Ranking live action versions of animated Star Wars characters

Recent live action debuts of originally animated characters have received some mixed reviews, so here is a breakdown of the success of each live action versions of Star Wars characters.

7. Cad Bane

Originally introduced as a bounty hunter in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Cad Bane is known for his ruthless skills in fighting Jedi and iconic gravelly voice. His appearance in The Book of Boba Fett sparked controversy among fans as he looked quite different from his animated counterpart. For me, his limited role and quick death reveal a missed opportunity to expand on and explore his relationship with Boba Fett.

6. Grand Inquisitor

The Grand Inquisitor’s live action debut on Obi-Wan Kenobi received similar complaints of not looking enough like the version of his character in Star Wars: Rebels. His character maintained his imposing personality, but the confusion over his “death” early in the show, left many fans confused, and distracted from more important elements in Kenobi.

5. 5th Brother

Serendipitously taking the 5th position on this list, 5th brother, an inquisitor from Rebels was a welcome addition to Kenobi but lacked much depth or expansion. His roles in both shows were relatively minor, but Kenobi was faithful to his appearance and disposition.  Overall, his arrival in live action left mainly neutral opinions.

4. Ahsoka Tano

This ranking was by far the most difficult to place. As a distinct fan favorite, fans had extremely high expectations for Ahsoka’s first steps into live action. From the moment her white lightsabers graced our screens on The Mandalorian, many were very excited. While it was a little jarring to see Ahsoka without her long lekku or listen to her speak without Ashley Eckstein’s voice, Rosario Dawson has done a great job portraying her character so far. That being said, her presence has, at times, felt a bit contrived, particularly when she showed up in BoBF. With her new show coming out in August, her place on this ranking is certain to rise.

3. Zeb Orrelios

As a giant, furry, purple alien, it was a bit shocking at how great Zeb looked as a live action character. Though his role was only a small cameo in The Mandalorian, it was perfectly executed, giving long-time fans a much-needed update as well as making all my dreams come true. For fans who do not know this heroic Lasat, there is still plenty of time before we expect to see him again in order to watch Rebels.

2. Saw Gerrera

Given how well Saw has been integrated in the live action universe, it is easy to forget that he was first introduced as a character on Clone Wars. Across the many projects he has reappeared in, including Rogue One, Andor, and The Bad Batch, Saw has always maintained felt like the same character, even if he has grown and changed over time. It is fascinating to watch his entire life over the course of each project, making his live action version one of the most successful transitions from the animated universe.

1. Bo-Katan Kryze

Katee Shackhoff has the distinction of having played her character both in animation and live action over a number of shows. Her character has been instrumental in every project she is a part of, particularly as a mentor to other Mandalorians. While she was originally known as a Death Watch terrorist turned Mandalore liberator in Clone Wars, Bo-Katan’s character has developed quite a bit since then. Her roles have always extended further from a cameo to please the fans. She has helped both Sabine Wren and Din Djarin learn more about themselves and their cultures, guiding them and offering her friendship. Because of her impact, she tops the list for best animated to live action transition.