The entire Skywalker Saga has featured fantastic rivalries, but these Star Wars films have also included some head-scratching conflicts, too.
Star Wars is built off the back of the world's myths and stories. Like with the greatest tales, Star Wars has left its mark,creating fascinating heroes and villains and pitting them against one another. The series has created some of the most iconic rivalries of all time.
Yet, at the same time, for every classic rivalry, there are just as many that don't work. Whether the motivations don't make sense or the execution fails, some of these relationships fall flat. Looking over the course of the entire Skywalker Saga, here are five of the best and five of the worst rivalries in Star Wars.
The Prequels took the foundation of this relationship, instilled it with centuries of mythology, and made it that much more compelling. The rule of two is a perfect embodiment of the Sith teachings, with revenge and greed at the heart of the relationship between Master and Apprentice.
Vader and Palpatine's relationship is one of the most toxic but fascinating ones in the saga. From the early days, when Palpatine whispered in Anakin's ear, to the full teacher and student dynamic, this rivalry is complicated by the fact that, on paper, they serve the same side.
The Fett family has been a plague on this saga for a long time. While they look very, very cool, their narrative and thematic purpose serve little weight. The rivalry between Obi-Wan and Jango Fett, for example, is nothing more than a reason for a cool looking duel sequence.
Fett, as has been revealed, wasn't even a Mandalorian. So there is no reason (that we know of) for him to dislike Obi-Wan or the Jedi. The fight sequences that the two partake in are a lot of fun to watch, but there is little emotional weight to back them.
A solid chunk of fans has been very vocal of both The Last Jedi and the character of Admiral Holdo. In reality, though, the relationship and rivalry between herself and Poe Dameron is one of the most compelling, complicated, and valuable ones of the entire Saga.
Poe's hot-headedness is immediately challenged by this woman who has spent her life fighting for the Rebellion turned Resistance. Her tactics go against everything he knows, but it is because of her experience. While a majority of the relationship was spent in conflict, the end result is a powerful lesson for Poe in terms of leadership.
This scene is one of the most iconic Darth Vader moments of the entire Saga. Admiral Motti directly criticizes Vader for his touting of the force and its abilities, which results in the Dark Lord using force choke on the officer. While the scene is great, it contradicts events in the Saga.
But, this makes little sense in the context of the timeline of events. Like Han Solo, Admiral Motti would have been around during the days of the Republic and would have known of the existence of Jedi and the force. While he might not have seen their abilities for himself, one could assume it would be common knowledge.
Star Wars works on such a massive level because its themes are so accessible. Few relationships have as clear of motivations as that between Maul and Obi-Wan. Looking past the creative leaps that were made in series like Clone Wars and Rebels, the rivalry in The Phantom Menace alone is perfect.
Here we find a young student who faces ultimate evil. Not only is this a threat to his philosophy, but this threat just killed his master and father-figure. While Obi-Wan doesn't fall to pure revenge, the clash of these basic emotions is still powerful. Add in the narrative work of the series and you have one of the best rivalries of the franchise.
Anakin had always been an outlier in the Jedi Order. He was trained far too late, and his methods were more roguish and unorthodox than most other Jedi. Because of this, many of the masters on the Jedi Council were wary of his future.
But the harsh reactions that Mace Windu constantly points towards Anakin feel a bit unearned. Sure, he as well as others are cautious around the assumed chosen one, but the direct distrust Windu throws towards Anakin feels random and unnecessary. In fact, it might have had a direct hand in Mace's downfall.
The ultimate Dyad in the force, this pairing is one of the best things to come out of the Sequel trilogy. Both Rey and Kylo as individuals are some of the most dynamic and well-acted characters in the Saga, pairing them together is even more of a treat.
The chemistry between the two is electric, and you can feel the power shift between each of them in each scene. All of their lightsaber duels have felt as emotional as Luke and Vader's in the original trilogy, if not more so. While some were disappointed by the final outcome of their story, just as many felt that their completed arc was the highlight of the current era.
The Sequel Trilogy certainly wasn't lacking in great actors. Not only was Adam Driver the perfect fit for Kylo Ren, but his other cohort General Hux was wonderfully realized by Domhnall Gleeson. That being said, while their sparring was fun, it often felt unmotivated and pointless.
Their pairing was a highlight of The Force Awakens, creating a power-grabbing dynamic that promised a lot of development moving forward. But, by the time of Rise of Skywalker, Hux felt left behind by the greater story, wasted by poor planning and no motivation.
At the end of the day, this is the relationship at the heart of the Skywalker Saga. Luke and Vader remain probably the most crucial characters of the franchise, and their dueling personalities and love for one another is the foundation of the story George Lucas was telling.
While it wasn't obvious in the first film, Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi succeed because of the tension of this dynamic. Their constant shifting allegiance to the dark and light side, as well as to each other, results in the best rivalry, let alone relationship, in the entire Saga.
This rivalry has never, ever made any sense. The only time that the two characters have shown any animosity towards one another was because Boba is the one who cashed in on Solo's bounty. It was nothing personal, and Solo would recognize that.
Nothing in the films hint towards these two seeing each other as enemies apart from marketing and fan expectations. Not once have the two even spoken a word to one another. If Boba was to have a rivalry with anyone it would be Mace Windu (as seen in Clone Wars.
