With the release of the first full teaser trailer for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, a storied fashion tradition was placed front and center with the revelation of Ben Mendelsohn’s unnamed villain — capes. Many of the film series’ most iconic baddies have adorned themselves with the sleeveless outer garment, and if the two shots of Mendelsohn’s character are any indication, this Imperial fashion statement won’t be going out of style any time soon.
The seven choices included, discussed, and ranked below come from the seven released Star Wars films and the upcoming standalone. The only cape we’ve seen thus far in the latter is the one worn by Mendelsohn. For all we know, another villainous type might boast a similar look, but we’ll have to stick to Mendelsohn until Rogue One hits theaters in December.
Before we get started, though, please note that cloaks — which are generally larger than capes, include sleeves, and serve as protection from the elements — are not included. Sorry, Emperor Palpatine and Darth Maul.
7. General Grievous
A first-time observer of General Grievous’ egregiously large cape in Revenge of the Sith might think the same thing — “That’s a little too big to be a cape, no?” Yes, it’s big, but it’s still a cape. He’s kind of a big dude with four arms, so a much larger cape would be necessary to look right. Cartoonish, yes, but right.
6. Count Dooku
Count Dooku, otherwise known as Darth Tyranus, terrorized the Republic in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. In both films, he took on Obi-Wan Kenobi and his young apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, and both times he did so with the gusto of a man who wears a decent cape. Eschewing the cloaked fashions of his master, Palpatine, and the future Emperor’s former apprentice, Darth Maul, Dooku excused himself from the Star Wars canon of baddies-who-wear-hoods and proudly stuck his neck out above this exceptional red number. Too bad it didn’t offer him any protection.
5. Captain Phasma
As the Honest Trailers team rightfully pointed out in their The Force Awakens video, Captain Phasma appears in the film for a grand total of 91 seconds. As the first female villain ever depicted in a Star Wars movie, Gwendoline Christie looked fantastic — but only for a minute and a half. But it’s a fantastic-looking 91 seconds, and not just because Phasma is decked out in a chrome suit of armor. The character’s black cape with red lining added another layer of intrigue to the character, distinguishing her from the likes of mere stormtroopers like FN-2187.
4. Kylo Ren
The prodigal son of The Force Awakens, Kylo Ren rebuffed anything and everything that had to do with his father, Han Solo — including the latter’s penchant for jackets and blaster accessories. He did fashion himself after his grandfather, Darth Vader, though, so much so that he even tried to dress like him. Ren is no Vader, for sure, but his raggedy cape definitely wants to be the long black number worn by the first fallen Skywalker.
3. Ben Mendelsohn’s Rogue One villain
Not much is known about the Rogue One villain played by Australian actor Ben Mendelsohn. For a while, Mendelsohn himself didn’t know much about the character — let alone whether he was in the movie. He seems to be of some high rank, however, and boy oh boy do his fashion choices prove that he’s the one to beat. Sure, he kind of looks like a Disney prince at first, but the big chrome gun he’s holding tells another story.
2. Boba Fett
Another possible source of inspiration for Kylo Ren’s small number, as well as Captain Phasma’s over-the-shoulder look, is the green cloth Boba Fett draped over his left arm. It wasn’t a complete cape, per se, and it seemed like more of a fire hazard than anything. Yet it still looked really good, and despite all the wear and tear his armor exhibited, it indicated to everyone who saw it that Fett was just as serious about his appearance as he was about capturing Han Solo. Too bad it erupted in flames when Solo sent him packing into the side of Jabba’s yacht in Return of the Jedi.
1. Darth Vader
Did you really think anyone else was going top the list of Star Wars capes? Darth Vader’s black drapes are the finest, cleanest, and most elegant in all the galaxy. They make the Emperor’s right hand man look good, but they also get the hell out of the way whenever he swings into action, red lightsaber and all. Vader is the first villain that Star Wars fans saw in theaters, and his cape is the first one that makes an appearance. And not just any appearance, one in which it glides over the bodies of his enemies. Every other cape has had a lot to live up to after that.
