Star Wars is so successful. He's right; George Lucas' genius lay in creating a franchise that blended fantasy tropes - princesses and knights, the Force as magic, legendary blades and the like - with science-fiction. The result has been an unparalleled success.
And yet, as fantastical as Star Wars may be, the setting of the Skywalker saga - a vast canvas the size of an entire galaxy - means staples of science-fiction are just as important as the fairy tale elements. George Lucas drew heavily on the works of Isaac Asimov, even modifying the idea of hyperspace to explain how spaceships and starfighters can travel faster than light. The designs of so many of these vessels are utterly iconic, with the Millennium Falcon easily as well known as the USS Enterprise from rival franchise Star Trek. Here are the best starfighters and spaceships in Star Wars canon.
10 Imperial Star Destroyer
Harsh and imposing, the Imperial Star Destroyer is the ultimate symbol of the Empire's might. These ships were the most resource-intensive ones ever seen in the history of the galaxy, and only Kuat Drive Yards possessed the capacity to build them during the time of the Empire's reign. There were many different classes of Star Destroyers, with the most impressive constructed at Exegol - possessing miniaturized Death Star technology that enabled them to destroy entire planets.
9 N-1 Starfighter
Introduced in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, the Naboo N-1 starfighter is a sleek and efficient vehicle that's proven to be a firm fan-favorite. Star Wars recently brought this ship back, with Din Djarin claiming a modified N-1 in The Book of Boba Fett. His ship - yet to be given a name - is heavily customized, meaning it's one of the fastest starfighters around, easily able to speed away from New Republic X-wings. No doubt she will come in very useful in Din Djarin's new role as a troubleshooter for the Republic.
8 The Jedi Vector
Sleek starfighters used by the Jedi centuries before the prequel trilogy, the Jedi Vectors made their debut in Lucasfilm's Star Wars: The High Republic transmedia initiative. They're most notable for unique features that make them perfectly suited to the Jedi; their powerful blaster cannons, for example, are utterly unusable unless a lightsaber is locked into place to serve as a key. This is a deliberate design choice, because it ensures a Jedi is reminded of the need for balance before opening fire and potentially taking lives.
7 Mandalorian Gauntlet
The most famous Mandalorian Gauntlet is the vessel flown by Bo-Katan Kryze, now ruler of Mandalore. Technically known as Kom'rk class fighter/transports, Gauntlets are heavily-armed warships that can be crewed by two pilots. They've been deliberately designed to launch groups of Mandalorian fighters on jet-packs, meaning a single Gauntlet can serve as the trigger for a fully-fledged Mandalorian incursion. Gauntlets have been in use since the Clone Wars, with several even seen in the Galactic Fleet in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
6 TIE Fighter
TIE Fighters are the Empire's signature starfighters, officially named "Twin Ion Engine" fighters. The standard TIE Fighters is fast but flawed, with no shields, no hyperdrive, and no life-; all these functions are cut to improve maneuverability. This means TIE Fighters are typically carried by other vessels, notably Imperial Star Destroyers, or alternatively launched from Imperial bases on planets or asteroids. The Empire tend to send TIE Fighters out in swarms, overwhelming enemies with their sheer number, not caring about losses. Some models of TIEs are improved, with stealth capabilities, shields, or hyperdrives, but in truth these are simply an attempt to build on a flawed design.
5 The Fondor
A more recent addition to Star Wars lore, the Fondor is a heavily modified Fondor Haulcraft used by Luthen Rael in the Andor Disney+ TV show. The Fondor is even more impressive than the Millennium Falcon in some ways, powerful enough to resist a Star Destroyer's tractor beam and possessing unique plasma weapons that allow it to slice through enemy vessels like a lightsaber. Luthen is a wealthy man, so he presumably paid for this ship to be built; unlike Han Solo, he would have the credits to spare to make the Fondor exactly what he wanted.
4 The Mantis
Featured in Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor, the Mantis is an S-161 "Stinger" luxury yaucht owned by Greez Dritus. The design of the Mantis is absolutely beautiful, with a rotating section housing the main engine and a large fin. Star Wars is yet to reveal how the Mantis has been modified, but Greez is a tinkerer, so she's likely to have quite a few retrofits. Hopefully more will be revealed in the inevitable third Star Wars game in this series.
3 The Ghost
A modified VCX-100 light freighter, the Ghost is owned by Hera Syndulla and was used by the rebel cell on Lothal in Star Wars Rebels. Although already an old vessel by the time of the Galactic Civil War, the Ghost has been well-maintained and modified for stealth - hence the ship's name. The Ghost's engines are baffled, her energy systems are dampened, and Hera has made over 87 thoroughly illegal adjustments to stealth systems. Viewers were excited to glimpse a live-action Ghost in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and the ship is expected to play a major role in the Ahsoka Disney+ TV show.
2 The X-Wing
One of the most memorable starfighters in the Star Wars franchise, the X-wing is effectively the symbol of the Rebel Alliance and the New Republic. They're noted for distinctive S-foils that separate during attack, with four laser cannons on the wings and proton torpedoes that fire from the fuselage. There have been many different iterations of the X-wing over the years, with each packing even more of a punch. One subtle detail differentiating between the X-wing and the Imperial TIE Fighter shows the difference between the Empire and the Rebel Alliance. The Empire never cared enough about its pilots to bother with shielding, while the X-wing has shields to keep pilots alive for as long as possible.
1 The Millennium Falcon
In first place, of course, is the Millennium Falcon - the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy. A Corellian YT-1300 light freighter, the Millennium Falcon was acquired by Han Solo and Chewbacca when Han won it from Lando Calrissian. The Falcon may not look impressive from an in-universe perspective, but she's been heavily modified with a top-rated hyperdrive, as well as the kind of weapons systems typically associated with much larger warships. This means the Falcon frequently takes enemies by surprise, with its maneuverability and firepower making it comparable to dedicated starfighters. The Falcon seems to have ended up with Rey in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, meaning she may well appear in Star Wars movies exploring Rey's new Jedi Order.
