on Writing Forward:

Luke Skywalker was the obvious hero of Star Wars: A New Hope, so why does it seem like Han, Leia, and Darth Vader got all the attention?

When I think about the characters from Star Wars, Luke is often the last one who comes to mind. It’s not that he’s forgettable, but he doesn’t stand out from the crowd of characters who surround him, despite the fact that the story centers on him. The other characters overshadow him, even characters whose roles are not as critical to the story.

This can be a good thing for a story’s hero (or protagonist). If the hero is too iconic, they can veer off into becoming unrelatable. Make the hero someone that anyone can relate to (like Harry Potter, for example), and then surround the hero with unforgettable iconic dynamos.

All the characters from Star Wars are iconic, but some are more memorable than others. What can we learn from iconic characters, and how can we create unforgettable characters in our own stories?