8. Jabba the Hutt
Jabba the Hutt exists as one of the major antagonists in the original trilogy simply because Han Solo owes him a lot of money.
Otherwise, he’s just another thug who makes several appearances throughout the films. Also, he’s responsible for putting Princess Leia in the slave bikini that cemented her status as a galactic sex symbol instead of defining her legacy as the “The Space Diva With a Thousand Quips.”
Since Darth Vader’s ultimate goal is to turn Luke Skywalker to the Dark Side, Jabba’s hunt for Han Solo happens to a be necessary arc as it moves the plot forward. Jabba provided Darth Vader with a few bounty hunters, including the infamous Boba Fett, who tracked down Han Solo and the Millenium Falcon. Further, the situation at Jabba’s palace accounts for nearly the first 30 minutes or so of Return of the Jedi.
Due to his agreement with the Empire, Jabba was also able to conduct his business almost freely on the Outer Rim. Despite how gross and slimy he is, Jabba the Hutt serves as a worthy adversary. Especially since he can’t use the Force or anything like that. Instead, he relies on his network to maintain power.