What are the best Star Wars ships? Being set in space, the Star Wars spacecraft form an essential part of the iconography of the galaxy far, far away. Whenever someone travels from one part of the universe to another, it’s in a starship. Often characters have their own distinguished vessels, which may be used jointly for transport, and the more exciting function of space combat.
Whether it’s the scrappy fighter craft of the Rebellion, or the intimidating vessels of the Galactic Empire, the Star Wars movies and Star Wars series are overflowing with excellent ships. So naturally, we’ve turned a discerning eye to the intergalactic vehicles in the science fiction movie franchise.
This means that when trying to create a list of the best Star Wars ships, there’s an impossibly large pool to choose from. To help ourselves out, we limited the list to individual ships rather than entire classes of Star Wars ships: sorry, Jedi Starfighters and Imperial Star Destroyers. With those parameters set, these are our picks for the five best Star Wars ships in the entire galaxy. This is where the fun begins.
What are the best Star Wars ships?
- Razor Crest
- Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter
- Luthen Rael’s ship
- The Millennium Falcon
- Slave 1/The Firespray
Razor Crest
Similar to the Millennium Falcon (more on that later) what makes the Razor Crest so special is the fact that it’s pretty much a hunk of junk. It’s not the fastest, or most deadly ship in the galaxy, and it’s got a big clunky, blocky design. And it’s beautiful.
Our love for the Razor Crest only grew when the ship had to be rebuilt by Din Djarin (Mando) and his friend Kuiil. We got to see every nook and cranny of the vessel, and there’s no better way to build a connection to an inanimate object than pulling it apart and piecing it back together – as anyone with a LEGO Razor Crest will know.
Unfortunately for fans of Star Wars ships everywhere, the Razor Crest was destroyed in The Mandalorian season 2. And, unlike its previous destruction, this time it was completely disintegrated. That’s a huge shame if you ask us, and it means that the ship’s time in the spotlight has ended. The upside is that our favourite Star Wars bounty hunter might be getting a new ship in The Mandalorian season 3.
Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter
Everything associated with Darth Vader is automatically cool, and while Star Wars fans might be more attracted to the Sith lord’s personal flagship The Executor, it’s his TIE Fighter that truly stands out. TIE Fighters were already iconic, with their screaming sound and distinct design, but Darth Vader’s is by far the most impressive.
Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter sets itself apart from other TIE Fighters with its arched wings. Unlike normal TIE Fighters, which are vertical, Darth Vader’s curl inwards which somehow makes his vessel all the more intimidating. It’s clear from the off that this isn’t a TIE Fighter piloted by any ordinary stormtrooper. We get the best look at Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter in A New Hope, where he comes after Luke flanked by two other fighters.
Luthen Rael’s ship
It says something about the sheer quality of Luthen Rael’s ship that it doesn’t even have a name yet, but has still managed to make the list. Luthen Rael’s ship is an unassuming Fondor Haulcraft, which are usually used for simple transportation. The reason why Luthen Rael uses such an unremarkable (from the outside, anyway) ship is because he needs to maintain his front as a galactic antiques dealer.
But, that’s all a façade for Luthen Rael’s plan. In reality Luthen Rael’s ship is one of the most deadly in the galaxy. It has been modified with defensive turrets that can take out TIE Fighters, and is equipped with a nifty Star Wars droid which can patch through any information at a moment’s notice. Most impressive of all is the ship’s laser weapons, which Luthen Rael uses to scythe through attacking ships.
This was all demonstrated in one of Andor’s most thrilling Star Wars scenes, when Luthen escaped from the tractor beam of a (gorgeous) Cantwell-class Arrestor Cruiser. Let’s hope we get more of the ship, and maybe even a name for it, with Andor season 2.
The Millennium Falcon
No list of the best Star Wars ships is complete without the Millennium Falcon. Han Solo won the ship off of Lando Calrissian, and has been using to smuggle cargo across the galaxy ever since. The only problem is, it’s a total mess and prone to constant technical problems.
But, while the Millennium Falcon is often malfunctioning, when push comes to shove it’s a trusty ship that can cruise through asteroid fields and take out some of the toughest Imperial foes given the chance. In truth, the Star Wars ship is just as much a character as many of the aliens and droids that populate the galaxy alongside it.
Slave 1/The Firespray
Rebranded for the new Disney Plus era of Star Wars, The Firespray is Boba Fett’s ship which he inherited from his late father (and fellow Star Wars bounty hunter) Jango Fett. The ship has one of the most interesting designs around, and flies vertically rather than horizontally, immediately differentiating it from other Star Wars ships.
We get the best look at The Firespray in Attack of the Clones, when Jango Fett uses the ship to pursue Obi-Wan Kenobi. It’s here when he uses his seismic charges, giving us one of the best moments in the entire prequel trilogy with an awesome sound effect to boot. The ship shows up again most notably in The Empire Strikes Back, where it now pursed the Millennium Falcon, and The Mandalorian season 2, where we get another look at those delicious seismic charges.
And, that’s our rundown of the best Star Wars ships. If you want more Star Wars content (and who doesn’t) take a look at our guides to the ISB and Emperor Palpatine‘s Death Star. Or, check out our guides to the Andor cast of characters with Dedra Meero, Mon Mothma, Syril Karn, and Maarva.
Our best movies and new movies lists will keep you well ground, either.