Ask Star Wars fans what we love most about the franchise, and you’ll hear common topics like the Jedi, lightsabers, the Force, bounty hunters, spaceships, the epic John Williams scores, and so on. And if you ask about our favorite characters, names like Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Darth Vader are often mentioned.
And while I love all those things, that’s not what I’m here to talk about for this Star Wars Day blog post on May the Fourth. I want to talk about some of the little things I love about Star Wars that are off the beaten path. Details and background characters that don’t get talked about nearly as much as heavy-hitter topics like the Death Star and Boba Fett.
Here are five of my less-commonly-discussed favorites, and I want to hear yours too!
General Armitage Hux
There was a lot to geek out about in the seventh episode of The Mandalorian: Season 3, but I’m probably among the 10 or fewer people whose highlight was seeing Brendol Hux, the father of General Armitage Hux in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. I’m not exactly sure why, but I just adore Hux (and Domhnall Gleeson’s performance). He’s arrogant, scheming, and petty, and his feud with Kylo Ren is endlessly compelling (at least to me). Of course he turned out to be the spy in The Rise of Skywalker, not because he actually believes in the Resistance, but because he wants to see Kylo Ren lose. (Did I mention that he was petty?)
Dewbacks
While the Jedi, Sith, and the balance of the Force are my favorite parts of Star Wars storytelling, I also really love Star Wars creatures. Some of you probably know about my Porg obsession (I have literally lost count how many different Porg-themed merchandise items I currently own). But one of my other favorite creatures is the dewback, a reptile-like animal populating the sands of Tatooine. I love the dinosaur-inspired design, and my dewback and stormtrooper Funko Pop is one of my favorite pieces in my Funko Pop collection.
Sabé
She doesn’t receive anywhere close to the same screen time as Padmé Amidala, but handmaiden Sabé is a cool background character in the prequel trilogy I wish we got to see more of. First, she’s played by Keira Knightley, one of my favorite actresses. I also think the concept of Padmé’s look-alike handmaiden decoys is cool. While I have some issues with E.K. Johnston’s writing in the new canon Padmé novels Queen’s Shadow, Queen’s Peril, and Queen’s Hope, I do love the further development Sabé receives in those books.
Padmé’s meadow dress
The prequels inspire a lot of debate, but because today is Star Wars Day, we’re here to celebrate the positive. Padmé’s costumes in the prequel trilogy are absolutely breathtaking, and my favorite is probably the gorgeous yellow dress she wears in Attack of the Clones. It appears to draw inspiration from medieval and Renaissance looks, and it’s always been one of those “gosh, I’d love to cosplay this someday” wishes of mine.
Vader’s Castle
Darth Vader is arguably the most angsty and extra of the Star Wars villains (I say that with lots of love, because he is one of my favorite Star Wars characters). Of course Anakin Skywalker would create a broody lair for himself on the planet of Mustafar. This imposing black spire surrounded by lava is such a cool design, and I was very excited to see it in live action in Rogue One and the Obi-Wan Kenobi series.
