My 6 favorite Star Wars characters

©

by Brian Clarey

1. Han Solo
I’m decidedly old school in my Star Wars tastes, but they run pretty deep. I’ve been a huge fan since I was 7 years old, the year the first movie came out. And I’m taking this opportunity to geek out over the release of the newest film, which I’ll be seeing before our next issue comes out, after which I’ll undoubtedly have some new nerd crushes. But my first favorite was Han Solo, the cavalier smuggler with something to prove. Also looked cool in vests.

2. Jango Fett
Not to get too nerdy here, but Jango Fett was definitely the baddest of the Mandalore sect of assassins to which he belonged, bad enough that he was chosen to lend his genetic code to form the mighty clone army. The only one who comes close is his “son” Boba, but everyone knows that Boba, even though he’s an exact replica of Jango, is just another clone. I’ll go with the genuine article.

3. Kit Fisto
You can have your Mace Windus and your Yodas and your Shaak Tis. When it comes to Jedi, make mine Kit Fisto, the alien-eyed master with tentacle dreads who fought so valiantly at the onset of the Clone Wars and who boasts a name that sounds like he’s just aching to punch someone in the face. A Nautolan from the planet Glee Anselm, Fisto was eventually slain by Emperor Palpatine.

4. The Wookies
They’re basically a bunch of bigfoots.

5. Lando Calrissian
Okay, so in Empire, Lando Calrissian sells out his pal Han Solo, but he didn’t have much choice and damn if Billy Dee Williams didn’t look cool doing it. And even then, he eventually put on the guy’s clothes, hopped in the Millennium Falcon and saved him. So Lando’s square, as far as I’m concerned. Plus, coolest name ever. If my wife would have let me I would have named both of my sons Lando.

6. Aayla Secura
She’s the blue-skinned Jedi Master who sometimes rocks twin lightsabers. Totally indestructible — until she was blasted down by her own clone troopers after Order 66 was issued and executed in Episode II. Brutal.