Most people think of Star Wars as a blockbuster film franchise, but it’s also flourished in TV shows. The first Star Wars TV shows were released back in the 1980s, and they haven’t aged well; but we’ve recently been living through something of a golden age in both live-action and animation.

In compiling a top 20, we’ve tended to look less at the spectacle – although there’s plenty of that – and more at the character arcs and wonderful moments of depth. We’ve also focused on canon, which does mean Star Wars: Visions is exempted. With that said, here’s the 20 best episodes of Star WarsTV.

20

The Acolyte Season 1, Episode 5 “Night”

The Episode Had Some Of the Best Lightsaber Choreography

The Acolyte was deeply controversial, but episode 5 – simply called “Night” – is undoubtedly the show’s strongest. In this episode, audiences are properly introduced to The Stranger (played by Manny Jacinto) and his capabilities in battle. Not only does he single-handedly defeat a group of Jedi, but he also shows off some of the best lightsaber work in recent memory.

The episode is action-packed and filled with devastating losses that help bring audiences further into the story. Despite so few survivors from the Jedi massacre, the dialogue and acting are some of the best in the entire series. Additionally, we also get to see a rare metal called cortosis in canon for the first time, making Legends lovers happy.

19

Skeleton Crew Season 1, Episode 6 “Zero Friends Again”

Some of the Best Acting From Star Wars’ Youngest Cast

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew was fun from start to finish and brought the childish joy of discovering a galaxy far, far away back to Star Wars. With a cast full of children, Skeleton Crew would clearly take on a different tone than other Star Wars shows, but the biggest emotional gut punch came in episode 6, “Zero Friends Again.”

This episode saw KB struggle with her physical limitations and admitting when she needs help. It’s full of great performances, particularly from Kyrianna Kratter as KB. It all came together in one of the best feel-good episodes of Star Wars ever, with a message on the importance of friendship and community.

18

Star Wars Rebels Season 4, Episode 15 “Family Reunion – and Farewell”

The Rebels Finale Left a Lot of Loose Threads

The Star Wars Rebels series finale was the perfect wrap-up to the show’s four-year run. Not only did it bring all the main and supporting casts together for one final battle, but it also solidified that Rebels was a family story more than anything else.

Filled with a great battle with Grand Admiral Thrawn, and a thrilling mystery about what happened to Ezra Bridger after he sacrificed himself, there’s a lot to love in this story. The episode oddly worked as a quasi-backdoor pilot for Ahsoka, where the final scene from the epilogue would be recreated in live-action.

17

Star Wars Rebels Season 2, Episode 17 “The Honorable Ones”

Rebels’ Bottle Episode Set Up One Of The Best Character Arcs

Rebels’ “The Honorable Ones” was an unexpected delight given it focused on two characters who not only hated each other, but also hadn’t really gotten their time to shine. By sticking Zeb Orrelios and ISB Agent Alexsandr Kallus together on an ice moon, it allowed audiences to get to know both of them in a way we hadn’t anticipated.

The episode showed a deeper level of characterization for Kallus and allowed audiences to see he was more than an evil Imperial drone. It set up Kallus’s arc throughout the rest of Rebels, a journey that would take him from Imperial, to Rebel spy, to someone who was a trusted ally. Kallus’ arc begins here, in a fantastic character piece.

16

Andor Season 2, Episode 12 “Jedha, Kyber, Erso”

Andor’s Finale Left Audiences Incredibly Satisfied

Andor will likely go down as the best Star Wars TV show of all time, and rightly so. The origin for Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor leads directly into the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, but also leaves audiences with questions about the fate of some of our favorite heroes.

Andor season 2’s ending features strong performances from the entire cast, but especially Elizabeth Dulau as Kleya Marki. The finale episode “Jedha, Kyber, Erso” not only brings the story full circle and leads right into Rogue One, but also makes a point to spend time with all the characters and give them a satisfying ending.

15

Obi-Wan Kenobi, Season 1, Episode 6 “Part VI”

Features the Epic Duel Between Kenobi and Darth Vader

The finale of Obi-Wan Kenobi featured a rematch between the Jedi Master and his former apprentice. The duel was set up from before the show even aired, and though the lightsaber duel itself was impressive, the performances of both Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen are what make this stand out.

Obi-Wan Kenobi told a story that a lot of people didn’t think we needed until we got it, but it informed so much about different characters that we see in later Star Wars titles like A New Hope. While there were some problems when it came to the overall story of Obi-Wan Kenobi, the finale episode was one of the best in the franchise.

14

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 7, Episode 12 “Victory and Death”

The Clone Wars’ Epic Conclusion

The final arc of Star Wars: The Clone Wars is one of the best and most heartbreaking in the entire franchise, and the finale episode “Victory and Death” is no exception. This sees a heartbroken Captain Rex fight alongside Ahsoka Tano to escape other clones that are being controlled by their inhibitor chips.

Ahsoka and Rex survive, but it is the cost that makes this story so powerful. The clones who died in this episode are known and loved by viewers, and their fates are heartbreaking – as Ahsoka Tano herself reflects in a touching memorial.

13

Andor Season 1, Episode 6 “The Eye”

One of the Most Visually Stunning Episodes in Star Wars

Andor season 1’s second arc focused on a raid on the planet Aldhani, and it all culminated in a stunning escape from an Imperial facility. Though lives were lost, the Rebel escape would have major fallout for the remainder of the series.

One of the best aspects of the episode is when the Rebels are attempting to flee Aldhani during the natural phenomenon known as the Eye. The escape is action-packed, tense, and visually stunning. Star Wars has seldom looked so beautiful, and this seemed to be a hint that even better was to come.

12

Tales of the Jedi Season 1, Episode 5 “Practice Makes Perfect”

Creates The Perfect Parallel

Star Wars‘ “Tales” anthology shows are animated shorts that center on specific characters, and Tales of the Jedi is the best so far. Focusing on Ahsoka Tano and Count Dooku, these six shorts filled in character and plot holes from other Star Wars titles.

Episode 6, “Practice Makes Perfect,” focuses on Anakin Skywalker’s training of Ahsoka Tano. Through multiple instances, we see Anakin engaging in extra training with Ahsoka so that she’s more well-equipped than any other Jedi. The final moments of the short connect to The Clone Wars finale, where Ahsoka and Rex face off against a company of clone troopers seeking to kill them.

11

Ahsoka Season 1, Episode 5 “Shadow Warrior”

Features The Return of the World Between Worlds

While Ahsoka season 1 had some missteps, many of the show’s best moments came in season 1, episode 5, “Shadow Warrior,” which showed Ahsoka Tano return to the mystic plane called the World Between Worlds. In the episode, Ahsoka is greeted by her former master, Anakin Skywalker, and is told he’s there to finish her training.

Together, Rosario Dawson’s Ahsoka and Christensen’s Anakin revisit key moments during the Clone Wars so Ahsoka can learn her final lesson from Anakin — choosing to live. The episode brought the relationship between Ahsoka and Anakin to live-action for the first time. Christensen’s return as Anakin Skywalker made the episode one of the best we’ve ever seen from Star Wars.