The Definitive Ranking of All the Villains in the Star Wars Saga Films

The Viceroy in ‘Revenge of the Sith’ (Credit: Lucasfilm)

15. Viceroy Nute Gunray

As the leader of the Trade Federation, Nute Gunray commanded a lot of power. When first introduced in The Phantom Menace, he seemed to be a ruthless and smart opponent. Following a galactic tax dispute, he ordered a blockade on the planet of Naboo. Then, he sent the fleet of droids to assist in the Battle of Naboo.

During Palpatine’s rise to power, Nute Gunray acted simply as a mindless pawn. Which is most unfortunate because of his position. He could’ve led the Trade Federation through peaceful negotiations. Instead, he joined the Separatist regime and asked for vengeance against Padme Amidala. Of course, this only led to the discovery of the clone army, and eventually, the Clone Wars.

Unfortunately, all his naivete allowed for the rise of the Galactic Empire. As you’ll see with many villains on this list, he falls into the “What Could’ve Been” category. Honestly, he could’ve led the Trade Federaton to absolute power instead of letting Palpatine take all the credit. Like, if Padme Amidala died and he secured an alliance with Count Dooku, he probably could’ve made it to Chancellor instead of R.I.P Dead Viceroy.