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For ''Return of the Jedi'', the casting crew sought an experienced actor for the role of Anakin Skywalker, since his death was unquestionably the emotional climax of the film. Sebastian Shaw was selected for the role.<ref name="Starlog">{{cite magazine|first=Adam|last=Pirani|title=Sebastian Shaw: The Return of Anakin Skywalker|magazine=]|date=July 1987|volume=11|issue=120|pages=56–57, 96}}</ref>{{efn|Director ] wanted a famous actor like ] to play the role.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://gizmodo.com/10-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-star-wars-ret-1383276948|title=10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Star Wars: Return of the Jedi|last=Anders|first=Charlie Jane|website=]|date=September 25, 2013|access-date=December 3, 2021|archive-date=December 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211204161752/https://gizmodo.com/10-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-star-wars-ret-1383276948|url-status=live}}</ref>}}<ref name="SWInsider">{{cite magazine|first=Scott|last=Chernoff|title=Ian McDiarmid: An Interview with the Emperor|magazine=]|issue=37|date=April–May 1998|page=33}}</ref> His presence on set was kept secret from all but the minimum cast and crew, and Shaw was contractually obligated not to discuss any film secrets with anyone, even his family.<ref name="Starlog" /> Lucas personally directed Shaw for his appearance in the final scene of the film, in which he plays Anakin's ]. Shaw's likeness in this scene was replaced with that of Christensen in the 2004 DVD release. This attempt to tie the prequel and original trilogies together was one of the most controversial ].<ref name="Brooker">{{cite magazine|first=Derek|last=Johnson|title=Star Wars fans, DVD, and cultural ownership: an interview with Will Brooker; Interview|magazine=]|date=September 22, 2005|pages=36–44}}</ref><ref name="Ebert">{{cite news|first=Roger|last=Ebert|author-link=Roger Ebert|title=Anakin's fans strike back|newspaper=]|publisher=Sun-Times Company|location=Chicago, Illinois|date=May 1, 2005|page=3}}</ref>{{efn|name=standin|Christensen also stood in as Vader while McDiarmid was filming ] for ''The Empire Strikes Back''.<ref>{{cite AV media|title=J.W. Rinzler's Skywalker Ranch Stories|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxJO5cjyBqE&t=1138s| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/NxJO5cjyBqE| archive-date=2021-12-11 | url-status=live|work=Rebel Force Radio|via=YouTube|language=en|minutes=19|date=November 30, 2020|access-date=2021-05-10}}{{cbignore}}</ref>}} Shaw received more fan mail and autograph requests related to ''Return of the Jedi'' than he had for any other role in his career.<ref name="Starlog" /> For ''Return of the Jedi'', the casting crew sought an experienced actor for the role of Anakin Skywalker, since his death was unquestionably the emotional climax of the film. Sebastian Shaw was selected for the role.<ref name="Starlog">{{cite magazine|first=Adam|last=Pirani|title=Sebastian Shaw: The Return of Anakin Skywalker|magazine=]|date=July 1987|volume=11|issue=120|pages=56–57, 96}}</ref>{{efn|Director ] wanted a famous actor like ] to play the role.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://gizmodo.com/10-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-star-wars-ret-1383276948|title=10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Star Wars: Return of the Jedi|last=Anders|first=Charlie Jane|website=]|date=September 25, 2013|access-date=December 3, 2021|archive-date=December 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211204161752/https://gizmodo.com/10-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-star-wars-ret-1383276948|url-status=live}}</ref>}}<ref name="SWInsider">{{cite magazine|first=Scott|last=Chernoff|title=Ian McDiarmid: An Interview with the Emperor|magazine=]|issue=37|date=April–May 1998|page=33}}</ref> His presence on set was kept secret from all but the minimum cast and crew, and Shaw was contractually obligated not to discuss any film secrets with anyone, even his family.<ref name="Starlog" /> Lucas personally directed Shaw for his appearance in the final scene of the film, in which he plays Anakin's ]. Shaw's likeness in this scene was replaced with that of Christensen in the 2004 DVD release. This attempt to tie the prequel and original trilogies together was one of the most controversial ].<ref name="Brooker">{{cite magazine|first=Derek|last=Johnson|title=Star Wars fans, DVD, and cultural ownership: an interview with Will Brooker; Interview|magazine=]|date=September 22, 2005|pages=36–44}}</ref><ref name="Ebert">{{cite news|first=Roger|last=Ebert|author-link=Roger Ebert|title=Anakin's fans strike back|newspaper=]|publisher=Sun-Times Company|location=Chicago, Illinois|date=May 1, 2005|page=3}}</ref>{{efn|name=standin|Christensen also stood in as Vader while McDiarmid was filming ] for ''The Empire Strikes Back''.<ref>{{cite AV media|title=J.W. Rinzler's Skywalker Ranch Stories|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxJO5cjyBqE&t=1138s| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/NxJO5cjyBqE| archive-date=2021-12-11 | url-status=live|work=Rebel Force Radio|via=YouTube|language=en|minutes=19|date=November 30, 2020|access-date=2021-05-10}}{{cbignore}}</ref>}} Shaw received more fan mail and autograph requests related to ''Return of the Jedi'' than he had for any other role in his career.<ref name="Starlog" />


When ''The Phantom Menace'' was being developed, hundreds of actors were tested for the role of young Anakin before the producers settled on Jake Lloyd.<ref name="ProductionNotes">{{cite web |date=May 1, 1999 |title=Star Wars Episode I Production Notes: The Actors and Characters – Part I |url=https://www.starwars.com/episode-i/bts/production/f19990501/indexp4.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041023023458/http://www.starwars.com/episode-i/bts/production/f19990501/indexp4.html |archive-date=October 23, 2004 |access-date=November 9, 2016 |website=StarWars.com}}</ref> Producer ] said that Lloyd was "smart, mischievous and love anything mechanical{{mdash}}just like Anakin."<ref name="NotesII">{{cite web|url=https://www.starwars.com/episode-i/bts/production/f19990501/indexp5.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041023023636/http://www.starwars.com/episode-i/bts/production/f19990501/indexp5.html|archive-date=October 23, 2004|date=May 1, 1999|title=Star Wars Episode I Production Notes: The Actors and Characters – Part II|website=StarWars.com|access-date=April 5, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.starwars.com/episode-i/bts/production/f19991102/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071102150746/http://www.starwars.com/episode-i/bts/production/f19991102/index.html|title=The Man (Literally) Behind C-3PO|date=November 2, 1999|website=StarWars.com|access-date=November 11, 2016|archive-date=November 2, 2007}}</ref> For ''Attack of the Clones'', casting director Robin Gurland reviewed about 1,500 candidates for the role of 19-year-old Anakin. Lucas eventually selected Christensen, reportedly because he and ] (who plays Padmé) "looked good together".<ref>{{cite web |title=Robin Gurland – Don't Call Her; She'll Call You |url=https://www.starwars.com/episode-ii/bts/profile/f20020128/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628202200/http://www.starwars.com/episode-ii/bts/profile/f20020128/index.html |archive-date=June 28, 2011 |access-date=November 11, 2016 |work=]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2011-07-06|title=Hot Rods & Droids: A George Lucas Profile (Part 5)|url=https://www.flickeringmyth.com/2011/07/hot-rods-droids-george-lucas-profile-2/|access-date=2021-09-09|website=Flickering Myth|language=en-US|archive-date=January 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230115165157/https://www.flickeringmyth.com/2011/07/hot-rods-droids-george-lucas-profile-2/|url-status=live}}</ref> When ''The Phantom Menace'' was being developed, hundreds of actors were tested for the role of young Anakin before the producers settled on Jake Lloyd.<ref name="ProductionNotes">{{cite web |date=May 1, 1999 |title=Star Wars Episode I Production Notes: The Actors and Characters – Part I |url=https://www.starwars.com/episode-i/bts/production/f19990501/indexp4.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041023023458/http://www.starwars.com/episode-i/bts/production/f19990501/indexp4.html |archive-date=October 23, 2004 |access-date=November 9, 2016 |website=StarWars.com}}</ref> Producer ] said that Lloyd was "smart, mischievous and love anything mechanical{{mdash}}just like Anakin."<ref name="NotesII">{{cite web|url=https://www.starwars.com/episode-i/bts/production/f19990501/indexp5.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041023023636/http://www.starwars.com/episode-i/bts/production/f19990501/indexp5.html|archive-date=October 23, 2004|date=May 1, 1999|title=Star Wars Episode I Production Notes: The Actors and Characters – Part II|website=StarWars.com|access-date=April 5, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.starwars.com/episode-i/bts/production/f19991102/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071102150746/http://www.starwars.com/episode-i/bts/production/f19991102/index.html|title=The Man (Literally) Behind C-3PO|date=November 2, 1999|website=StarWars.com|access-date=November 11, 2016|archive-date=November 2, 2007}}</ref> For ''Attack of the Clones'', casting director Robin Gurland reviewed about 1,500 candidates for the role of young-adult Anakin. Lucas eventually selected Christensen, reportedly because he and ] (who plays Padmé) "looked good together".<ref>{{cite web |title=Robin Gurland – Don't Call Her; She'll Call You |url=https://www.starwars.com/episode-ii/bts/profile/f20020128/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628202200/http://www.starwars.com/episode-ii/bts/profile/f20020128/index.html |archive-date=June 28, 2011 |access-date=November 11, 2016 |work=]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2011-07-06|title=Hot Rods & Droids: A George Lucas Profile (Part 5)|url=https://www.flickeringmyth.com/2011/07/hot-rods-droids-george-lucas-profile-2/|access-date=2021-09-09|website=Flickering Myth|language=en-US|archive-date=January 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230115165157/https://www.flickeringmyth.com/2011/07/hot-rods-droids-george-lucas-profile-2/|url-status=live}}</ref>


Anakin was voiced by ] for the 2003 micro-series '']''. He was voiced by ] in the animated film '']'', and in the television series ''The Clone Wars'', '']'' and '']''.<ref name="Breznican">{{cite magazine |first=Anthony |last=Breznican |url=https://ew.com/movies/2017/04/13/star-wars-female-heroes-forces-of-destiny-stories/ |title=Star Wars'' highlights female heroes in ''Forces of Destiny |magazine=] |publisher=] |location=New York City |date=April 13, 2017 |access-date=April 13, 2017 |archive-date=July 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180703093434/http://ew.com/movies/2017/04/13/star-wars-female-heroes-forces-of-destiny-stories/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Jones reprised the voice role for Vader's appearances in ''Rebels''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.starwars7news.com/2014/10/james-earl-jones-to-voice-darth-vader-in-star-wars-rebels.html|title=James Earl Jones to Voice Darth Vader in Star Wars: Rebels' Premiere on ABC!|website=Star Wars Episode VII News|date=October 9, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150225180958/http://www.starwars7news.com/2014/10/james-earl-jones-to-voice-darth-vader-in-star-wars-rebels.html |archive-date=February 25, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Nathalie |last=Caron |url=http://www.blastr.com/2015-4-20/official-star-wars-rebels-season-2-trailer-released-james-earl-jones-confirmed-darth-vader |title=James Earl Jones confirmed as Darth Vader |publisher=] |date=April 21, 2015 |access-date=February 21, 2018 |archive-date=April 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422191631/http://www.blastr.com/2015-4-20/official-star-wars-rebels-season-2-trailer-released-james-earl-jones-confirmed-darth-vader |url-status=dead }}</ref> Both Lanter and Jones contributed their voices for the second-season finale of ''Rebels'', at times with identical dialogue spoken by both actors blended together in different ways.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lS4sclln5J4&| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/lS4sclln5J4| archive-date=2021-12-11 | url-status=live|title=Ahsoka's Untold Tales Panel {{!}} Star Wars Celebration Europe 2016|date=July 15, 2016|via=YouTube|access-date=July 15, 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Anakin was voiced by ] for the 2003 micro-series '']''. He was voiced by ] in the animated film '']'', and in the television series ''The Clone Wars'', '']'' and '']''.<ref name="Breznican">{{cite magazine |first=Anthony |last=Breznican |url=https://ew.com/movies/2017/04/13/star-wars-female-heroes-forces-of-destiny-stories/ |title=Star Wars'' highlights female heroes in ''Forces of Destiny |magazine=] |publisher=] |location=New York City |date=April 13, 2017 |access-date=April 13, 2017 |archive-date=July 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180703093434/http://ew.com/movies/2017/04/13/star-wars-female-heroes-forces-of-destiny-stories/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Jones reprised the voice role for Vader's appearances in ''Rebels''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.starwars7news.com/2014/10/james-earl-jones-to-voice-darth-vader-in-star-wars-rebels.html|title=James Earl Jones to Voice Darth Vader in Star Wars: Rebels' Premiere on ABC!|website=Star Wars Episode VII News|date=October 9, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150225180958/http://www.starwars7news.com/2014/10/james-earl-jones-to-voice-darth-vader-in-star-wars-rebels.html |archive-date=February 25, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Nathalie |last=Caron |url=http://www.blastr.com/2015-4-20/official-star-wars-rebels-season-2-trailer-released-james-earl-jones-confirmed-darth-vader |title=James Earl Jones confirmed as Darth Vader |publisher=] |date=April 21, 2015 |access-date=February 21, 2018 |archive-date=April 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422191631/http://www.blastr.com/2015-4-20/official-star-wars-rebels-season-2-trailer-released-james-earl-jones-confirmed-darth-vader |url-status=dead }}</ref> Both Lanter and Jones contributed their voices for the second-season finale of ''Rebels'', at times with identical dialogue spoken by both actors blended together in different ways.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lS4sclln5J4&| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/lS4sclln5J4| archive-date=2021-12-11 | url-status=live|title=Ahsoka's Untold Tales Panel {{!}} Star Wars Celebration Europe 2016|date=July 15, 2016|via=YouTube|access-date=July 15, 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Revision as of 04:43, 29 March 2024

Character in the Star Wars franchise

Fictional character
Darth Vader
Star Wars character
Darth Vader, as he appears
in the original trilogy
First appearanceStar Wars (1977)
Created byGeorge Lucas
Portrayed by
Voiced by
In-universe information
Full nameAnakin Skywalker
AliasThe Chosen One
Occupation
  • Slave
  • Padawan
  • Jedi Knight
  • Member of the Jedi High Council
  • Jedi General in the Grand Army of the Republic
  • Dark Lord of the Sith
  • Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Military
Affiliation
WeaponLightsaber
FamilyShmi Skywalker (mother)
SpousePadmé Amidala (wife)
ChildrenLuke Skywalker (son)
Leia Organa Solo (daughter)
RelativesBen Solo (grandson)
Master
Apprentice
HomeworldTatooine
Extended Family
Canon
Legends

Darth Vader is a character in the Star Wars franchise. He is the primary antagonist of the original film trilogy and, as Anakin Skywalker, is the protagonist of the prequel trilogy. Star Wars creator George Lucas has collectively referred to the first six episodic films of the franchise as "the tragedy of Darth Vader". He has become one of the most iconic villains in popular culture, and his mask is considered one of the most iconic character costume designs of all time.

Originally a slave on the planet Tatooine, Anakin Skywalker becomes a powerful Jedi. He is lured to the dark side of the Force by Chancellor Palpatine and becomes a Sith Lord, assuming the title Darth and the name Vader. As Palpatine's apprentice, Vader helps his master all but destroy the Jedi Order. After a lightsaber battle with his former mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi, during which he is severely injured, Vader is transformed into a cyborg. He serves the Galactic Empire for over two decades as Palpatine's enforcer, hunting down the remaining Jedi as well as members of the Rebel Alliance. Vader eventually kills Palpatine to save his son Luke Skywalker, but is fatally wounded in the process. Vader is also the secret husband of Padmé Amidala, the biological father of Princess Leia, and the maternal grandfather of Kylo Ren (Ben Solo). In the non-canonical Star Wars Legends continuity, he is the grandfather of Luke's son Ben and Leia's children Anakin, Jacen and Jaina, and he is the great-grandfather of Jacen's daughter Allana.

Vader has been played by numerous actors. David Prowse physically portrayed him in the original trilogy, while James Earl Jones has voiced him in all of the films and some television shows. Sebastian Shaw portrayed the unmasked Anakin in Return of the Jedi, as well as the character's spirit in the original release of that film. In the prequel trilogy, Jake Lloyd played young Anakin in The Phantom Menace (1999), while Hayden Christensen portrayed him as a young adult in Attack of the Clones (2002) and Revenge of the Sith (2005). Christensen also played the role in post-2004 releases of Return of the Jedi and in the television series Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka.

In addition to the first six Star Wars films, the character appears in the anthology film Rogue One. He also appears in television series (most substantially The Clone Wars) and numerous iterations of the Star Wars Expanded Universe, including video games, novels, and comic books. Various types of Vader-related merchandise have been produced, such as action figures and replicas of his lightsaber.

Creation and development

Name

Lucas has provided differing accounts of how the name "Darth Vader" originated. In a 2005 interview with Rolling Stone, he claimed it was a modified version of "Dark Father." On another occasion, he said it was inspired by the phrase "Dark Water". It is also possible that "Darth Vader" originated from the name of Gary Vader, a boy who went to high school with Lucas.

Although "Darth" is a title, and not a first name, this is not made clear in the first Star Wars film from 1977 (which was titled simply Star Wars, then retitled Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope). In that film, Obi-Wan Kenobi addresses Vader as "Darth", and in the credits he is referred to as Lord Darth Vader, which seems to imply that his title is "Lord", his first name is "Darth", and his last name is "Vader". The prequel trilogy, however, makes it clear that "Darth" is a title for Sith Lords, such as Darth Sidious, Darth Maul, and Darth Tyranus. When Anakin turns to the dark side of the Force in Revenge of the Sith, he is given the title "Darth" and the name "Vader".

Director Ken Annakin's films Swiss Family Robinson and Battle of the Bulge influenced the original trilogy, leading some to believe that Anakin Skywalker was named after him. Lucas's publicist denied this claim following the director's death in 2009. Anakin and Luke's original surname was "Starkiller", and it remained in the script until a few months into filming A New Hope. It was dropped due to what Lucas called "unpleasant connotations" with Charles Manson, who had murdered actress Sharon Tate in the late 1960s (making him a "star killer"). Lucas replaced the problematic name "Starkiller" with "Skywalker".

In other languages

In France, the character's name was changed to "Dark Vador" starting with A New Hope. Names of other characters were also changed, but Vader's is the only modified name that has been maintained in all the films. The title "Dark" is used in place of "Darth" for the other Sith Lords as well. In Italian-language films, Darth Vader is named "Dart Fener". In 2005, before the release of Revenge of the Sith, an online survey asked Italian fans whether they would rather maintain the Italian name or switch it to the original; the Italian version prevailed. Ahead of the 2015 release of The Force Awakens, however, the name was changed to "Darth Vader". In Iceland, Vader's name is "Svarthöfði", which means "black-head".

Concept and writing

Originally, Lucas conceived of the Sith as a group that served the Emperor in the same way that the paramilitary Schutzstaffel served Adolf Hitler. While developing the backstory for The Empire Strikes Back, Lucas condensed the group into one character in the form of Vader.

After the success of A New Hope, Lucas hired science-fiction author Leigh Brackett to help him write a sequel, which was eventually titled The Empire Strikes Back. They held story conferences and, by late November 1977, Lucas had produced a handwritten treatment. He wrote, "When we kill off in the , we'll reveal ... e wants to be human—he's still fighting in his own way the dark side of the Force." Lucas considered introducing a new lair for Vader to replace the Death Star, such as an Imperial city, a cave, a tower surrounded by lava, or "a little castle on a rock in the middle of the ocean".

Lucas found Brackett's characterization of Vader unsatisfactory, but she died of cancer before he could discuss it with her. He wrote the next draft of the screenplay himself, and introduced a plot twist: Vader is Luke's father. Lucas kept this a secret from almost the entire cast and crew of The Empire Strikes Back, to avoid the revelation being leaked to the public.

After writing the second and third drafts of Empire, Lucas reviewed the new backstory he had created: Anakin had been Obi-Wan's brilliant student and had a child named Luke, but was drawn to the dark side by Palpatine. Anakin battled Obi-Wan on a volcano and was badly wounded, and then was reborn as Vader. Obi-Wan hid Luke on Tatooine while the Galactic Republic became the tyrannical Galactic Empire, and Vader systematically hunted down and killed the Jedi.

Star Wars creator George Lucas

After deciding to create the prequel trilogy, Lucas indicated that the story arc would be a tragic one depicting Anakin's fall to the dark side. He also saw that the prequels could form the beginning of one long story that started with Anakin's childhood and ended with his death, in what he has termed "the tragedy of Darth Vader". For the first prequel, The Phantom Menace, Lucas made Anakin nine years old to make the character's separation from his mother more poignant. The film introduced the concept that he is the Chosen One of an ancient Jedi prophecy, destined to bring balance to the Force. Lucas stated in an interview recorded around the time of the third prequel, Revenge of the Sith, that "Anakin is the Chosen One. Even when Anakin turns into Darth Vader, he is still the Chosen One." Christensen spoke about Vader's role in the six-film saga: "He believes that he's the Chosen One. He's not doing wrong things knowing that it's having a negative impact. So there's that sort of naivety to him now that wasn't there before, and it makes him more human in a lot of ways."

Michael Kaminski offers evidence that issues in Anakin's fall to the dark side prompted Lucas to make fundamental story changes, first revising the opening sequence of Revenge of the Sith to have Palpatine kidnapped and his apprentice, Count Dooku, killed by Anakin in cold blood as the first act in the latter's turn towards the dark side. After principal photography was complete in 2003, Lucas re-wrote Anakin's transition to the dark side; his fall would now be motivated by a desire to save his wife, Padmé, rather than the previous version in which that reason was one of several, including that he genuinely believed that the Jedi were plotting to take over the Republic. This fundamental re-write was accomplished both through editing the principal footage, and new and revised scenes filmed during pick-ups in 2004.

During production of the animated series The Clone Wars, the character Ahsoka Tano was developed to illustrate how Anakin develops from the brash, undisciplined apprentice in Attack of the Clones to the more reserved Jedi Knight in Revenge of the Sith. Clone Wars supervising director and Star Wars Rebels co-creator Dave Filoni said that giving Anakin responsibility for an apprentice was meant to place the character in a role that forced him to become more cautious and responsible. It would also give him insight into his relationship with Obi-Wan and depict how their relationship matured. Ahsoka and Anakin's relationship was seen as an essential story arc spanning both the animated film and the Clone Wars television series. Filoni began thinking about the final confrontation between Ahsoka and Vader ever since he created the former; different iterations had different endings, including one in which Vader kills Ahsoka just as she slashes open his helmet to reveal his scarred face. A similar scene is included in an episode of Rebels, in which Ahsoka slashes Vader's helmet open, and the Sith Lord recognizes her. According to Filoni, Ahsoka's presence in the series allows Vader to encounter the show's lead characters without the latter being "destroyed", as Ahsoka can "stand toe-to-toe" with her former master.

Design

Ralph McQuarrie incorporated samurai armor into his conceptual designs for Darth Vader's costume.

As part of the development for A New Hope, Lucas hired the artist Ralph McQuarrie to create conceptual images for characters. For Vader, Lucas asked McQuarrie to depict a "very tall, dark fluttering figure that had a spooky feeling like it came in on the wind." Lucas also wanted the character to wear a cape and samurai armor. Because the script described Vader traveling between spaceships, McQuarrie proposed that he should wear a space suit. Lucas agreed, and McQuarrie created Vader's iconic mask by combining a full-face breathing mask with a samurai helmet. McQuarrie's 1975 production painting of Vader engaged in a lightsaber duel with Deak Starkiller (who later became Luke Skywalker) depicts the former wearing black armor, a flowing cape and a skull-like mask and helmet. This initial design was similar to Vader's final appearance.

Working from McQuarrie's concepts, the costume designer John Mollo devised an outfit that included clerical robes, a motorcycle suit, a German military helmet and a military gas mask. The prop sculptor Brian Muir created the helmet and armor. The sound of Vader's breathing was created by sound designer Ben Burtt using modified recordings of a scuba breathing apparatus. The sound effect is trademarked at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

There is an inscription on Vader's chest plate that includes Hebrew characters, some of which are upside down.

Portrayals

As Darth Vader

David ProwseDavid ProwseJames Earl JonesJames Earl Jones

Vader was portrayed by bodybuilder David Prowse in the original trilogy, with fencer Bob Anderson performing the lightsaber fight scenes. Lucas said the 6-foot-6-inch (1.98 m) Prowse "brought a physicality to Darth Vader that was essential for the character". He recalled that Prowse had "an imposing stature and movement performance to match the intensity and undercurrent of Vader's presence."

Lucas chose to have a different actor provide the voice of Vader, because he felt Prowse's strong West Country English accent was innappropriate for the character. Lucas originally intended for Orson Welles to voice Vader, but after deciding that Welles's voice would be too recognizable, he cast the lesser-known James Earl Jones instead. Jones initially felt his contributions to the films were too small to warrant recognition and his role was uncredited at his request until the release of Return of the Jedi (1983).

When Jones was specifically asked if he had supplied Vader's voice for Revenge of the Sith—either newly or from a previous recording—Jones answered, "You'd have to ask Lucas about that. I don't know." Christensen and Gene Bryant alternately portray Vader in Revenge of the Sith. For that film, Lucas oversaw the creation of a new Vader suit for Christensen. The suit was extra heavy and rigid, so that the actor would have trouble walking in it, which had the effect of Vader appearing awkward. Brock Peters provided the voice of Darth Vader in the NPR/USC radio series. Both Spencer Wilding and Daniel Naprous portrayed Vader in Rogue One (2016), with Jones reprising his role as the character's voice.

Vader has also appeared in several Star Wars video games. In Rebel Assault II: The Hidden Empire and Dark Forces, visual effects artist C. Andrew Nelson portrays the character physically, while his voice is provided by Scott Lawrence. Matt Sloan, who appeared in the YouTube parody series Chad Vader, provided the voice of Darth Vader in The Force Unleashed.

In September 2022, it was confirmed that Jones would retire from voicing the character. His voice was digitally recreated by the company Respeecher for use in the series Obi-Wan Kenobi, and he later signed over the rights to his performance for future Star Wars productions.

As Anakin Skywalker

Hayden Christensen portrayed Anakin Skywalker in the latter two episodes of the prequel trilogy. In 2022, he took over the portrayal of Darth Vader as well.

For Return of the Jedi, the casting crew sought an experienced actor for the role of Anakin Skywalker, since his death was unquestionably the emotional climax of the film. Sebastian Shaw was selected for the role. His presence on set was kept secret from all but the minimum cast and crew, and Shaw was contractually obligated not to discuss any film secrets with anyone, even his family. Lucas personally directed Shaw for his appearance in the final scene of the film, in which he plays Anakin's Force spirit. Shaw's likeness in this scene was replaced with that of Christensen in the 2004 DVD release. This attempt to tie the prequel and original trilogies together was one of the most controversial changes in a Star Wars re-release. Shaw received more fan mail and autograph requests related to Return of the Jedi than he had for any other role in his career.

When The Phantom Menace was being developed, hundreds of actors were tested for the role of young Anakin before the producers settled on Jake Lloyd. Producer Rick McCallum said that Lloyd was "smart, mischievous and love anything mechanical—just like Anakin." For Attack of the Clones, casting director Robin Gurland reviewed about 1,500 candidates for the role of young-adult Anakin. Lucas eventually selected Christensen, reportedly because he and Natalie Portman (who plays Padmé) "looked good together".

Anakin was voiced by Mat Lucas for the 2003 micro-series Clone Wars. He was voiced by Matt Lanter in the animated film The Clone Wars, and in the television series The Clone Wars, Rebels and Forces of Destiny. Jones reprised the voice role for Vader's appearances in Rebels. Both Lanter and Jones contributed their voices for the second-season finale of Rebels, at times with identical dialogue spoken by both actors blended together in different ways.

Characteristics

In Attack of the Clones, Anakin feels "smothered" by Obi-Wan and is incapable of controlling his own life. By Revenge of the Sith, however, his "father–son" friction with his master has matured into a more equal, brotherly relationship. Once he becomes Vader, each evil act he commits shatters any hope or connection towards his previous life, which makes it harder for him to return to the light, but he ultimately escapes the dark side and redeems himself by sacrificing his life to save his son, Luke, and kill the Emperor in Return of the Jedi.

Eric Bui, a psychiatrist at University of Toulouse Hospital, argued at the 2007 American Psychiatric Association convention that Anakin meets six of the nine diagnostic criteria for borderline personality disorder (BPD), one more than necessary for a diagnosis. He and a colleague, Rachel Rodgers, published their findings in a 2010 letter to the editor of the journal Psychiatry Research. Bui says he found Anakin Skywalker a useful example to explain BPD to medical students. In particular, Bui points to Anakin's abandonment issues and uncertainty over his identity. Anakin's mass murders of the Tusken Raiders in Attack of the Clones and his slaughter of the young Jedi in Revenge of the Sith count as two dissociative episodes, fulfilling another criterion. Bui hoped his paper would help raise awareness of the disorder, especially among teens.

Appearances in the official canon

Films

The appearances of Anakin and Vader are presented here chronologically (in-universe).

Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)

  • Anakin Skywalker – Jake Lloyd

In the first film of the prequel trilogy, Anakin is a nine-year-old slave living on Tatooine with his mother, Shmi Skywalker, who is also enslaved. Anakin is a gifted pilot and mechanic, and has built his own protocol droid, C-3PO. Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn meets the boy after making an emergency landing on Tatooine with Padmé Amidala, Queen of Naboo. Qui-Gon learns from Shmi that Anakin was conceived without a father and can foresee the future. The Jedi Master senses Anakin's strong connection to the Force and becomes convinced that he is the "Chosen One", a Jedi prophesied to bring balance to the Force. After winning his freedom in a podrace wager, Anakin departs with Qui-Gon to be trained as a Jedi on Coruscant, but is forced to leave his mother behind. During the journey, Anakin forms a bond with Padmé. Qui-Gon asks the Jedi Council for permission to train him, but they refuse, concerned that the fear he exhibits makes him vulnerable to the dark side. Eventually, Anakin helps end the corrupt Trade Federation's blockade of Naboo by destroying their control ship. Qui-Gon is mortally wounded in a lightsaber duel with Sith Lord Darth Maul, and with his dying breath asks his apprentice Obi-Wan to train Anakin, which he begins doing with the Council's reluctant approval. Palpatine, newly elected as the Galactic Republic's Chancellor, befriends Anakin and tells him he will watch his career with great interest.

Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002)

  • Anakin Skywalker – Hayden Christensen

Ten years after the events of The Phantom Menace, 19-year-old Anakin is still Obi-Wan's apprentice. He has grown powerful but arrogant, and believes that Obi-Wan is holding him back. After rescuing Padmé, now a senator, from an assassination attempt, Anakin travels with her to Naboo as her bodyguard. They fall in love, but the Jedi Code prohibits Anakin from having a romantic relationship with her. Sensing that his mother is in pain, Anakin travels with Padmé to Tatooine to find her. While there, he learns that she was freed from slavery by a farmer named Cliegg Lars, and subsequently married him. He visits Cliegg and discovers from him that Shmi has been kidnapped by Tusken Raiders. He locates his mother at a Tusken campsite, where she dies in his arms. Overcome with grief and rage, Anakin massacres the Tusken tribe and returns to the Lars homestead to bury Shmi. He then travels with Padmé to the planet Geonosis to rescue Obi-Wan from the Sith Lord Count Dooku, who promptly captures the trio and sentences them to death. However, a battalion of Jedi arrives with an army of clone troopers to halt the executions. Obi-Wan and Anakin confront Dooku, but the Sith Lord defeats them both in a lightsaber duel and severs Anakin's arm. They are rescued by Jedi Master Yoda, and Dooku flees. Anakin is later fitted with a robotic arm and marries Padmé in a secret ceremony.

The Clone Wars (2008)

  • Anakin Skywalker – Matt Lanter (voice)

The plot of the animated film The Clone Wars takes place after Attack of the Clones but before Revenge of the Sith. Yoda assigns Ahsoka Tano as Anakin's apprentice, a responsibility he at first is reluctant to accept. Anakin calls her "Snips" for her "snippy" attitude, while Ahsoka calls him "Skyguy", a pun on his surname. After earning Anakin's respect during a dangerous mission, Ahsoka joins him on a quest to rescue Rotta, the infant son of Jabba the Hutt. While Ahsoka's impetuousness annoys Anakin, it also endears her to him, and he develops a friendly affection for his apprentice.

Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)

  • Anakin Skywalker – Hayden Christensen
  • Darth Vader – Hayden Christensen / James Earl Jones (voice)

The final film in the prequel trilogy is set three years after Attack of the Clones. Anakin is now a Jedi Knight and a hero of the Clone Wars. He and Obi-Wan lead a mission to rescue Chancellor Palpatine from the Separatist commander General Grievous. The two Jedi again battle Count Dooku, whom Anakin overpowers and decapitates at Palpatine's urging. They then return with the Chancellor to Coruscant. Anakin reunites with Padmé, who tells him she is pregnant. Although initially excited, Anakin soon begins to have nightmares about his wife dying in childbirth. Palpatine appoints Anakin to the Jedi Council as his personal representative. The Council allows the young Jedi to join, but declines to grant him the rank of Master and instead instructs him to spy on Palpatine, which shakes Anakin's faith in the Jedi Order. Palpatine reveals to Anakin that he is the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, the mastermind of the Clone Wars, and claims that he can prevent Padmé from dying. Anakin reports Palpatine's treachery to Jedi Master Mace Windu, who confronts and subdues the Sith Lord. Desperate to save Padmé, Anakin intervenes on Palpatine's behalf and severs Windu's hand, allowing Palpatine to kill him. Anakin then pledges himself to the Sith, and Palpatine dubs him Darth Vader.

A wax sculpture of Anakin Skywalker at the Madame Tussauds museum in London

On Palpatine's orders, Vader leads a legion of clone troopers to the Jedi Temple, where they slaughter many Jedi, some of whom are children. Vader then travels to the volcanic planet Mustafar to assassinate the Separatist Council. After learning of her husband's massacre, a distraught Padmé goes to Mustafar and pleads with him to abandon the dark side, but he refuses. Sensing Obi-Wan's presence, and believing they are conspiring to kill him, Vader uses the Force to strangle Padmé to unconsciousness. Obi-Wan engages Vader in a lightsaber duel that ends with Obi-Wan severing Vader's limbs. The Jedi Master leaves his former apprentice burning to death on the banks of a lava flow. Palpatine arrives after Obi-Wan departs, and takes the barely-alive Vader to Coruscant, where his mutilated body is treated and covered in a black life-support suit. When Vader asks if Padmé is safe, Palpatine says that Vader killed her out of anger, and his apprentice screams in agony. At the end of the film, Vader supervises the construction of the first Death Star alongside Palpatine and Grand Moff Tarkin.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

This standalone film recounts the successful Rebel attempt to steal the architectural plans of the Death Star. Vader makes an appearance when he summons Orson Krennic, the Imperial Director of Advanced Weapons Research, to his castle on Mustafar. He confronts him about his management of the Death Star project and the destruction of Jedha City. Krennic asks Vader for an audience with the Emperor, but Vader refuses, and orders him to ensure that the project has not been compromised. When Krennic asks Vader if he (Krennic) is still in command of the Death Star, Vader uses the Force to choke him. At the end of the film, Vader boards a disabled Rebel flagship with a cadre of troopers. He attempts to recover the plans, but the ship Tantive IV escapes with them.

Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)

  • Darth Vader – David Prowse / James Earl Jones (voice)

At the beginning of the first film of the original trilogy, Vader and Tarkin are attempting to recover the stolen Death Star plans. Vader captures and tortures Princess Leia, who has hidden the plans inside the droid R2-D2 and sent it to Obi-Wan on Tatooine. During Leia's rescue by Luke and Han Solo, Vader strikes down Obi-Wan in a lightsaber duel. Having placed a tracking device on Han's ship, the Millennium Falcon, Vader is able to locate the Rebel base on the planet Yavin IV. Before Vader and Tarkin can destroy the planet, the Rebels attack the Death Star, and a space battle ensues. Vader pursues Luke's X-wing in his TIE fighter, but Han intervenes and sends Vader's ship spiraling off course, which allows Luke to destroy the Death Star.

Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

  • Darth Vader – David Prowse / James Earl Jones (voice)

Vader is obsessed with finding Luke. He leads an attack on the Rebel base on the planet Hoth, but the Rebels escape. While conversing with the Emperor via hologram, Vader convinces him that Luke would be a valuable ally if he could be turned to the dark side of the Force. Vader hires a group of bounty hunters to follow Luke's friends, and forces Lando Calrissian to set a trap for them to bait Luke. After Han, Leia, Chewbacca, and C-3PO arrive, Vader freezes Han in carbonite and gives him to the bounty hunter Boba Fett. When Luke arrives, Vader overpowers him in a lightsaber duel, severing his hand. Vader tells Luke that he is his father, and tries to persuade him to join the dark side and help him overthrow the Emperor. Horrified, Luke escapes through an air shaft and is rescued by his friends.

Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983)

  • Darth Vader – David Prowse / James Earl Jones (voice)
  • Anakin Skywalker – Sebastian Shaw (original release and 2004 re-release), Hayden Christensen (2004 re-release only)

In the final film of the original trilogy, Vader and the Emperor supervise the construction of a second Death Star. Believing there is still good in his father, Luke surrenders to Vader and tries to convince him to turn away from the dark side. Vader takes Luke to the Death Star to meet the Emperor, who invites Luke to give in to his anger. Vader prevents his son from striking the Emperor, and he and Luke engage in another lightsaber duel. Vader realizes Luke has a sister, and he threatens to turn her to the dark side if Luke will not be swayed. Furious, Luke overpowers Vader and severs his father's cybernetic hand. The Emperor orders Luke to kill Vader and take his place, but Luke refuses. The Emperor then tortures Luke with Force lightning. Unwilling to let his son die, Vader seizes the Emperor and throws him down a reactor shaft to his death, but is mortally wounded in the process. He asks Luke to remove his mask, and admits there was still good in him after all. Luke escapes the Death Star with his father's body and cremates it on a pyre on Endor. As the Rebels celebrate the Death Star's destruction and the Empire's defeat, Luke notices the benevolent Force spirits of Anakin, Yoda, and Obi-Wan standing nearby.

Sequel trilogy

  • Darth Vader – James Earl Jones (voice)
  • Anakin Skywalker – Hayden Christensen (voice)

Vader's melted helmet appears in The Force Awakens (2015), which is set thirty years after the events of Return of the Jedi. Vader's grandson, Kylo Ren—who has fallen to the dark side and betrayed the Jedi—addresses his grandfather, although Vader is not present. The helmet also appears in The Rise of Skywalker (2019), first when Kylo briefly meditates with it, and a second time during the first duel between Kylo and Rey. The helmet is last seen on the planet Kijimi, which is later obliterated by a Sith Star Destroyer. The Rise of Skywalker also reveals that the voice Kylo heard emanating from Vader's helmet in The Force Awakens was uttered by a resurrected Palpatine. Near the end of Rise, Rey hears disembodied voices of deceased Jedi, including Anakin, who encourages her to bring balance to the Force.

Television series

The appearances of Anakin and Vader are presented here chronologically (in-universe).

Forces of Destiny (2017–2018)

  • Anakin Skywalker – Matt Lanter (voice)

Anakin appears in multiple episodes of the animated online micro-series Forces of Destiny.

Clone Wars (2003–2005)

  • Anakin Skywalker – Mat Lucas (voice, adult) / Frankie Ryan Mariquez (voice, child)

Anakin is a lead character in all three seasons of the Clone Wars micro-series, the plot of which takes place shortly after the conclusion of Attack of the Clones. Anakin becomes a Jedi Knight and is quickly promoted to a General of the Republic's Clone Army, partly due to Palpatine's influence. Among other missions, he fights a duel with Dooku's apprentice Asajj Ventress, helps Obi-Wan capture a Separatist-controlled fortress, and rescues Jedi Master Saesee Tiin during a space battle. During the third season, Anakin frees a planet's indigenous species from Separatist control and sees a cryptic vision of his future as Darth Vader. In the series finale, Anakin and Obi-Wan go on a mission to rescue Palpatine from General Grievous, leading to the opening of Revenge of the Sith.

The Clone Wars (2008–2014, 2020)

  • Anakin Skywalker – Matt Lanter (voice)

Anakin is a lead character in all seasons of The Clone Wars. As a Jedi Knight, he leads a legion of clone troopers on missions with both his master Obi-Wan and his apprentice Ahsoka. Some of Anakin's actions taken out of concern for Ahsoka violate the Jedi code, such as torturing prisoners who may know her location when she goes missing. Throughout the series there are references to Anakin's eventual fall to the dark side, including visions of his future as Vader, and his disillusionment with the Jedi Council after they wrongly accuse Ahsoka of bombing the Jedi Temple. While she is later forgiven after the true culprit is found, she nonetheless chooses to leave the Jedi Order. Anakin appears as Vader in the final scene of the series finale, set some time after Revenge of the Sith. He investigates the crash site of the Star Destroyer Tribunal, which was demolished during Order 66. Finding one of Ahsoka's lightsabers among the wreckage, Vader assumes that his former apprentice has perished.

Star Wars Rebels (2014–2018)

  • Anakin Skywalker – Matt Lanter (voice)
  • Darth Vader – James Earl Jones (voice)

Star Wars Rebels takes place 14 years after the conclusion of The Clone Wars. Vader makes minor appearances throughout the first season, and serves as the main antagonist for most of the second season. At the beginning of the series, Vader leads a squadron of Force-sensitive Imperial Inquisitors to kill any remaining Jedi and Force-sensitive children. In the first season, he dispatches the Grand Inquisitor to hunt a Rebel cell causing trouble for the Empire on the planet Lothal, and personally arrives on Lothal to deal with the Rebel threat after the Inquisitor is killed. In the second-season premiere, Vader orchestrates the murder of Imperial Minister Maketh Tua, who tried to defect to the Rebellion, and confronts the Jedi Kanan Jarrus and Ezra Bridger. When he attacks the fleet of the Phoenix Squadron, Vader discovers that Ahsoka is still alive and has joined the Rebel Alliance; she is overwhelmed when she recognizes Anakin under Vader's "layer of hate". The Emperor orders Vader to dispatch another Inquisitor to capture her. Later in the season, Ahsoka has a vision in which Anakin blames her for allowing him to fall to the dark side.

In the season finale, Ahsoka duels with Vader inside a Sith Temple, allowing her friends to escape from him. As the episode concludes, Ahsoka's former master escapes from the temple's ruins while her fate is left unknown. Vader makes a final appearance in the fourth-season episode "A World Between Worlds", which reveals that Ahsoka escaped from her previous duel with Vader by entering a Force-realm that exists outside of time and space. Shortly afterward, Vader's voice—which was created using archival audio from Return of the Jedi—is heard echoing in the void.

Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)

  • Anakin Skywalker – Hayden Christensen
  • Darth Vader – Hayden Christensen / James Earl Jones (voice)

Both Anakin and Vader appear in the Disney+ streaming series Obi-Wan Kenobi. The series reveals that for a decade after Obi-Wan's duel with Anakin on Mustafar, the Jedi Master believed his apprentice to be dead. The Imperial Inquisitor Reva draws Obi-Wan out of hiding and reveals to him that Anakin (now Vader) is alive. Vader begins hunting his former master, seeking revenge for his defeat on Mustafar. Flashback sequences depict Vader carrying out the massacre at the Jedi Temple and Anakin training with Obi-Wan in the years preceding the Clone Wars.

Ahsoka (2023)

  • Anakin Skywalker – Hayden Christensen

Anakin is a Force spirit, appearing to his former apprentice, Ahsoka, in the World Between Worlds, an ethereal realm that exists outside of time and space. He leads her through visions of their shared past together, from training her and fighting alongside her in the Clone Wars, to her exile from the Jedi Order and his own fall to the dark side. For the series, which is set after the original film trilogy, Industrial Light and Magic used "de-aging" technology to make the 42-year-old Christensen look the same age as Anakin was in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith.

Books

Star Wars: Lords of the Sith was one of the first four canon novels to be released in 2014 and 2015. In it, Vader and Palpatine find themselves hunted by revolutionaries on the Twi'lek planet Ryloth.

Comics

See also: Star Wars comics

In 2015, Marvel released a 25-issue series called Darth Vader (2015–16), written by Kieron Gillen. It focuses on the Sith Lord in the aftermath of the Death Star's destruction, as well as his life after learning about his son's existence, and introduces franchise fan favorite character Doctor Aphra. This series takes place parallel to the comic book series Star Wars, in which Vader and Luke meet; the two series have a crossover titled Vader Down. A continuation set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi debuted in 2020, written by Greg Pak. The first few issues deal with Vader carrying out his revenge on those who concealed Luke; he also visits Padmé's tomb on Naboo and encounters her handmaidens. A subsequent story arc depicts Vader being tested by the Emperor and incorporates elements created for The Rise of Skywalker.

The five-issue limited series Obi-Wan & Anakin (2016), written by Charles Soule, depicts the lives of the titular Jedi between The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones. At New York Comic Con 2015, Soule described the story as "pretty unexplored territory".

Between 2017 and 2018, Soule wrote a prequel-era series, also called Darth Vader (sometimes subtitled Dark Lord of the Sith). It begins immediately after Vader wakes up in his armor at the end of Revenge of the Sith and explores his emotional transformation upon learning of Padmé's death, his adjustment to his mechanical suit, how he creates his red-bladed lightsaber, and his hunting of Jedi in the Inquisitor program (introduced in Rebels). Its final arc, which deals with the construction of Vader's fortress on Mustafar, implies that Palpatine used the Force to conceive Anakin in utero, as some had theorized that Revenge of the Sith indicates. A Lucasfilm story group member later clarified that "This is all in Anakin's head".

A five-issue limited series written by Dennis Hopeless, Vader: Dark Visions, was released in 2019. According to Marvel, the series "sheds new light on the many sides of the galaxy's greatest villain". Vader Down writer Jason Aaron wrote part of the upcoming anthology miniseries Darth Vader: Black, White & Red, an extension of a Marvel event highlighting fan-favorite characters.

Video games

Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR series (2019)

Main article: Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series

Vader Immortal is a series of three virtual reality adventure games originally released on May 21, September 25, and November 21, 2019, respectively, for the Oculus Quest and Rift systems. A PlayStation VR version was released on August 24, 2020. The story, which occurs between Revenge of the Sith and Rogue One, follows a Force-sensitive smuggler taken captive by Vader.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (2019) and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (2023)

Vader makes a minor appearance at the end of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. He kills the main antagonist, the Second Sister, for her failure to secure a Jedi Holocron that could lead the Empire to a number of Force-sensitive children. He then attempts to take the Holocron from the protagonist, Cal Kestis, who barely manages to escape. Vader returns as a boss in the sequel, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, where he leads an Imperial assault on a Jedi hideout on the planet Jedha. He also duels Cere Junda, whom he manages to slay after a prolonged battle.

Appearances in Star Wars Legends (non-canon)

In April 2014, most of the licensed Star Wars novels and comics produced since 1977 were rebranded by Lucasfilm as Star Wars Legends and declared non-canon to the franchise.

Books

Vader is featured prominently in novels set in the Star Wars universe. In the 1978 novel Splinter of the Mind's Eye by Alan Dean Foster, Vader meets Luke for the first time and engages him in a lightsaber duel that ends with Luke cutting off Vader's arm and Vader falling into a deep pit. Shadows of the Empire (1996) reveals that Vader is conflicted about trying to turn his son to the dark side, and knows deep down that he still has good in him.

Vader's supposedly indestructible glove is the MacGuffin of the young-reader's book The Glove of Darth Vader (1992). Anakin Skywalker's redeemed spirit appears in The Truce at Bakura (1993), set a few days after the end of Return of the Jedi. He appears to Leia, imploring her forgiveness. Leia condemns Anakin for his crimes and banishes him from her life. He promises that he will be there for her when she needs him, and disappears. In Tatooine Ghost (2003), Leia learns to forgive her father after learning about his childhood as a slave and his mother's traumatic death. In The Unifying Force (2003), Anakin tells his grandson Jacen Solo to "stand firm" in his battle with the Supreme Overlord of the Yuuzhan Vong.

Upon the release of the prequel films, the Expanded Universe grew to include novels about Vader's former life as Anakin. Greg Bear's 2000 novel Rogue Planet and Jude Watson's Jedi Quest series chronicle Anakin's early missions with Obi-Wan, while James Luceno's 2005 novel Labyrinth of Evil, set during the Clone Wars, depicts Anakin battling Separatist commander General Grievous. In Luceno's Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (2005), set a few months after the events of Revenge of the Sith, Vader disavows his identity as Anakin as he hunts down surviving Jedi and cements his position in the Empire.

In the Dark Nest trilogy (2005), Luke and Leia uncover old recordings of their parents in R2-D2's memory drive; for the first time, they see their own birth and their mother's death, as well as their father's corruption to the dark side. In Bloodlines (2006), Han and Leia's son Jacen—who has turned to the dark side—uses the Force to envision Vader slaughtering the children at the Jedi Temple.

Vader also appears in a series of tongue-in-cheek children's books by Jeffrey Brown. In Brown's series, a hapless Vader sets out to be a father to a young Luke and Leia, with some scenes portraying light-hearted versions of their darker film counterparts. For example, one scene shows Vader, Luke and Leia at the carbonite freezing chamber on Bespin, with Vader pronouncing the freezer adequate for making ice cream.

Comics

Vader appears in several comic books such as Marvel Comics' Star Wars (1977–1986). In Dark Empire II, he is revealed to have had a castle on the planet Vjun. Anakin Skywalker is a major character in Dark Horse Comics' Star Wars: Republic series (1998–2006). In Boba Fett: Enemy of the Empire (1999), Vader hires Fett a few years before the events of A New Hope. In Vader's Quest (1999), set soon after A New Hope, the dark lord encounters Luke for the first time. Star Wars: Empire (2002–2005) spans from about a year before A New Hope to several months afterwards. Anakin and Vader appear in the non-canonical Star Wars Tales (1999–2005); in the story Resurrection, Darth Maul is resurrected and faces Vader in battle.

Vader-centric comics released and set just after Revenge of the Sith include Dark Times (2006–2013), Darth Vader and the Lost Command (2011), Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison (2012), and Darth Vader and the Cry of Shadows (2013–14).

Video games

Both Vader and Anakin have appeared as playable characters in every Lego Star Wars video game, most recently in The Skywalker Saga. A bird version of Vader appears as a playable character and a boss in Angry Birds Star Wars and its sequel. Vader is also a playable character and boss in Disney Infinity 3.0, and is available as a playable character in Disney Magic Kingdoms. Vader plays a central role in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (2008), where he is playable in the first level and later serves as the penultimate boss (and potentially the final boss as well, if the player chooses the Dark Side ending). He also appears in the sequel, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II (2010), as the final boss

Other

The Star Wars Holiday Special, a television special broadcast by CBS in 1978, features a brief appearance of Darth Vader, who appears on-screen speaking with Imperial officer "Chief Bast" in footage cut from the original 1977 film. The sequence is dubbed with new dialogue, performed by Jones. In the story, Vader colludes with Boba Fett to entrap the Rebels.

The character appears in various Lego Star Wars shorts, voiced by Matt Sloan as Vader and by Kirby Morrow as Anakin.

Vader features in the 1981 radio drama adaptation of Star Wars, voiced by the actor Brock Peters. Vader makes his first appearance on the planet Ralltiir, where he treats Princess Leia with suspicion. In later extended scenes, he is heard interrogating and torturing Leia on board his Star Destroyer and aboard the Death Star.

Vader appears in Star Tours – The Adventures Continue, where he is once again voiced by Jones.

Vader has also appeared in non-Star Wars video games as a guest character, for example Soulcalibur IV (2008). An action figure of Vader comes to life alongside RoboCop and Jurassic Park toys in The Indian in the Cupboard (1995). Vader also had a brief cameo in Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009), in which he and Oscar the Grouch try unsuccessfully to join the army formed by Ivan the Terrible, Napoleon and Al Capone.

Cultural impact

See also: Cultural impact of Star Wars

In 2003, the American Film Institute listed Vader as the third greatest movie villain in cinema history on AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains, behind Hannibal Lecter and Norman Bates. His role as a tragic hero in the saga has also met with positive reviews. Contrarily, in 1977, a New Journal and Guide writer criticized the lack of racial diversity in the original Star Wars film, pointing out that "the force of evil ... is dressed in all black and has the voice of a black man."

Psychiatrists have considered Vader to be a useful example for explaining borderline personality disorder to medical students. His dissatisfaction with his life has been compared to Siddartha's before he became Gautama Buddha. A Mexican church advised Christians against seeing The Phantom Menace because it portrays Anakin as a Christ figure.

Darth Vader grotesque on the northwest tower of the Washington National Cathedral (Episcopal Church) in Washington, D.C.

Many films and television series have paid homage to Vader. The 1982 film Cosmic Princess, compiled from parts of Space: 1999 episodes, contains several Star Wars references including a character named "Vader". Marty McFly in Back to the Future (1985), dressed in a radiation suit, calls himself "Darth Vader from the planet Vulcan" in one scene. Vader is parodied as "Dark Helmet" (Rick Moranis) in the Star Wars parody Spaceballs (1987). A primary antagonist in Final Fantasy IV (1991) was stated by game creator Takashi Tokita to be based on Vader. In Chasing Amy (1997), Hooper X (Dwight Ewell) speaks at a comic book convention about Vader being a metaphor for how poorly the science fiction genre treats Black people; he is especially offended that Vader, the "Blackest brother in the galaxy", reveals himself to be a "feeble, crusty old white man" at the end of Return of the Jedi. Vader, especially his role as a father, is parodied as Emperor Zurg in Toy Story 2. The character of Dark Mayhem in The Thundermans is also a parody of Vader, especially in his original depiction. The Warner Bros. animated show Loonatics Unleashed has a Sylvester the Cat-type character named Sylth Vester, a play on Vader and his name.

Chewing lice; the one on the right, with a Vader-esque head, is Ricinus vaderi.

The slime-mold beetle Agathidium vaderi and the louse Ricinus vaderi are named after Vader. Several buildings across the globe are regularly compared to him. A grotesque of Darth Vader looms over the east face of the Washington National Cathedral's northwest tower. During the 2007–08 NHL season, Ottawa Senators goaltender Martin Gerber performed so well in an all-black mask that fans endearingly termed him "Darth Gerber".

Many commentators and comedians have also evoked Vader's visage to satirize politicians and other public figures, and several American political figures have been unflatteringly compared to the character. In response to Ronald Reagan's proposed Strategic Defense Initiative (dubbed "Star Wars" by his political opponents), German news magazine Der Spiegel portrayed the president wearing Vader's helmet on its cover in 1984. In 2005, Al Gore referred to Tele-Communications Inc.'s John C. Malone as the "Darth Vader of cable", and political strategist Lee Atwater was known by his political enemies as "the Darth Vader of the Republican Party". Native American artist Bunky Echohawk portrayed General George Armstrong Custer as Vader in his painting Darth Custer. In 2015, a statue of Vladimir Lenin in Odesa, Ukraine, was converted into one of Vader due to a law on decommunization.

In 2006, while discussing the war on terror, US Vice President Dick Cheney stated, "I suppose, sometimes, people look at my demeanor and say, 'Well, he's the Darth Vader of the administration.'" In January 2007, comedian Jon Stewart put on a Vader helmet to address Cheney as a "kindred spirit" on The Daily Show. Cheney's wife, Lynne, presented Stewart with a Vader action figure during her October 2007 appearance on the show. Both Stewart and Stephen Colbert have occasionally referred to Cheney as "Darth Cheney". In the satirical cartoon show Lil' Bush, Cheney's father is portrayed as Vader. At a presidential campaign event in September 2007, Hillary Clinton also referred to Cheney as Vader. At the 2008 Washington Radio and Television Correspondents' Association Dinner, Cheney joked that his wife told him that the Vader comparison "humanizes" him. In 2009, Lucas stated that Cheney is more akin to Palpatine, and that a better stand-in for Vader would be George W. Bush. An issue of Newsweek referenced this quote, and compared Bush and Cheney to Vader and Palpatine, respectively, in a satirical article comparing politicians to various Star Wars and Star Trek characters.

An Iraqi Fedayeen Saddam helmet in the Army Flying Museum

The Fedayeen Saddam, an Iraqi paramilitary organization, was issued with fiber glass Darth Vader-style helmets from 1995, apparently at the instigation of their commander, Uday Hussein, who was said to have been an avid Star Wars fan. A number of them were brought to the United States and the United Kingdom as souvenirs following the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

In 2010, IGN ranked Darth Vader 25th in the "Top 100 Videogame Villains".

In Ukraine, the Internet Party of Ukraine regularly lets people named Darth Vader take part in elections.

In 2019, an original Vader helmet from The Empire Strikes Back was sold for $900,000 in an online auction.

On December 2, 2020, a figurine of Vader appeared on the plinth where the statue of Edward Colston once stood in Bristol, United Kingdom, in what was seen as a tribute to Prowse, who died on November 29, 2020.

Relationships

Family tree

Main articles: Skywalker family and Solo family
Skywalker family tree
Aika LarsCliegg LarsShmi Skywalker-LarsJobal NaberrieRuwee NaberrieHouse of Organa
Beru WhitesunOwen LarsAnakin Skywalker
Darth Vader
Padmé AmidalaBail OrganaBreha Organa
Luke SkywalkerLeia OrganaHan Solo
Ben Solo
Kylo Ren
Notes:
  1. Appears in Pablo Hidalgo's Star Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded (2016)
  2. ^ Attack of the Clones (2002) and Revenge of the Sith (2005)

Mentorship tree

Main articles: Jedi and Sith
Jedi Order master-apprentice relationship
Yoda
Count
Dooku
Mace
Windu
Qui-Gon
Jinn
Depa
Billaba
Younglings
Obi-Wan
Kenobi
Kanan
Jarrus
Anakin
Skywalker
Luke
Skywalker
Ezra
Bridger
Ahsoka
Tano
Leia
Organa
Sabine WrenBen Solo
Rey
Din Grogu
Notes:
  1. ^ Ben Solo and Rey are a Force dyad.

Notes

  1. Episodes IV–VI
  2. Episodes V–VI, stunts
  3. Rogue One
  4. Obi-Wan Kenobi
  5. Obi-Wan Kenobi (In-suit Performance Artist)
  6. Shaw appeared as Anakin's Force spirit in the original release of Return of the Jedi. In the 2004 re-release, he was replaced by Hayden Christensen.
  7. Episode VI
  8. ^ Episode I
  9. Christensen also replaced Shaw's appearance as Anakin's Force spirit in the 2004 DVD re-release of Return of the Jedi.
  10. Episodes II–III, Ahsoka
  11. Episodes III–VI, IX, Rogue One, Rebels, Obi-Wan Kenobi
  12. various video games, Lego Star Wars series
  13. Episode IX; archive audio on Rebels and The Clone Wars TV series
  14. Clone Wars and various video games
  15. The Clone Wars film and TV series, Rebels, Forces of Destiny and various video games
  16. Episode II
  17. Episode III, The Clone Wars
  18. Episode III
  19. The Clone Wars
  20. Episodes III–VI, Rogue One, Rebels, Obi-Wan Kenobi
  21. Episodes III–VI, Rogue One, Rebels, Obi-Wan Kenobi
  22. The original 1977 film Star Wars is referred to as A New Hope throughout this article to avoid confusion with other films and with the Star Wars franchise in general.
  23. The name "Skywalker" first appeared as Luke's surname in Lucas's 1973 treatment of the film.
  24. Some of these ideas later resurfaced. The prequel trilogy introduces an Imperial city on the planet Coruscant, and Rogue One depicts Vader's castle on the volcanic planet Mustafar. In the sequel trilogy, Luke hides on an island on the ocean planet Ahch-To.
  25. Making the character 14 years younger by the time of the original film than A Guide to the Star Wars Universe previously stated
  26. ^ Christensen also stood in as Vader while McDiarmid was filming the new Emperor hologram footage for The Empire Strikes Back.
  27. Nelson also plays Vader in brief sequences inserted into the Special Edition of The Empire Strikes Back.
  28. Director Richard Marquand wanted a famous actor like Laurence Olivier to play the role.
  29. In the film, Palpatine tells Anakin about Darth Plagueis the Wise, "a Dark Lord of the Sith so powerful and so wise, he could use the Force to influence the midi-chlorians to create life." This was preceded by the rough draft of Revenge of the Sith, in which Palpatine tells Anakin upon his fall to the dark side, "I arranged for your conception. I used the power of the Force to will the midi-chlorians to start the cell divisions that created you. ... You could almost think of me as your father."
  30. Soule elaborated that "The Dark Side is not a reliable narrator."
  31. In Marvel's 1977 series, Vader learns Luke's surname from a Rebel deserter, before later obtaining his first name. Vader's Quest sees him learning Luke's surname from a captured Rebel. In 2013's Star Wars, Vader hears Luke's name in a vision of his duel with Kenobi on the Death Star. In the current comic canon, Boba Fett tells Vader Luke's surname.
  32. Two men named Darth Vader were candidates at the 2014 Kyiv mayoral election and the Odesa mayoral election of the same day. A man named Darth Vader earlier had submitted documents to be registered as a presidential candidate in the 2014 Ukrainian presidential election, but his registration was refused because his real identity could not be verified. In the 2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election, Darth Vader and Star Wars characters such as Chewbacca, Padmé Amidala and Yoda ran for seats in the Ukrainian parliament. Candidates named Darth Vader reappeared in the 2015 Ukrainian local elections.

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