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{{see also|Anakin Skywalker}} | |||
{{SW Character | {{SW Character | ||
|color=Sith | |||
|name = Darth Vader | |||
|bgcolor=#000 | |||
|image = ] | |||
|fgcolor=#fff | | |||
|color = Siththe black armored suit, mask, and respirator that make him recognizable as the iconic villain in the later films | |||
color=Sith | | |||
|position = ] | |||
bgcolor=#00b | | |||
|species = ] (Episode III) | |||
fgcolor=#fff | | |||
] ] (Episodes III-VI) | |||
name= Anakin Skywalker | | |||
|gender = ] | |||
image=]| | |||
|planet = ] | |||
position| | |||
|weapon = Dark Side of ], Red ] | |||
planet=] | | |||
|affiliation = ], ]'' | |||
species=] | | |||
|portrayer = ''see ]'' | |||
hair=Brown | | |||
gender=] | | |||
weapon=] | | |||
|name=Darth Vader | |||
|position=], ], ], Republic Commander, Republic High General, ], Imperial Commander-in-Chief (Military Executor) | |||
|image=] | |||
|caption=Darth Vader in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' | |||
|planet=] (since age of three), ] (planet of residence) | |||
|species=] (]) | |||
|gender=] | |||
|weapon=Red ], dark side of ] | |||
|vehicle=], ], hotrod speeder, ]| | |||
|height= 1.35 meters (4 ft 5 in) as a child; 1.85 meters (6 ft 1 in) as an adult; 2.02 meters (6 ft 7.5 in) augmented | |||
|affiliation=], ], ], ], crew of the ] | |||
|portrayer=] (I)<br />] (II, III, VI<ref name="hayden">Hayden Christensen appears in only the 2004 DVD release of ''Return of the Jedi'', in which he replaces actor Sebastian Shaw in the final scene of the movie. This version is considered the ] version by Lucasfilm. Some fans were upset by the change and criticized it for being disrespectful to Sebastian Shaw, even undermining the film's cinematic historical value. Further fan criticism includes the claim that Luke would not have recognized his father as a young man, creating a continuity issue rather than solving one. On the other hand, Lucas has justified the change, explaining that Anakin died psychologically when he was a young man, his physical image dying along with him. The point may also be made that the appearance of the ghosts depended in part on Luke's psychic awareness due to his use of the Force, meaning that he could recognize his father's spirit by other means than simple visual appearance. Lucas was apparently pleased with the performance by Christensen.</ref>) <br />] (VI<ref name="hayden" />) <br />] <small>(]-])</small><br />] <small>(voice, ]-])</small><br />] <small>(Vader unmasked, ])</small><br /> ] <small>(])</small><br>] <small>(])</small>| | |||
affiliation=], ], ], ], ], ], crew of the ] | |||
}} | }} | ||
{{portal|Star Wars|Star Wars Logo.svg}} | |||
'''Darth Vader''' is a ] in the '']'' ]. He is the pivotal character to ] and '']''. In the original trilogy, he was portrayed by ] and a series of stunt doubles, while his voice was supplied by ]. Vader is one of the most ] ]s in film history and was ranked third on ]'s 100 Heroes and Villains list.<ref name="afi100">''", ], last accessed ], ].</ref> | |||
'''Darth Vader''' is a ] in ]' ] saga '']'' and was the primary ] for most of the series. In the ], the character is depicted as a formidable ] and the brutal head enforcer of the ]'s rule across ]. He serves as the Sith apprentice of ] (]), using ] of ] to mercilessly pursue the ] and the ] to the ends of the galaxy. The prequel trilogy recounts the heroic rise and ] of Darth Vader's former self, ''']''' (]). In the original movie trilogy, Darth Vader was portrayed by bodybuilder ] and a series of stunt doubles, most notably ], while he was voiced by actor ]. A middle-aged Anakin was portrayed by ] at the end of '']''. | |||
In '']'' and '']'', Vader is depicted as the epitome of ]. He is the cunning, brutal enforcer of the ]'s rule across ]. A ], Vader serves as ]'s right hand, using the ] of ] to mercilessly pursue the ] and the ] to the ends of the galaxy. The ] recounts the heroic rise and tragic fall of Anakin Skywalker. Anakin was portrayed by ] and ] in the prequel trilogy, while ] played the role in '']''. | |||
{{spoiler}} | |||
Darth Vader is one of the most ] ]s in film history and was ranked third on ].<ref name="afi100">''", ], last accessed ], ]</ref> | |||
==In the ''Star Wars'' movies and ''Clone Wars'' series== | |||
{{TOClimit|limit=4}} | |||
== Depiction == | |||
{{main|Star Wars#Feature films}} | |||
{{Unreferencedsection|date=April 2008}} | |||
<!-- | <!-- | ||
What follows should NOT be a complete synopsis of the Star Wars movies, but only that which concerns Darth Vader (and to a lesser extent, Anakin, Luke, and Leia), and enough of the story to make those parts coherent. For example, Han Solo and Chewbacca need not be mentioned at all. | |||
-->===History=== | |||
{{spoiler}} | |||
====Prequel trilogy==== | |||
In the ], '''Anakin Skywalker''' is the primary ]. He is taken in by the Jedi Order at a young age, and eventually becomes a powerful Jedi and a legendary warrior of the ]. Skywalker is ultimately seduced to the ] by his own ] and fear of loss, as well as by the machinations of the Sith Lord ]. | |||
=====Childhood and Discovery of Anakin Skywalker===== | |||
NOTE: | |||
{{Selfref|Events described in this section occur in the film '']''. More information is available in ].}} | |||
].]] | |||
This article is to be sorted by REAL-WORLD *narrative* chronology. The *narrated* time *fictional* "chronology" will be mentioned and explained as necessary and appropriate, but it must not dominate the arrangement of the article which must follow REAL-WORLD events. | |||
Anakin first appears in ''The Phantom Menace'' as a selfless nine-year-old boy (played by ]). He and his mother, ] (]), are ]s in the service of ], a ] junk dealer. A ], Anakin excels at ]; even at his young age, he can build or repair nearly anything, evidenced by the creation of his own protocol ], ] (]), and ], each from salvaged parts. He is also a remarkable pilot with quick reflexes. | |||
Anakin is found on Tatooine by Jedi Master ] (]), who is convinced that he is the "Chosen One" foretold by the Jedi ] to bring balance to ]. His mother says that he has no father, and that she simply ''became'' ] with him. Qui-Gon discovers that Anakin has the highest known number of ], a measure of Force-aptitude, and theorizes that the boy is a creation of the Force itself. Anakin forms a strong bond with Queen ] (]), whom Qui-Gon and his padawan apprentice, ] (]), are guarding. | |||
--> | |||
=== Original trilogy === | |||
In the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy, which takes place 19 years after the events depicted in ''Episode III'', Darth Vader is the primary ]: a dark, foreboding, and ruthless figure. One of the pivotal rulers of the Empire, he is mercilessly trying to destroy the ], which is waging a long and desperate war to free the galaxy from the Empire's evil clutches. Beginning with ''The Empire Strikes Back'', Vader's ] is composer ]' '']'', which heralds the character's entrances in the ]. | |||
After winning Anakin's freedom, Qui-Gon brings the boy to ] and requests that the ] allow him to train Anakin. This request is denied, as the Council thinks that Anakin's future is clouded by the fear and anger he exhibits from his days as a slave and his separation from his mother. Ultimately, Anakin helps to win the final battle against the ] in the ]. A dying Qui-Gon, slain in a fearsome duel with ] (]), urges Obi-Wan to train Anakin, and Council leader ] (]) reluctantly approves. The Republic's newly-elected Supreme Chancellor, ] (]), befriends the boy, promising to "watch his career with great interest." | |||
==== ''A New Hope'' ==== | |||
{{main|Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope}} | |||
] | |||
''Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope'', the first movie in the narrative chronology, features the character's first screen appearance. Vader is charged with recovering the stolen plans of the ] and finding the Rebel Alliance's secret base. He captures and ]s ] (]) and is present when Death Star commander ] (]) vaporizes her home world of ]. Shortly afterward, Vader fights a ] duel against his former master, ] (]), who has arrived at the Death Star to rescue Leia; Vader kills Kenobi, turning him into a spirit in the Force. He then encounters ] (]) during a ], and senses in him a great strength in the Force shortly before the boy destroys the battle station. Just as Vader is about to shoot Luke down, the ''],'' piloted by ] (]), destroys Vader's wingman and sends Vader's ship spinning into space. | |||
==== |
=====Prelude to War===== | ||
{{Selfref|Events described in this section occur in the film '']''. More information is available in ].}} | |||
{{main|Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back}} | |||
] | |||
In ''Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back'', Vader captures Leia, Han, ] (]), and ] (]) on the planet ] to lure Luke into a confrontation. Luke, who has been partially trained by ] (]), duels Vader, but is eventually defeated when Vader uses his lightsaber to sever Luke's right hand. Vader reveals his true identity as Luke's father and offers Luke the chance to overthrow Palpatine and "rule the galaxy as father and son". Luke refuses and allows himself to plummet from a weather platform to an uncertain fate. He is sucked into a garbage chute and rescued by Leia, Chewbacca, Lando and C-3PO. | |||
In ''Attack of the Clones'', set 10 years later, Anakin (now played by ]), is now Obi-Wan's apprentice. He has developed into an arrogant loner during his years of Jedi training. His relationship with his master is complicated; although he says Obi-Wan is like a father to him, he believes his teacher is holding him back and chafes against his authority. Frustrated, Anakin turns to another teacher for advice: Palpatine, who feeds the young Padawan's fragile ] with assurances that he will one day be the greatest Jedi in the galaxy. | |||
Anakin pushes the boundaries of the ] with his attraction to Padmé, as Jedi are forbidden to form romantic attachments. In conversation with Padmé, he reveals his affection for her, as well as his distrust of the political process and the need he perceives for there to be one strong leader. | |||
==== ''Return of the Jedi'' ==== | |||
{{main|Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi}} | |||
] | |||
In ''Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi'', Luke has nearly completed his Jedi training and learns from Yoda that Vader is indeed his father. Luke learns about his father's past from Obi-Wan's spirit, and also learns that Leia is his twin sister. On a mission to the forest moon of ], he surrenders to Imperial troops and is delivered into the hands of Darth Vader and the Emperor. Aboard the second Death Star being constructed in orbit, Palpatine tries to seduce Luke to the dark side of the Force. Luke resists the Emperor's appeals to his anger and threats to his friends, but viciously attacks Vader when he threatens to turn Leia to the dark side. Luke finally defeats Vader, severing his father's right hand; however, he controls his anger at the last minute, realizing that he is perilously close to suffering his father's ]. | |||
While guarding Padmé, Anakin senses that his mother is in danger. Upon returning to Tatooine, he finds his mother in a camp of ], but arrives too late; she has been tortured and beaten so badly that she is beyond saving, and she dies in his arms. Seized by a blind rage, he slaughters the entire tribe, even the women and children. This disturbance in the Force is sensed by Yoda and Qui-Gon Jinn's ghost. He returns with his mother's body, and tearfully confesses to Padmé what he has done. She is clearly troubled by his actions, but being in love with him, she is not truly repulsed, and instead tries to soothe him with sympathy. | |||
The Emperor urges Luke to kill Vader and "fulfill his destiny" by becoming Palpatine's new apprentice. Luke refuses and throws down his lightsaber. Enraged, Palpatine unleashes a torrent of Force lightning upon Luke. Luke begs his father for help; unable to stand the sight of his son's agony, Vader finally turns on his master, throwing him into the Death Star's reactor core, killing him. In the process, however, Vader's life-support equipment is irrepairably damaged by the Emperor's ]. Moments from death, Vader begs his son to take off his breath-mask so he can look at Luke "with ''own'' eyes"; Luke complies, and, for the first time, father and son truly see each other. Rescued from the dark side, Anakin Skywalker admits that there is some good left in him, and dies redeemed. Luke escapes on a ] with his father's body as the Death Star explodes, destroyed by the Rebel Alliance. That night, Luke ] his father's armor and, during the victory celebration on Endor's forest moon, Luke sees the redeemed spirit of Anakin Skywalker standing alongside the spirits of Obi-Wan and Yoda. | |||
Anakin and Padmé learn that Obi-Wan has been taken hostage by the Geonosian-engineered droid forces of the ], a faction of star systems that want to ] from the Republic. They rush to his rescue — where they are also captured. Faced with their impending demise in a gladiatorial arena, they profess their love to one another. Escaping the fray with the help of a cadre of Jedi and the clone army, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and ] engage Separatist leader and renegade Jedi ] (]) in a ]. Obi-Wan quickly is left out of the battle, and Anakin fights him alone. He is easily defeated by the older, more experienced warrior, who severs his lower right arm. Back on Coruscant, his arm is replaced with a mechanical ], and he marries Padmé in a secret ceremony with only C-3PO and his counterpart, ], there to witness. | |||
=== Prequel trilogy === | |||
''Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith'', the third prequel and sixth movie to be produced, features the character's earliest appearance in the fictional chronology. | |||
==== |
=====Clone Wars===== | ||
During the events of the animated series '']'', Anakin is made a full-fledged Jedi Knight despite the Jedi Council's reservations. During the next three years of fighting in the Clone Wars, Anakin becomes a legend throughout the galaxy, renowned as "The Hero With No Fear." Among his most noted moments are a battle with ] ], which left him with a scar on his right temple, and the liberation of the Nelvaanians from the ]. During that time, he goes on a spiritual journey which gives him a cryptic glimpse of his future. The ordeal cost Anakin his prosthetic arm, though he later creates a modified version with help from R2-D2. | |||
{{main|Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith}} | |||
] | |||
The last episode of the prequel trilogy portrays Anakin Skywalker's fall to the dark side of the Force. In the closing days of the ], Palpatine reveals himself to Anakin as the Sith Lord Darth Sidious and tempts him to join the dark side by promising that it will enable him to save his pregnant wife, ] (]), from dying in ]. Anakin eventually submits to the dark side and becomes Palpatine's apprentice, whom Palpatine dubs Darth Vader. His first assignment is to assault the ] and kill everyone inside, including children, paving the way for Palpatine to destroy the Jedi and form the Empire from the ashes of the ]. | |||
=====A Hero Falls===== | |||
Vader then travels to the ] planet ], where Separatist leaders have gathered, and mercilessly slaughters them. There, Vader is surprised by the sudden appearance of Padmé, who has learned what her husband has done and begs him to go into hiding with her. Vader, mad with power, suspects her of betraying him. The appearance of Anakin's former mentor and friend, ] (]), confirms in Vader's mind his suspicions about Padmé. In his anger, he uses the Force to choke her into unconsciousness. Obi-Wan and Vader engage in a fierce, climactic ] duel, from which Obi-Wan emerges victorious and Vader loses his limbs, slips close to the lava, and is nearly burned to death. Palpatine arrives in time to rescue his apprentice and transports him to ], where medical droids encase him in the black armored suit, mask, and respirator first seen in the original films. | |||
{{Selfref|Events described in this section occur in the film '']''. More information is available in ].}} | |||
In ''Revenge of the Sith'', Anakin and Obi-Wan return from the Outer Rim Sieges to rescue a kidnapped Palpatine during the ]. They board the '']'', flagship of the Separatist fleet and its cyborg leader, ] (]). Tracking the captive Chancellor to the ''Hand'''s observation deck, they duel with Count Dooku. While Obi-Wan is unconscious, Anakin faces the Sith Lord alone. Following a short duel, Anakin overpowers Dooku and neatly sears off both of his hands. Palpatine then commands Anakin to behead the shocked Count. After minimal protest, Anakin gives in to his anger and complies, but instantly regrets it, as killing a defenseless prisoner is not the Jedi way. After rescuing the Chancellor, Anakin finds that the flagship is in critical condition, and, with some help from Obi-Wan, barely lands its front half safely on an airstrip. | |||
Anakin returns to Coruscant, where Padmé tells him she is pregnant. That night, he has a horrible nightmare of Padmé dying in ]. He is immediately afraid this vision will come true, as it is similar to the one he had of his mother just before she died. | |||
When Vader regains consciousness and asks for Padmé, Palpatine lies, claiming Vader killed her in the heat of his anger -- in reality, she dies after giving birth to their children, Luke and Leia. This breaks what remains of Anakin's spirit; he screams in torment, destroying the objects around him with the Force. He is last seen at Palpatine's side, where the two watch the construction of the Death Star. | |||
Palpatine, who by now has amassed near-]ial power in the Senate, makes Anakin his representative on the Jedi Council. The suspicious Council accepts Anakin, but denies him the rank of Jedi Master, and tell him to spy on Palpatine. Angered by the perceived snub and instructions to commit ], Anakin loses all faith in the Council. Ultimately, the Chancellor offers him the chance to learn the dark side of the Force, which he claims holds the power to prevent death. Anakin realizes that Palpatine is the Sith Lord ] that the Council had been hunting for since the beginning of the war, and reports Palpatine's secret to Jedi Master ] (]). As Windu goes to confront Palpatine, Anakin broods over an inescapable thought: without Palpatine, he will lose the chance to save his wife. | |||
=== Expanded Universe === | |||
{{main|Star Wars Expanded Universe}} | |||
Vader appears numerous times in ]' ''Star Wars'' series. | |||
] | |||
As chronicled in ]'s book ''],'' Vader sheds his identity as Anakin Skywalker shortly after the events of ''Episode III''. In the months afterward, he systematically pursues and kills the survivors of the ] (except Obi-Wan and Yoda); in the process, he fully embraces his new identity as a Sith lord and disavows any connection to his former Jedi self. The novel also reveals Vader's plan to eventually overthrow Palpatine and rule the Empire himself, and that his primary motivation for betraying the Jedi Order was that he resented their supposed failure to recognize his power. | |||
Anakin arrives to find Windu holding his lightsaber on a disarmed Palpatine. Windu declares the ] under arrest, but Palpatine defiantly unleashes a torrent of ] at Windu. The Jedi Master deflects the lightning with his lightsaber back at Palpatine, scarring his face. The attack continues unabated until Palpatine suddenly tires, giving Windu a chance to strike a deathblow. Anakin pleads with Windu to spare Palpatine's life, but Windu refuses, raising his lightsaber to deliver the final blow. Anakin intervenes, severing Windu's right hand. Palpatine then springs to life, bombarding him with Force lightning and hurling him out the window to his death. Anakin then submits to the dark side, and is dubbed Darth Vader. | |||
Vader's first task as a Sith Lord is to assault the ] with the ] and to kill everyone inside, including the ]. Vader is then sent to ] to assassinate ] (]) and the other the Separatist leaders. After completing this task, he is met by Padmé, having arrived at the planet unannounced, pleading with him to flee Palpatine's grasp with her. He refuses, saying that the two of them can overthrow Palpatine and rule the galaxy together. Obi-Wan, who had hidden himself on Padmé's ship, suddenly emerges. Vader accuses Padmé of conspiring against him, and ] her into unconsciousness. The former friends then engage in a lightsaber duel throughout the mining complex. | |||
In the ] '']'', he hires ]s to bring him information about the pilot who destroyed the Death Star, ultimately meeting his son Luke for the first time. Later, in the ] novel '']'' (which takes place shortly after the events in ''A New Hope''), Vader meets Luke for the second time and fights him in a lightsaber duel on ]. On Mimban, Vader is nearly defeated by Luke, who severs his right arm.<ref name="sw.combts">{{cite web|url=http://www.starwars.com/databank/character/darthvader/?id=bts|title=Darth Vader (Behind the Scenes)|publisher=]|work=Star Wars Databank|accessdate=2008-04-28}}</ref> | |||
] on Mustafar]] | |||
In ''],'' Vader searches for the Rebels responsible for the Death Star's destruction, almost thwarting Han and Chewbacca's goal of reaching ] in order for Chewie to reach his family for Life Day. | |||
At the climax of the duel, Vader leaps from the hovering stand above the lava river to deliver the killing blow, but Obi-Wan has the higher ground, cutting his remaining limbs off and leaving him to die. Vader catches on fire and is subsequently burned almost to ], sustaining near-fatal burns and ] damage. He is rescued by Palpatine, who sensed his apprentice's impending defeat during his own duel with Yoda. | |||
]'s ] explains that Darth Vader is the first representative of the Empire to find the ], a race with exceptional combat skills, whom he manipulated into serving as his personal commandos and revering him as their master. Vader later transferred their services to ]. | |||
] | |||
===Video games=== | |||
{{main|Star Wars computer and video games}} | |||
Vader appears in many ''Star Wars'' video games, with minor to major roles. He has a prominent role in the 1996 '']'' multimedia project, including the video game, which takes place between ''The Empire Strikes Back'' and ''Return of the Jedi.'' In the story, ] plots to overthrow Vader and take his place as the Emperor's second in command. The story also reveals that Vader knows there is some good left in him, and that he wishes to use the Force to return his physical appearance to that of his former self. Vader will be playable in the first level of '']'', and the game's main character will be Vader's secret apprentice Starkiller. <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2008/03/lucas200803?currentPage=2 |title=The Game Has Changed |accessdate=2008-04-23 |last=DiGiacomo |first=Frank |year=2008 |month=March |publisher=Vanity Fair}}</ref> Vader is also featured as a playable character in the ] version of '']'' from ]. | |||
Palpatine reconstructs his apprentice's ruined body with extensive prosthetics, and then suits him in the iconic suit of black armor first seen in ''A New Hope''. Once Vader regains consciousness, Palpatine tells him that Padmé had died as a result of Vader's anger. (She had in fact died in childbirth after delivering Luke and Leia.) As Palpatine intended, this half-truth breaks what remains of his apprentice's spirit, leaving him nothing but his service to his master and the newly declared Galactic Empire. | |||
== Production and publication == | |||
=== Creation and concepts === | |||
]]] | |||
The character's image was created when concept artist ] drew the opening scene where Vader and his stormtroopers board a ].<ref name="sw.combts" /> It was initially imagined that Darth Vader would fly through space to enter the ship, necessitating a suit and breathing mask.<ref name="sw.combts" /> This equipment was later made permanent and incorporated in the story.<ref name="sw.combts" /> | |||
====Original trilogy==== | |||
The iconic sound of the character's respirator breathing was created by ] ], who created the sound by recording himself breathing into a ] regulator.<ref>{{cite video|people=Burns, Kevin and Edith Becker|date=2004|title=Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy|medium=Documentary}}</ref> | |||
In ], '''Darth Vader''' is the primary ]: a dark, ruthless figure, out to capture, ], or kill the ]s to prevent them from thwarting the Empire. | |||
] |
].]] | ||
=====Battling the Rebellion and his son===== | |||
] | |||
{{Selfref|Events in this section occur in the films '']'' and '']''.}} | |||
Darth Vader's costume is one of the areas in which Lucas' interest in ] ] -- in particular ] warriors -- is most clearly manifested.<ref>{{cite book|title=Star Wars: The Magic of Myth|first=Mary|last=Henderson|publisher=]|year=1997}}</ref> According to ''Star Wars'' wardrobe master John Mollo, "Darth Vader's helmet started as a ] ] helmet".<ref>{{cite book|first=Richard|last=Ingram |coauthors=Arthur Ward|title=Buying and Selling Wartime Collectibles: An Enthusiast's Guide to Militaria|publisher=Crowood|year=2007|pages=17}}</ref> | |||
In ''A New Hope'', set 19 years after the fall of the Jedi, Vader is charged with recovering the stolen plans of the ] and finding the Rebel Alliance's secret base. He captures and ]s Princess Leia and, along with Death Star commander ], destroys her homeworld of ]. Shortly afterward, he duels his former master, Obi-Wan, who has arrived at the Death Star to rescue Leia, and cuts him down, turning him into a spirit in the Force. He then encounters his son, Luke, during the ], and senses in him a great strength in the Force — confirmed moments later when the boy destroys the battle station. | |||
In ''The Empire Strikes Back'', Vader kidnaps Leia, ] (]), ] (]), and C-3PO on the planet ] to lure Luke into a confrontation. He strikes a deal with the planet's governor, ] (]) to give Han over to the bounty hunter ] (]), and has Han frozen in ]. Luke, who has been partially trained by Yoda, duels Vader, but is eventually defeated, losing his right hand to the Sith Lord's lightsaber. Vader then reveals his true identity as Luke's father and offers Luke the chance to overthrow Palpatine and rule the galaxy as father and son. Luke refuses, throwing himself down the deep Bespin mine shaft. He is sucked into a garbage chute and rescued by Leia, C-3PO, Chewbacca and Lando. He is fitted with a robotic hand to replace the one Vader had cut off. They then go to rescue Han from ], to whom Boba Fett has delivered Han's frozen body. | |||
=== Portrayals === | |||
] played the role of Darth Vader during filming of ''A New Hope''. Prowse was originally given the choice between the roles of Chewbacca and Darth Vader, and chose the latter because he said "people would remember him." After filming, ] was hired to read Vader's lines over Prowse's performance, in part due to Prowse's strong ] accent. Lucas eventually chose Jones to provide Vader's voice for all the original trilogy films; Jones has since been closely identified with the role. In 1978, Jones returned as the voice of Darth Vader in ''],'' which used ''A New Hope'' footage of Prowse in the character's costume. | |||
=====Redemption and Death===== | |||
When ] commissioned writer ] to adapt ''Star Wars'' as ], actor ] was hired to provide the voice of Darth Vader when James Earl Jones was not available. | |||
{{Selfref|Events described in this section occur in the film '']''. More information is available in the ]}}. | |||
In ''Return of the Jedi'', Vader is charged with overseeing the completion of the second Death Star, with ] (]) as his immediate subordinate. He meets with Palpatine onboard the half-constructed station to plan Luke's turn to the dark side. | |||
] to ] in an attempt to turn him to the dark side.]] | |||
The character of Darth Vader was also played by several stunt doubles, most notably fencing instructor ]. Anderson handled all of Vader's fight sequences in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' and ''Return of the Jedi.'' ], who portrayed Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy, noted in a 1983 interview in Starlog #72: "Bob Anderson was the man who actually did Vader's fighting. It was always supposed to be a secret, but I finally told George I didn't think it was fair any more. Bob worked so hard that he deserves some recognition. It's ridiculous to preserve the myth that it’s all done by ''one'' man."<ref>{{cite|title=Starlog #72|publisher=Starlog Magazine|date=1983|author=Not specified}}, text available at </ref> | |||
By this time, Luke has nearly completed his Jedi training, and has learned from a dying Yoda that Vader is indeed his father. He learns about his father's past from Obi-Wan's spirit, and also learns that Leia is his sister. On a mission to the forest moon of ], he surrenders to Imperial troops and is brought to Vader. Aboard the Death Star, Luke resists the Emperor's appeals to his anger and fear for his friends, but snaps when Vader ] probes his mind, learns of Leia's existence, and threatens to turn her instead. Enraged, Luke nearly kills Vader, severing his father's right hand. He controls his anger at the last minute, however, as he looks at Vader's cybernetic hand and then at his own; he realizes that he is perilously close to suffering his father's fate. | |||
As the Emperor approaches, encouraging Luke to kill Vader and take his place, Luke throws down his lightsaber, refusing to perform the killing blow. Seeing that the young Jedi is a lost cause, the Emperor attacks Luke with Force lightning. Luke writhes in agony under the Emperor's torture, begging his father for help. Unable to bear the sight of his son in pain, Vader turns on his master and throws him into a deep shaft, where he explodes in a fury of dark energies. However, Vader is mortally wounded in the process by the Emperor's lightning. | |||
Actor and former ] visual effects artist C. Andrew Nelson has also portrayed Vader at ] events, in the '']'' and '']'' video games, and in footage filmed for the 1997 Special Edition releases of the original three ''Star Wars'' films. Nelson has also appeared as Vader on various television shows and in numerous commercials. | |||
] | |||
For ''Revenge of the Sith,'' ], who played Anakin Skywalker in the preceding film, '']'', wore the Vader armor rather than Prowse. However, as Christensen was shorter than Prowse, certain perspective trickery was used to make him seem as physically large as Prowse: a slightly scaled-down costume was created for him; the costume had extensions built into the boots and helmet; and some of the shots of Vader standing next to Palpatine were filmed using ]. No one was credited for the briefly heard voice of Darth Vader at the film's end. When asked if he had supplied the voice, either newly or from a previous recording, James Earl Jones told '']'', "You'd have to ask Lucas about that. I don't know".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/stage/ny-c5611250mar16,0,5264743.story|publisher=]|title=Fast Chat: James Earl Jones|date=2008-03-16}}</ref> <!--"Sith" producer Rick McCallum stated in a summer 2005 ''Starlog'' magazine that James Earl Jones worked on EP3 (Note: This is jargon; average-reader audience does not know what EP3 means) for less than one day and was "great to work with".{{Fact | May 2008}} May we please have an actual cite -- issue number, date, page?--> | |||
Moments from death, he begs his son to take off his breath-mask so he could look at Luke "with my own eyes." Luke complies and for the first time, father and son truly see each other. Unmasked, Anakin Skywalker is a sad, withered man in his mid-40s, his skin ghostly pale from not having seen natural light for more than two decades. In his dying breaths, Anakin Skywalker is redeemed, finally admitting to Luke that the good within him was not destroyed after all. Luke escapes with his father's body as the Death Star explodes, destroyed by the Rebel Alliance. | |||
That night, Luke burns his father's Sith armor in the manner of a Jedi's funeral. During the victory celebration on the forest moon of Endor, Luke sees the redeemed spirit of Anakin Skywalker, standing once again with Obi-Wan and Yoda. | |||
=== Translations === | |||
*"Vader" is the Dutch word for "father". | |||
*Vader is called "Dart Fener" in ]. ] proposed an online poll to decide whether to keep the name Dart Fener during the production of the new trilogy; 55.6 percent of voters chose "yes".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fantascienza.com/magazine/notizie/5230|title=Vader o Fener? Ecco il responso}}</ref> However, the ]an packaging for the Darth Vader Voice Changer toy listed his name as "Darth Vader" in the Italian text. | |||
*In ], Vader is known as "Dark Vador". In addition, although most characters including Vader had name changes in the original trilogy, he is one of few characters not to have his French name change reversed in the prequel trilogy and Expanded Universe. Retention of the "Dark" moniker caused several other Sith lords to be among the few characters who had French name changes in the prequels (e.g. "]"). However, he has his original name in ] dubs. He was voiced by ] in the French versions of Episodes V, VI, and III and by ] in the Quebec version of Episode III. | |||
*In a ] ] DVD version of ''Episode III'' known as ''Star War The Third Gathers: The Backstroke of the West'', his name is displayed as "Reaching the west reaches" in the poor ] ]s. This was translated from "Daxi Weida", a ] phonetic rendering of Vader's name. | |||
*In ], Vader was voiced by ] in the films, who also voiced ]. | |||
*In Iceland, Vader is called ''Svarthöfði'', wich literally translates as "Darkhead" or "Blackhead" | |||
== |
== Expanded Universe == | ||
The ] micro series ''Star Wars: Clone Wars'' chronicles Anakin's adventures and trials in the many battles of the Clone Wars. The series, which covers the period between just after ''Episode II'' and just before ''Episode III'', sees Anakin become a Jedi and galaxy-renowned war hero, and foreshadows the temptations to power and fear of loss that would transform him into Darth Vader. | |||
Due to his central role in the '']'' films, the character of Darth Vader has entered the public consciousness as the quintessential villain. His powerful bass voice and imposing image (he is 6 feet 8 inches tall in his full suit), coupled with his heavy mechanized breathing, is easily recognizable. The ]'s list of the greatest movie villains placed him third, beating the ] and the ] and coming just after ] and ]. He has been ] by such figures as "Duck Vader" from '']'', "Darth Benkyou" in an episode of ], "Dearth Nadir" as played by ] for '']''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s "]" sketch, "Girth Plotz" (]) in an episode of '']'' that parodied the first trilogy, "Darth Koopa" as portrayed by ] from '']'', "Dark Laser" from '']'', an episode of '']'' where ] dresses in black and takes over the school, ] singer Darth Brooks in '']'', and ] from '']'' as Darth Chef in the episode "]". ] in '']'' (dressed in a radiation suit) pretends to be "Darth Vader from the planet ]". At the beginning of ]'s '']'', the character Hooper X gives a speech at a comic convention on how Darth Vader is a metaphor for how poorly sci-fi 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". The character of the ] from '']'' was inspired by Darth Vader and a scene from the episode "Act 4 Scene 15" parodies the scene in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' when the back of Vader's head is briefly exposed before he dons his helmet. | |||
In the young adult series '']'', Boba Fett, at the age of 14, is hired by Imperial leader Inquisitor Malorum to investigate Padmé Amidala's death at Vader's request. Vader may make a ] in the upcoming ], which is slated for a 2009 release and will run approximately 100 episodes. | |||
In ]' 1987 ''Star Wars'' parody '']'', Darth Vader is parodied as Lord Dark Helmet (]), a short man with an oversize Darth Vader-like helmet who occasionally opens it to reveal his face. Instead of using a lightsaber, he has a ring that gives him abilities similar to The Force (called the "Schwartz"). The Schwartz ring allows Dark Helmet to produce a lightsaber-like projection at the ring's tip. He is given to making ]s about his helmet and his ring sword. The film also pokes fun at Darth Vader's revelation to Luke Skywalker in ''The Empire Strikes Back''; during their ] battle, Dark Helmet declares himself to be main character's "father's brother's nephew's cousin's former roommate," before admitting that this means that they have no familial ties whatsoever. | |||
As chronicled in ]'s book '']'', Vader sheds his identity as Anakin Skywalker after incurring his injuries on Mustafar. In the months afterward, he systematically pursues and kills the survivors of the ] (save Obi-Wan and Yoda); in the process, he fully embraces his new identity as a Sith Lord and disavows any connection to his former Jedi self. The novel also reveals that Vader plans to eventually overthrow Palpatine and rule the Empire himself, and that his primary motivation for betraying the Jedi was that he resented their supposed failure to recognize his power. | |||
In 2006, Blame Society Productions created a series of short videos featuring '']''. Chad Vader, ostensibly Darth Vader's younger brother, wears the same armor and cape and uses phrases and concepts associated with Darth Vader in the context of a modern grocery store. More recently, '']'' parodied ''Episode IV'', with ] appearing as Darth Vader. In another episode, Darth Vader is shown attempting to take out a loan. When asked what the loan is for, Vader replies, "To build a battle station that can destroy a planet"; when the accountant voices concern over his choice, Vader changes his answer to, "I want to open a sports bar." | |||
In the ] '']'', he hires bounty hunters to bring him information about the pilot who brought about the destruction of the Death Star, ultimately meeting his son Luke for the very first time. Later on, in the ] novel '']'' (which takes place shortly after the events in ''A New Hope''), Vader meets Luke for the second time and combats him in a lightsaber duel on the planet ]. On Mimban, Luke nearly defeats Vader, severing his right arm, and Vader suffers massive injuries when he falls into a pit. | |||
Darth Vader, along with ], is a playable character in the video game ''].'' | |||
In '']'', Vader searches for the Rebels responsible for the destruction of the Death Star, almost thwarting Han and Chewbacca's goal of reaching ] in order for Chewie to reach his family for ]. | |||
=== ''Darth Vader'' as a cultural metaphor === | |||
Darth Vader's image and name have both become ]s for evil in the public consciousness. Lucas has pointed to Vader's iconic status as a reason for making the prequel movies, since he felt the icon overshadowed the fact that Vader was intended to be a ] character. | |||
Vader also has a prominent role in the 1996 novel/comic/video game '']'', which takes place between ''The Empire Strikes Back'' and ''Return of the Jedi''. In the story, ], leader of the crime organization ], plots to overthrow Vader and take his place as the Emperor's second in command. The story also gives more insight into Vader's thoughts and ambitions as it reveals that he knows there is some good left in him and that he wishes to heal his body through the Force and return his physical appearance to that of his former self. At one point in the novel, Vader is in his chamber with his suit completely removed as he attempts to heal his body. | |||
On ], ], ] ] referred to himself as the Darth Vader of the ]. Discussing the need for vigorous pursuit of intelligence, he said to ]'s ], "It means we need to be able to go after and capture or kill those people who are trying to kill Americans. That's not a pleasant business. It's a very serious business. And I suppose, sometimes, people look at my demeanor and say, 'Well, he's the Darth Vader of the administration.'"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/22/sitroom.03.html|publisher=]|work=The Situation Room|title=Transcripts|accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> ] put on a Darth Vader helmet to "talk" to Dick Cheney as a "kindred spirit" on '']'' on ], ]. Cheney's wife, ], presented Stewart with a Darth Vader action figure on her appearance on the show on ], ]. Both Stewart and ] have occasionally referred to Cheney as "Darth Cheney". In the satiric cartoon show '']'', Dick Cheney's father is portrayed as being Darth Vader. At her presidential campaign event on ], ], ] also referred to Cheney as Darth Vader. At the 2008 Washington ] Dinner, Cheney joked that his wife ] told him that the Vader comparison "humanizes" him. | |||
Vader also makes occasional appearances in Dark Horse's ''Star Wars'' comic books set between the movies, especially ''Star Wars: Empire''. | |||
Then-Vice President ] referred to ]'s ] as the "Darth Vader of ]." <ref>{{cite web|url=http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2005/08/22/8270018/index.htm|title=Al Gore Battles Old Cable Demons|first=Marc|last=Gunther|date=2005-08-22|publisher=]|accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> Political strategist ] was known by his political enemies as "the Darth Vader of the ]."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://politics.netscape.com/story/2006/11/07/harvey-leroy-lee-atwater-was-a-republican-political-consultant|title=Harvey Leroy "Lee" Atwater, was a Republican political consultant|accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> | |||
In the ], it is explained that Darth Vader was the first representative of the Empire to find the ], a race with exceptional combat skills, whom he manipulated into serving as his personal commandos and revering him as their master. Later, Vader transferred their services to ]. | |||
In 2005, former ] entomologists Quentin Wheeler and Kelly Miller named 65 new ] of slime-mold beetle of the ] ''Agathidium,'' with one named ''Agathidium vaderi'' after Darth Vader.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/April05/slime-mold.Bush.Cheney.ssl.html|title=Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld are now species of slime-mold beetles -- but strictly in homage|work=Cornell News|publisher=]|accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> | |||
Leia Organa Solo, who was initially horrified to learn that Vader was her father, eventually forgave him after learning her family's full history, as chronicled in the book '']''. She named her youngest son ] in remembrance of her father's redemption <ref name=Dark>''Dark Empire II'', 2nd edition, 2006. Tom Veitch, Cam Kennedy, Jim Baikie, ISBN 1-5930-7526-X</ref>. | |||
In the last years of construction, ] held a competition for children to design new ]s for the western towers. The third-place winner was a design featuring Darth Vader, which looms over the southern side of the northwest tower.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cathedral.org/cathedral/discover/darth.shtml|title=About Darth Vader|publisher=]|accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> ], has an ominous-looking building made of dark reflective glass and the architecturally acclaimed ], a white futuristic ] -- these buildings are known as the "Darth Vader building" and "Luke Skywalker building", respectively.{{Fact|date=April 2008}} | |||
In the novel '']'' of the '']'' series, set 30 years after ''A New Hope'', Anakin's voice would speak to his grandson, ], telling him to "Stand firm" in his battle with the Supreme Overlord of the ]. | |||
The ] in ] is informally dubbed the 'Darth Vader building'.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0DE7D9123FF93AA15755C0A960948260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all|title= Focus: Seattle; Creating An Office Empire|last=Egan|first=Timothy|date=1986-06-29|work=]|accessdate=2008-05-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.belltownmessenger.com/062007/062007-100-bellawards.html|title=the bell awards - Tom Graff (interview)|date=June 2007|work=Belltown Messenger|accessdate=2008-05-08}}</ref> | |||
== Behind the scenes == | |||
The ] (now State Insurance Tower) in ], New Zealand, was once nicknamed 'Darth Vader's pencil box'. | |||
===Portrayals=== | |||
During filming of ''A New Hope'', ] played the role of Darth Vader. To his dismay,<ref>http://theforce.net/jedicouncil/editorials/012399.asp</ref> after filming, ] was hired to read Vader's lines over Prowse's performance; ] was originally considered for the role until Lucas decided he was too recognizable. He was instead chosen to voice-over the teaser trailer for ''A New Hope''. Prowse was originally given the choice between the roles of Chewbacca and Darth Vader. He chose Darth Vader because he said "people would remember him." Prowse wore the Vader suit and Jones provided Vader's voice for all of the films in the original trilogy. Jones has since been closely identified with the role. | |||
The character of Darth Vader was also played by several stunt doubles, most notably fencing instructor ]. Anderson handled all of Vader's fight sequences in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' and ''Return of the Jedi''. ] (who portrayed Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy) noted in a 1983 interview in Starlog #72: "Bob Anderson was the man who actually did Vader’s fighting. It was always supposed to be a secret, but I finally told George I didn’t think it was fair any more. Bob worked so hard that he deserves some recognition. It’s ridiculous to preserve the myth that it’s all done by ''one'' man."<ref>http://www.theforce.net/jedicouncil/editorials/012399.shtml</ref> | |||
In 1978, Jones returned as the voice of Darth Vader (footage of Prowse in the suit is actually unused footage from ''A New Hope'') in ''The Star Wars Holiday Special'', as well as to shoot new footage that was released with the '']'', when it was released in 1996. | |||
Actor and former ] visual effects artist C. Andrew Nelson has also portrayed Vader at a number of events for ], as well as the video games '']'' and '']'', and in new footage filmed for the Special Edition releases of the original three ''Star Wars'' films in 1997. Over the years Nelson has also appeared as Vader on various television shows and in numerous commercials. | |||
For ''Revenge of the Sith'', ] (who had played Anakin Skywalker since ''Attack of the Clones'') wore the Vader suit, instead of Prowse. However, as he is shorter than Prowse, certain perspective trickery was used to make him seem as physically large as Prowse: a slightly scaled-down costume was created for him; the costume had extensions built into the boots and helmet; and some of the shots of Vader standing next to Palpatine were filmed using ]. James Earl Jones again supplied Vader's voice. | |||
===Character creation and concepts=== | |||
] | |||
The character of Darth Vader was not originally planned to be a suited cyborg. The current image of Vader was created when concept artist ] drew the opening scene where the ] ''Tantive IV'' was being boarded. It was initially imagined that Darth Vader would fly through space to enter the ship, necessitating a suit and breathing mask. This was later made permanent and incorporated in the story. | |||
The iconic breathing sound of his respirator was created by ] ], who created the sound by simply recording himself breathing into an old Dacor ] regulator. Vader's musical ] is '']''. | |||
In a 2005 interview, George Lucas was asked the origins of the name "Darth Vader", and replied: "Darth is a variation of dark. And Vader is a variation of father. So it's basically Dark Father." ('']'', ], ]). "Vader" is the ] word for "father" (the Dutch word is instead pronounced ''"fah-der"''), and the ] word for "father" (''Vater'') is similar. However, in the earliest scripts for ''Star Wars'', the name "Darth Vader" was given to a human Imperial general. | |||
Vader's revelation to Luke that he is his father is one of the most famous movie plot twists of all time. An ] poll on ] ]<ref>http://www.imdb.com/poll/results/2003-11-10</ref> asked users to choose which one of a set of movie spoilers was too infamous to be considered a spoiler anymore; Vader's true identity was a clear winner, by a 40% margin. | |||
In ], Vader is known as ''Dark Vador'' (and, therefore, ''Dark'' replaces Darth for the French names of all other Sith Lords). One explanation could be that the French use ''le water-closet'' as slang for "toilet", and ''aller aux waters'' for "going to the toilet". Since the French pronunciation of "water" sounds somewhat similar to "Vader", the name was changed to avoid puns. However, ] does not use the aforementioned slang terms, and so Vader keeps his original name in ]. | |||
== Cultural figure == | |||
]) in ]' 1986 ''Star Wars'' spoof '']''.]] | |||
Due to his central role, Vader has entered the public consciousness as the quintessential villain. His powerful baritone voice, coupled with his heavy breathing, is easily recognizable, and the ]'s list of the greatest movie villains placed him third, after ] and ]. He has been ] by such figures as "]" from '']'', "Duck Vader" from '']'', "Dearth Nadir" as played by ] on ]'s "Pigs in Space" sketch, "Girth Plotz" from an episode of '']'' that parodied the first trilogy, "]" from ]'', "Dark Laser" from '']'', an episode of '']'' where ] dressed in black and, now devoted to evil, takes over the school and country singer Darth Brooks in '']''. Also, ] from ] became Darth Chef in ]. Another kind of tribute to Darth Vader comes from '']'', in which there are similarities between ] and Vader, played for both dramatic and comic effect (complete with Death Star-esque spaceship and superweapon), and his name is mentioned when the issue of ] immaculate birth is brought up. ] in '']'' (dressed up in a radiation suit) pretended to be "Darth Vader from the planet ]" in an effort to get his ]-loving father to date his mother. | |||
In 2006 ] aired a programme Ultimate super villains showing the top 20 fictional villains chosen by a panel of experts, Darth Vader came first beating ] at 2 and ] at 3 ( Other Star wars villain Jabba the hut came 20th). | |||
In 2006, Blame Society Productions created a series of short videos featuring '']''. Chad Vader is ostensibly the younger brother of Darth Vader, who wears the same armor and cape, and uses phrases and concepts associated with Darth Vader in the context of a modern-day grocery store. | |||
===The name ''Darth Vader'' as a cultural metaphor=== | |||
Vader's name has become a ] for evil. Lucas has pointed to Vader's iconic status as a reason he made the prequel movies, since he felt the icon overshadowed the fact that Vader was intended to be a tragic character. | |||
* On ], ] ] ] called himself the Darth Vader of the ]. Discussing the need to vigorously pursue intelligence, Cheney said to ] ], "It means we need to be able to go after and capture or kill those people who are trying to kill Americans. That's not a pleasant business. It's a very serious business. And I suppose, sometimes, people look at my demeanor and say, well, he's the Darth Vader of the administration."<ref>http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/22/sitroom.03.html</ref> | |||
*In 2005, former ] entomologists Quentin Wheeler and Kelly Miller named 65 new species of slime-mold beetle of the ] ''Agathidium'', with one named after Darth Vader.<ref>http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/April05/slime-mold.Bush.Cheney.ssl.html</ref> | |||
*During a major renovation, ] held a competition for children to design new ]s for the west towers. One winner was a design featuring Darth Vader. | |||
*Two significant office buildings in ] are highly visible landmarks by the ]. The ominous looking one made of all dark reflective glass has been dubbed the Darth Vader building. The other is the architecturally acclaimed ], a brilliant white futuristic ], and is known in the San Francisco Bay area as the Luke Skywalker building. | |||
*Then-Vice President ] referred to ]'s ] as "Darth Vader of ]."<ref>http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2005/08/22/8270018/index.htm</ref> | |||
*Political strategist ] was known by his political enemies as "the Darth Vader of the ]".<ref>http://politics.netscape.com/story/2006/11/07/harvey-leroy-lee-atwater-was-a-republican-political-consultant</ref> | |||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
*] | *] | ||
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== Notes and references == | ||
], left, as the original portrayer of the spirit of Anakin Skywalker.]] | |||
{{Reflist|2}} | |||
], left, as the spirit of Anakin Skywalker in the new 2004 editional DVD release.]] | |||
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== Sources == | ||
*'']'', 1st edition paperback, 1999. ], ], ISBN 0-345-43411-0 | *'']'', 1st edition paperback, 1999. ], ], ISBN 0-345-43411-0 | ||
*'']'', 2003. ], ISBN 0-345-42882-X | *'']'', 2003. ], ISBN 0-345-42882-X | ||
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* at the ''Star Wars'' ] | ||
*{{sww|Darth Vader}} | |||
* at the ''Star Wars'' Databank | |||
*{{sww|Anakin Skywalker}} | *{{sww|Anakin Skywalker}} | ||
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Revision as of 15:47, 5 August 2008
Darth Vader is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. He is the pivotal character to the original Star Wars trilogy and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. In the original trilogy, he was portrayed by David Prowse and a series of stunt doubles, while his voice was supplied by James Earl Jones. Vader is one of the most iconic villains in film history and was ranked third on American Film Institute's 100 Heroes and Villains list.
In Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope and Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, Vader is depicted as the epitome of evil. He is the cunning, brutal enforcer of the Galactic Empire's rule across the galaxy. A Dark Lord of the Sith, Vader serves as Emperor Palpatine's right hand, using the dark side of the Force to mercilessly pursue the Jedi and the Rebel Alliance to the ends of the galaxy. The prequel trilogy recounts the heroic rise and tragic fall of Anakin Skywalker. Anakin was portrayed by Jake Lloyd and Hayden Christensen in the prequel trilogy, while Sebastian Shaw played the role in Return of the Jedi.
In the Star Wars movies and Clone Wars series
History
Prequel trilogy
In the Star Wars prequel trilogy, Anakin Skywalker is the primary protagonist. He is taken in by the Jedi Order at a young age, and eventually becomes a powerful Jedi and a legendary warrior of the Clone Wars. Skywalker is ultimately seduced to the dark side by his own hubris and fear of loss, as well as by the machinations of the Sith Lord Darth Sidious.
Childhood and Discovery of Anakin Skywalker
Events described in this section occur in the film Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. More information is available in the plot summary.Anakin first appears in The Phantom Menace as a selfless nine-year-old boy (played by Jake Lloyd). He and his mother, Shmi (Pernilla August), are slaves in the service of Watto, a curmudgeonly junk dealer. A child prodigy, Anakin excels at engineering; even at his young age, he can build or repair nearly anything, evidenced by the creation of his own protocol droid, C-3PO (Anthony Daniels), and podracer, each from salvaged parts. He is also a remarkable pilot with quick reflexes.
Anakin is found on Tatooine by Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson), who is convinced that he is the "Chosen One" foretold by the Jedi prophecy to bring balance to the Force. His mother says that he has no father, and that she simply became pregnant with him. Qui-Gon discovers that Anakin has the highest known number of midi-chlorians, a measure of Force-aptitude, and theorizes that the boy is a creation of the Force itself. Anakin forms a strong bond with Queen Padmé Amidala (Natalie Portman), whom Qui-Gon and his padawan apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), are guarding.
After winning Anakin's freedom, Qui-Gon brings the boy to Coruscant and requests that the Jedi Council allow him to train Anakin. This request is denied, as the Council thinks that Anakin's future is clouded by the fear and anger he exhibits from his days as a slave and his separation from his mother. Ultimately, Anakin helps to win the final battle against the Trade Federation in the Battle of Naboo. A dying Qui-Gon, slain in a fearsome duel with Darth Maul (Ray Park), urges Obi-Wan to train Anakin, and Council leader Yoda (Frank Oz) reluctantly approves. The Republic's newly-elected Supreme Chancellor, Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), befriends the boy, promising to "watch his career with great interest."
Prelude to War
Events described in this section occur in the film Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. More information is available in the plot summary.In Attack of the Clones, set 10 years later, Anakin (now played by Hayden Christensen), is now Obi-Wan's apprentice. He has developed into an arrogant loner during his years of Jedi training. His relationship with his master is complicated; although he says Obi-Wan is like a father to him, he believes his teacher is holding him back and chafes against his authority. Frustrated, Anakin turns to another teacher for advice: Palpatine, who feeds the young Padawan's fragile ego with assurances that he will one day be the greatest Jedi in the galaxy.
Anakin pushes the boundaries of the Jedi Code with his attraction to Padmé, as Jedi are forbidden to form romantic attachments. In conversation with Padmé, he reveals his affection for her, as well as his distrust of the political process and the need he perceives for there to be one strong leader.
While guarding Padmé, Anakin senses that his mother is in danger. Upon returning to Tatooine, he finds his mother in a camp of Tusken Raiders, but arrives too late; she has been tortured and beaten so badly that she is beyond saving, and she dies in his arms. Seized by a blind rage, he slaughters the entire tribe, even the women and children. This disturbance in the Force is sensed by Yoda and Qui-Gon Jinn's ghost. He returns with his mother's body, and tearfully confesses to Padmé what he has done. She is clearly troubled by his actions, but being in love with him, she is not truly repulsed, and instead tries to soothe him with sympathy.
Anakin and Padmé learn that Obi-Wan has been taken hostage by the Geonosian-engineered droid forces of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, a faction of star systems that want to secede from the Republic. They rush to his rescue — where they are also captured. Faced with their impending demise in a gladiatorial arena, they profess their love to one another. Escaping the fray with the help of a cadre of Jedi and the clone army, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Yoda engage Separatist leader and renegade Jedi Count Dooku (Christopher Lee) in a lightsaber battle. Obi-Wan quickly is left out of the battle, and Anakin fights him alone. He is easily defeated by the older, more experienced warrior, who severs his lower right arm. Back on Coruscant, his arm is replaced with a mechanical prosthetic, and he marries Padmé in a secret ceremony with only C-3PO and his counterpart, R2-D2, there to witness.
Clone Wars
During the events of the animated series Star Wars: Clone Wars, Anakin is made a full-fledged Jedi Knight despite the Jedi Council's reservations. During the next three years of fighting in the Clone Wars, Anakin becomes a legend throughout the galaxy, renowned as "The Hero With No Fear." Among his most noted moments are a battle with Dark Jedi Asajj Ventress, which left him with a scar on his right temple, and the liberation of the Nelvaanians from the Techno Union. During that time, he goes on a spiritual journey which gives him a cryptic glimpse of his future. The ordeal cost Anakin his prosthetic arm, though he later creates a modified version with help from R2-D2.
A Hero Falls
Events described in this section occur in the film Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. More information is available in the plot summary.In Revenge of the Sith, Anakin and Obi-Wan return from the Outer Rim Sieges to rescue a kidnapped Palpatine during the Battle of Coruscant. They board the Invisible Hand, flagship of the Separatist fleet and its cyborg leader, General Grievous (Matthew Wood). Tracking the captive Chancellor to the Hand's observation deck, they duel with Count Dooku. While Obi-Wan is unconscious, Anakin faces the Sith Lord alone. Following a short duel, Anakin overpowers Dooku and neatly sears off both of his hands. Palpatine then commands Anakin to behead the shocked Count. After minimal protest, Anakin gives in to his anger and complies, but instantly regrets it, as killing a defenseless prisoner is not the Jedi way. After rescuing the Chancellor, Anakin finds that the flagship is in critical condition, and, with some help from Obi-Wan, barely lands its front half safely on an airstrip.
Anakin returns to Coruscant, where Padmé tells him she is pregnant. That night, he has a horrible nightmare of Padmé dying in childbirth. He is immediately afraid this vision will come true, as it is similar to the one he had of his mother just before she died.
Palpatine, who by now has amassed near-dictatorial power in the Senate, makes Anakin his representative on the Jedi Council. The suspicious Council accepts Anakin, but denies him the rank of Jedi Master, and tell him to spy on Palpatine. Angered by the perceived snub and instructions to commit treason, Anakin loses all faith in the Council. Ultimately, the Chancellor offers him the chance to learn the dark side of the Force, which he claims holds the power to prevent death. Anakin realizes that Palpatine is the Sith Lord Darth Sidious that the Council had been hunting for since the beginning of the war, and reports Palpatine's secret to Jedi Master Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson). As Windu goes to confront Palpatine, Anakin broods over an inescapable thought: without Palpatine, he will lose the chance to save his wife.
Anakin arrives to find Windu holding his lightsaber on a disarmed Palpatine. Windu declares the Dark Lord under arrest, but Palpatine defiantly unleashes a torrent of Force lightning at Windu. The Jedi Master deflects the lightning with his lightsaber back at Palpatine, scarring his face. The attack continues unabated until Palpatine suddenly tires, giving Windu a chance to strike a deathblow. Anakin pleads with Windu to spare Palpatine's life, but Windu refuses, raising his lightsaber to deliver the final blow. Anakin intervenes, severing Windu's right hand. Palpatine then springs to life, bombarding him with Force lightning and hurling him out the window to his death. Anakin then submits to the dark side, and is dubbed Darth Vader.
Vader's first task as a Sith Lord is to assault the Jedi Temple with the 501st Legion and to kill everyone inside, including the younglings. Vader is then sent to Mustafar to assassinate Nute Gunray (Silas Carson) and the other the Separatist leaders. After completing this task, he is met by Padmé, having arrived at the planet unannounced, pleading with him to flee Palpatine's grasp with her. He refuses, saying that the two of them can overthrow Palpatine and rule the galaxy together. Obi-Wan, who had hidden himself on Padmé's ship, suddenly emerges. Vader accuses Padmé of conspiring against him, and uses the dark side to choke her into unconsciousness. The former friends then engage in a lightsaber duel throughout the mining complex.
At the climax of the duel, Vader leaps from the hovering stand above the lava river to deliver the killing blow, but Obi-Wan has the higher ground, cutting his remaining limbs off and leaving him to die. Vader catches on fire and is subsequently burned almost to immolation, sustaining near-fatal burns and lung damage. He is rescued by Palpatine, who sensed his apprentice's impending defeat during his own duel with Yoda.
Palpatine reconstructs his apprentice's ruined body with extensive prosthetics, and then suits him in the iconic suit of black armor first seen in A New Hope. Once Vader regains consciousness, Palpatine tells him that Padmé had died as a result of Vader's anger. (She had in fact died in childbirth after delivering Luke and Leia.) As Palpatine intended, this half-truth breaks what remains of his apprentice's spirit, leaving him nothing but his service to his master and the newly declared Galactic Empire.
Original trilogy
In the original Star Wars trilogy, Darth Vader is the primary antagonist: a dark, ruthless figure, out to capture, torture, or kill the protagonists to prevent them from thwarting the Empire.
Battling the Rebellion and his son
Events in this section occur in the films A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back.In A New Hope, set 19 years after the fall of the Jedi, Vader is charged with recovering the stolen plans of the Death Star and finding the Rebel Alliance's secret base. He captures and tortures Princess Leia and, along with Death Star commander Grand Moff Tarkin, destroys her homeworld of Alderaan. Shortly afterward, he duels his former master, Obi-Wan, who has arrived at the Death Star to rescue Leia, and cuts him down, turning him into a spirit in the Force. He then encounters his son, Luke, during the Battle of Yavin, and senses in him a great strength in the Force — confirmed moments later when the boy destroys the battle station.
In The Empire Strikes Back, Vader kidnaps Leia, Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), and C-3PO on the planet Bespin to lure Luke into a confrontation. He strikes a deal with the planet's governor, Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) to give Han over to the bounty hunter Boba Fett (Jeremy Bulloch), and has Han frozen in carbonite. Luke, who has been partially trained by Yoda, duels Vader, but is eventually defeated, losing his right hand to the Sith Lord's lightsaber. Vader then reveals his true identity as Luke's father and offers Luke the chance to overthrow Palpatine and rule the galaxy as father and son. Luke refuses, throwing himself down the deep Bespin mine shaft. He is sucked into a garbage chute and rescued by Leia, C-3PO, Chewbacca and Lando. He is fitted with a robotic hand to replace the one Vader had cut off. They then go to rescue Han from Jabba the Hutt, to whom Boba Fett has delivered Han's frozen body.
Redemption and Death
Events described in this section occur in the film Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. More information is available in the plot summary.
In Return of the Jedi, Vader is charged with overseeing the completion of the second Death Star, with Moff Jerjerrod (Michael Pennington) as his immediate subordinate. He meets with Palpatine onboard the half-constructed station to plan Luke's turn to the dark side.
By this time, Luke has nearly completed his Jedi training, and has learned from a dying Yoda that Vader is indeed his father. He learns about his father's past from Obi-Wan's spirit, and also learns that Leia is his sister. On a mission to the forest moon of Endor, he surrenders to Imperial troops and is brought to Vader. Aboard the Death Star, Luke resists the Emperor's appeals to his anger and fear for his friends, but snaps when Vader telepathically probes his mind, learns of Leia's existence, and threatens to turn her instead. Enraged, Luke nearly kills Vader, severing his father's right hand. He controls his anger at the last minute, however, as he looks at Vader's cybernetic hand and then at his own; he realizes that he is perilously close to suffering his father's fate.
As the Emperor approaches, encouraging Luke to kill Vader and take his place, Luke throws down his lightsaber, refusing to perform the killing blow. Seeing that the young Jedi is a lost cause, the Emperor attacks Luke with Force lightning. Luke writhes in agony under the Emperor's torture, begging his father for help. Unable to bear the sight of his son in pain, Vader turns on his master and throws him into a deep shaft, where he explodes in a fury of dark energies. However, Vader is mortally wounded in the process by the Emperor's lightning.
Moments from death, he begs his son to take off his breath-mask so he could look at Luke "with my own eyes." Luke complies and for the first time, father and son truly see each other. Unmasked, Anakin Skywalker is a sad, withered man in his mid-40s, his skin ghostly pale from not having seen natural light for more than two decades. In his dying breaths, Anakin Skywalker is redeemed, finally admitting to Luke that the good within him was not destroyed after all. Luke escapes with his father's body as the Death Star explodes, destroyed by the Rebel Alliance.
That night, Luke burns his father's Sith armor in the manner of a Jedi's funeral. During the victory celebration on the forest moon of Endor, Luke sees the redeemed spirit of Anakin Skywalker, standing once again with Obi-Wan and Yoda.
Expanded Universe
The Cartoon Network micro series Star Wars: Clone Wars chronicles Anakin's adventures and trials in the many battles of the Clone Wars. The series, which covers the period between just after Episode II and just before Episode III, sees Anakin become a Jedi and galaxy-renowned war hero, and foreshadows the temptations to power and fear of loss that would transform him into Darth Vader.
In the young adult series The Last of The Jedi, Boba Fett, at the age of 14, is hired by Imperial leader Inquisitor Malorum to investigate Padmé Amidala's death at Vader's request. Vader may make a cameo appearances in the upcoming Star Wars live-action TV series, which is slated for a 2009 release and will run approximately 100 episodes.
As chronicled in James Luceno's book Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader, Vader sheds his identity as Anakin Skywalker after incurring his injuries on Mustafar. In the months afterward, he systematically pursues and kills the survivors of the Great Jedi Purge (save Obi-Wan and Yoda); in the process, he fully embraces his new identity as a Sith Lord and disavows any connection to his former Jedi self. The novel also reveals that Vader plans to eventually overthrow Palpatine and rule the Empire himself, and that his primary motivation for betraying the Jedi was that he resented their supposed failure to recognize his power.
In the comic book Vader's Quest, he hires bounty hunters to bring him information about the pilot who brought about the destruction of the Death Star, ultimately meeting his son Luke for the very first time. Later on, in the Alan Dean Foster novel Splinter of the Mind's Eye (which takes place shortly after the events in A New Hope), Vader meets Luke for the second time and combats him in a lightsaber duel on the planet Mimban. On Mimban, Luke nearly defeats Vader, severing his right arm, and Vader suffers massive injuries when he falls into a pit.
In The Star Wars Holiday Special, Vader searches for the Rebels responsible for the destruction of the Death Star, almost thwarting Han and Chewbacca's goal of reaching Kashyyyk in order for Chewie to reach his family for Life Day.
Vader also has a prominent role in the 1996 novel/comic/video game Shadows of the Empire, which takes place between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. In the story, Prince Xizor, leader of the crime organization Black Sun, plots to overthrow Vader and take his place as the Emperor's second in command. The story also gives more insight into Vader's thoughts and ambitions as it reveals that he knows there is some good left in him and that he wishes to heal his body through the Force and return his physical appearance to that of his former self. At one point in the novel, Vader is in his chamber with his suit completely removed as he attempts to heal his body.
Vader also makes occasional appearances in Dark Horse's Star Wars comic books set between the movies, especially Star Wars: Empire.
In the Thrawn trilogy, it is explained that Darth Vader was the first representative of the Empire to find the Noghri, a race with exceptional combat skills, whom he manipulated into serving as his personal commandos and revering him as their master. Later, Vader transferred their services to Grand Admiral Thrawn.
Leia Organa Solo, who was initially horrified to learn that Vader was her father, eventually forgave him after learning her family's full history, as chronicled in the book Tatooine Ghost. She named her youngest son Anakin in remembrance of her father's redemption .
In the novel The Unifying Force of the New Jedi Order series, set 30 years after A New Hope, Anakin's voice would speak to his grandson, Jacen Solo, telling him to "Stand firm" in his battle with the Supreme Overlord of the Yuuzhan Vong.
Behind the scenes
Portrayals
During filming of A New Hope, David Prowse played the role of Darth Vader. To his dismay, after filming, James Earl Jones was hired to read Vader's lines over Prowse's performance; Orson Welles was originally considered for the role until Lucas decided he was too recognizable. He was instead chosen to voice-over the teaser trailer for A New Hope. Prowse was originally given the choice between the roles of Chewbacca and Darth Vader. He chose Darth Vader because he said "people would remember him." Prowse wore the Vader suit and Jones provided Vader's voice for all of the films in the original trilogy. Jones has since been closely identified with the role.
The character of Darth Vader was also played by several stunt doubles, most notably fencing instructor Bob Anderson. Anderson handled all of Vader's fight sequences in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Mark Hamill (who portrayed Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy) noted in a 1983 interview in Starlog #72: "Bob Anderson was the man who actually did Vader’s fighting. It was always supposed to be a secret, but I finally told George I didn’t think it was fair any more. Bob worked so hard that he deserves some recognition. It’s ridiculous to preserve the myth that it’s all done by one man."
In 1978, Jones returned as the voice of Darth Vader (footage of Prowse in the suit is actually unused footage from A New Hope) in The Star Wars Holiday Special, as well as to shoot new footage that was released with the Star Wars: The Interactive Video Board Game, when it was released in 1996.
Actor and former Industrial Light & Magic visual effects artist C. Andrew Nelson has also portrayed Vader at a number of events for Lucasfilm, as well as the video games Rebel Assault II and Dark Forces, and in new footage filmed for the Special Edition releases of the original three Star Wars films in 1997. Over the years Nelson has also appeared as Vader on various television shows and in numerous commercials.
For Revenge of the Sith, Hayden Christensen (who had played Anakin Skywalker since Attack of the Clones) wore the Vader suit, instead of Prowse. However, as he is shorter than Prowse, certain perspective trickery was used to make him seem as physically large as Prowse: a slightly scaled-down costume was created for him; the costume had extensions built into the boots and helmet; and some of the shots of Vader standing next to Palpatine were filmed using forced perspective. James Earl Jones again supplied Vader's voice.
Character creation and concepts
The character of Darth Vader was not originally planned to be a suited cyborg. The current image of Vader was created when concept artist Ralph McQuarrie drew the opening scene where the Rebel ship Tantive IV was being boarded. It was initially imagined that Darth Vader would fly through space to enter the ship, necessitating a suit and breathing mask. This was later made permanent and incorporated in the story.
The iconic breathing sound of his respirator was created by sound designer Ben Burtt, who created the sound by simply recording himself breathing into an old Dacor scuba regulator. Vader's musical leitmotif is The Imperial March.
In a 2005 interview, George Lucas was asked the origins of the name "Darth Vader", and replied: "Darth is a variation of dark. And Vader is a variation of father. So it's basically Dark Father." (Rolling Stone, June 2, 2005). "Vader" is the Dutch word for "father" (the Dutch word is instead pronounced "fah-der"), and the German word for "father" (Vater) is similar. However, in the earliest scripts for Star Wars, the name "Darth Vader" was given to a human Imperial general.
Vader's revelation to Luke that he is his father is one of the most famous movie plot twists of all time. An IMDb poll on 10 November 2003 asked users to choose which one of a set of movie spoilers was too infamous to be considered a spoiler anymore; Vader's true identity was a clear winner, by a 40% margin.
In France, Vader is known as Dark Vador (and, therefore, Dark replaces Darth for the French names of all other Sith Lords). One explanation could be that the French use le water-closet as slang for "toilet", and aller aux waters for "going to the toilet". Since the French pronunciation of "water" sounds somewhat similar to "Vader", the name was changed to avoid puns. However, Quebec French does not use the aforementioned slang terms, and so Vader keeps his original name in French Canada.
Cultural figure
Due to his central role, Vader has entered the public consciousness as the quintessential villain. His powerful baritone voice, coupled with his heavy breathing, is easily recognizable, and the American Film Institute's list of the greatest movie villains placed him third, after Hannibal Lecter and Norman Bates. He has been parodied by such figures as "Dark Helmet" from Spaceballs, "Duck Vader" from Tiny Toon Adventures, "Dearth Nadir" as played by Gonzo on The Muppet Show's "Pigs in Space" sketch, "Girth Plotz" from an episode of Animaniacs that parodied the first trilogy, "Darth Koopa" from The Super Mario Bros. Super Show, "Dark Laser" from The Fairly OddParents, an episode of Codename: Kids Next Door where President Jimmy dressed in black and, now devoted to evil, takes over the school and country singer Darth Brooks in Late Night With Conan O'Brien. Also, Chef from South Park became Darth Chef in The Return of Chef. Another kind of tribute to Darth Vader comes from Stargate SG-1, in which there are similarities between Anubis and Vader, played for both dramatic and comic effect (complete with Death Star-esque spaceship and superweapon), and his name is mentioned when the issue of Vala's immaculate birth is brought up. Marty McFly in Back to the Future (dressed up in a radiation suit) pretended to be "Darth Vader from the planet Vulcan" in an effort to get his science fiction-loving father to date his mother.
In 2006 sky one aired a programme Ultimate super villains showing the top 20 fictional villains chosen by a panel of experts, Darth Vader came first beating the joker at 2 and the terminator at 3 ( Other Star wars villain Jabba the hut came 20th).
In 2006, Blame Society Productions created a series of short videos featuring Chad Vader: Day Shift Manager. Chad Vader is ostensibly the younger brother of Darth Vader, who wears the same armor and cape, and uses phrases and concepts associated with Darth Vader in the context of a modern-day grocery store.
The name Darth Vader as a cultural metaphor
Vader's name has become a synonym for evil. Lucas has pointed to Vader's iconic status as a reason he made the prequel movies, since he felt the icon overshadowed the fact that Vader was intended to be a tragic character.
- On June 22, 2006 U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney called himself the Darth Vader of the Bush administration. Discussing the need to vigorously pursue intelligence, Cheney said to CNN's John King, "It means we need to be able to go after and capture or kill those people who are trying to kill Americans. That's not a pleasant business. It's a very serious business. And I suppose, sometimes, people look at my demeanor and say, well, he's the Darth Vader of the administration."
- In 2005, former Cornell University entomologists Quentin Wheeler and Kelly Miller named 65 new species of slime-mold beetle of the genus Agathidium, with one named after Darth Vader.
- During a major renovation, Washington National Cathedral held a competition for children to design new gargoyles for the west towers. One winner was a design featuring Darth Vader.
- Two significant office buildings in Brisbane, California are highly visible landmarks by the San Francisco Bay. The ominous looking one made of all dark reflective glass has been dubbed the Darth Vader building. The other is the architecturally acclaimed Dakin Building, a brilliant white futuristic antithesis, and is known in the San Francisco Bay area as the Luke Skywalker building.
- Then-Vice President Al Gore referred to TCI's John Malone as "Darth Vader of cable."
- Political strategist Lee Atwater was known by his political enemies as "the Darth Vader of the Republican Party".
See also
Notes and references
- AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes and Villains", American Film Institute, last accessed October 20, 2005.
- Dark Empire II, 2nd edition, 2006. Tom Veitch, Cam Kennedy, Jim Baikie, ISBN 1-5930-7526-X
- http://theforce.net/jedicouncil/editorials/012399.asp
- http://www.theforce.net/jedicouncil/editorials/012399.shtml
- http://www.imdb.com/poll/results/2003-11-10
- http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/22/sitroom.03.html
- http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/April05/slime-mold.Bush.Cheney.ssl.html
- http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2005/08/22/8270018/index.htm
- http://politics.netscape.com/story/2006/11/07/harvey-leroy-lee-atwater-was-a-republican-political-consultant
Sources
- Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace Novelization, 1st edition paperback, 1999. Terry Brooks, George Lucas, ISBN 0-345-43411-0
- Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones Novelization, 2003. R. A. Salvatore, ISBN 0-345-42882-X
- Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith Novelization, 1st edition hardcover, 2005. Matthew Woodring Stover, George Lucas, ISBN 0-7126-8427-1
- The New Essential Guide to Characters, 1st edition, 2002. Daniel Wallace, Michael Sutfin, ISBN 0-345-44900-2
- The Dark Side Sourcebook, Wizards of the Coast, 1st printing, 2001. Bill Slavicsek, J. D. Wiker, ISBN 0-7869-1849-7
- Vader: The Ultimate Guide, 2005.
- Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary, hardcover, 1998. Dr. David West Reynolds, ISBN 0-7894-3481-4
- Star Wars: The Phantom Menace: The Visual Dictionary, hardcover, 1999. Dr. David West Reynolds, ISBN 0-7894-4701-0
- Star Wars: Attack of the Clones: The Visual Dictionary, hardcover, 2002. Dr. David West Reynolds, ISBN 0-7894-8588-5
- Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith: The Visual Dictionary, hardcover, 2005. James Luceno, ISBN 0-7566-1128-8
- Shooting script of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi as available at Internet Movie Script Database
- Shooting script of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith as available at Internet Movie Script Database
- Star Wars Technical Commentaries, Dr. Curtis Saxton, 1995-2005. Available at TheForce.net
- Star Wars Databank. Skywalker, Anakin, Vader, Darth
External links
- Darth Vader at the Star Wars Databank
- Darth Vader on Wookieepedia, a Star Wars wiki
- Anakin Skywalker at the Star Wars Databank
- Anakin Skywalker on Wookieepedia, a Star Wars wiki
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