18. Maz Kanata
Image Credit: Lucasfilm
Nobody knows Maz Kanata’s past, but it’s a long one. The tiny pirate queen is some one thousand years old, older even than Yoda. In some ways, she may be wiser.
There are a few things we learned about Maz from The Force Awakens. First, she has a connection to the Force but doesn’t use it for combat. She has kept an eye on the workings of the galaxy for a long time. She is also aware of the importance of the Skywalkers. Somehow, she obtains Anakin Skywalker’s lightsaber which Luke dropped in Cloud City. When Rey comes and the lightsaber calls to her, Maz willingly hands it over to her.
Probably because of her desire to know what’s going on in the galaxy, Maz’s castle on Takodana is a haven for creatures of all walks of life. Most of them are scum, but where better to get down-low information than from those used to dealing in it?
The last time Maz appeared in The Force Awakens, she encouraged Finn to use Anakin’s lightsaber to defend himself against the First Order. After that, she disappears from the film. She may have been captured by the First Order or she may have escaped with the Resistance. We know she will be in Episode VIII, so hopefully, the mystery of her previous absence will be solved.
Maz is one of those characters whose history has no end; she has been so many places and seen so many things. And she is a delightful personality, despite the unsavory people she allows to frequent her castle. For these reasons, Maz ranks as number 18 on our list.