8 of the best original Star Wars characters ranked from weakest to strongest

2. Darth Vader

Let's talk about why Darth Vader, the galaxy's most notorious heavy breather (please give this man a neb treatment), ranks second. This guy isn't just your average villain with a scary mask and a flair for dramatic entrances. Vader is the real deal – a bona fide Sith Lord with more Force tricks up his sleeve than a magician who has rabbits in a hat. He's like that one friend who's good at everything, but instead of showing off at party games, he's out there using the Force to choke people without even touching them. Talk about a party trick.

But here's the deal: Vader isn't topping our list, and there's a good reason for it. Despite being as intimidating as a bear in a dark alley, he's got a soft spot. You see, deep down under all that black armor and menace, there's still a bit of good ol' Anakin Skywalker. This chip in his armor, this lingering shred of humanity, is what keeps him from being the undisputed champion of strength in the Star Wars universe. It's like he's competing in the Olympic Games of evil, and just as he's about to take the gold, he remembers he used to be a decent guy.