By George & Josh Bate
2024 was an epic year full of emotional and exciting stories from a galaxy far, far away. As has been tradition at The HoloFiles and Star Wars Holocron for several years now, we are taking a look back at the year that has passed and selecting our favorite Star Wars show, episode, character, book, comic, and more of the year. Keep reading to see the Winners of our annual Star Wars Best of the Year Awards, as chosen by the editors of The HoloFiles and Star Wars Holocron. And also check out fans’ picks for all these awards below. May the Force be with you!
Best Comic – Darth Vader
2024 saw the end of one era of Star Wars comics and the beginning of another. The likes of Charles Soule’s Star Wars, Ethan Sacks’ Bounty Hunters, Greg Pak’s Darth Vader, Alyssa Wong’s Doctor Aphra, and several miniseries and one-shots have taken place between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, adding deeply to this period in canon across a variety of interconnected stories. While we’re big admirers of all of these series, in addition to the launch of the new era of comics set shortly after Return of the Jedi, we ultimately chose Greg Pak’s Darth Vader series as the best Star Wars comic of 2024.
Nine issues of Darth Vader released in 2024, and closed out what was an incredible 50 issue run. This last stretch of issues primarily focused on the Schism Imperial, a resistance group who broke away from the Empire in order to oppose Palpatine’s reign, while still remaining loyal to the Empire. These issues eventually took the series to Exegol, the home of Palpatine in The Rise of Skywalker, and concluded in resounding fashion with a terrific 50th issue. It’s a testament to the Pak’s comic that it is able to expand upon and further develop Vader’s character above and beyond the established work that has already explored the fallen Jedi so deeply. 2024 was a great year for Star Wars comics, but, for us, Darth Vader reigned supreme.
Runner Up:
- The Battle of Jakku
Fans’ Pick:
- Darth Vader
Best Book – The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire
Choosing our favorite Star Wars book of 2024 was a tough one. This past year saw Mace Windu: The Glass Abyss expand the character of Mace Windu in canon like never before, continued the sprawling conflict between the Nihil and Jedi in High Republic novels, and provided insights into like clone troopers like never before with The Secrets of the Clone Troopers, but, in the end, Chris Kempshall’s The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire had to be our favorite Star Wars book of 2024.
The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire is an in-universe history book chronicling the Galactic Empire, written from the perspective of Beaumont Kin (Dominic Monaghan’s character from The Rise of Skywalker). We love in-universe books (and 2024 featured a few, including The Secrets of the Clone Troopers and Bestiary Vol. 1), but none captured the feeling of a true ‘in-universe’ book like The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire did. It’s one thing to see how the Empire comes to be across the prequel trilogy, shows like Rebels and Andor, and a variety of books and comics, but it’s surprisingly refreshing to see all the pieces put together so concisely and neatly in a single work like this. Kempshall writes Kin’s chronicle of the Empire so realistically, with understandable omissions, fictions, and subjective opinions sprinkled throughout. The writing is superb, never getting lost in all the nitty-gritty details of how the Empire came to be, but, rather, covering the broad strokes with just the right amount of specificty. Star Wars rarely gets as overtly political as The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire does, which will be a delight for fans like us who love the ins and outs of politics in a galaxy far, far away.
Runner Up:
- The High Republic: Temptation of the Force
Fans’ Pick:
- The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire
Best Video Game – Star Wars: Outlaws
Star Wars: Outlaws received mixed reception, but we were big fans of the open-world adventure. In particular, we enjoyed the game’s immersion into the criminal underworld, with a fantastic reptuation system and all sorts of fun side missions to play. Although the game played a little too lineraly at times, the various worlds were visually stunning and were so much fun to explore. Kay Vess proved to be a likable and engaging protagonist in a strong story that features all sorts of interesting deep-cut connections to Star Wars comics. The combat and stealth mechanics may have been a tad too basic and outdated, but Outlaws still had plenty to offer to make it our favorite Star Wars video game of 2024.
Fans’ Pick:
Star Wars Outlaws
Best Toy / Collectible – LEGO Star Wars: The Dark Falcon
If you’re like us, you can’t help but get your hands on all sorts of Star Wars toys and collectibles each year. Out of them all though, we went with the LEGO Dark Falcon as our favorite Star Wars toy/collectible of the year. LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy was such a fun ‘what if…?’ mini-series, and the merchandise that went along with it was great. In particular, we loved seeing the dark side Millennium Falcon come to life in LEGO form (and are huge admirers of the light side Vader, Darth Jar Jar, and Darth Rey LEGO mini-figures).
Fans’ Pick:
Best Performance – Manny Jacinto as Qimir / The Stranger
Manny Jacinto’s performance as Qimir / The Stranger in The Acolyte took the world by storm in summer 2024, and rightfully so. Qimir / The Stranger was easily the highlight of The Acolyte, in large part due to the commanding and varied performance Jacinto delivered. In the initial episodes of the series, Jacinto played a bumbling, dopey character so well, drawing upon Johnny Depp’s portrayal as Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and Toshiro Mifune’s Kikushiyo in Seven Samurai. When it was eventually revealed that Qimir was actually the Sith lord training Mae, an entirely new side of Jacinto’s performance came through, in particular in episodes 5 and 6. Menacing and charismatic, Jacinto created a new kind of Star Wars villain and stole every scene that he was in. The physicality of Jacinto’s performance should not go unnoticed either, as its quite incredible to see the same actor play Qimir transform into the hulking figure of The Stranger through body language and performance alone. There were a number of great acting performances in Star Wars shows in 2024, but none with the magnetism, energy, and variety of Manny Jacinto’s in The Acolyte.
Runners Up:
- Dee Bradley Baker as The Bad Batch
- Robert Timothy Smith as Neel
Fan’s Pick:
- Manny Jacinto as Qimir / The Stranger
Best Visual Effects – Skeleton Crew
Since 1977, Star Wars has been a pioneer of groundbreaking visual effects. And 2024 continued to show why a galaxy far, far away is the place to be for cutting edge visual effects. Skeleton Crew excels in this regard with visual effects in a variety of domains. A masterful blend of practical effects (e.g., make-up, costumes, prosthetics, miniatures) and CGI effects (e.g., The Volume, green-screen) breathe such life into the worlds and characters of the series. Special praise must go to how the VFX artists created Neel, with a mix of motion-capture and practical effects culminating in one of Star Wars‘ most endearing characters ever.
Fans’ Pick:
- Skeleton Crew
Best Easter Egg / Reference / Hidden Detail – Darth Plagueis in The Acolyte
This category of our Star Wars Awards each year honors the wealth of easter eggs, hidden details, surprise appearances, references, and parallels that have become hallmarks in the Star Wars franchise. And this year no reference or detail or surprise impacted us as greatly as Darth Plagueis’ appearance in The Acolyte. Ever since being mentioned in the infamous opera scene in Revenge of the Sith nearly 20 years ago, Darth Plagueis has loomed large in the eyes of Star Wars fans. A Legends novel by James Luceno developed the character, while Star Wars fans around the world memorized Palpatine’s speech about the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise, but The Acolyte marked the first time the character was ever shown on-screen and in canon. While the placement of the cameo in The Acolyte episode 8 was a little questionable (it seemingly would’ve worked better coming at the end, much like Yoda’s cameo), it nonetheless took us by surprise and affected us in the best possible way. The doors Plagueis’ appearance opened are endless, as was/is our excitement at seeing Plagueis finally take on a bigger role in canon. Not only that, but The Acolyte nailed Plagueis’ design, just as how the character is depicted in Legends. Although The Acolyte Season 2 will (seemingly) not happen, we’re keeping our fingers crossed that there’s more of Darth Plagueis to come.
Runner Up:
- Holiday Special circus performance in Skeleton Crew
Fans’ Pick:
- Darth Plagueis in The Acolyte
Surprise of the Year – Jeremy Allen White cast as Rotta the Hutt
Star Wars has always featured twists and turns (just look back to 1980 and the reveal that Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker’s father). Some of these twists and turns occur on screen, while others occur in the pages of books and comics. But the Star Wars surprise of this year comes in the shape of an announcement that no one saw coming. Seriously, we think not a single person outside of The Mandalorian and Grogu production could have predicted this one. Yes, the announcement that The Bear‘s Jeremy Allen White will play Rotta the Hutt in the upcoming Star Wars film was easily our Star Wars surprise of the year. Rotta the Hutt’s return alone following The Clone Wars film would probably have won this award, but the fact that he will be voiced by Jeremy Allen White really clears this award for us.
New Character of the Year – Qimir / The Stranger
No new Star Wars character blew us away like Qimir / The Stranger did. The Acolyte’s bumbling side character turned menacing and seductive villain proved to be the best element of the Star Wars series, and one of Star Wars‘ most captivating antagonists to date. The twist that Qimir was actually The Stranger may have been predictable, but it was executed brilliantly in episode 5 and gave us a taste of a different kind of Star Wars villain. The Stranger’s dialogue in the series, brutally criticizing the hypocrisies in Jedi doctrine, hits hard, as do the blows of his dual lightsabers (RIP Jecki and Yord). The Stranger’s past as a Jedi, once the apprentice to Vernestra Rwoh, and current status as Darth Plagueis’ apprentice make the character so intriguing, while Manny Jacinto single-handedly makes The Acolyte a fantastic series. Like many fans, we’re desperate to see more of this character in future stories.
Runner Up:
- Neel
Fans’ Pick:
- Qimir / The Stranger
Best Star Wars Character of the Year – Qimir / The Stranger
There was certainly a lot of competition for Best Star Wars Character of 2024. Crosshair in The Bad Batch Season 3 provided one of the most compelling redemption arcs Star Wars has ever seen. Jude Law’s Jod Na Nawood in Skeleton Crew continues to intrigue at the intersection of Jedi and pirate. Mace Windu shined more brightly than ever in the novel Mace Windu: The Glass Abyss. But the award for Best Star Wars Character of 2024 has to go to Qimir / The Stranger. For much of the same reasons we labeled him Best New Star Wars Character of the Year, Manny Jacinto’s character takes the crown for Best overall Star Wars Character of 2024. No character in 2024 had us this intrigued, compelled, and excited to see more of than Qimir / The Stranger.
Runner Up:
- Crosshair
Fans’ Pick:
- Qimir / The Stranger
Best TV Episode – The Acolyte – Episode 5: “Night”
The fifth episode of The Acolyte is not only our favorite episode of Star Wars television in 2024, but is also among the best episodes of Star Wars television ever. The episode features arguably the best lightsaber choreography since the prequels, while also offering plenty of dramatic heft with the losses of Jecki and Yord. While the reveal that Mae’s master has been Qimir does not come as a surprise, it quickly elevated Manny Jacinto’s antagonist to become one of the most compelling Star Wars characters in recent years. In just 30 minutes, The Acolyte delivered nail-biting intensity and heartbreaking losses in an episode that is by far our favorite of 2024.
Runners Up:
- The Bad Batch – Season 3, Episode 15: “The Cavalry Has Arrived”
- The Bad Batch – Season 3, Episode 5: “The Return”
- Skeleton Crew – Episode 1: “This Could Be a Real Adventure”
Fans’ Pick:
- The Acolyte – Episode 5: “Night”
Best Show – The Acolyte
The Acolyte proved to be one of the most divisive Star Wars projects ever, but, for us, it worked brilliantly. The series achieved an Andor-esque mature tone, while exploring the more mystical elements of the Star Wars franchise in unique ways. Leslye Headland’s show was billed as a mystery series, and it certainly lived up to that characterization as each episode is shrouded in so much intrigue and suspense. The ensemble cast were terrific – not just stars like Manny Jacinto and Lee Jung-jae as Qimir / The Stranger and Sol respectively, but also Dafne Keen as Jecki, Charlie Barnett as Yord, and Amandla Stenberg as the twins Osha and Mae. Messy storytelling to wrap up the show’s loose ends at the end of episode 8 , some predictable story beats, and a seventh, Rashomon-inspired episode that was far better in conception than execution detracted from the overall enjoyment of the series, and The Acolyte still brought us so much enjoyment.
Fans’ Pick:
- The Acolyte
Best Star Wars Moment – The Bad Batch Epilogue
Star Wars animated shows have become known for (amongst other things) their extremely powerful and emotionally resonant epilogues, and The Bad Batch proved to be no exception. The third and final season of The Bad Batch wrapped up with an intimate and heartfelt moment between Omega and Hunter, the series’ two main characters. Skipping forward several years allowed us to see an Omega ready to fight for the Rebellion and an older Hunter watching as his adoptive daughter takes the next step into adulthood. It’s an excellent ending, one that brought tears to our eyes and capped off what was an incredible three seasons of Star Wars storytelling. Although the absence of Crosshair and Tech in this epilogue still feels a bit off, ultimately it makes sense that the episode ends on a note honoring the relationship between Omega and Hunter, which was the emotional heart of the series. Series endings are hard to deliver (look no further than Game of Thrones or the original run of Dexter), but Jennifer Corbett, Brad Rau, and company concluded The Bad Batch in resounding fashion, delivering what was our favorite Star Wars moment of 2024.
Fans’ Pick:
- The Qimir reveal and lightsaber duels in The Acolyte episode 5
True Highlight of 2024 – The love for The Acolyte
For context, this award over the past few years has gone to the standout element in the Star Wars galaxy and fandom in a given year (not just a specific moment in a book or show, but overall across the entire experience as a Star Wars fan). Last year, this award went to the moment Daisy Ridley stepped on stage at Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023 to announce her return as Rey Skywalker. And this year, the award goes to all the positivity and love for The Acolyte. We understand that the show was not met with glowing reception by many fans (and has since been canceled), but it afforded so many amazing moments over the past year that we cherish.
The promotional campaign for the series was grander than anything we’ve seen from a Star Wars series, and the biggest since the sequel trilogy for a Star Wars project. The fan screenings of the first two episodes of The Acolyte were so much fun and brought Star Wars back to the big screen in resounding fashion. Fans united under hashtags #YordHorde and #JeckiJam as they expressed their adoration for new characters in the universe. Speaking of, the world went crazy over Manny Jacinto when Qimir was revealed to be the series’ big bad. The cast showed their love for Star Wars and commitment to the series across so many interviews and events. Watch parties around the world waited eagerly for episodes to release each week, and fans shared their excitement across Twitter, YouTube, and social media.
Yes, there was a lot of negativity that surrounded The Acolyte, but, for many, the series brought great joy and highlighted why we love Star Wars so much. Above all else, Star Wars has always been a franchise that makes us feel strong emotions and connects us to others, and The Acolyte did just that. While we’re sad that a second season will likely not come to fruition, we hold dearly onto the positive memories of the show – not just what it delivered on screen, but for the moments and emotions it afforded off screen.
Runner Up:
- Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of The Phantom Menace
Fans’ Pick:
- The love for The Acolyte