Reviews by Kyle Ellis

First Appearance: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords

While plenty of Dark Side villains are adept at manipulating their enemies—and their allies—one of the most accomplished at this is Darth Traya from Knights of the Old Republic II. Setting herself up as a mentor to the Jedi Exile, who is regaining her Force abilities despite having been cut off from the Force by the Jedi Council, Darth Traya moves the Exile around like a piece on a chess board, maneuvering the Exile into revealing the locations of hidden Jedi Masters so that Darth Traya can murder them. The Exile’s mentor and companion thus becomes the final enemy the Exile must defeat.

First Appearance: Clone Wars microseries

One of the most ruthless villains in all the canon galaxy, Asajj Ventress is dedicated to killing all Jedi. She wields two lightsabers and is incredibly skilled with them—it’s not just flash, it’s ability, and if she decides she wants someone dead, they’re on the chopping block. When she’s betrayed by Count Dooku, who she served as an apprentice, she becomes a bounty hunter, because that’s the best way to keep killing Jedi. Not one to limit her enemies, she also goes out of her way to piss off Boba Fett, and she enjoys goading her enemies into making mistakes by virtue of her wit and sharp tongue.

First Appearance: The Phantom Menace

Though she appears only briefly in the Prequel Trilogy, bounty hunter Aurra Sing effectively taught Boba Fett everything he knows, making her the mentor to the best known bounty hunter in the Star Wars galaxy. An associate of Jango Fett’s, she joins Boba in the mission to kill Mace Windu in order to avenge Jango’s death. She provides an example of utter ruthlessness to the sometimes reluctant, young Boba. A crack shot and assassin, she tries unsuccessfully to kill Padmé Amidala twice—but despite being caught, she lives to fight (and kill) another day.

First Appearance: Junior Jedi Knights: The Golden Globe by Nancy Richardson

When has anyone of consequence been born on Tatooine? Not including the Skywalkers, Tahiri Veila of the Legends timeline fulfills that qualification and shares some backstory with Luke: she’s the child of moisture farmers and is orphaned. But rather than running off with a Jedi Master, Tahiri is adopted by Tusken Raiders and raised among the Sand People.

Recruited to become a Jedi, she becomes instrumental to forming peace in the Yuuzhan Vong War. Captured by the Vong, she’s given a Vong personality, which she has to unite with her human personality in order to survive. The joint result enables her to communicate with and understand the Vong, and she helps the Vong adjust to an era of peace. During the Second Galactic Civil War, she joins the fallen Jedi Jacen Solo, now known as Darth Caedus, as his apprentice, but eventually she turns away from the Sith, leaving her adrift, no longer a Jedi, no longer a Sith.

First Appearance: Attack of the Clones

Like Aayla Secura, Shaak Ti was a Jedi General during the Clone Wars and fought in the Battle of Geonosis, rescuing Obi-Wan, Padmé, and Anakin. When the Jedi Temple on Coruscant was attacked by Anakin and Darth Sidious, Shaak Ti was the Councilor who evacuated the survivors before the Temple could be destroyed. She sought out the survivors of Order 66, trying to find a place where the survivors could heal and carry on the Jedi tradition. She joins a group of Force sensitives on Felucia and becomes their leader. She also rides a rancor in the first Force Unleashed game, which is one of the coolest things ever put on screen.

First Appearance: Dark Forces

Pilot and mercenary Jan Ors, who has training as a professional ballerina and an aerospace engineer, is the daughter of anti-Imperial terrorists in the Legends timeline. Jan followed that mold, infiltrating Imperial Intelligence and feeding that information to the Rebel Alliance.

After her cover is blown, she becomes a freedom fighter for the Alliance, recruiting Imperial Kyle Katarn into the Rebellion. During the New Republic Era, Jan works as a spy and mercenary, frequently partnering with Katarn (who has become a Jedi, and with whom she’s romantically involved). Eventually, she becomes the head of the Republic clandestine intelligence agency Alpha Blue, which works best outside the rules.

First Appearance: The Force Awakens

Though we don’t yet know much about Rey’s past (and maybe we never will), it’s clear she’s a survivor. She can take care of herself, and others—even when faced with an ex-Jedi trained in mind control trying to torture her. Whether she’s got a lightsaber or a really cool staff, she’s able to fight her way out of messes—and despite her fears of her Force sensitivity, she’s able to call on those abilities when it counts.

[Link removed - login to see]

First Appearance: The Last Command by Timothy Zahn

Daughter of Han Solo and Leia Organa Solo in Star Wars Legends, Jaina not only becomes a Jedi Master who stands against her brother when he turns to the Dark Side, she’s also an amazing pilot. Like her uncle, she’s the star of Rogue Squadron, and though she walked perilously close to the Dark Side, she returned to the Light and was named the “Sword of the Jedi” by Luke.

First Appearance: The Clone Wars

A fan favorite introduced in The Clone Wars animated series, Ahsoka is Anakan’s Padawan learner and apprentice. Taken prisoner at one point, Ahsoka organizes a coup against her captors, freeing herself and the rest of the captive Jedi younglings. After being framed as a terrorist and expelled from the Jedi Order, Ahsoka disappears from the ranks of the Jedi—surviving Order 66—only to turn up in Star Wars Rebels as “Fulcrum,” an agent of the growing Rebellion.