The Star Wars franchise revolves around love, family, and hope as primary themes — and yet it’s never been kind to romantic couples. But even though every significant romantic relationship that’s formed in this galaxy far, far away seems to be doomed, we can’t help but invest in their stories anyway. The age-old saying “It’s the journey, not the destination” is true — and some of these couples go on pretty significant journeys to get to their doom.
Still, some Star Wars pairings are better than others. Below, I’ve ranked the top 10 Star Wars couples across film and TV, and explained what makes them the best (or worst) thing since laser-sliced bread. And yes, these are all taken from recognized Star Wars canon, not fan ships. So while I see and understand you Finnpoe fans, they will not be featured on this list. Sorry.
10
Kylo Ren and Rey (Star Wars sequel trilogy)
Never in the history of Star Wars has a romantic pairing been as controversial as the fraught relationship between budding Jedi Rey and First Order loyalist (and Darth Vader fanboy) Kylo Ren. And this is the franchise that gave us Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala.
Light side: The reveal that Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and Rey (Daisy Ridley) have a connection through a Force Dyad — a profound bond that links people together across time and space — is interesting and unique. It adds grit to the pretty fraught relationship these two share throughout the Star Wars sequel trilogy, and I like the idea of a connection like this being part of why Rey and Kylo eventually come together by the end of The Rise of Skywalker.
Dark side: Kylo kinda sucks. He’s obsessed with Vader’s legacy, takes pleasure in harming others, and spends so much of his relationship with Rey reminding her that she’s “nothing” to everyone but him. And if that wasn’t bad enough, he spends the majority of the sequel trilogy being a genocidal dictator. Oh, he felt bad about hurting his family? Yeah, that’s still murder, buddy.
Star Wars has a habit of redeeming characters after a single good act. See: Vader killing the Emperor to save Luke in The Return of the Jedi, Kallus never having to answer for his involvement in the genocide of an entire race after he joins the Rebels in Star Wars: Rebels, or Bo-Katan Kryze being part of a death cult that helps lead to her sister’s death in The Clone Wars. So I’m not surprised that Kylo saving Rey from Palpatine is positioned as a “good enough” reason for him to get the girl. But his last-second side-switch doesn’t really feel earned, and I think J.J. Abrams agrees, since he kills Kylo off two seconds after Kylo and Rey kiss — a move usually saved for lesbian couples in media. Equality, I guess?
9
Osha and Qimir (The Acolyte)
We all love a bad boy, don’t we? Ex-Jedi-turned-Sith-acolyte Osha (Amandla Stenberg) takes that to a whole new level in Leslye Headland’s The Acolyte. After teaming up with the Jedi to discover more about her missing twin sister, Mae (also Stenberg), Osha meets Qimir (Manny Jacinto) under false pretenses. He later reveals himself as a Sith in search of an apprentice. Osha’s initial rejection of Qimir melts away, however, once he helps her unveil the truth behind the Jedi’s murder of her family, and the two run away together.
Light side: In spite of my feelings about Rey and Kylo Ren, Star Wars couples do not have to be remotely healthy for me to enjoy their dynamic. Qimir and Osha’s relationship is built on manipulation and on murdering several of Osha’s friends, which isn’t exactly the height of romance.
Yet unlike with Rey and Kylo, The Acolyte doesn’t try to sugarcoat the toxicity of Qimir and Osha’s relationship. Even as the show teases Osha’s attraction to Qimir (and who wouldn’t falter at seeing Jacinto shirtless?), it never tries to make their relationship more than a ploy by a dark disciple looking for ways to mold his apprentice into a stronger weapon he can use. But while the romantic undertones are undeniable, I give kudos to Headland for cutting the Qimir/Osha kiss that was shot for the final episode. Unlike Abrams, Headland knew it hadn’t been earned.
Dark side: The biggest downside to Qimir and Osha is that The Acolyte just doesn’t spend enough time with them together. Osha’s descent into the Dark Side and her apprenticeship with Qimir is one of the most interesting threads in a story that may never be finished, due to the show’s cancellation. Maybe a few years down the line, in a novel or comic, perhaps?
8
Cassian Andor and Bix Caleen (Andor)
Bix’s goodbye to Cassian in Andor season 2 cut short a partnership that started back when the two were children. But they’re far from being Andor’s best romance. They started the series as estranged exes, but after Cassian saves Bix from being tortured by the ISB in season 1, their relationship is back in the forefront come season 2.
Light side: I have to applaud Adria Arjona and Diego Luna for their performances during Bix and Cassian’s parting scene on Yavin 4. Most of their episodes didn’t move me emotionally, but Bix’s tearful explanation of why Cassian needed to prioritize the Rebellion over their relationship was a painful reminder of just how much people lose when they fight in a war. It’s a brilliantly acted scene, with Luna sprinting through Yavin’s jungle, his life falling apart around him, while for other Rebels, it’s just an average Tuesday. That sense of isolation makes the tears in Luna’s eyes even more painful to watch.
Dark side: To quote Polygon’s Tasha Robinson: “[Bix] is a focus for [Cassian’s] heroism first, a sounding board for his angst second, and a character in her own right last.” I love Bix for her willingness to risk life and limb for the Rebellion without letting the cause consume her completely. (I can take or leave Cassian, which might be my most controversial opinion yet.) But once it became clear that Bix’s role throughout Andor was either to be the narrative’s punching bag or to be used as a prop to make us feel sorry for Cassian in having to bear his great destiny, I quickly lost interest. Because another couple (see #2 below) already depicted that struggle more compellingly, Bix and Cassian don’t compare.
7
Han Solo and Qi’ra (Solo: A Star Wars Story)
They aren’t Han and Leia, but the relationship between a young Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) and slave-turned-crime-lord Qi’ra (Emilia Clarke) is more fascinating than fans seem to give it credit for. The two grew up together on the streets of Corellia, working for the White Worms gang. Han and Qi’ra reunite in Solo after years of separation, only to find out they’ve become radically different people.
Light side: First loves are a huge pull for romance-enjoyers, and it’s obvious that this is what Solo was going for with Han and Qi’ra. Knowing that they won’t end up together later in the canon makes their short relationship bittersweet. I also enjoyed that Solo enriches their relationship by giving Qi’ra goals outside of her relationship with Han. It’s clear from Ehrenreich and Clarke’s performances that they still love each other, in spite of their years of separation. However, Qi’ra knows that Han is ultimately a good person, and she doesn’t want him to follow her down the dark road she’s paved for herself in becoming Darth Maul’s apprentice and the eventual head of the crime organization Crimson Dawn.
Dark side: There’s nothing inherently off-putting about Han and Qi’ra. It’s just obvious it was never going to last. Back when they were together, Han was only just finding his feet as a spacefaring scoundrel. And Qi’ra is far more politically motivated than he is: she wants to improve the galaxy by destroying the Sith, even if it’s through the use of a criminal empire. Han does eventually come around and joins the fight against the Empire’s oppressive grip, but by that time, he and Qi’ra are on paths that lead them away from each other.
6
Syril Karn and Dedra Meero (Andor)
It’s a sign of great acting when you forget that you’re rooting for two fascists to get together. Dedra (Denise Gough) is a ruthless and tactical Imperial Security Bureau supervisor. Syril (Kyle Soller) is an emotionally stunted mommy’s boy who gets sucked into the Empire’s ideology because he wants to punish wrongdoers and be part of something bigger than himself. After Syril saves Dedra on Ferrix, the two start an ill-conceived romance.
Light side: Dedra and Syril are the most off-putting romantic couple in the entire Star Wars franchise — and that’s a compliment! Attempting to pair either of these vile schemers with anyone else would be doing a great disservice to whoever else they had to live with. But even though Dedra and Syril are loathsome opportunists obsessed with putting their boots on other people’s necks, Gough and Soller sell this stilted, unappealing romance as a genuinely fascinating connection between two people whose loyalty to the system has made them lonely, guarded, and isolated — until they find kinship in each other.
Dark side: Syril and Dedra are captivating, but they’re also kinda gross. Dedra is so tightly wound, intimidating, and fiercely intelligent, while Syril’s a militant rules lawyer whose most memorable scene features him sulking off to lie in his bed after his mom dresses him down for being such a loser. Watching their relationship play out is like being dared to Google “duck penis.” You know the results will be disgusting, but your curiosity still wins out.
5
Obi-Wan Kenobi and Satine Kryze (The Clone Wars)
Obi-Wan and Satine are the epitome of a youthful, idealized romance that stops before it can truly begin. The two met during the Mandalorian Civil War, when both were just teenagers. Satine was a duchess at the time, while Obi-Wan was a Padawan learner who spent a year as her protector. They fell in love, but inevitably parted ways to continue with their roles: her as leader of the Mandalorians, him as a Jedi of the Republic.
Light side: Obi-Wan Kenobi (voiced by James Arnold Taylor) has always been presented as the ideal Jedi, in both the prequel trilogy and spin-off novels and comics. So the reveal in Star Wars: The Clone Wars that he once had “something” with Satine Kryze (Anne Graves), the leader of the Mandalorian people, added an interesting wrinkle to the strait-laced Jedi Master. However, Obi-Wan and Satine decide to put their roles as protectors and leaders first, adding a romantic tension that lingers in every scene they share. Spicy.
Dark side: Obi-Wan and Satine’s relationship is sweet, but it’s hard not to see how it was used to mirror the equally doomed relationship between Anakin and Padmé. It’s a fascinating new aspect of Obi-Wan to explore, but while I can see why Satine would want to pursue Obi-Wan (he is a noble Jedi Knight, after all), his dedication to the Jedi Order is such a significant part of his character that I was never fully sold on their relationship. After Darth Maul kills Satine to bring further tragedy into Obi-Wan’s life, I became even more disinterested. Fiction has really gotta stop killing women just to make men sad. It’s so tedious.
4
Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala (Star Wars prequel trilogy)
Love them or hate them, it’s undeniable that the romance between Vader-to-be Anakin (Hayden Christensen) and Padmé Amidala (Natalie Portman) is the glue that ties so much of Star Wars together. They meet when Anakin is a child slave on Tatooine, while Padmé is pretending to be a handmaiden for the Queen of Naboo, but their relationship blossoms years later, when Padmé is a senator of the Republic, and Anakin becomes her Jedi bodyguard.
Light side: Anakin and Padmé’s relationship comes with a huge pile of romance tropes: bodyguard, forbidden relationship, and the whole bad-boy/good-girl shtick that drives romance fans wild. And yet there’s more to Anakin and Padmé than meets the eye. Both have been brought up by organizations that expect a lot of them, and both have to mask their emotions to fit in. They only feel free to remove those masks with each other, which leads them to an entirely co-dependent and unhealthy relationship. So it’s no surprise that Palpatine uses Anakin’s love for and dependence on Padmé as a weapon to turn him to the Dark Side.
Dark side: If you saw a friend get into a real-life relationship like Anakin and Padmé’s, you’d warn her to ditch him immediately. Padmé is far from innocent, but Anakin is a walking red flag who seems to go against almost every belief she holds. And yet somehow, she’s willing to turn a blind eye to his faults, no matter how awful. She forgives him when he kills a community of Tusken Raiders, and looks past his political views on dictatorships over democracy, even though she’s a staunch believer in freedom. She deserves better.
3
Han Solo and Leia Organa (original Star Wars trilogy)
When asked to name a romantic couple in Star Wars, my go-to is always Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher). Han’s a scoundrel and a skeptic whose motivations mostly revolve around his next paycheck. Leia is a principled young leader of the Rebellion who will do anything to bring down the Empire. And yet, opposites attract. They’re the founders of Star Wars romance, and there are good reasons why we look to them when thinking about love in a galaxy far, far away.
Light side: On paper, Han and Leia shouldn’t work. They have little in common, and they seem to enjoy needling each other more than getting along. But Leia gave Han something to believe in, and Han encouraged Leia to break away from her duty as the Rebellion’s leader and embrace the risk of opening herself up to love. Pair that with Ford and Fisher’s electric chemistry and that life-changing “I love you.” “I know.” confession scene, and it’s no wonder people are still so invested in Han and Leia decades later. Controversial opinion, but I didn’t hate The Force Awakens for adding angst to Han and Leia’s relationship and making it clear they struggled with their marriage. Their relationship was forged in the fires of war. Peacetime was never going to be easy. It made their relationship feel more realistic, and made their eventual reunion on D’Qar all the more heartbreaking.
Dark side: As much as I adore Han and Leia not having a perfect romance by the time The Force Awakens came around, the sequel’s refusal to give Leia the time to mourn Han felt like a punch in the gut. Not cool, sequel trilogy, not cool at all.
2
Vel Sartha and Cinta Kaz (Andor)
Even with Andor showrunner Tony Gilroy downplaying the significance of this relationship, it’s undeniable that the queer love story between Vel (Faye Marsay) and Cinta (Varada Sethu) made Star Wars history. Though they’re both agents in the Rebel network Axis, they come from very different backgrounds. Vel, a woman of privilege, joins the Rebellion because it’s the right thing to do, and as an escape from the conservative culture she suffers under because she’s gay. Cinta, by contrast, is consumed with her need for vengeance after the Empire wipes out her family.
Light side: Vel and Cinta’s partnership is a lesson in complete and utter tragedy. It is also Andor’s most compelling and devastating love story. Although Cinta chooses to put the Rebellion ahead of her relationship with Vel, it’s clear that the two share a deep love. Even as Cinta initially rejects Vel’s bid for connection, she can’t help but give in to Vel when pushed.
Each interaction between them is a mix of longing and desire that’s hard to look away from. It comes to a head when Cinta finally embraces her love for Vel and recommits to their relationship, only for it to end in a completely avoidable tragedy. Marsay and Sethu didn’t have much to work with, yet Vel and Cinta’s tragic love (and that searing kiss) feels just as enthralling as Romeo and Juliet’s story, and it will stick with me forever, thanks to their performances.
Dark side: Although they’re main characters in Andor season 1, Vel and Cinta suffered from Gilroy’s five-season plan being cut down to two seasons by the time the second comes around. Neither Vel nor Cinta is afforded the same amount of time together as their heterosexual counterparts, who also lose each other throughout Andor’s two seasons. This franchise is sorely lacking in on-screen queer representation, and shunting two queer women off to one side in a tale about tackling fascism feels like it’s lacking political imagination.
1
Kanan Jarrus and Hera Syndulla (Star Wars: Rebels)
Not only is Star Wars: Rebels one of the most underrated Star Wars shows, it also features the best romantic couple in the history of the franchise. Kanan (Freddie Prinze Jr.) is a jaded Jedi who survived the brutal mass killings of the Jedi during Order 66, whereas Hera (voiced by Vanessa Marshall) is an expert pilot who left her planet, Ryloth, to start her own resistance movement against the Empire. They met during a mission, and sometime between then and the start of Rebels, the two became lovers.
Light side: It’s hard to pick one thing that makes the relationship between Kanan and Hera so special. The two of them had their lives ripped away by the Empire, but instead of losing hope completely, they choose to find it in each other and the family they build with their fellow rebels: Mandalorian Sabine, Lasat warrior Zeb, Padawan learner Ezra Bridger, and astromech Chopper.
Most importantly, while their relationship means everything to both of them, it doesn’t take priority over taking the fight to the Empire, and these two are able to have incredible arcs outside their romance. What’s more, even though they’re clearly established as having “something” together in the first season, their relationship dynamic never grows stale. They pull the audience along on a sweet, heartfelt journey as we see them find new ways to fall in love with each other, whether that’s Kanan going out of his way to impress Hera’s father, or Hera lowering her walls to be with him.
Their relationship ends in tragedy, of course, as Star Wars relationships do. But from that tragedy comes one of the most beautiful scenes in the entire franchise: the Force giving Kanan his sight back so he can look at Hera one last time before he sacrifices himself to save her and their family. Agonizing. Heartwrenching. I’m off to cry for the rest of time.
Dark side: Absolutely nothing. They’re perfect.
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