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Template:SW Character Darth Vader (19 BBY – 4 ABY) is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. He is often considered one of the iconic villains of popular culture for his principal role in the Star Wars films: Revenge of the Sith, A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. However, the full exposition of Vader's story, across all six Star Wars films, reveals his character to be more complex than the standard villain archetype.

Template:Spoiler Born Anakin Skywalker, Darth Vader is the tragic hero in the Star Wars films, and ultimately the central character of the series. He is the husband of Padmé Amidala and the biological father of Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa.

Through his role as the chief protagonist of the prequel movies and chief antagonist of the original three films, Vader has become an iconic villain (more than George Lucas ever intended), and was ranked third on American Film Institute's top 50 villains of all time list.

In the first two films released in the series, Vader is portrayed as the epitome of pure evil — a mass murderer and war criminal who holds an entire galaxy under the sway of an evil empire. However, in Return of the Jedi and the later prequel films, his fall from grace and eventual redemption are explored in greater depth. Indeed, Star Wars creator George Lucas has explained that he considers Vader a victim of the saga's true villain, Palpatine.

In the prequel trilogy, Anakin is believed to be the Chosen One of Jedi prophecy, destined to bring balance to the Force by destroying the Sith. He is taken as a young boy in 32 BBY and trained as a Jedi. Anakin becomes a highly talented Jedi Knight; a distinguished pilot and swordsman with an unprecedented level of Force power. He is a legend of the Clone Wars, in which he fights for the Galactic Republic and is instrumental in several important battles. Despite his nearly unmatchable skills as a Jedi, however, Anakin's tragic flaw — fear of loss — ultimately leads him to the dark side of the Force, transforming him into Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith, in 19 BBY.

History

Overview

Son of Shmi Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker was born in 41.9 BBY. Shmi claims that there was no father and that her pregnancy with Anakin resulted from a virgin conception. Some viewers have drawn parallels between Anakin's origin and the New Testament stories of Jesus' conception and birth, as well as classic mythological stories. Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn suggests that Anakin might have been conceived by the midi-chlorians — the implication being that Anakin is a creation of the Force itself. (According to Palpatine in Revenge of the Sith, the Sith Lord Darth Plagueis learned to provoke midi-chlorians into producing life—some have viewed this as a clue to Anakin's origins.) Lucas has said that all these issues were left deliberately ambiguous, and that it has been left for the audience to decide how Anakin was created. Still, controversy rages over Anakin's origins, and producer Rick McCallum's recent DVD commentary has added fuel to the fire.

After his fall, Vader is viewed as a cruel and frightening figure: his signature method of imposing terror is using the Force to strangle people. This may echo Vader's own frustration at his injuries. In A New Hope, Vader's aggressive instincts are somewhat restrained by orders to serve under Grand Moff Tarkin for that time; when Admiral Motti challenges Vader's "sad devotion" to the Force, Tarkin does not allow Vader to choke Motti to death, only long enough to make his point. The death of Tarkin aboard the Death Star removes any apparent check on Vader's power; after this point, Vader appears to be subordinate only to the Emperor himself. Throughout the rest of the trilogy, Imperial officers universally react with fear and dread at Vader's presence. This fear is not unwarranted, as both Admiral Ozzel and Captain Needa die by Vader's hand in The Empire Strikes Back. Curiously, Admiral Piett survives Vader's wrath when he loses the Millennium Falcon in an asteroid field; Lucas characterizes this uncharacteristic mercy as a result of Vader's ambivalence about his son, Luke.

(Everything between the symbols "***" is also on an article called Anakin Skywalker.)

Childhood and discovery

Anakin Skywalker first appears as a kind, selfless nine-year-old boy (played by Jake Lloyd) and a slave along with his mother. A child prodigy, Anakin excels at mathematics and engineering. Even at this young age, he can build or repair most things, evidenced by the creation of his own protocol droid, C-3PO, and podracer, each from salvaged parts. He is also a remarkable pilot with quick reflexes.

Anakin is found on Tatooine by Qui-Gon Jinn, who is convinced that he is the Chosen One foretold by prophecy to bring balance to the Force. Some of his incredible abilities may be attributed to this unique Force-adeptness; for instance, Qui-Gon attributes Anakin's piloting talent to the Force, which allows Anakin to "see things before they happen." Anakin forms a strong bond with Queen Padmé Amidala, whom Qui-Gon and his padawan apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi, 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 over the Trade Federation in the Battle of Naboo. Later, a dying Qui-Gon, slain by Darth Maul, urges Obi-Wan to train Anakin, and the Council reluctantly approves. Palpatine, newly-elected as the Republic's Supreme Chancellor, befriends the boy, promising to "watch his career with great interest."

Clone Wars

Anakin, played by Hayden Christensen, is now a young adult and Obi-Wan's apprentice. Because his natural abilities place him leaps and bounds above his peers, he has developed into an arrogant and socially awkward loner in his years of Jedi training. His relationship with his master is complicated; although he says Obi-Wan is like a father to him, he chafes against his authority and believes he is holding him back. Frustrated, he 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 is assigned to guard Padmé, who is now a senator of her home planet, Naboo. His childhood fascination with her has now become a powerful infatuation, and the two ultimately fall in love, despite her many reservations. In conversation, 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. He finds her in a camp of Tusken Raiders, but is too late; battered beyond recognition, she dies in his arms. Seized by a blind rage, he slaughters the entire tribe of Tuskens, including the women and children. Yoda and the deceased Qui-Gon feel Anakin's Force presence turn "dark," and fear that this marks the beginning of the end for Obi-Wan's young apprentice. Padmé is clearly troubled by what he has done, 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 Separatist droid forces, and 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 the Jedi and the clone army, Anakin engages Separatist leader (and fallen Jedi) Count Dooku in a lightsaber battle, but is easily defeated by the older, more experienced warrior, who wounds him in battle, severing his lower right arm. He is fitted with a cybernetic replacement, and then marries Padmé in a secret ceremony, with C-3PO and his counterpart, R2-D2, as witnesses.

Transformation into Vader

After having gone off to fight in the Clone Wars, Anakin and Obi-Wan return to Coruscant and board the Separatist flagship The Invisible Hand on a mission to rescue Palpatine from Count Dooku. In the ensuing battle, Dooku uses the Force to choke and then fling Obi-Wan aside, forcing Anakin to face the Sith Lord alone. It is a short duel, and one which Anakin wins relatively easily. Dooku is continuously pushed back, taken off guard by the force behind each blow, and Anakin neatly sears off both of the Sith apprentice's hands. Palpatine then commands Anakin to behead the stunned Count. Anakin complies, but instantly regrets it; to kill a defenseless prisoner is not the Jedi way. Palpatine, though, reassures Anakin that Dooku "was too dangerous to be kept alive." After rescuing the Chancellor, Anakin finds that the flagship is in critical condition, and with some help from Obi-Wan, barely manages to safely land it on an airstrip.

Back on Coruscant, Padmé tells him she is pregnant. Though initially overjoyed, Anakin is plagued by prophetic visions of her death in childbirth — much like the one he had of his mother just before she died.

Palpatine, who continues to be a close friend and mentor, makes Anakin his representative on the Jedi Council. The suspicious Council accepts him, but denies him the rank of Jedi Master, and orders 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 Mace Windu. 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 and seemingly helpless 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, scarring and deforming Palpatine's face into a wizened mask of wrinkled skin. The attack continues unabated until Palpatine suddenly tires, giving Windu a chance to strike a death blow. Palpatine cowers, begging Anakin to save him. Anakin pleads with Windu to spare Palpatine's life under the pretext of due process; Windu refuses, saying that Palpatine is too dangerous to be kept alive. Windu prepares to deliver the final blow, but Anakin then severs Windu's sword hand with his own lightsaber.

As Windu screams in agony, Palpatine springs to life and hurls another torrent of lightning at the Jedi Master, electrocuting him before throwing him out the window to his apparent death. Realizing the enormity of what he has done, Anakin is stricken with guilt, but he is too emotionally drained to resist Palpatine's offer to teach him the power of the dark side and save Padmé's life. Without hesitation, he pledges himself to the dark side and is renamed Darth Vader.

Vader's first task as a Sith Lord is to assault the Jedi Temple and to kill everyone inside, even the youngling children. He does this without question, slaughtering venerable Jedi and children alike. He is then sent to Mustafar to assassinate Nute Gunray and other Separatist leaders. After completing this task, he is met by Padmé, who pleads 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 and confronts Vader. Suspecting betrayal, Vader angrily uses the Force to choke Padmé, leaving her unconscious on the landing platform. The former partners and friends then engage in a ferocious lightsaber duel throughout the mining complex. Vader tries to engage his master with a Force jump. Obi-Wan is prepared, however, and severs Vader's remaining limbs in midair, leaving him for dead on the hot sands. As Vader tries to drag himself up the bank and away from the lava river, he suffers immolation: nearly fatal burns and extensive lung damage from inhaling superheated air. Miraculously, Vader manages to crawl up the bank away from the lava river and, through sheer will and connection to the Force, lingers on until rescued by Palpatine, who sensed Vader's impending defeat after his own duel with Yoda.

Palpatine revives Vader with extensive cybernetic enhancements, including a respirator and a fearsome breath mask. Palpatine then tells Vader that, in his anger, he has killed his own wife. (In fact, Padmé died in childbirth on Polis Massa after delivering healthy twins.) In a state of shock, Vader shakes the room with the Force, breaks his bindings on the operating table and struggles to walk under the sheer weight of his new legs. Overwhelmed with grief by the belief that he has killed his wife (and, presumably, his unborn child), the only thing that remains in his life is his service to his master, the new Emperor of the galaxy.

Although Vader remains a formidable warrior (second only to Palpatine in his dark side potential), the grave injuries he sustains during the duel with Obi-Wan greatly reduce his power with the Force; as Vader, he is a mere shadow of his former Jedi self. Lucas claims that had Vader not been dismembered, he would have been twice as powerful as Palpatine, but that he is only 80% as powerful post-Mustafar.

The events of Revenge of the Sith also had a significant effect on Anakin's identity. Yoda and Obi-Wan both asserted at various times that Anakin Skywalker was destroyed and consumed by Vader when he turned to the dark side. The novelization of Revenge of the Sith, on the other hand, clearly makes the point that Darth Vader is Anakin Skywalker. While Lucas justified his replacement of Sebastian Shaw with Christensen in the finale of the 2004 DVD release of Return of the Jedi with an explanation that upon his redemption Anakin reverted to his inner, uncorrupted self, Star Wars seems to also approach the question with the implication that there is no simple answer to it; as Obi-Wan tells Luke during his explanation of Vader's identity, "Many of the truths we cling to depend greatly upon our own point of view."

Fighting the rebellion

Nineteen years later, Vader is sent on a mission to retrieve the stolen plans of the Death Star and locate the hidden base of the Rebel Alliance. He boards the Tantive IV, capturing Princess Leia and bringing her to the Death Star. An elderly Obi-Wan, along with Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, attempt to rescue Leia during their escape from the Death Star. Vader stops Obi-Wan on his way out and engages him in a lightsaber duel. As Obi-Wan sees that if he escapes with Luke and company it would be too late, he sacrifices himself by leaving himself open to Vader's attack and becomes a spirit in the Force in order to guide Luke.

By putting a homing beacon on the Millennium Falcon, Vader traces Luke, Han and Leia to the rebel base at Yavin IV. During the Rebel attack on the Death Star, Vader pilots a distinctive TIE/Advanced fighter in pursuit of the Rebel X-Wing starfighters. Vader gets a lock on Luke's X-wing, noting that "the Force is strong with this one", but is distracted by Han Solo who is piloting the Millennium Falcon just in time to save Luke. His ship collides with Black 3, his remaining wingman, and is sent hurtling into space, ultimately sparing his life, as the Death Star is destroyed moments later.

Battling his son

Vader is now at the forefront of the continuing attempt to suppress the Rebellion. He has already known about Luke Skywalker, and is desperate to find him. He leads the imperial troops on a full military assault on the rebel base hidden at the ice world of Hoth, and then pursues the escaping Millennium Falcon through an asteroid field. After hiding in the blind spot of a Star Destroyer, the Falcon sets course to Cloud City, followed by Boba Fett, a bounty hunter hired by Vader. While on this pursuit, the Emperor contacts Vader via hologram, giving him a new mission to capture Luke Skywalker.

Vader uses his influence to make a deal with Lando Calrissian to kidnap Han, Leia, and the droids, creating a trap for Luke at Cloud City. Luke, who by now has been trained by Yoda, arrives and finds his way to the carbonite freezing facility, where Vader is planning to freeze him for transport to the Emperor. The two duel and Luke attempts an escape from Cloud City. Vader corners and defeats Luke, cutting off his right hand. He then reveals his true identity of being Luke's father, trying to persuade Luke to join him so that they can destroy the Emperor and rule the galaxy as father and son. Luke, although shaken by this stunning claim, refuses to join Vader and escapes.

Redemption of Anakin Skywalker

In the final installment of the series, but the third to be produced, Vader is charged with overseeing the completion of the second Death Star, with Moff Jerjerrod 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 and 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, finally severing his father's mechanical 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 finish 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. By destroying both the Emperor and himself (as Darth Vader), Anakin fulfills the prophecy that claimed he would bring balance to the Force, but he is mortally wounded by the Emperor's lightning in the process.

Moments from death, Anakin begs his son to take off his breath-mask so they see each other face-to-face. Luke complies and, for the first time, father and son look into each other's eyes. Freed from the mask that had caged his head for half his life, Anakin is a sad, withered man in his mid-forties, his skin ghostly pale from not having seen natural light for more than two decades. Through sunken eyes, he looks up at his son and back at a lifetime of regret. 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 (and whatever remains inside) in the manner of a Jedi's funeral. During the victory celebration on the forest moon of Endor, Luke is able to see the redeemed spirit of Anakin Skywalker, standing once again with Obi-Wan and Yoda.

Vader in the Expanded Universe

In the young adult series The Last of The Jedi, Boba Fett, at the age of fourteen, is hired by Imperial leader Inquisitor Malorum to investigate Padmé's death at Vader's request. The book Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader, a sequel to Revenge of the Sith, focuses on Vader's mission to hunt down the remaining Jedi who were not killed in the Great Jedi Purge. Vader is expected to at least make cameo appearances in the upcoming Star Wars live-action TV series, which is slated for either a 2007 or 2008 release, and will run 100 episodes.

In the comic book Vader's Quest, he hires bounty hunters to bring him information about the author of 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 for the first time on the planet Mimban. On Mimban, Vader suffers massive injuries when he falls into a pit. The extent as to which these new injuries may have worsened his condition (if at all) is somewhat disputed among the Star Wars fanbase.

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 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 in an attempt to return his physical appearance to that of his former self (Anakin).

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, and 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 the Battle of Yavin in 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.

Even taking the Expanded Universe into account, Darth Vader appears to have been one of the last Sith Lords to use the title "Darth".

Possible interpretations of the Jedi prophecy

The Jedi Prophecy is a frequent source of debate among fans. In particular, Anakin's status as the Chosen One is regularly disputed. His role in the destruction of the Jedi was an ancillary one, as much of the plan was already underway long before Anakin's fall; indeed, it began with the invasion of Naboo, when he was only a child. Still, Anakin's pivotal role is indisputable, ranging from his intervention in Windu and Sidious's duel in the Chancellor's office, to the enormous influence that his progeny wield in the original trilogy as well as the Expanded Universe.

Many fans argue that Anakin fulfilled the Jedi Prophecy by bringing a new "balance" to the Force by nearly eliminating the Jedi. In this viewpoint, the Jedi and the Sith metaphorically represent two opposing weights on a scale, with an excess of either disrupting the balance of the Force. Adherents of this view find it particularly noteworthy that, by the end of Episode III, there is a precisely equal number of Jedi and Sith: Obi-Wan and Yoda, Sidious and Vader. Frequently cited as evidence for this interpretation is Yoda's warning to Obi-Wan that the prophecy "misread, could have been." In the Episode III DVD featurette "The Chosen One," Lucas summarizes as follows: "The Prophecy is that Anakin will bring balance to the Force and destroy the Sith. He becomes Darth Vader; Darth Vader does become the hero, Darth Vader does destroy the Sith; meaning himself and the Emperor. He does it because he is redeemed by his son." Lucas gave a similar explanation in the final VHS release of the original trilogy in November 2000: " Episodes IV, V and VI,...Anakin's offspring redeem him, and allow him to fulfill the Prophecy, and bring balance to the Force by doing away with the Sith, and getting rid of evil in the universe."

It is presumed that the Chosen One of the Jedi Prophecy must be of virgin birth (as Anakin allegedly was), since Yoda for instance, despite his historical number of midi-chlorians, is never regarded as a candidate for the prophecy. However, the exact text of the prophecy is never revealed in the films, so it may not be possible to conclude that the Chosen One must be born of a virgin. One possible piece of evidence supporting this theory comes from an early draft of A New Hope. A quote was originally to precede the "A Long Time Ago" text:

...and in a time of greatest despair,

there shall come a savior, and he shall

be known as the Son of the Suns.

Journal of the Whills 3:127

Indeed, at the conclusion of Episode I and Episode VI, a voice in the cheering crowd can be heard to cry out "The Son of Suns!", thus giving weight to this being a possible portion of the prophecy.

Also, Vader's story goes hand in hand with the old "Sithari" prophecy, which was briefly mentioned in the video game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, in which it is said that one Sith would destroy the Jedi, then lead the Sith to greatness, but, at the same time, ensure their utter destruction.

Yet another view held by only a small amount of fans claims that the idea of "balance" in the Force has nothing to do with either there being an equal number of Jedi and Sith or necessarily just the destruction of the Sith. Instead advocates of this particular view believe that the "balance" in the Force is the balance between positive and negative energy throughout the universe. They claim that the average sentient being contributes a sizable amount of negative energy to the universe throughout their lifetime by means of what we would call normal and natural emotions like anger, jealousy, etc. Multiplied by the trillions of beings in the Star Wars universe, this amounts to a massive dark side shift in the cosmic balance. Theoretically, a relatively small number of beings dedicated to pure good and service of the light side of the Force are able to balance against all the negative energy contributed by everyone else and maintain relative balance in the universe. The presence of the Sith, it is believed, serves to once again tip the cosmic scale in favor of the dark side. Therefore the claim that in order to have "balance" in the Force that there should be no Sith is relatively justified based on this particular viewpoint

Lightsaber training

Anakin Skywalker was trained by the Order's most promising Jedi Knight, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Through him, Anakin would inherit a rich tradition of lightsaber pedigree. Anakin's style featured elements of many masters that made him outstandingly talented at a very young age.

Anakin Skywalker was trained in classic Form V (Shien) lightsaber combat. An aggressive style which focuses on strength and lightsaber attack moves, Shien takes the defensive principles of Form III (Soresu), the style practiced by Obi-Wan Kenobi, and converts them to offensive moves. With Anakin's exceptionally high concentration of midi-chlorians, he mastered Shien faster than any other Padawan in the Order. By the time of Attack of the Clones, Anakin began to believe he was one of the best swordsmen in the Order. However, Anakin's frequent application of Form V, a style that tends to foster an inappropriate focus on dominating others, clouded his judgment and pulled him to the dark side of the Force frequently during his numerous battles in the Clone Wars.

Ultimately Anakin would learn his lesson against Count Dooku at the Battle of Geonosis. No match for the seasoned focus and skills of Dooku's Form II Makashi swordplay, a style of elegance and precision, Anakin lost his right forearm and was only narrowly saved by Master Yoda at the end of Episode II. Appreciative at last of how much he had to learn, Anakin spent the next three years of the Clone Wars honing his Form V skills. Apart from Shien, Skywalker mastered Djem So during the Clone Wars, a Form V style beyond the classic Shien. According to Count Dooku in Revenge of the Sith novelization, Anakin's mastery of Djem So was the greatest he had ever seen in his life.

In the rematch with Count Dooku at the Battle of Coruscant, Anakin's mastery in Djem So, combined with his young age, better physical condition, impressive strength, and considerable reserve of Force energy, enabled Anakin to tear through the precision and elegance of Makashi and break through Dooku's tenacious defense. By defeating Dooku, who was at the time the second greatest lightsaber duelist in the galaxy, Anakin accomplished what Kenobi had failed to achieve twice. Anakin seemed to have proven his mastery of the Force, and established himself as one of the greatest swordsmen in the Order, next to only Yoda.

As a Sith Lord, Vader is known to have used both a blue lightsaber (usually a color of Jedi lightsabers) and a red lightsaber (a color more typical of the Sith).

Loss to Obi-Wan

Anakin's fatal flaw was his rage. Though younger, more athletic, and gifted with more raw Force power than Obi-Wan, he lacked the experience, calmness, and focus which his master possessed. Kenobi held a psychological edge since it was he who traditionally would win in their sparring days. Though Anakin could call on the Dark Side to overpower his opponents, his mounting emotions could also distract him from executing as well as his master. Whereas Anakin's strength lay in his offensive barrage, Kenobi's resided in his defense. Obi-Wan was the greatest defensive master in the Order and his absolute dedication to Soresu would prove vital to his win. Frustrated by his inability to break this defense, Anakin would make mistakes that he wouldn't have made had he been able to remain focused and patient. Like his duel with Grievous, Kenobi would rely on his "wait them out" philosophy. That is to rely on Soresu entirely until there is a hole in the opponent's offensive barrage, and to immediately slash away with some broad Ataru strokes. In both cases this resulted in the detachment of his opponent's limbs. But in the end of the ferocious battle on Mustafar, Anakin held the upper hand in his fighting skills until the point where Kenobi placed himself on higher, solid ground. At that point, Anakin's fatal mistake was not in his prowess, but in his mind.

Swordplay as Darth Vader

In his mechanical life-support suit, Darth Vader could no longer engage in the energetic acrobatics of Ataru. For the remainder of his life, he would maintain his mastery of Form V Djem So and Shien. He also experimented in some Form II Makashi, used by Count Dooku, as evidenced by his formal one-handed duel against Luke Skywalker on Cloud City. Taking the proper lessons from his loss to Kenobi, he apparently learned how to control his emotions when in combat, finding a way to call upon the power of the dark side while not being blinded by emotions run amok.

Talents

Darth Vader is a brilliant strategist and one of the greatest pilots in the galaxy. Vader still possesses his former persona's amazing engineering skills, having overseen the design of the TIE/Advanced fighter and the construction of the second Death Star. His talent with the lightsaber is legendary. All of these skills, however, are secondary to his incredible mastery of the Force. He was born with the highest known midichlorian count (a measure of Force-aptitude) in the history of the galaxy, surpassing that of both Yoda and the Emperor. However, Lucas states that his injuries on Mustafar cost Vader much of his Force potential. Lucas claims that, as a masked and suited Darth Vader, Anakin has roughly 80% of the power of the Emperor. Had he sustained none of his injuries on Mustafar, he would have been about twice as powerful. The delicate electrical systems of Vader's suit are the reason he cannot create Force lightning, as Dooku and Palpatine could ( Note: In the Star Wars comic book Splinter of the Mind's Eye, Darth Vader can be seen using Force lightning. )

In The Empire Strikes Back, Vader was able to block Han Solo's blaster bolts with his hand. One explanation is that Vader used the Force (because there is a Force power in Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords called Force Deflection that allows the player to block blaster bolts without a lightsaber), while an Expanded Universe novel states that Vader's right glove was indestructible.

Vader also has great physical strength, which he demonstrates in his first and last appearances in the original trilogy: lifting a Rebel captain by the throat with one hand in A New Hope, and picking up the Emperor and hurling him to his death in Return of the Jedi. The Expanded Universe has shown him punching through the skulls of savage animals and bludgeoning opposing Jedi to their knees with one blow.

Anakin was trained in Form V lightsaber combat by Obi-Wan, one of the greatest swordsmen in the galaxy, and quickly developed incredible skill in the form, which he retained even after his fall to the dark side.

In battle, Darth Vader lacked the mobility and ease he once had, but his bionic suit gave him sheer strength. His blows were forceful even when using only one arm to fight. He was calm when fighting, rarely using acrobatics. He struck to kill and used psychology and his appearance to intimidate his foes. When striking with both hands on the grip of his lightsaber, he was able to pound his enemies with an onslaught of strong but somewhat slow strikes. This fighting style contrasted with Anakin's style before his disfigurement, which utilized more speed and acrobatics. This a fairly accepted explanation for the less-elaborate saber fighting in the original trilogy as compared to the prequel trilogy. Luke's less-developed saber skills were ostensibly a result of his minimal training. While most padawans were trained from early ages for at least a good 15 years, Luke started very late. However, the most widely accepted explanation for the slower combat of the original trilogy is the lack of "film magic" in the 1970s, considering Obi-Wan also fought slowly in A New Hope at age 57, despite Count Dooku fighting with intense speed in the prequels at age 80+.

Armor and cybernetic enhancements

Even before his transformation into Vader, Anakin was a cyborg: he had a prosthetic installed after his natural right forearm was severed while dueling with Count Dooku on Geonosis in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. As a result of his later disfigurement on Mustafar, Vader was substantially augmented with cybernetic implants: he must wear his armor at all times when he is not meditating in his pressurized containment-chamber. A towering figure, the suited Darth Vader is nearly 6 feet 8 inches (2.02 meters) tall.

Vader's armor is built around a plastoid girdle that protects his organic and synthetic internal organs. More visible durasteel plates cover his shoulders, upper body and shins. He wears a suit of quilted, flexible, blast-dampening, multi-ply padding, and a cloak of armor weave. His gloves and hands are made with a unique micronized iron that can deflect anything short of a lightsaber blow. His famous mask and helmet, resembling the head of an ancient Sith droid, contain various vision- and auditory-enhancing equipment, as well as the respirator that causes the Dark Lord's ominous breathing sound.

Vader's life support system includes a chest-worn, computerized control panel unit that regulates his respiratory functions. Three slot-like dataports offered diagnostic checks of his pulmonary, respiratory and neural systems. Upon closer examination, the chestplate has Hebrew lettering which has been translated as, "His deeds will not be forgiven, until he merits.". On his belt, Vader wears two small system function boxes. The one on his right featured a temperature regulation system. On his left, he wears a respiratory sensor matrix. The center buckle features an audio enhancement unit built into the electromagnetic clasp. The armor also enables him to breathe in vacuum while protecting him from the coldness of space.

Besides the life support it provides his ravaged body, Vader's armor may also offer some moderate degree of protection against lightsabers. In the climactic duel of The Empire Strikes Back, a blow from Luke's lightsaber appears to bounce off Vader's armor, eliciting a yell of pain from the Sith Lord. However, perhaps in a show of foresight by Palpatine, the system is vulnerable to Force lightning, contributing to Vader's death in Return of the Jedi.

The suit's susceptibility to Sith lightning is the likely reason behind Vader never using the attack. Also, since the suit is apparently not grounded or shielded against electricity, it is theorized that a simple ion blaster, normally used on errant droids, would be able to fry the electronics in Vader's suit. Since no character ever attempted to assault Vader with an ion blaster, this remains speculation.

Portrayals

• Hayden Christensen - Age 22 (Revenge of the Sith)
• David Prowse - Ages 41, 44, 45 (A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi)
• James Earl Jones - Ages 22, 41, 44, 45 (voice) (Revenge of the Sith, A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi)

The character of Darth Vader also involved several stunt doubles, most notably fencing instructor Bob Anderson, who handled all of Vader's fight sequences in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Industrial Light & Magic employee C. Andrew Nelson has also portrayed Vader at a number of events for Lucasfilm, as well as the videogame Rebel Assault II, and in new footage filmed for the Special Edition releases of the original three Star Wars films in 1997. In 1978, Prowse and Jones returned as Vader 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.

Behind the scenes

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. Vader's head gear resembles a Japanese kabuto (兜), which is consistent with the samurai-like order of the Jedi and kendo-like lightsaber duels. It also resembles a German World War II-era Stahlhelm. Vader's leitmotif is The Imperial March. 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.

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", 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 normal Imperial general. Judging by the origin of the other Sith names, Vader may also possibly be a derivative of the word "invader." In the movie's novelization Darth Sidious conjures the name from the Dark Side—"Darth Vader" is supposed to mean him, supposedly a nod to his status as the Chosen One. (In A New Hope, Obi-Wan refers to him as "Darth", implying that at that point in the series, Darth Vader was a personal name rather than a Sith title.)

Lucas took the name "Anakin", which in Sanskirt means "warrior", from his friend and fellow film director, Ken Annakin.

As Vader fits the classic stock character of the Black Knight, some have noted that Vader bears more than a passing resemblance to other villains. One is the classic Marvel Universe supervillain Doctor Doom. (This is further alluded in Stephen King's Dark Tower novels in which so-called "Doombots" appear that wear green hoods and iron wolf masks, much like Doom, and carry lightsabers.) Similarities have also been noted with the evil brother Hakaider, from the manga and tokusatsu series Kikaider, and the Mule, a villain in Isaac Asimov's Foundation Trilogy. A resemblance has also been noted to the Lord of the Nazgûl, also called the Witch-King of Angmar, from J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings; both Vader and the Witch-King represent formerly good men who were corrupted by evil, dress in black, have a supernaturally fearsome presence and a hidden, pale form, are kept alive unnaturally, and serve at the hands of Dark Lords.

The scene in which Vader is reborn as a cyborg is compared to the creation of the monster in the 1931 film Frankenstein—like Frankenstein, Vader lies on a table to be rebuilt, and when the task is complete, his master (like Dr. Frankenstein) brings him to life still in the restraints, which Vader breaks out of.

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, "Darth Koopa" from The Super Mario Bros. Super Show, "Dark Laser" from The Fairly Odd Parents, "Darth Butch" from Neglected Mario Characters, 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. 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 serious effect, 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 dad to date his mom.

Vader's name has become a synonym for evil; for example, political strategist Lee Atwater was known as "the Darth Vader of the Republican Party." George 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.

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 forty-percent margin.

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, is known int the San Francisco Bay area as the Luke Skywalker building.

With the release of Revenge of the Sith, Vader's popularity has seen an increase. His exaggerated and mournful howl of "NOOO!" also achieved notoriety.

Notes and references

1. "AFI's 100 Years…100 Heroes and Villains", American Film Institute, last accessed October 20, 2005.
2. In its appraisal of Vader's injuries, the Star Wars Technical Commentaries states: "Was the physically oppressive nature of Vader's breathing difficulties great enough to affect his disposition or add to his aggression? Perhaps it is significant that he used telekinetic strangulation more often then any other method of intimidating or killing those who frustrated him."
3. "This is how it feels to be Anakin Skywalker, forever…You remember the dragon that you brought Vader forth from your heart to slay…And there is one blazing moment in which you finally understand that there was no dragon. That there was no Vader. That there was only you. Only Anakin Skywalker. That it was all you. Is you. Only you." —Stover, Revenge of the Sith novelization
4. According to Steve Sansweet of Lucasfilm, the Star Wars Databank entry for Vader , and the script for Return of the Jedi Special Edition, Anakin's body disappears at death in the same way as Obi-Wan's and Yoda's had, though some argue that the movie would have shown his disappearance explicitly if that were the case. The Special Edition script reference that supposedly establishes the disappearance of his body is in text of the scene where Luke cremates his father's armor. The Special Edition script refers to it as empty armor, while the original script refers to it as his father's body. It should also be noted that in the Jedi Academy trilogy Dark Apprentice by Kevin J. Anderson, Luke specifically states that his father's body had disappeared in the same way as Yoda's and Obi-Wan's. However, in the commentary for the Return of the Jedi DVD, Lucas refers to the funeral pyre scene as Luke burning his father's "body."
5. The Visual Dictionary of Star Wars, Episode III (ISBN 0756611288)
6. "Lord Vader's Chestplate", Star Wars Technical Commentaries. (This page discusses the common belief that the text that appears on Darth Vader's chestplate may be Hebrew)
7. Mark Hamill (who portrayed Luke 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."

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 0-786-91849-7
• Vader: The Ultimate Guide, 2005.
• Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary, hardcover, 1998. Dr. David West Reynolds, ISBN 0-789-43481-4
• Star Wars: Attack of the Clones: The Visual Dictionary, hardcover, 2002. Dr. David West Reynolds, ISBN 0-789-48588-5
• Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith: The Visual Dictionary, hardcover, 2005. James Luceno, ISBN 0-756-61128-8
• 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

See also

• The Imperial March
• Skywalker family
• Naberrie family
• Dark Helmet
• Hasbro Darth Vader Voice Changer

External links

• Darth Vader at the Star Wars Databank
• Darth Vader on Wookieepedia, a Star Wars wiki

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