look easy, she leaves the Jedi because she feels they are corrupt but she refuses to give into the dark side. If you want a strong female character for your kids to look up to, then Ahsoka Tano is your gal. If you're a Star Wars Fan but you haven't watched The Clone Wars animated series because you think it's just a show for kids, you're wrong. I beg you to watch it, you will not be disappointed.

What I didn't like: Nothing, it's all good.

Overall rating: 10/10