The 25 most influential Star Wars characters

7. Han Solo

Brash and reckless, Han Solo is the rip-riding cowboy of Star Wars. He’s a charmer, and while he isn’t the biggest fan of the Rebellion, he loves Leia enough to continue helping them out as needed, which is quite often.

Despite the large gap between The Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, we get a sense of how things played out with Han and Leia over the years. We know they had a son together and he didn’t turn out how they were hoping, but neither of them ever fully gave up on Ben, who changed his name to Kylo after turning to the Dark Side.

Han Solo is also one of the most recognizable characters in the Star Wars universe thanks to Harrison Ford’s excellent portrayal of him. He has one of those faces that you just don’t forget. Before Han met Leia, he was just some smuggler causing trouble around the galaxy. While he never completely abandoned that persona, he found other qualities — bravery, loyalty, friendship — as he became more involved with the Rebellion and, later, the Resistance. He’s famous across the galaxy, as is the Millennium Falcon. When people know your name, you’ve either done something right or very wrong. In Han’s case, he’s done plenty of both.