Editing Admiral Ackbar (section)

===Critical reception===

Despite his small role in ''Return of the Jedi'', Admiral Ackbar is considered a fan favorite among ''Star Wars'' characters.<ref name="Chernoff62" /><ref name="Truitt1010" /><ref name="Dolloff0529" /><ref name="Domonoske" /><ref name="Agar0531" /><ref name="Withnall0405" /> Dave Filoni, a Lucasfilm animation producer who has worked on several ''Star Wars'' television shows, said of the character: "Ackbar has a crazy level of fame for the amount of time he's spent onscreen. It's the Boba Fett phenomenon, where you've got a character who doesn't really do a lot, but is so beloved that it eventually spreads outside the realm of fandom."<ref name="Thill0916" /> He was ranked No. 16 in a 1998 list of the "Top 20 ''Star Wars'' Characters" featured in the magazine ''[[Star Wars Insider]]''.<ref name="Chernoff62" /><ref name="SWI38" /> That same issue included a separate list ranking the characters based on an index that accounted for their popularity ranking in proportion to the number of lines they speak in the films, to "take into consideration the amount of dialogue a character had to make an impression on fans".<ref name="SWI38" /> With only 14 lines in ''Return of the Jedi'', Ackbar ranked third on that list, behind only Boba Fett and Wedge Antilles.<ref name="SWI38" /> Ackbar was also ranked No. 12 in ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]''{{'s}} ranking of 66 characters from the franchise,<ref name="Telegraph0504" /> No. 14 in ''[[HuffPost|The Huffington Post]]''{{'}}s ranking of 93 characters,<ref name="Bradley0110">{{cite news |last1=Bradley |first1=Bill |title='Last Jedi' Editor Has Some Second Thoughts About That Off-Screen Death |work=[[HuffPost|The Huffington Post]] |date=January 10, 2018 |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/second-thoughts-off-screen-last-jedi-death_n_5a4e9279e4b089e14db988a2?guccounter=1 |access-date=May 31, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Jacobs |first1=Matthew |last2=McDonald |first2=Andy |last3=Bradley |first3=Bill |title=Ranking 93 'Star Wars' Characters (Yes, Even Horrible Jar Jar Binks) |work=[[HuffPost|The Huffington Post]] |date=May 25, 2017 |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/star-wars-character-rankings_n_5925fa02e4b062f96a33acb3 |access-date=May 31, 2019}}</ref> No. 21 on ''[[IGN]]''{{'}}s list of the Top 25 ''Star Wars'' Heroes,<ref name="Schedeen0811" /> and No. 19 in ''[[USA Today]]''{{'}}s ranking of 75 characters.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Truitt |first=Brian |date=2025-05-04 |title=The 75 best 'Star Wars' characters, definitively ranked for Star Wars Day |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2025/05/04/star-wars-characters-definitively-ranked/83356226007/ |access-date=2025-05-13 |work=[[USA Today]]}}</ref>

Scott Chernoff, a writer for ''Star Wars Insider'', called Ackbar's character "one of the most visually striking and memorable characters introduced in the final installment of the saga".<ref name="Chernoff62" /> Chernoff added that Ackbar performer Timothy Rose was one of the most-requested subjects by readers for his magazine column interviewing ''Star Wars'' actors.<ref name="Chernoff62" /> ''[[The Independent]]'' writer Christopher Hooton called Ackbar "easily the best character from the original ''Star Wars'' films".<ref name="Hooton1001" /> Jonathan Wilkins, editor at large for ''Star Wars Insider'', called Ackbar "an iconic figure in the ''Star Wars'' universe, despite the fact that he had just a handful of lines in ''Return of the Jedi''.<ref name="Wilkins0913" /> Steve Tilley of ''[[The Edmonton Sun]]'' wrote, "He was so funny-looking yet somehow authoritative and almost regal, though, that he was impossible not to love."<ref>{{cite news |last=Tilley |first=Steve |title=In the Immortal Words of Admiral Ackbar: It's a Trap |work=[[The Edmonton Sun]] |date=July 31, 2004 |page=36}}</ref> Rebecca Hawkes of ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' credited Erik Bauersfeld in particular with "bringing the much-loved Ackbar to life, imbuing the fish-eyed orange monster with a voice, a forceful personality, and a lasting cult appeal".<ref name="Hawkes0405" /> During the [[2000 United States presidential election]], several websites were established jokingly proposing Admiral Ackbar as a write-in candidate for president.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hoffman |first=Lisa |title=The Cyperspace Ticket: Barbie, Bob and a Hamster |publisher=[[Scripps Howard News Service]] |date=July 25, 2000}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Fox |first=Barry |title=Get the Skinny |work=[[The Patriot-News]] |date=August 18, 2000 |page=E01}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Roberts |first=Alison |title=Electoral 'college' wins as online punch line |work=[[The Sacramento Bee]] |date=November 4, 2000 |page=E1}}</ref>