Every Live-Action Star Wars Character Who Debuted In Animation

The Star Wars franchise is best-known for its live-action films, but it also includes animated shows and movies with characters who eventually appeared in live-action properties. As one of pop culture’s most famous and influential science-fantasy franchises, it’s no surprise that Star Wars lends itself well to other visual mediums like comics, video games, and animation. The Star Wars franchise includes two highly successful Clone Wars-era TV shows, one belonging to Legends and the second to canon. The canon continuity also delves into the reign of the Galactic Empire in Star Wars Rebels. All three shows include fan-favorite Star Wars characters who went on to appear in live-action properties.

Animated Star Wars properties have given the franchise numerous iconic characters, such as the Rattataki Sith apprentice (who was rewritten as a Dathomirian in canon), Asajj Ventress, who debuted in the Legends-era Star Wars: Clone Wars and menaced the Jedi and Clone Troopers of the Republic throughout the war. Canon’s Star Wars: The Clone Wars also created Captain Rex, a Clone Trooper Officer who embodied the humanity and inherent altruism of all Clone Trooper in canon and Legends both. In some cases, animated properties had far-reaching ramifications which affected live-action films, such as Darth Maul’s retconned survival in canon’s The Clone Wars, leading him to have a surprise cameo in Solo: A Star Wars Story.

In both of the Star Wars franchise’s main timelines, non-movie material helps bridge the gaps between films, creating a seamless story that spans multiple mediums. While the most essential Star Wars stories will be told in the franchise’s live-action saga films, material like animated TV shows enrich Star Wars lore and often answer questions that, while perhaps not essential, make for satisfying stories, adding additional meaning to the films. That said, here’s every live-action Star Wars character that debuted in animation.

Boba Fett

The fan-favorite bounty hunter Boba Fett may have made his cinematic debut in The Empire Strikes Back, but his first onscreen appearance was in the wonderfully bizarre Legends-era Star Wars Holiday Special’s animated segment. In the segment, Boba uses a two-pronged Amban phase-pulse blaster, which would inspire a similar, disruptor-like weapon in The Mandalorian. Fett would go on to appear in three Star Wars saga films and numerous canon and Legends non-movie material, such as canon’s The Book of Boba Fett.C

General Grievous

The Kaleesh cyborg known as General Grievous (formerly Qymaen jai Sheelal) was created as a major Separatist villain in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, but George Lucas took advantage of the incredibly popular Clone Wars series to give viewers an early look at the upcoming villain. Thus, Grievous debuted as a Legends character, horrifically murdering Clone Troopers and Jedi with ease, thanks to his training in physical and psychological warfare by Count Dooku. Grievous was far less formidable in his live-action debut than he was in Clone Wars, but the show’s series finale explains this by showing him suffering a critical respiratory injury in a brief encounter with Mace Windu. In Legends, Grievous never fully recovered from the wound, which weakened him and led the General to be more inclined to retreat.

Commander Cody

Obi-Wan’s friend and second-in-command of the 212th Attack Battalion, Commander Cody, debuted in the Legends novel Labyrinth of Evil, but his first onscreen appearance was in the Legends version of Clone Wars. Although his appearance is brief, his comically-serious demeanor, and banter with Obi-Wan hint at their longtime friendship, which is as strong in Legends as it is in canon. Cody later appeared in Revenge of the Sith, where his Order 66 brainwashing compelled him to attack Kenobi, something he’d never have done in his right mind.

Ahsoka Tano

Jedi padawan Ahsoka Tano debuted in 2008’s The Clone Wars along with Captain Rex, joining its ensemble cast alongside prequel trilogy protagonists Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Leaving the order towards the end of the series after being framed for a terrorist attack, Ahsoka never became a full-fledged Jedi. Ahsoka went on to appear in Rebels season 2 (as did Rex), but she finally made her long-awaited live-action debut in The Mandalorian season 2, played by Rosario Dawson. Ahsoka Tano is a fan-favorite canon character, and her popularity led her to have an audio-only cameo in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and a starring role in the upcoming Disney+ series Ahsoka.

Hondo Ohnaka

The pirate captain Hondo Ohnaka first appeared in The Clone Wars, initially as a treacherous enemy of the Jedi whose double-crossings resulted in a brief partnership between Anakin, Obi-Wan, and the Sith Lord Count Dooku. Over time, however, Ohnaka became an occasional ally of the Republic, as long as there were profits out there to be made. Ohnaka appeared in Rebels as well, assisting both Ezra Bridger and the fledgling Rebellion, but he made his actual live-action debut in the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge theme park, played by Robert Nairne. Time will tell if the pirate captain appears in future movies or TV shows.

Cad Bane

After the death of Jango Fett, Cad Bane became the galaxy’s de facto greatest bounty hunter, proving his deadly skill as both a marksman and a planner throughout The Clone Wars. Cad Bane was trusted by not only the Hutt Clan but also Darth Sidious himself, taking on any job for the right price. Bane also appeared in Star Wars: The Bad Batch, though he failed his mission to deliver Omega to the Kaminoans. Bane made a surprise live-action debut in The Book of Boba Fett, still voiced by Corey Burton but physically played by Dorian Kingi, proving to be a quicker shot than the more famous Boba Fett. However, Fett’s Tusken Raider training allowed him to best Bane and finally killed the legendary mercenary.

Bo-Katan Kryze

Bo-Katan Kryze debuted in The Clone Wars as both the second-in-command of the Death Watch terrorist group and the sister of Duchess Satine Kryze, the leader of Mandalore’s pacifist government. Bo-Katan was a far cry from her sister, murdering innocents during The Clone Wars and opportunistically betraying or becoming an ally of anyone necessary to install her as Mandalore’s ruler after the deaths of Pre Vizsla and Duchess Satine. Bo-Katan’s voice actress, Katee Sackhoff, reprises her role in The Mandalorian season 2, seamlessly transitioning the character from animation to live-action.

Saw Gerrera

Working alongside Jedi and Clone Troopers, such as Captain Rex, Saw Gerrera was part of an anti-Separatist insurgency movement in The Clone Wars, pushing the Separatists off Onderon. In The Bad Batch and Rebels, Gerrera fought against the Empire, forming the Partisans, a brutal former Rebel cell. Forest Whitaker played Gerrera in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, playing a pivotal role in Jyn Erso’s eventual theft of the Death Star’s plans. Gerrera didn’t participate in the climactic Battle of Scarif, however, as he remained on Jedha, perishing when the Death Star fired its superweapon on the desert moon.

Chopper

C1-10P, a.k.a. Chopper, was a main character in Rebels, serving aboard the Ghost. Chopper was a veteran of the Clone Wars, meeting the Twi’lek Hera Syndulla during the Battle of Ryloth and becoming her lifelong companion. In addition to a small role in The Bad Batch season 1, Chopper had a cameo appearance in Rogue One, showing up for a brief moment in the Rebel Alliance’s base on Yavin IV. Like other animated Star Wars characters, Chopper’s live-action appearance in Rogue One entertainingly connected the mainstream films to the franchise’s non-movie material.