Highlights
- Ben Quadinaros, the unfortunate podracer, experienced a humiliating moment at the Boonta Eve Classic when all four of his engines exploded, leaving him on the ground as others raced past.
- Taun We, the kindly Kaminoan, met an untimely end when she was ambushed and killed by bounty hunter Fennec Shand while trying to retrieve Omega and pay Cad Bane.
- Admiral Ackbar, a fan-favorite minor character, met a tragic end when he was sucked into space after his fleet was destroyed by the First Order, despite his efforts to negotiate a way out of the Empire's trap.
In a franchise as old and big as Star Wars, there is a large cast of varied and unique characters. Much of the main cast in Star Wars is composed of tragic individuals or people with a tough past and questions about their future.
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There’s also a large cast of supporting and minor characters, some of whom play a prominent part in certain events. Whilst not on the grand and galaxy-wide scale of the main cast, these characters suffer unfortunate things, sometimes resulting in losing their lives. Some are publicly disgraced, others are betrayed and still others are heroic and noble individuals whose deaths seem utterly tragic, rendering them as some of the most unfortunate characters in the series.
12 Ben Quadinaros (The Phantom Menace)
The Podracer had the most unfortunate and embarrassing time at the Boonta Eve Classic. After stalling as the race begins, Ben tries in vain to restart the vehicle, but even more embarrassingly all 4 of his engines take off and explode. The naturally timid Toong ends up on the ground as the other racers whoosh past him. How very unfortunate.
However, despite his humiliating loss, Ben persists with podracing and doesn’t end up so hapless again. He eventually becomes Sebulba’s strongest rival. Anakin Skywalker even has a podracing poster with Quadinaros and Sebulba on in his personal quarters in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
11 Taun We (Attack of the Clones, The Bad Batch)
The kindly Kaminoan was the administrative aide to Prime Minister Lama Su. She welcomed Obi-Wan into the cloning facility when she believed him to be sent on behalf of the long-awaited Jedi, Sifo-Dyas. Obi-Wan took advantage of her naivete to infiltrate the facility and discover Jango Fett.
In The Bad Batch, Lama Su sent her to retrieve Omega and pay bounty hunter Cad Bane. Unfortunately for Taun We, she’s ambushed and killed by another bounty hunter, Fennec Shand, who wants to take Bane’s payment. It’s sad that this gentle soul was brought back 20 years later only to meet a hapless death.
10 Teckla Minnau (The Clone Wars)
Padmé’s handmaiden Teckla is negatively impacted by the war. Because of the Republic’s diversion of funds to the war effort, many citizens are left without basic amenities. Teckla and her children live in a district with no electricity and scarce water.
Although hesitant at first, she ended up involved with Padmé and Clovis’ plan to investigate the Republic’s finances. She found herself tasked with deactivating the power generator on Scipio, having to take the job from Clovis amidst a change of plans. Unfortunately, this leads to her being shot and killed by a bounty hunter.
9 Admiral Ackbar (Episodes 6, 7, 8, The Clone Wars)
Ackbar is a fan-favorite minor character. After fighting a pivotal underwater battle to save his homeworld in The Clone Wars, years later he and his fleet get caught in the Empire’s infamous trap whilst attempting to destroy the Second Death Star. Acting swiftly, he negotiates a way out of the trap, his fleet buying time for the fighters.
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He later becomes part of the Resistance. In a crucial decision to try and evade the First Order, Ackbar suggests jumping into hyperspace. Unfortunately, the Order was one step ahead, able to track the Resistances’ movements via new technology. They pursue them and strike Ackbar’s fleet. After all, he’s been through, the esteemed military leader is sucked into space after a huge explosion destroys the ship.
8 Mina Bonteri (The Clone Wars)
The obscure Separatist Senator became the victim of Darth Sidious. A good-natured woman and friend of Padmé, Bonteri sought to reach a peace agreement with the Republic Senate to end the war and met Padmé secretly.
Unfortunately though, when Padmé reveals her name to the Chancellor, secretly the Sith Lord Palpatine, he gets his apprentice Dooku to eliminate her. Lying to the Republic, Dooku blames her death on Republic forces who supposedly attacked her. Leaving behind her orphan son Lux, Mina’s death was ultimately orchestrated by exterior agents.
7 Paige Tico (The Last Jedi)
Rose’s older sister, Paige is a valiant and talented pilot. Her sacrifice is among the most gut-wrenching in the movie. In a tense battle as the Resistance evacuates D’Qar, Paige is tasked with releasing proton bombs on the First Order’s Dreadnought.
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Unfortunately, an explosion caused her to fall and lose consciousness attempting this. When she comes around, the bomb’s controller is stuck at the top of the ladder. Knowing that detonating the bombs is the only way to destroy the dreadnought, she kicks the ladder and grabs the falling controller, detonating it just in time. Sadly she’s caught in the blast, giving her life to help the Resistance.
6 Ragnar Vizsla (The Mandalorian)
A newly inducted Mandalorian, Ragnar is the son of Paz Vizsla. Things don’t start off the greatest for him. In his first duel, he’s defeated by the tiny Grogu. Then the session gets interrupted when a raptor carries off poor Ragnar and swallows him! He has to wait a whole day before he’s rescued by Bo-Katan and her crew.
Later in the series, he returns to Mandalore with the rest of his covert. He undergoes the ceremonial ritual all Mandalorians must perform, only to have it interrupted by another great creature! On a sadder note, Ragnar also loses his father when Paz Vizsla sacrifices himself to save the others at the hands of Moff Gideon.
5 Oola (Return of the Jedi)
The Twi’lek dancer in Jabba’s palace, poor Oola is dropped alive into the Rancor pit and doesn’t last long. Prior to this, she had more of an unfortunate backstory than seen in the film.
She was enslaved and taken to Tatooine by Jabba’s majordomo Bib Fortuna. Oola was offered an opportunity to escape, but she took a major chance. Believing Fortuna’s lies that Jabba’s palace was grand and lavish, she chose to remain in her hapless position. Sadly for her though, this meant being chained to Jabba’s throne, forced to dance, and eventually becoming the Rancor’s breakfast.
4 Cordé (Attack of the Clones)
The first on-screen death in Episode 2 belongs to an unfortunate but noble handmaiden, Cordé. Dutifully following Captain Typho’s orders to pose as Senator Padmé Amidala, she becomes the victim of Zam Wesell, who was hired to assassinate the Senator. Ironically, the attack commences straight after Typho says: "there was no danger at all!"
Though a brief scene, it highlights how Cordé was a hapless victim of ill-timing. Even the chief decoy Sabé in The Phantom Menace, who was in many more dangerous situations than her, didn’t lose her life to an unexpected bounty hunter attack.
3 Feral Opress (The Clone Wars)
Darth Maul and Savage Opress’ brother, poor Feral gets trapped in an unfortunate and tragic situation. He is among those selected by Asajj Ventress to become a champion to aid her in her vengeful quest against Count Dooku, along with Savage. Feral relied heavily on Savage due to his own combat weaknesses. But this proved to be his undoing.
Savage helped Feral survive all 3 of Ventress’ tests; everyone else was killed by her. Unfortunately, though, Savage is manipulated by the Nightsisters, turning him into a brutal monster tasked with killing Feral. Feral’s confused and desperate appeal to Savage is ignored, and he’s murdered by his own brother.
2 Steela Gerrera (The Clone Wars)
A real heroine, Steela alongside her brother Saw organized a rebel force on Onderon when the Separatists invaded. With Jedi aid, she engaged in a series of grueling battles trying to free their planet and reinstate the true king, Dendup. Steela was the rebellion’s leader.
At the climax of the rebellion, Steela makes a bold move to save Dendup’s life, getting her trapped on the edge of a cliff. Ahsoka Force-lifts her, reassuring Steela that she’s got her. Tragically, a rogue droid shoots Ahsoka, who drops Steela. It’s so devastating that the woman who led the way for her planet’s freedom, just minutes from a solid victory, loses her life so unfortunately.
1 Duchess Satine Kryze (The Clone Wars)
Satine is truly the epitome of misfortunate minor characters, especially combined with her good intentions which sadly seem to yield most of her troubles. The ruler of Mandalore, she is desperate to keep her planet out of the Clone Wars. It’s all in vain though, and leads to her being betrayed by those closest to her: Prince Merrick, Pre Vizsla, and even the Prime Minister, Almec. Her own sister Bo-Katan was part of 'Death Watch', which sought the Duchess’ death. Satine’s neutral stance also earns her assassination attempts, kidnappings, arrest warrants, and intimidations. How could it get any worse?
Most unfortunately, her additional status as Obi-Wan’s love interest also leads to tragedy. As revenge for his defeat in The Phantom Menace, the scary Darth Maul uses Satine as bait to lure Obi-Wan into a trap. Maul kills her just to make Obi-Wan suffer. Thus, the Duchess’ hapless story ends utterly tragically.