I guess you forgot about Lor San Tekka, who he killed right at the beginning of the film.
Another unarmed man, old too.
So, because he was unarmed, this made him a useless villain and not threatening?
How about we add this, this and this? Does Kylo do enough of this? That’s a constant threat, to me.
A villain is not believable because he’s evil but not threatening? He’s not threatening because he doesn’t kill in combat?
This discussion is ridiculous.
It all comes down to whether “acting evil” adds tension and makes you care for the characters more. If it makes you think “He’s strong, I hope the main characters won’t have to face him”, than it’s good.
Qui-gon’s first duel against Maul, for example, was a successful way to make his character an actual threat to the viewers, as well as Obi-wan, Luke’s master, being killed by Vader in a one-on-one duel.
So it was Tarkin’s decision to let the Falcon escape, because it made the viewers think “If it was all just a set up, then they’re still in danger!”