Litepanels, a well-known manufacturer of LED lighting solutions, is apparently trying to block the import and sale in the United States of other LED film/video lighting products based on a complaint filed with the United States International Trade Commission. This would represent a threat to the prices and availability of LED lights, which I'm a fan of for their low energy draw and cool temperatures. I'm not well-versed in patent law, legal complaints, or anything legal for that matter, but at NextWaveDV Tony Reale has posted the following video:
Here's the complaint [PDF] filed by Litepanels. As Tony notes in the video, he's looking to get into the lighting game so he has a particular interest in this matter. Regardless, it seems like the idea of using LED lights for film and video is not such a specific idea that the concept should be patentable. LEDs are a kind of light bulb; it follows that they would be used in a variety of lighting applications (including film and video). Patent wars are getting out of control these days, with Google, Microsoft, and Apple duking it out in the courts and through the press. That said, companies should have the right to protect their intellectual property -- but it seems Litepanels is swinging pretty broadly here. See the link below for more links and commentary. As I said, I'm not a legal expert -- any thoughts on this matter?
We should believe the world inside the story, and the characters who inhabit that world should help deepen its mythology and believability as well.
One of the best movie series to do this is Star Wars, which uses its characters not only in the plot, but to give us more facts about the world and to make everything feel real.
Today, I want to showcase that in a unique way.
So, come with me as we explore the top 23 Star Wars characters of all time.
Let's dive in.
1. Darth Vader
Maybe the most famous antagonist of all time, he instantly instilled an essence terror when he arrived on screen. His evil presence helped amplify our heroes and set the stakes for the Star Wars franchise at large.
2. Han Solo
I don't think there's another character from this series that stood out as an archetypal badass who everyone just wanted to be like, including the characters in the movie. Han also gives an "everyman" anchor to a galaxy far, far away of space wizards, aliens, and royalty.
3. Princess Leia
Princess Leia is instantly cool, and over time defied the damsel in distress and flipped the trope on its head. She gets rescued, but winds up rescuing everyone else. And running the final mission in style.
4. Yoda
It's hard to create a character who becomes synonymous with wisdom. He becomes the backbone of the series and the moral compass. Yoda does this
5. Luke Skywalker
The protagonist is fun, but I think it took until The Empire Strikes Back for Luke Skywalker to get really interesting. We identify with him early, but he evolves over the course of the original trilogy, leaving a legacy so deep rooted that the franchise can't seem to move on from his charming youthful heroism still.
6. R2-D2
R2-D2 captured everyone's heart in the original trilogy and then got to stay and play a main part in all the subsequent movies that followed. All via beeping. We love you, R2.
7. C-3PO
C-3PO crushed in the original and became the voice of reason and fear, but he also brought a lot of heart, which made him part of the cultural lexicon. If you see him, give him a big hug.
8. Obi-Wan Kenobi
I'm not sure any character in the series has had an arc like Obi-Wan. Although we're introduced to him briefly in the original Star Wars as a mentor to Luke as Ben Kenobi, we later learn his tragic backstory when he takes center stage in the prequel series.
It doesn't hurt he's played excellently by Ewan McGregor.
9. Chewbacca
Another character who doesn't speak our language but gets the most out of noises and subtle acting. There's a real visual language at play with Chewbacca. His friendship with Han also adds an extra layer of endearment in what can sometimes be the bleak empirical world of Star Wars.
Let's all give him a big, loud "Bppppppppppp!"
10. The Emperor
How do you make a bad guy scarier than Darth Vader? Well, Emperor Palpatine (AKA The Emperor) takes all the scariest elements you can find and mixes them into one. He lingers as our nefarious antagonist for the original trilogy, making a name for himself throughout the modern trologies as well.
11. Boba Fett
This is the power of writing a good side character. He was a small part in one movie and then got his own video game, subsequent backstory, TV show and an expanded world based off it. Boba also looks cool as heck—we always want to see more Boba.
12. Jabba the Hutt
I love mafia movies, and the idea of Jabba being the don of the galaxy is great. We have this impending force of organized crime hanging over that makes space feel way more relatable (in a mafia overlord, sort of way...)
13. Ahsoka
I remember the first time I saw Ahsoka, I thought she looked so cool. And then they did a great job building out the history of the galaxy by showing her role in the Clone Wars animated series and later expanding in the Disney+ live-action series.
14. The Mandalorian (Din Djarin)
The way you know you've created something special is if you can seamlessly add another genre into the world, and it works. Well, The Mando is basically a western gunslinger who was easily serialized. Throw in a little green baby and the rest is history.
15. Lando Calrissian
Much like Han Solo, Lando just oozes charisma. Stories need people who fight on both sides, and Lando was part of a great twist—a character who betrays our heroes, and then ultimately redeems himself, adding depth to the worldbuilding. He helps ground the conflicts in the movies.
16. Admiral Ackbar
Imagine creating a character who has an such iconic line. I have no idea what else he does in the series, but this line and scene are so good they live on.
17. Mace Windu
The purple lightsaber is iconic. I have Mace so low because he's not in enough of the movies. I wanted more out of him. When we meet him, he's awesome, too trusting, and his death is tragic.
18. Rey
Rey was the perfect conduit for the latest trilogy. She was a hero who stepped into her role, and she followed the cliche Star Wars bloodline stuff, which helped tie her into a nice moral question of choosing to be good or bad.
19. Kylo Ren / Ben Solo
I thought this was such a fun idea for a character. Someone who had chosen to go to the dark side but was tormented by his place in the galaxy thanks to his bloodline.
20. Finn
I thought one of the most inspiring choices of the newer films was giving us the human story of a Storm Trooper. I wish they had gone deeper into it, but his struggle to be an individual was well done.
21. Darth Maul
One bad guy in one movie and one scene, but his look made us feel fear again. And he was involved in the best fight in any Star Wars movie.
22. Poe Dameron
The modern answer for Han Solo is that he was so energetic and so likable that it was exciting when he was on screen. He really did a great job embodying the rogue character.
23. Jar Jar Binks
I think Jar Jar was misunderstood. He's a character who was supposed to be there for comedic effect and to sell toys. Perhaps Lucas went too far with him, but he's on here to serve as a reminder that you can go wrong at times and take things too far just to sell toys.
This is totally a subjective list based on my own love of the movies and the world they built. I think each of these characters served a real purpose when telling the overarching story of Star Wars.
They built out the world and delivered characterization that made people want to play them over and over again.
Litepanels, a well-known manufacturer of LED lighting solutions, is apparently trying to block the import and sale in the United States of other LED film/video lighting products based on a complaint filed with the United States International Trade Commission. This would represent a threat to the prices and availability of LED lights, which I'm a fan of for their low energy draw and cool temperatures. I'm not well-versed in patent law, legal complaints, or anything legal for that matter, but at NextWaveDV Tony Reale has posted the following video:
