5 of the best LGBTQ+ Star Wars video game characters

Star Wars video games have existed since the '80s, but it wasn't until the early 2000s that Star Wars would see its first LGBTQ+ character in both video game form and for the franchise as a whole. With it being Pride Month, we're highlighting five of the best LGBTQ+ characters throughout the video games.

Juhani - Knights of the Old Republic

Debuting in BioWare's Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic back in 2003, Juhani marked a first in Star Wars history for not only being the first LGBTQ+ character in a Star Wars video game, but also being the first LGBTQ+ character in the entire franchise.

Players first meet Juhani outside the Jedi enclave on Dantooine and have the option of either turning her back from the dark side and recruiting her or killing her to complete their final Jedi trial. If a female Revan is able to recruit Juhani, and as long as they aren't meant to her in any dialogue choices, they'll have the option of romancing her.

David Gaider, who is known for his writing on the Dragon Age games as well as other BioWare titles, confirmed on the now-shut-down LucasForums that Juhani, who identifies as a lesbian, had a lover while at the Jedi Enclave on Dantooine.

Merrin - Jedi Fallen Order games

Merrin is introduced in 2019's Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order, which was developed by Respawn Entertainment. In the years since, she has become a pretty popular fan favorite character. Merrin is a Nightsister from Dathomir and one of the very few survivors of General Grievous' attack against them during the Clone Wars.

While she acts as an antagonist at first against Cal in Jedi Fallen Order, she eventually joins him to defeat the Dark Jedi, Taron Malicos, and joins the crew of the Mantis afterward. In the tie-in prequel novel, Star Wars Jedi: Battle Scars, written by Sam Maggs, Merrin is confirmed to be pansexual, with more of her character explored.

Of course, more of Merrin can be seen in Jedi Fallen Order's sequel, Star Wars: Jedi Survivor, which was released back in early 2023.

Varko Grey - Star Wars: Squadrons

Varko Grey is an Imperial TIE fighter pilot with the rank of captain from the 2020 video game, Star Wars: Squadrons, which was developed by Motive Studio. He's also the leader of Titan Squadron in the game.

While not much is known about Varko outside of Star Wars: Squadrons, we are told both in and out of game that he has a husband named Emory, who worries about Varko due to him being a TIE fighter pilot.

If they ever make a sequel to Star Wars: Squadrons, it'd be cool to see Varko make an appearance or even have him in a new game, books, comics, etc.

Rae Sloane - Star Wars: Squadrons and other Star Wars media

Rae Sloane makes her first appearance in the novel A New Dawn, written by John Jackson Miller, published in 2014.

She is an exemplary Imperial officer and goes all the way from the rank of Cadet to Grand Admiral within the Imperial Navy. Grand Admiral Rae Sloane is confirmed to be bisexual in Chuck Wendig's Star Wars Aftermath novel, Empire's End.

Rae Sloane doesn't just serve as a Grand Admiral in the Imperial Military, as she also goes into the unknown regions and helps establish the First Order. It's unfortunate that Sloane hasn't made the jump to live-action yet, but here's hoping we see her on either the big or small screen soon.

Keo Venzee - Star Wars: Squadrons

Similar to Varko Grey, Keo Venzee also debuts in Star Wars: Squadrons. Instead of fighting for the Empire, Keo fights for the Rebellion/New Republic. As a pilot of Vanguard Squadron, Keo mainly sticks to flying an RZ-1 A-wing starfighter, but they more than likely have training to fly other ships as well.

Even though Keo tends to deny it, it's assumed they're force-sensitive with how good of a pilot they are. Keo is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns. Something pretty cool is that Keo's actor, Bex Taylor-Klaus, is also nonbinary and goes by they/them pronouns.

Same with Varko, here's hoping Keo makes more appearances in future Star Wars media.