Summary
- Some of the deadliest characters in Star Wars are traitors, whose betrayals result in heavy loss of life.
- While some betrayals in the franchise involve less-severe consequences, others have far-reaching implications.
- Betrayals by characters by Lando Calrissian, Dooku, Barriss Offee, and Kylo Ren have had significant impacts on the storylines.
Some of the best moments in the Star Wars franchise come from traitors finally revealing their true colors. Some traitors are characters the audience knows have been wound up so tightly that their snap was inevitable, whereas others seemingly switch sides at the last minute without any forewarning. Either way, there are plenty of characters in Star Wars who fit Obi-Wan Kenobi’s “scum and villainy” description all too well. Nevertheless, some betrayals weigh heavier than others due to the lives lost in their wake, making the traitors some of the deadliest characters in Star Wars.
Aside from the deadlier traitors, both the movies and tv shows feature some scenes involving less-severe betrayals, without much loss of life. In The Clone Wars season 1, Slick was one of the first clone troopers to disobey the Republic. Slick leaked information about the Jedi to the Separatists, believing that it would lead to him and brothers being freed from their roles as soldiers. Of course, another example is Kylo Ren shouting “traitor!” at Finn in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which is probably one of the most iconic lines about a traitor in Star Wars. But Kylo’s taunt doesn’t carry nearly as much weight as other traitorous scenes.
Lando Calrissian Turning Over Han Solo In The Empire Strikes Back Close Lando Calrissian was initially presented as an old friend of Han Solo’s who promised the Rebel gang refuge on Cloud City. Nevertheless, his traitorous reveal is one of the oldest betrayal scenes in Star Wars. Despite it seeming like the Rebels had finally earned a moment of respite with Lando, he opens the door to reveal their most hated enemy. Of course, Lando pleads that he had no choice but to work with the Empire. And by the end of The Empire Strikes Back, Lando repents of his wrongdoing, even going so far as to join the search for Han after he’d betrayed him.
Sabine Giving The Starmap To Baylan In Ahsoka episode 4 Close While Lando is one of Star Wars’ oldest traitors, Sabine Wren is one of the latest. Despite knowing better than anyone what kind of havoc Grand Admiral Thrawn could wreak if he returned to the main galaxy, her desire to see Ezra Bridger again overrides her common sense. In Ahsoka episode 4, Sabine willingly gives the starmap for Peridea to Baylan Skoll in exchange for joining him on his voyage. Ultimately, her actions lead to Grand Admiral Thrawn’s return in the Ahsoka finale; whatever death and destruction Thrawn causes in future Star Wars projects can be tied back to Sabine’s betrayal.
Dooku Killing Yaddle In Tales of the Jedi episode 4 Close Sabine gambled the galaxy’s fate to see her friend once more, but Dooku took his betrayal of the Jedi a step further and killed his friends. Tales of the Jedi showed Dooku’s slow fall from the Jedi Order as his ideas and ambition were shoved aside and repressed by the Council. But out of everyone, his friend Yaddle agreed and supported Dooku’s belief in the failure of the Order, so much so that she resigned from the Council in protest. Despite her support, Dooku chose to kill her to please Sidious and cement his new role as a Sith.
Barriss Offee Framing Ahsoka In Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 5, episode 20 Close Ahsoka Tano being abandoned and betrayed by the Jedi Order is one of the best arcs in The Clone Wars season 5. However, it never would have happened if Barriss Offee hadn’t framed her for the Jedi Temple bombing in the first place. Offee was someone Ahsoka considered a friend, and was one of the last people the audience expected to turn against the Jedi given her strict training under Luminara Unduli. Nevertheless, her experience as a child solider in the Clone Wars was enough to make her snap.
Kylo Ren Killing Supreme Leader Snoke In Star Wars: The Last Jedi Close Kylo Ren killing Supreme Leader Snoke in Star Wars: The Last Jedi was an unexpected shock for everyone. Up till that point, Kylo Ren seemed to follow in his grandfather's footsteps as a faithful servent of the dark side. Snoke was presented with a commanding presence and powerful abilities in the Force, to the point where he made Rey grovel like a joke before him. Nevertheless, Kylo Ren twisted and ignited the lightsaber next to Snoke so that it killed him, all while convincing Snoke that he was going to kill Rey.
