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It's the ultimate fan debate. We're ranking the entire Star Wars canon, including the movies, animated series, and live-action shows. Prepare for some controversial picks as we determine the best and worst of the franchise.
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00:00So this is a big one. With so many movies, TV shows, and holiday specials, the Star Wars canon
00:06is only going to get bigger from here on out. And this franchise means something different to
00:12everyone, which makes a list like this ranking everything a truly imposing task, because I'm
00:18not going to please anyone. Hell, I might not even please half of you. Quite simply, we aren't going
00:22to agree on everything here, and you know what? I'd have it no other way. As long as the criticism
00:27is in good faith, I genuinely can't wait to see what people would chop and change compared
00:31to the order that we've listed on here. And that's because, no matter what, I think we can
00:36all agree that Star Wars, it's bloody good, isn't it? So with that in mind, I'm Josh from
00:41whatculture.com, and this is Star Wars, every movie and TV show ranked worst to best.
00:46Number 22, Star Wars Holiday Special. There are a few Star Wars projects that are outright
00:51bad, but the Holiday Special is sadly one of them. To call it a travesty would be an understatement.
00:57In fact, it's such a vilified work of temporary insanity that George Lucas once famously said
01:03that he'd smash every copy with a sledgehammer if he had the chance. Directed by Stephen Binder,
01:08the 1978 TV special takes place just after the events of A New Hope, and follows Han Solo
01:14and Chewbacca as they race to visit the Wookiees' family whilst being pursued by the Empire.
01:19With its atrociously cheap sets and painfully uncomfortable performances, the Holiday Special
01:24really is as bad as it sounds. Featuring nonsense singalongs, half-formed characters,
01:30and the poor introduction of future franchise legend, Boba Fett.
01:34Number 21, the Ewok spin-offs. If there were any characters in the Star Wars universe who didn't
01:39need their own spin-offs, it probably would have to be the Ewoks who were first introduced in Return of
01:44the Jedi. But in yet another spell of madness, Lucasfilm thought the idea showed promise,
01:50so an animated series titled Ewoks and two made-for-TV movies, those being Caravan of Courage
01:56and the Battle of Endor, were released between 1985 and 1986. And sadly again, aside from the
02:03Holiday Special, Star Wars as a franchise has never been more empty or meritless than this.
02:09Number 20, Droids. Droids, also known as the Adventures of C-3PO and R2-D2, was originally aired
02:15with his companion series Ewoks, and only just manages to rank higher than that misfire because
02:20it includes Anthony Daniels. With the same dull humour and technically unimpressive aesthetic,
02:26Droids is yet another wonky attempt to make a kids' TV show by people who seem to have never
02:31interacted with a child, or Star Wars, before in their lives. In attempting to tell audiences what
02:373PO and R2 were up to between the fall of the Republic and the birth of the Empire, the thankfully
02:42short-lived series takes much of the magic out of their development, so much so that it's
02:47occasionally kinda sad to watch.
02:49Number 19, Star Wars The Clone Wars.
02:52This intriguing animated movie was released in 2008 as the feature-length pilot to the
02:57upcoming Clone Wars TV show, and despite some inescapable flaws, remains a landmark installment
03:02for the franchise's most recent era. Introducing fan-favorite Ahsoka Tano to the saga as the
03:08Padawan learner of Anakin, the movie follows the pair as they engage in the early stages
03:12of the eponymous war, and are eventually called in to help Jabba the Hutt find his missing
03:17son. Split into shifting segments though, The Clone Wars is choppy and seemingly unfinished,
03:22watching like 3 different episodes spliced together, but it does well to set the table
03:27for things to come, especially where the war and characters are concerned. From this point
03:31on, things would never be the same again, and Star Wars fans are still reaping the benefits
03:35of the stage it's set. Number 18, Attack of the Clones.
03:39Attack of the Clones is the most disappointing of the prequel trilogy, because its highs
03:43are so bloody high, but good lord are its lows alone. For one thing, this was the prequel
03:49that featured the epic Battle of Geonosis, the introduction of the Clone Army, as well
03:53as Anakin and Obi-Wan clashing with the nefarious Count Dooku. In terms of worldbuilding and character
03:58development, it's great to revisit Attack of the Clones and realise just how much of it
04:02really adds to the Skywalker saga, bringing Anakin's darkness out and allowing the galaxy
04:06to get one step closer to war. The problem with all of this though, and much of the prequel
04:11trilogy in general, is the execution, which comes complete with a laughably bad script,
04:17atrocious performances, and a central romance between Anakin and Padme that borders on unforgivable.
04:22The groundwork is there, setting up big things, but it's seriously kinda hard to get through
04:27it at times.
04:28Number 17, Resistance.
04:30One of the more underrated additions to the franchise, Resistance is set before the events
04:34of the sequel trilogy, and follows the Rebels as they spy on the looming threat of the First
04:39Order. With sharp visuals and a terrific voice cast such as sequel star Oscar Isaac, the two
04:44season exploration of the New Republic and the inner workings of the Rebel Alliance makes
04:48for both engaging and easily digestible fun for the whole family. It's not particularly
04:54challenging and suffers in part due to its lack of necessity to the overall story of the films,
04:59but Resistance is basically what Ewoks and droids tried to do in the 80s, be an exciting
05:04kid-friendly adventure show with heart, soul, and wit.
05:08Number 16, Visions.
05:10Visions is unlike anything else Star Wars has ever produced. Currently consisting of one season
05:16and nine episodes, it's an anime anthology series that's not canon, but nonetheless is totally
05:22in keeping with the legacy of the franchise. Each episode of Visions forms its own story,
05:27produced by seven different Japanese animation studios, giving free reign on what stories they
05:32wanted to tell in how they used the franchise's mythology. The final results of this experimental
05:37mission are to die for, thanks in large part to its stunning visual appeal and powerful stories
05:43that are both unique and recognisable to long-time fans. It may not be the Star Wars that fans know
05:49and love, but Visions' fresh take on the galaxy far, far away is impossible not to fall for.
05:54Number 15, The Phantom Menace.
05:56The Phantom Menace definitely, definitely has its issues, many of them glaring. There's the
06:02introduction of Jar Jar Binks, young Anakin's many cringeworthy lines, and the heavy-handed
06:07politics of the Republic's world-building. But there are more virtues to the prequel trilogy's
06:12debut than you may remember. Amongst them, the strong performances and chemistry of Ewan McGregor
06:17and Liam Neeson, the development of the Jedi Council, and John Williams' epic score.
06:22Then, of course, there's the film's highlight, The Jewel of the Fates, in which Obi-Wan and
06:28Qui-Gon Jinn clash with the silent villain Darth Maul, setting the stage for the chaotic
06:32war between light and dark that colours the entire saga. Its high points might not be enough
06:37to overcome its subtle-as-a-rock storytelling, strangely convoluted mythology or tacky humour,
06:42but the Phantom Menace is far from being an all-out failure just because of them.
06:47Number 14, The Book of Boba Fett.
06:49The most recent series to be added to Star Wars' back catalogue, The Book of Boba Fett
06:53acts as a thrilling, lore-heavy continuation of several major plotlines set up in its groundbreaking
06:58predecessor, The Mandalorian. Most enjoyably, though, is the way the show has finally given
07:03Boba Fett a chance to live up to his massively overhyped legacy, portraying him with the steely
07:08determination and general toughness that he's always deserved. The show is still in its infancy,
07:14so it has some key problems currently weighing it down, from its struggles to actually keep
07:18Boba involved in the action to its too-clean TV aesthetic, but it's already got more than
07:22enough twists, turns, and long-awaited character interactions to give it a strong start and
07:27a bright future.
07:29Number 13, The Rise of Skywalker.
07:31As the final chapter of the Skywalker saga, The Rise of Skywalker had a lot riding on its shoulders,
07:36and for the most part, it kinda squandered its potential. Despite some bright spots found
07:41in the bracing duels between Rey and Kylo Ren, and its striking visual flair, the movie offers
07:46up a barrage of unwanted twists, such as the sudden return of Emperor Palpatine, and nonsensical
07:52character motivations.
07:53But still, there is a lot to love in here. It's clear that the cast still really care
07:58about this material, and J.J. Abrams is trying his hardest to wrap up a sequel trilogy that
08:03clearly had loads of holes poked into it. It's not quite as divisive as its predecessor,
08:09but The Rise of Skywalker certainly has as many haters as it does fans.
08:13Number 12, Solo.
08:15One of the more underrated installments of the Star Wars saga, Solo's main issue stems
08:20from just how safe and arguably unneeded it is. But even then, its visual extravagance
08:25and exciting action does make it a worthwhile watch. Casting as so-so Alden Ehrenrich as the
08:31eponymous smuggler and emerging galactic hero, the prequel sheds light on Han's fun
08:36pre-Rebel days, the origins of his relationship with Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian, and his
08:41famously speedy Kessel Run originally teased in A New Hope. It's genuinely enjoyable stuff
08:47as well, managing to pack enough action and gorgeous effects into the mix to overcome the
08:51issues with its predictable on-the-nose drama.
08:54Yes, poring over the vast Star Wars catalogue, Solo does feel like the biggest cash grab it's
08:59ever clutched for, but it's far from the all-out failure that many wish to paint it as.
09:03Number 11, The Bad Batch.
09:05The unexpected but welcome sequel to The Clone Wars, The Bad Batch follows a group of mutated
09:10clones who survive Order 66 with their minds intact, and set out as hidden guns for hire
09:15in a world far removed from the one that they once fought for. With awe-inspiring animation,
09:21it's already proven itself to be a magnificent addition to the canon. The voicework of D. Bradley
09:25Baker, mixed with the tightly plotted writing that effortlessly continues several major storylines
09:30set up in both Clone Wars and Rebels, has made The Bad Batch yet another crowning success
09:35for Star Wars' animated landscape. And that's without getting into the richly envisioned clone
09:40protagonists, all of whom, especially Hunter, Omega and Crosshair, are surely some of the
09:45most colourful characters the franchise has ever produced. Bring on the future of this show.
09:50Number 10, The Mandalorian.
09:52The Star Wars series that nobody knew they needed, The Mandalorian is about to enter its
09:57third season and cement itself as a classic of the franchise. Thanks in large part to its infusion
10:02of Mandalorian mythology, heavily influenced by the works of TV shows like The Clone Wars
10:07and Rebels, and gripping action sequences, the series has hit new highs with each episode,
10:12and two seasons in, seems to have single-handedly ushered in a new great era for the franchise's
10:18fans. Its clean production and slight overindulgence on fan service has dampened things at times,
10:24sure, but The Mandalorian is still modern Star Wars at its best.
10:27Number 9, Revenge of the Sith. Revenge of the Sith suffers from many of the same flaws as the rest
10:33of the prequels, most notably a melodramatic script emphasised by atrocious acting and rushed payoffs.
10:39But, and it is a big but, aside from its detours into ridiculousness and meme-ability,
10:45it's actually pretty damn good. Especially the second half. Between some really, really good
10:51performances like Ewan McGregor's, the haunting execution of the Order 66 sequence, and the way
10:56that it leans into the good versus evil theme of the saga, there is so much to love in this
11:01movie.
11:02It's not perfect, few movies are, but Revenge of the Sith captures the magic and darkness of the
11:07Star Wars saga almost as well as the originals, only with more CGI Yoda and coughing cyborgs who never
11:13live up to their potential. Also, who could possibly hate the final duel between Obi-Wan
11:18and Anakin? It makes the movie better whether you initially liked it or not.
11:23Number 8, Rebels. Set several years before the events of A New Hope, Rebels ran for four seasons
11:28and 75 episodes, and shed some revealing light on the early years of the original Rebel Alliance
11:33and the effects the fall of the Republic had on the galaxy. Uniquely animated to suit the original
11:39Star Wars concept art by Ralph McQuarrie, Rebels never shies away from the darkest recesses of
11:44the saga, but with its light humor and endearing gaggle of anti-heroes, makes itself fun for the
11:49whole family as well as top tier Star Wars through and through. Number 7, The Force Awakens. In terms of
11:56story, it's tough to argue that The Force Awakens is mostly a rehash of the original trilogy. You know,
12:01an orphan with a forgotten past is thrust into an intergalactic war and finds their true calling
12:05as a Jedi Knight. But whilst its plot is derivative and sets in motion a story that leaves the events
12:11of the previous six movies a little bit forgotten, there is still so much to love about the first
12:16chapter of the sequel trilogy. For one thing, there's the characters, including troubled survivor
12:21Rey, roguish fighter pilot Poe, former stormtrooper Finn, and conflicted antagonist Kylo Ren, all of
12:28whom work well with legacy characters such as Han and Leia. Even with its divisive cliffhanger and
12:33predictable story, The Force Awakens is heaps of fun and captures the spirit of the franchise's
12:38message and characters beautifully. It's aged very well and deserves a major reappraisal.
12:44Number 6, Return of the Jedi. The most common complaint leveled towards Return of the Jedi is
12:48that it's a little bit too silly, especially when compared to its two classic predecessors. Ewoks and
12:54the cartoonish Battle of Endor notwithstanding though, the final chapter of the original trilogy might
12:59actually be the darkest of the three films, thanks in large part to Jabba the Hutt's general vileness
13:05and Luke Skywalker's final clash with his soon-to-be-redeemed father. But it's not all bleak,
13:11instead striking a rewarding balance between the saga's heavier twists and its exciting sense of
13:17wonder and adventure. Even in its lesser moments, there's something here for everybody to enjoy.
13:22Return of the Jedi brings the trilogy to a fantastic conclusion, all told, tying up loose ends and riveting
13:28character arcs with violent and heartwarming payoffs to spare.
13:32Number 5, The Last Jedi.
13:34Without question the most divisive addition to Star Wars' mighty back catalogue. The Last Jedi
13:39followed on from the cliffhanger of The Force Awakens as Rey seeks a reclusive Luke's guidance
13:43on honing her skills as a Jedi. Directed by Rian Johnson, The Last Jedi digs deep into the characters
13:49at its centre more intensely than any Star Wars vehicle before or since. As Luke grapples with the
13:55results of his regrettable actions, Rey struggles to control her mysterious powers and Kylo Ren seesaws
14:01between villainy and anti-hero. On top of that, it's also the most visually beautiful chapter of
14:06the entire saga, rich with vibrant colour, impressive set pieces and a final act showdown between Luke
14:12and Kylo that's one of the best scenes in the franchise. It's not flawless of course, I mean Leia
14:17travelling through space is a little bit silly, whilst the Finn and Rose subplot does feel like
14:22directionless filler, but it's a daring adventure that takes risks and makes them work much better
14:27than expected.
14:28Number 4, Rogue One.
14:29Yep, that's right I guess, the One without any Jedi and a large ensemble of never before seen
14:35characters is, in fact, one of the best Star Wars projects of all time. Yet another story to take
14:40place before the events of A New Hope, Rogue One follows a group of mismatched rebel soldiers as they
14:45risk everything to steal the Death Star plans from a highly protected Imperial planet. Visually gorgeous
14:51and rife with subtle tragic characters we really wish had more time, the prequel source thanks to
14:57its avoidance of formula. There's no prophecies here of superpowered beings battling for the galaxy,
15:02just everyday people with an eclectic set of skills willing to fight for what they believe in.
15:08Rogue One is epic, harrowing and unpredictable stuff, it makes the events of the original trilogy that
15:13much richer to revisit, it really is that great.
15:17Number 3, The Clone Wars.
15:19The best Star Wars show on offer, The Clone Wars is the franchise's most expansive and eye-opening
15:25descent into the complexities and inner workings of the galaxy, confidently shedding light on its
15:30politics, the Jedi Order and the turmoil of conflict. Focusing on a wide variety of characters
15:36during the titular war, the seven season series told stories about rookie clones, one-off Jedi,
15:41bounty hunters, behind-the-scenes political betrayal and more. With each development adding a new layer
15:47of brilliance to the saga's impressive world building. Aside from its stunning animation, epic
15:52battles and endless supply of engrossing characters though, The Clone Wars' true power came from how it
15:57explored the downfall of Anakin Skywalker, his Padawan Ahsoka and his master Obi-Wan. The Clone Wars is
16:04such a rewarding experience, mixing the franchise's humour, darkness and heartbreak together perfectly,
16:10that there's only two things on this list that can beat it.
16:14Number 2, A New Hope.
16:15It all started here, with an orphan farmer called Luke Skywalker who escaped from his mundane existence
16:21and, along with a princess, an infamous smuggler, a Wookiee, two droids and a weathered Jedi Master,
16:27became the face of a war without end. Undeniably one of cinema's most important cultural landmarks, A New Hope gave
16:33birth to the modern
16:34blockbuster, and set in motion the lives of a group of fantastical characters, who continue to shape pop culture and
16:40the entire
16:41Star Wars franchise to this day.
16:43Yeah, there are aspects of the space opera that haven't aged well, from some of the special effects to the
16:48lacklustre lightsaber duels,
16:50but watching it some 40 years later, it's impossible to not be gripped by George Lucas' vision and the innovation
16:56taking place on screen.
16:58From here, the Star Wars saga would go bigger, but it would never be this important and unique ever again.
17:04Number 1, The Empire Strikes Back.
17:06In the end, there could only be one, couldn't there?
17:09As obvious a pick as it may be, there's few who can argue against The Empire Strikes Back being the
17:14pinnacle of the franchise.
17:15Taking what was set up in A New Hope, the second chapter of the original trilogy finds our assorted heroes
17:21stretched thin in a galaxy torn apart by war,
17:24as Luke Skywalker hunts down the elusive Jedi legend Yoda in an attempt to master his still emerging power.
17:31With more epic action and emotion than its predecessor, The Empire Strikes Back continues to be the gold standard of
17:37Star Wars.
17:38Bursting to life as a thrilling war movie, an engaging tale of good versus evil, and a blockbuster that dares
17:43to hurt its characters and shock audiences with its secrets.
17:47From the duel between Luke and Darth Vader that culminates in a devastating twist, to the loss of Han Solo
17:52and the opening battle of Hoth,
17:54Star Wars has never been more as sure of itself or flawless as it was with The Empire Strikes Back.
18:00So, that's our list. Like I said at the beginning, this is a big one and I really want to
18:04know what you guys think down in the comments below.
18:06What's your ranking? What do you think of this one? And am I dumb for putting The Last Jedi at
18:10number 5?
18:11Hey, maybe I am.
18:12While you're down there as well, could you please give us a like, share, subscribe and head over to What
18:15Cultures Star Wars for more lists and news like this every single day.
18:19Even if you don't though, I've been Josh, thanks so much for watching and I'll see you soon.
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