Here is a list of the number of times each main character appeared in the Star Wars films, including the Solo and Rogue One films, and which films they appeared in:
Character Appearances by Trilogy
Prequel Trilogy
- Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader: 4The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, Rogue One
- Obi-Wan Kenobi: 6+The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi (plus voice cameos in Sequels)
- Padmé Amidala: 3The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith
- Qui-Gon Jinn: 1The Phantom Menace
- Yoda: 4The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, The Empire Strikes Back
- Mace Windu: 3The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith
Original Trilogy
- Luke Skywalker: 3A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi
- Han Solo: 3A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi
- Princess Leia Organa: 3A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi
- Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker: 4A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Rogue One
- Obi-Wan Kenobi: 2A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back
- Yoda: 2The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi
Sequel Trilogy
- Rey: 3The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker
- Finn: 3The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker
- Poe Dameron: 3The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker
- Kylo Ren/Ben Solo: 3The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker
- Luke Skywalker: 3The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker
- Leia Organa: 4The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker, Rogue One
- Han Solo: 1The Force Awakens
Special Mention: C-3PO
C3-PO appeared in all nine of the Star Wars saga films plus Rogue One, making him the only character to do so. He played a prominent role in the original trilogy, serving as a major supporting character in all three films. In the prequel trilogy, he was also a significant presence, appearing in all three films as a key character in the story. In the sequel trilogy, he had a smaller role but still appeared in all three films, once again providing a familiar presence for fans of the franchise. Overall, C3-PO has become one of the most iconic and beloved characters in the Star Wars universe, and his enduring popularity is a testament to the enduring appeal of the franchise as a whole.
It's also worth noting that in The Force Awakens the voices of Ewan McGregor and Alec Guinness were combined and used to tell Rey about her 'first steps'.
