By George & Josh Bate
2025 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 the awards below. May the Force be with you!
Best Comic – Legacy of Vader
It’s been a strong years for comics, but no series has impressed both visually and narratively as much as Charles Soule’s Legacy of Vader. One of the pioneers of the High Republic era, Soule explores the year between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker in this comic through the lens of the best character from the sequel trilogy – Kylo Ren. Unlike the films, which kept Kylo more in the periphery, Soule positions Ben Solo front and center in a sprawling story that sees Kylo explore the Skywalker lineage and relive moments of his grandfather Anakin Skywalker’s life. It’s an extremely approachable comic for those unfamiliar with the medium and, perhaps most commendably, retroactively enhances the character of Kylo Ren, thus changing one’s perception of Episodes VII-IX.
Runner Up: Jedi Knights
Fans’ Pick: Legacy of Vader
Best Book – Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear
This may have been the most difficult award to choose, as 2025 has featured so many great Star Wars books. Although we were very tempted to crown Charles Soule with another award by naming The High Republic: Trials of the Jedi as the Star Wars Book of the Year, we ultimately had to go with Alexander Freed’s The Mask of The Fear. Heavily leaning into the mature, grounded tone and themes of Andor, the novel feels like Andor Season 0 in the best possible way. An intelligently structured plot sees three key rebel figures from canon play central roles in a sprawling, intricate political thriller storyline that trades overt action for more effective suspense through dialogue and political maneuvers. Mon Mothma is the standout, primarily as the audience is privy to her inner thoughts and motivations, and develops into an even more interesting character that will have readers reconceptualize elements of her from Andor. Additional depth is also provided to Bail Organa, although the novel fails to further develop Saw, who remains frustratingly underexplored. Greater success is found with the new character Soujen, a Separatist assassin unlike anything we’ve seen in canon before. The novel may read a tad disoriented at the start and one of the major plot threads concludes disappointingly, but it nonetheless is an enthralling read and the start to what is shaping up to be a must-have Star Wars trilogy of novels. Since 1977, Star Wars has been unafraid to get political. And, nearly 50 years later, the franchise proves that some of its greatest and most intense stories come about when politics are positioned more centrally, both thematically and narratively. That was the case with Andor, and that’s also the case with The Mask of Fear, one of the best Star Wars novels in recent years.
Runner Up: The High Republic: Trials of the Jedi
Fans’ Pick: Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear
Best Toy / Collectible – Hot Toys Darth Vader (Sith Apprentice) Star Wars sixth scale collectible figure
Sideshow Collectibles craft stunning, photo-realistic recreations of beloved Star Wars characters, but their Sith Apprentice Anakin Skywalker figure this year took their craft to a whole other level. From capturing Hayden Christensen’s likeness with uncanny realism to expertly tailored robes to an LED light-up lightsaber, the collectible figure is nothing short of spectacular and a worthy addition to any Star Wars fan’s collection.
Runner Up: San Diego Comic-Con exclusive Hasbro Black Series – Revenge of the Sith: Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi
Fans’ Pick: Best Toy / Collectible – Hot Toys Darth Vader (Sith Apprentice) Star Wars sixth scale collectible figure
Best Visual Effects – Andor
Andor‘s grounded and real approach to storytelling was also applied to its visual effects, which rank among the best we’ve ever seen from a television series. The second season of the hit Disney+ series deftly integrates practical effects and digital effects, which prove most jaw-dropping when the VFX took various real life locations and spruced them up with digital effects to make them distinctly Star Wars-y. There are so many effects in Andor that you wouldn’t even realize are effects, such is their seamless integration into Tony Gilroy’s expertly constructed series.
Fans’ Pick: Andor
Best Performance – Elizabeth Dulau as Kleya Marki
There isn’t a weak leak in the ensemble of Andor. From Diego Luna to Genevieve O’Reilly to Denise Gough to more, every performer delivers career-best work and elevated what audiences can expect from acting in a Star Wars project. It’s a testament then to Elizabeth Dulau that her performance as Kleya is the year’s standout Star Wars performance and, more generally, the standout television performance of 2025. Dulau delivers the sharp and sophisticated dialogue of Andor with speed and precision and contributes significantly to just how intense the series is. To go toe-to-toe with an acting heavyweight like Stellan Skarsgård is no small feat, but Dulau does so effortlessly, trading blows and exchanging quick dialogue with a world-renowned acting veteran like it’s nothing. It’s in the last arc of Andor Season 2, however, that Dulau’s performance becomes all the more applause-worthy. Kleya internalizes much of her anguish and stress for the duration of the show, until she hits her breaking point following Luthen’s exposure. Everything Dulau does in the last three episodes of Andor is nothing short of spectacular as she adds unexpected dimensions to Kleya and deepens her character with remarkable emotional intellgience. That Dulau (and the rest of the Andor cast) was overlooked by the Emmys remains a grave injustice, although we suspect the years to come will be kind to the performers as Andor reaches new generations of audiences.
Runner Up: Genevieve O’Reilly as Mon Mothma
Fans’ Pick: Genevieve O’Reilly as Mon Mothma
Best Musical Score – Brandon Roberts – Andor Season 2
Brandon Roberts stepped into massive shoes when he took over composing duties from Nicholas Britell for Andor Season 2, but boy did he knock it out of the park. Roberts took the exquisitive, emotive themes of Britell and added newfound dimensions to them, perhaps none more so than the iconic “Niamos!” What began as a slick entry tune to a new planet in Season 1 was transformed into a EDM ballad beautifully and hauntingly juxtaposing the devastating loss of Brasso and Mon’s iconic, unfiltered dance moves. In the series finale, Roberts deftly fused Andor‘s themes with more orchestral, John Williams-inspired themes from Rogue One and Star Wars to sonically blend together various generations of Star Wars storytelling. And, of course, Roberts and Tony Gilroy composed “We Are the Ghor,” the Emmy-nominated national anthem for Ghorman that is sung just moments before their annihilation.
Runner Up: Mick Giacchino – Skeleton Crew
Fans’ Pick: Brandon Roberts – Andor Season 2
Best Easter Egg – Lina Soh Hospital in Andor
The nod to the High Republic’s chancellor in the final arc of Andor tops the list of our favorite easter eggs and hidden details of 2025. It’s always delightful when aspects of Star Wars publishing make their way into live-action movies and shows (we’re looking at you, Cobb Vanth!), but naming the key hospital setting on Coruscant after Lina Soh was really a pleasant surprise. It also serves as a nice send-off to the High Republic, which later in 2025 concluded (at least for now) with Trials of the Jedi.
Runner Up: Gungan Skull in Luthen’s shop in Andor
Fans’ Pick: Lina Soh Hospital in Andor
Surprise of the Year – The Hunt for Ben Solo
There will always be a before and after October 20, 2025. This seemingly routine day began like no other and yet eventually gave way to news that no one, even the most hopeful of Star Wars fans, saw coming. In a jaw-dropping interview with The Playlist, Adam Driver revealed that he and director Steven Soderbergh had developed The Hunt for Ben Solo, a feature film that would have followed the events of The Rise of Skywalker and revived Driver’s character. How Lucasfilm was able to keep the project under wraps until now is still astonishing, as the film had a full script (penned by Scott Z. Burns), received approval from Kathleen Kennedy and Dave Filoni, and was ready to be green lit by Disney, only to be rejected by Bob Iger and Alan Bergman at the last hurdle. That didn’t stop Star Wars fans, however, who came out in droves to voice their support for a film with a script Driver himself called “one of the coolest [expletive] scripts” he’d ever read. Since then, Rian Johnson, Joonas Suotamo, Steven Soderbergh, and countless others have expressed a desire to see the revival of the canceled movie. The fan campaign for the film has been extensive, featuring billboards in Times Square, a plane flying over the Disney lot in California, and “Missing Ben Solo” signs popping up everywhere. The fan campaign becomes even more ambitious this New Years with the #THFBSConfettiWish project, encouraging fans to ring in the new year by visiting the Times Square Wishing Wall and writing their confetti wish for Ben Solo’s return in 2026. Here’s hoping that Lucasfilm and Disney heed the guidance of Star Wars fans around the world and give The Hunt for Ben Solo another chance. In the words of Luke Skywalker, “No one’s ever really gone.”
New Character of the Year – Carro Rylanz
This was a tricky award to select. Visions Volume 3 introduced all sorts of fascinating new characters (we love you Woompas!). LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy – Pieces of the Past featured the debut of a chilling new villain voiced by Dan Stevens. Legacy of Vader crowned Tava Ren the new leader of the Knights of Ren. Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear relegated Saw Gerrera to the background in favor of the unexpectedly compelling Soujen. And yet, out of all of these incredible new additions to a galaxy far, far away, the one that has stuck with us the most is Carro Rylanz. For those who don’t recognize the name immediately, Carro Rylanz is the leader of the Ghorman resistance movement in Andor, wonderfully portrayed by Richard Sammel. Rylanz features in a fairly limited capacity in five of the twelve episodes of Season 2, and yet his inclusion leaves a lasting impression on the series. Anxious to prevent the Empire from taking complete control of his beloved planet, Rylanz’s worst fears come to fruition when the people of Ghorman play directly into the hands of the Empire, leading to their devastating massacre. The last shot of Rylanz in the series, depicting Sammel’s character as he sits deflated and destroyed at what he has just witnessed, is haunting and, in a single shot and through a single performance, perfectly captures the emotional weight of such a monumental event.
Runner Up: The Grand Master from Visions Volume 3
Fans’ Pick: Solitus from LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy – Pieces of the Past
Best Star Wars Character of the Year – Kleya Marki
It’s hard to believe that Andor was actress Elizabeth Dulau’s first professional on-screen acting job. Tony Gilroy has stated that they had a number of other actresses sign up to play Kleya, but they were offered other things and left the show. Thank the Force that was the case as we truly can’t see a single person on the planet playing Kleya the way Dulau does. Season 2 gives Dulau much more to do as Kleya, abundantly showing that she is far more than just Luthen Rael’s partner behind the scenes. Arguably, she is the architect, or “the boss” as Gilroy aptly states, of the Axis network, covertly orchestrating events around the galaxy that slowly de-stabilize the Empire in the most calculated of manners. Kleya’s tragic origins are revealed in Season 2 and shed light on a character whose trauma runs deep and drives her toward a more just future, by any means necessary. Kleya so rarely cracks a genuine smile in the show, such is her unrelenting commitment to a cause she has committed her entire life toward achieving. So, when she finally does smile in the series finale, you bet we had tears rolling down our faces as she, the pseudo-daughter of Luthen, got to stand in the elusive sunrise Luthen so poetically spoke of but never got to see. Fans have floated the idea of a Kleya and Vel “Nazi hunters” show, in which the duo team-up with Denise Gough’s Dedra Meero to track down former Imperials in the aftermath of Return of the Jedi. Needless to say, we are wholeheartedly behind this idea and would love to see Kleya, and Elizabeth Dulau, another chance to shine. It’s a testament to Kleya that, in a show filled to the brim with fascinating characters, in a show where even the bellhop of a hotel or a woman attuned with the Force on Yavin proves more compelling than the average lead television character, she stands out as the resounding highlight.
Runner Up: Luthen Rael
Fans’ Pick: Cassian Andor
Best TV Episode – Andor – Season 2, Episode 9: Welcome to the Rebellion
This was a tough call between Episodes 8 and 9 of Andor Season 2, but we ultimately opted for “Welcome to the Rebellion.” The final episode of Andor’s penultimate arc is as gripping as television gets. The stakes are sky high in the aftermath of the Ghorman massacre, beginning with a scene in which the Ghorman senator is ripped away from the Senate (not unlike a real-life Senator in the United States this year). The tension is palpable as Mon Mothma gears up for a speech she knows will out herself as a rebel and label her as a public enemy of the Empire and its menacing Emperor. The entire episode operates like a high-octane political thriller – the kind of entertainment that the term ‘edge-of-your-seat’ was made for. Genevieve O’Reilly delivers a masterclass of a performance as she delivers Mon’s harrowing speech to the Empire, words from screenwriter Dan Gilroy that hold disturbing relevance to the world we live in today. The subsequent escape from the Senate, which finally saw the series’ two leads meet one another for the first time, is as thrilling as Star Wars gets and culminates in a dramatic conclusion that tantalizingly sets the stage for the final three episodes of the season.
Runner Up: Andor – Season 2, Episode 8: Who Are You?
Fans’ Pick: Andor – Season 2, Episode 8: Who Are You?
Best Show – Andor Season 2
In 2025, Andor established itself, not only as the best Star Wars series of all time, but one of the best television shows in history. Masterminded by Tony Gilroy, the series transcended a galaxy far, far away to tell a tale with disturbing relevance to current and historical events. Andor is equal parts exhilarating political thriller, blistering call-to-action, and resounding proof that the quality of Star Wars storytelling knows no limits. The fact that the series serves as a prequel to a prequel, with characters whose destinies are largely known prior to the very first episode, makes Andor’s effectiveness all the more astonishing. Most shows could only dream of having a moment as impactful as Mon Mothma’s speech, and yet Andor Season 2 features tons of them. Brasso’s death, Bix’s goodbye, the retrieval of the listening device, the Ghorman Massacre, “Who Are You?”, K-2SO’s introduction, Luthen and Dedra’s confrontation, Kleya’s infiltration of the hospital, and Cassian’s slow-motion walk toward the events of Rogue One are just some of the seemingly countless moments in Andor Season 2 that take our breath away and will be watched on repeat for the rest of our lives. Nearly 50 years after George Lucas introduced Star Wars to the world, Tony Gilroy and company forever reshaped how the franchise will be viewed by the world, approaching it with a maturity and intelligence never seen before. Here’s hoping this is not the last we’ve seen of Gilroy in a galaxy far, far away.
Runner Up: Visions Volume 3
Fans’ Pick: Andor Season 2
Best Star Wars Moment – Ghorman Massacre
It feels odd to say the Ghorman Massacre is the ‘best’ Star Wars moment of 2025, because the event itself is absolutely gut-wrenching. But ‘best’ does not necessarily mean most enjoyable or even entertaining – ‘best’ is suggestive of quality, of craft, and of emotional resonance, all of which the Ghorman Massacre scenes triumph with. The slow ascension of “We Are the Ghor” among the crowd of desperately hopeful citizens hauntingly foreshadows the remarkable violence that is to come. Even in another language, the national anthem of the Ghorman sparks an almost indescribable emotional response of empathy and compassion, making the events that follow all the more soul-crushing. The Ghorman Massacre has been known as an existing event in canon for years, but “Who Are You?” gives visuals and sounds to the massacre that left us speechless. The pain and suffering in the scene are unlike anything we’ve seen from Star Wars before, and are beautifully encapsulated by Richard Sammel’s Carlo Rylanz despondently sitting on the ground completely deflated by the events that have unfolded. Within the frenzy of the massacre, Syril and Cassian have their long-awaited rematch (at least long-awaited for Syril). The decision for Cassian to not recognize Syril is masterful and caps off Kyle Soller’s character’s arc in the perfectly pitiful manner, especially after Syril finally saw the cracks in the sheen of the Empire after it was too late. The massacre culminates in the unexpected discovery of K-2SO, rewriting established canon to give Alan Tudyk’s sassy droid a more subversive origin story. If all of that wasn’t devastating enough, Wilmon and Cassian pay tribute to their home Ferrix before parting ways, a kinship and bond over shared origin that proved truly moving. Everything about the handling of the Ghorman Massacre and its aftermath in Andor blew us away and made this award an easy one to pick.
Runner Up: Mon Mothma’s Senate speech
Fans’ Pick: Ghorman Massacre
True Highlight of 2025 – Star Wars Celebration Japan
In a year full of extraordinary Star Wars stories and not-so-extraordinary world events, Star Wars Celebration Japan was the most exquisite and resounding part of 2025 for us. The gathering of Star Wars fans from all around the world to one of our planet’s most culturally rich and fascinating cities somehow exceeded our highest of expectations. Exclusive footage from The Mandalorian and Grogu showcased the scale and scope of the first Star Wars movie in seven years. Shawn Levy and Ryan Gosling officially announced Star Wars: Starfighter to the world. Tony Gilroy and the cast of Andor celebrated the final season of their acclaimed series and treated the crowd to an early screening of the first episode. Lucasfilm Animation celebrated its 20th anniversary with a screening of the first episode of Tales of the Underworld and the official announcement and reveal trailer of Maul – Shadow Lord. There was a Hasbro panel, two Lucasfilm Publishing panels, an official store full of incredible merchandise, some of the most creative cosplayers we’ve ever seen, and so much more to enjoy at Star Wars Celebration Japan. It was an honor to cover the event as press and bring the Celebration to fans at home through social media and our website, as it was an honor to visit Japan for the first time and be among such lovely people. 2025 was a rough year for many for a myriad of reasons, but Star Wars Celebration Japan (and Star Wars more generally) provided a much-needed source of hope and enjoyment to fans of a galaxy far, far away.
Runners Up: Andor Season 2 AND The Hunt for Ben Solo