In this article you will learn:
Darth Vader- in the past Anakin Skywalker, the greatest villain, the Sith Lord of the universe Star Wars. The story of the hero, like many other characters in this universe, consists of Canon (the original story) and Legends.
To find out what happened to Vader before he succumbed to the dark side, read the article ““.
Canon
Revenge of the Sith
Anakin Skywalker went on about the chancellor, who promised to teach him the techniques of the dark side and power over death, which made it possible to save the hero's wife from death. Since in a dream Anakin saw his wife dying.
On 19 BBY, Skywalker revealed the Chancellor's identity to the Jedi Council and, disobeying orders, followed the Masters, who wanted to arrest Palpatine.
In a fight to the death, Palpatine was nearly killed by hand, but was saved by Skywalker, who disarmed the Jedi. This fatal act, in which Windu died, made Anakin feel the greatest sense of guilt. His spirit was broken and he embraced the dark side without hesitation, becoming Darth Sidious' apprentice.
Upon joining the Sith Order, Anakin ceased to exist, becoming the legendary Darth Vader.
"Now get up... Darth Vader!"
Anakin becomes Darth Sidious' apprentice
An excellent manipulator Palpatine, convinced Vader that the Jedi are traitors and traitors who must be destroyed.
Taking command of the 501st Legion, the hero attacked the Jedi Temple, killing absolutely everyone, including masters and young younglings. This attack on the Temple was the beginning of the Great Jedi Purge.
"Do what you must, Darth Vader. No hesitation, no mercy"
Having completed the task, Sidious gave Vader a new assignment - to end the Clone Wars and bring peace to the Galaxy by killing members of the Separatist Council on the planet Mustafar.
Arriving on Mustafar, Vader easily made his way into the meeting room, where he killed every single one. The most recent to be killed was Nute Gunray (Viceroy of the Trade Federation), an ally of Sidious who attacked Naboo 13 years ago. After Gunray's death, all droids were disabled.(The Empire used only clones).
Although Vader still had doubts, he convinced himself that everything he did was for the good of the Republic (naive Anakin).
Returning to his ship, Vader saw the approaching ship of Padmé, who was deeply upset by the massacre at the Temple. He tried to convince her that the one who wants to turn his wife against her husband is to blame for everything. Padme asked to fly away with her, but Vader insisted on the opposite, dreaming of overthrowing Sidious in order to take his place.
When Vader saw his former master Kenobi hiding on Amidala's ship, he thought that his wife had betrayed him and used a power grab on her. Filled with hatred, Vader engaged Kenobi in battle.
Anakin Skywalker played by Hayden Christensen
The duel of the great masters was long and ended on the banks of the lava river. Vader was so confident in his abilities that he attacked the Jedi from a bad position without hesitation. As a result of this, Dart ventured both feet and left arm. Shouting words of hatred towards Kenobi, Vader's body caught fire.
Obi-Wan left a former apprentice to die.
Vader's body was burned in half, but he supported himself with the Force and hatred. Darth Sidious came to the aid of the student. Vader was rushed to Coruscant where his damaged body parts were repaired. To increase his anger, Sidious ordered the student to remain conscious while the operation was in progress. He began to look more like a cyborg than a human. It contained the technologies that were used to create the .
When Vader asked about Padme, Sidious lied that he killed her in anger, after which the hero destroyed the droids with the help of the Force and damaged the premises. Vader's sole purpose from now on was to serve his master.
Terrible wounds and psychological trauma robbed Vader of most of his strength, potential and changed his character completely. Wearing the new heavy armor, Vader was clumsy and his mask limited his vision, forcing him to change his fighting style. Sith considered himself incomplete, stuck in tight armor that caused bouts of claustrophobia.
legends
In the service of the Emperor
With no more purpose in life than serving his master, Vader became the second man in the Empire. He had a personal palace on Coruscant. Darth's personal soldiers were stormtroopers of the 501st Legion, who were called "Vader's Fist".
Vader carried out the tasks of Sidious, attracting large forces to the side of the Empire. His main task was Order 66, which was to find and destroy the remnants of the Jedi.
Leaving the past forever, the Sith changed the color of his sword to red.
In one of the first missions, Vader was sent by Sidious to Mercana to deal with clone commandos who refused to kill fellow Jedi. In this mission, the Sith were attacked by the Jedi Bol Shetak, who attempted to protect the commandos. In this duel, only thanks to the power, Vader managed to win. Vader himself considered this mission a failure, as he missed two more Jedi Roan Shrine and Oli Starstone.
The master's complaints about his own weakness led Sidious to send him to the Jedi Temple, where Vader was supposed to remember the massacre he committed there. Instead, the Sith hit memories and from that time on, he could no longer be in places that reminded him of the past: Naboo and Tatooine.
Vaidr's next victim was Fang Zar, a senator who had taken refuge in Bail Organa's palace. Although Sidious wanted Zar alive, Vader accidentally killed him. This was the second failure of the lord, for which he received a reprimand.
Weakness drove the Sith crazy. He wanted revenge on Obi-Wan Kenobi, who was responsible for this. When the Lord found out about the possible location of the Jedi, he went there. On Kessel, where Kenobi was supposed to appear, Vader was trapped by eight Jedi. The first two he killed with a sword, the third was strangled with a powerful hand. The pressure of the Jedi left the Sith without an arm, with a damaged leg, but Vader continued to fight until the soldiers of the 501st Legion came to the rescue.
Returning to the Emperor, Vader learned that Sidious spread rumors about the destruction of 50 Jedi by an apprentice, in place of 8 with the help of clones (so Vader's greatness is far-fetched).
Attack on Kashyyyk
Vader continued his training, partnering with Imperial Moff Wilhuff Tarkin. Along with him, he used the presence of the Jedi on Kashyyyk as a reason to invade the planet. The purpose of this operation was to enslave the Wookiees, which were to be used in the construction of the Death Star.
When the bombardment of Kashyyyk began, Vader landed at the city of Kachiro, where the Jedi were hiding and hacked his way through the corpses of the Wookiees, moving towards the enemy positions. Vader defeated the five Wookiee Jedi, meeting with Master Roan Shrine, who had left him on Mercan.
The power and strength of Vader increased significantly, so he easily defeated Shrine, revealing to him the secret of his identity. Having defeated the master, Vader felt that he had achieved incredible power and from now on did not consider armor to be his prison.
After the victory of the Empire, Palpatine launched into the media messages about his student, mysterious to many inhabitants of the galaxy, and Vader, feeling the power, began to think about how to overthrow the teacher.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
On Kashyyyk, Vader also fought the Jedi and found his young son Galen in one of the houses. The Sith was about to kill the boy, but felt in him great power taking on as a student.
No one knew that Vader had an apprentice. He began to train the boy, bringing up hatred and anger in him. Darth wanted to use the apprentice to oppose the Emperor, as Galen possessed great strength, greater than himself.
After 10 years of training, in 2 BBY, Vader's apprentice was ready. Sith christened him(Star Assassin) and gave him his first assignment, which was "the meaning of his life" to find the survivors of Order 66, the Jedi. At the apprentice's disposal, Vader issued a Proxy holodroid and a Rogue Shadow starship with a charming pilot.
After killing several Jedi, Vader appeared with Starkiller before Palpatine. Unexpectedly, he betrayed the student by "killing" him. As the Sith later explained to the surviving Starkiller, the Emperor found out about the student and the imaginary death saved his life.
In order to defeat Sidious, Vader sent Starkiller on a mission to gather all the members of the Alliance in order to destroy the Emperor. Dart's plan was cunning, he again framed his student, forcing him to gather all the enemies of the Empire in one place. When the meeting took place, all the heads of the Alliance were arrested. In the fight with the apprentice, Vader emerged victorious.
Starkiller survived and soon returned to take revenge on the teacher. Infiltrating the Death Star under construction, he fought the Sith Lord and defeated him. Sidious offered Galen to take Vader's place, but Marek chose the side of the world. To save the members of the Alliance, he sacrificed his own life, becoming the first Hero of the Rebellion.
After this incident, Vader seriously thought about how to overthrow Sidious.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2
In 1 BBY, Vader cloned the body of Galen Marek on Kamino. Many clones went insane until the perfect clone number 1138 was created. However, this clone fled, tormented by the memories of the original.
To get Starkiller back, Vader hired Boba Fett to steal Juno Eclipse, whom Marek was in love with.
Nothing good came of this, as Starkiller, having teamed up with the Alliance, struck at Kamino, where they created clones for the Empire. In the battle with the clone apprentice, Vader lost. So, Kamino was under the control of the Alliance, and Dart himself was captured. The Sith Lord was on trial, but Boba Fett saved him.
Vader's apprentice disappeared and all plans to overthrow the Emperor failed.
Darth Vader vs Starkiller
Canon
New Hope
Back in 0 BBY, Vader desired to locate the Rebel base and retrieve the stolen plans for the Death Star. According to the 501st Legion, the plans were on a ship from Alderaan flying to the Tantive IV.
The princess's ship was intercepted, but the plans slipped through the hands of the Sith. Interrogation of the senator from Alderaan also yielded nothing. Back then, Vader had no idea that he was torturing his own daughter.
Tracking the traces of the droid in which Leia hid the plans, Vader sent a team to Tatooine, where Owen and Bera Lars were executed while trying to find out information about the droid.
Vader proceeded to torture Leia, trying to get the location of the Rebel base from her. Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin suggested using another method of torture - genocide. Threatened with the destruction of Alderaan, Organa gave away the place - Dantooine. However, Tarkin destroyed the planet anyway.
Darth Vader vs Kenobi
“Now he is more machine than man, an evil twisted machine.” Kenobi
Soon, the Death Star pulled the Millennium Falcon, which was near the destroyed Alderaan. On board the ship were:, and. For the first time in years, Vader felt the presence of his old master.
The Lord quietly wandered the corridors of the station until he met Obi-Wan. Their duel was short, as Kenobi simply extinguished his sword by merging with the Force. Despite this, Vader felt that he had avenged his crippled body.
After allowing the Millennium Falcon to leave with Lelei Organa and the plans for the Death Star on board, Vader began tracking the ship using the beacon that was installed on it.
The beacon led the Death Star to the planet Yavin, near which a legendary battle took place, the result of which was the destruction greatest weapon Empire with the new Rebel hero - Luke Skywalker (Anakin's son). Vader himself, who fought in a TIE fighter, almost died.
For these actions, Vader received another reprimand from the Emperor.
Soon, Dart learned the name of the pilot who had the highest score in the Battle of Yavin, it turned out to be 19-year-old Skywalker. Vader wanted to capture his son in order to incline him to the dark side.
Luke was captured by the Empire several times, but he always managed to escape.
The Empire Strikes Back
In 3 ABY, a Rebel base on Hoth was discovered. When attacking the planet, most of the rebels managed to escape.
After a battle that ended in victory for the Empire, Vader was ordered by Sidious to capture Luke Skywalker, whom he wanted to become his new apprentice, replacing father with son.
In order to catch the Millennium Falcon, the Lord used all the connections with the bounty hunters. He figured out where the ship went and ambushed Cloud City owned by Lando Calrissian, who won it in Sabakk. Han Solo, in agreement with Boba Fett, was frozen in carbonite and handed over to a mercenary. Leia Organa and Chewbacca were supposed to be Vader's captives, but were unexpectedly rescued by Calrissian.
To save his friends, Luke Skywalker also flew to Cloud City, who met in a duel with Vader. During the battle, the young Jedi lost his arm, after which the Sith Lord revealed his essence to him:
vader: « Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father?»
Luke: « Quite enough! He said you killed him!»
vader: « No. I'm your father!»
Refusing to join his father, Luke jumped into the mine.
Vader found his son's lightsaber, once his own, and a severed arm, which he presented to the Emperor as trophies.
Sidious began to notice changes in Vader, who was very proud of his son, whom he personally wanted to lure to the side of darkness. Therefore, the Emperor decided to kill Luke by sending him to Tatooine to Jabba's palace. However, Mara failed to get inside.
Return of the Jedi
Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker
In 4 ABY, Vader was overseeing the construction of the Death Star 2 when he sensed Luke approaching, in a shuttle bound for the moon Endor. Dart did not touch the shuttle.
On the moon, Luke himself surrendered to the Imperials and was taken to Vader. In an attempt to protect his son from Palpatine, Darth tried to convince him to join him, but Skywalker refused.
“I know that there is good in you. The emperor was unable to etch it entirely." Luke
Aboard the Death Star, in the presence of Palpatine, a decisive battle took place between Luke and Vader. Dart tried to persuade his son to the dark side by threatening the safety of Leia, Luke's sister. In anger, Skywalker cut off Vader's hand, which, like his own, turned out to be mechanical, forcing him to rethink the situation and extinguish the sword.
Palpatine wanted Luke to finish off his father, but he refused, which forced Vader to return to his bright beginning. In the dark heart of Darth, Anakin Skywalker woke up again, who, seeing how Palpatine was trying to kill his son with Force lightning, picked him up and threw him into the reactor shaft.
Palpatine's power damaged Vader's life support. He asked Luke to remove his mask so that he could see his son with his own eyes for the last time. Thus died the Chosen One who brought balance to the Force.
His spirit appeared to Luke and Leia, after which he found peace.
In Star Wars episodes three, four, five and six, Darth Vader is sometimes referred to as Lord Vader. What does this title "Lord" mean?
At this point in Star Wars history, knowledge of the Jedi is supposedly quite scarce, so I doubt it's likely that anyone will know about the Sith or call a Sith master a dark lord (of the Sith), so this nobility seems like a stretch. Even if someone said that Anakin was married to Padma, very few people in the universe knew who Darth Vader really had to consider using this connection.
Should the title "Lord" then represent a position in the hierarchy? Something like calling a person king duke? If so, wasn't he called King Vader, assuming he is the next logical position in rank after the Emperor?
Fallen
I don't think kings and emperors usually exist at the same time.
DJ Clayworth
Kings and emperors often exist at the same time. The Emperor is often a King with lesser Kings underneath.
DJ Clayworth
You already have a couple of princesses and a queen or two. Do you think that some guy is going to become the second in the empire and call himself "Mr. Vader"?
Xantec
Lord is an honorific name for a person or deity who has power, control, or authority over others; master, boss or ruler.
Thus, the original was simply intended to designate Vader (or, for that matter, the other Sith Lords) as authority figures.
b_jonas
I agree. And "Sir Vader" doesn't sound good, so "Lord Vader" is probably the easiest way to refer to him with his first name.
Chase Sandmann
@b_jonas Maybe not "sir" Vader, but why not a different title? May I suggest "In?" Or maybe "Ele"?
Broots Weimbe
@ChaseSandmann, I personally prefer "Master"
Jack B. Agile
He is called the Lord because he is the Dark Lord. Darth Vader - Dark Lord of the Sith.
The title of Dark Lord of the Sith is often considered synonymous with the name Darth. Contrary to this, however, is the fact that Sith apprentices also bore this title. Two examples: Darth Malak as Darth Revan's apprentice and Darth Vader as Darth Sidious." Many Sith Lords have used the name Darth, but there is no evidence that the two names are synonymous.
Xantec
So everyone knew he was a Sith?
Iszi
@Xantec He was a famous Force user and I believe the Jedi were thought to be extinct at the time. In addition, players on the light side tend to do more than just kill their subordinates on a whim. So... yeah, probably.
Chad
@Xantec - Yeah, not that the average person has any idea what that means. Only those who have bothered to study parts of galactic history might even have an idea. And only those closest to the Sith understood what it really meant.
Wad Cheber
From the Canon page:
Dart was the title Dark Lords Order of the Sith, which preceded a nickname other than the birth name. The Sith names of Sheev Palpatine, Dooku, and Anakin Skywalker were Darth Sidious, Darth Tyranus, and Darth Vader. The name was already in use roughly one millennium before the Clone Wars, when Darth Bane created the Rule of Two. In at least one known case, the case of Anakin Skywalker, the rank of Darth and its accompanying nickname were given to a Sith apprentice by a master. Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi once used "Darth" as a form of address when speaking to Darth Vader. Traditionally, only the current Sith Master and his apprentice were allowed to use the title of Darth.
From the Legends page:
Many Sith Lords have chosen to add "Darth" to their name, so much so that in some circles the word is considered synonymous with the dark side of the Force. It was also taken to mean giving up one's old life. Examples are Anakin Skywalker becoming Darth Vader, or Jacen Solo becoming Darth Caedus. But the origin of the word is unclear. It is often believed that "Darth" is simply an abbreviation for "Dark Lord of the Sith", but there are theories that suggest a deeper interpretation.
From the Behind the Scenes section:
It is believed that Dart is a combination of letters from the name " The Dark Lord Sith", a theory referenced in "Jedi vs. Sith: The Essential Guide to the Force". Dart can also be a portmanteau of darkness and death.
Prior to the release of The Phantom Menace, the only known Sith Lord to hold the title of Darth was Darth Vader. When Darth Sidious and Darth Maul were revealed in The Phantom Menace, the title took on a special connection with the Sith and has appeared throughout the eras of the Star Wars saga. As a result of the popularity of Star Wars, the term "Darth" has entered the popular lexicon as a term for evil. Most of the links are still related to the Star Wars universe.
In A New Hope, Obi-Wan Kenobi refers to Darth Vader simply as Darth, which is the only instance in the films where the word is used in isolation. It is possible that at this point in the development of the saga, "Darth" was intended to be a character name rather than a title; in universe, perhaps Obi-Wan deliberately emphasized the name as a way to mock Vader and bring home what he has become.
Stefano O.
Also, don't forget that Imperial Sergeants and other similar officers refer to Vader as "Lord", probably to define his rank as higher than "Admiral" or even "Commander". Also, Vader is probably the only one in the entire Empire who has this rank, so this should be another way to elevate his status above other commanders.
Darth Vader is one of the most iconic villains in cinematic history. His image is easily recognizable, and the phrase "Luke, I'm your father" has firmly entered our lives, becoming a meme and an occasion for numerous parodies and jokes. Now the next movie from the Star Wars series has been released - Rogue One, and in it we will see Darth Vader again. Here are 15 interesting and little known facts about the Dark Lord of the Sith for all who love this saga. And may the Force be with you!
15. He had a military rank
Everyone knows that Darth Vader is the right hand of Emperor Palpatine, but not everyone is aware that the title "emperor's emissary" was created specifically for him. It gave him enormous military powers. That was why he had the right to take command of the Death Star battlestation, despite the fact that it already had a commander - Wilhuff Tarkin. As the emperor's apprentice and envoy, Vader became, in effect, the second-in-command in the empire, with titles like Dark Lord of the Sith and Warlord. And later, after taking control of the Executor - the largest Imperial warship - he apparently officially became the Supreme Commander.
14 Imperial Propaganda Claims Anakin Skywalker Died In The Jedi Temple
James Luceno's sci-fi book "Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader" reveals that after the events of Episode 3 ("Revenge of the Sith"), everyone in the galaxy was convinced that Jedi Anakin Skywalker - the Chosen One - died heroically on Coruscant during during the battle at the Jedi Temple. Imperial propaganda also supported this official story, and Vader spent the next twenty years trying to forget the past and erase his previous identity.
Most of the inhabitants of the galaxy, ruled by the new Galactic Empire, are also convinced that the Jedi Order not only rebelled against Councilor Palpatine, forcing him to take drastic measures and destroy the Jedi, but also had a hand in unleashing the clone wars. The truth that Anakin went over to the dark side and betrayed his comrades in the temple, almost no one knows (only survivors like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda). This is how the situation looks at the beginning of the original trilogy.
13. After learning about his children, he planned to betray the emperor
Although fans know that Vader betrayed the emperor at the end of Episode 6 ("Return of the Jedi"), his motivation has never been explained. After the Battle of Yavin, Vader assigned the bounty hunter Boba Fett to find out all about the rebel that had destroyed the Death Star. It was then that he was informed that the man's name was Luke Skywalker. Realizing that Palpatine has been lying to him all these years and that his children are alive, Vader becomes furious. This explains his motivation and offer to help Luke overthrow the emperor in "The Empire Strikes Back". Vader planned this in full accordance with the Sith code of conduct: an apprentice would never rise higher until he was rid of his master.
12. He had three teachers and many secret students
After Skywalker's transformation into Darth Vader, he trained the Sith as well. So, according to the plot of the video game "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed" Vader, planning a plot to overthrow Palpatine, secretly took several students. The first of these was Galen Marek, alias Starkiller, a descendant of the Jedi killed by Vader during the Great Purge. Vader trained Marek since childhood, but Marek died on the Death Star shortly before the Rebel Alliance was founded. Vader then created a perfect and much more powerful clone of Marek using his genetic template. This clone - the Dark Apprentice - was supposed to take Marek's place. The next student after him was Thao, a former Jedi Padawan (this story is considered non-canonical today). Vader then took on several more students - Haris, Lumiya, Flint, Rillao, Hethrir, and Antinnis Tremaine.
11 He Tried To Learn To Breathe Without A Safety Helmet
Many people remember the scene from the episode "The Empire Strikes Back" when at some point Vader is shown in the meditation chamber - he is without a helmet and the wounded back of his head is visible. This special pressure chamber was often used by Vader to practice breathing without a protective helmet and breathing apparatus. During such sessions, he felt unbearable pain and used it to increase his hatred and dark power. Vader's ultimate goal was to gain enough power from the dark side to be able to breathe without a mask.
But he could do without it for only a few minutes, because he was too happy to be able to breathe on his own, and this joy was not combined with dark power. This is also why he so wanted to unite with Luke, so that their common strength would help him not only to throw off the power of the emperor, but also to free himself from his iron armor.
10 Even The Actors Didn't Know Vader Was Luke Skywalker's Father During Filming
An unexpected plot twist, when Darth Vader turns out to be the father of Luke Skywalker, is perhaps one of the most famous in the history of cinema. During the filming of The Empire Strikes Back, this plot move was kept a closely guarded secret - only five people knew about it: director George Lucas, director Irvin Kershner, screenwriter Lawrence Kazdan, actor Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) and actor James Earl Jones, voiced Darth Vader.
Everyone else, including Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) and Harrison Ford (Han Solo), only learned the truth by attending the movie premiere. When the confession scene was filmed, actor David Prowse spoke a line given to him that sounded like "Obi-Wan killed your father", and the text "I am your father" was overwritten later.
9. Darth Vader was played by seven actors
Voice actor James Earl Jones gave Darth Vader his famous deep, booming voice, but in the original Star Wars trilogy, Vader was played by David Prowse. The six-foot-tall British champion weightlifter was perfect for the role, but had to be re-voiced due to his thick Bristol accent (which made him furious). Bob Anderson acted as an understudy who performed combat tricks - as Prowse constantly broke lightsabers.
Vader without a mask in "Return of the Jedi" was played by Sebastian Shaw, young Anakin in "The Phantom Menace" - Jake Lloyd, matured Anakin in "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith" - Hayden Christensen. Spencer Wilding plays Darth Vader in Rogue One.
8 He Originally Had A Different Name And A Different Voice
Since Darth Vader is the central character in Star Wars, it's no surprise that this character was written first when the script was created. But at first his name was Anakin Starkiller (this is the name, according to the plot of the video game "The Force Unleashed" by his secret student). The original trailer for Star Wars was written in 1976 by legendary director Orson Welles. It was in the voice of Wells that George Lucas wanted to voice Darth Vader, but the producers did not approve of this idea - it seemed to them that the voice would be too recognizable.
7. According to one theory, it was created by Palpatine and Darth Plagueis
Anakin Skywalker's mother, Shmi Skywalker, says in The Phantom Menace that she carried and gave birth to Anakin without a father. Qui-gon, po understandable reasons, is taken aback by this claim, but after checking Anakin's blood for midi-chlorians, he becomes convinced that it is indeed the result of a virgin birth, purely through the influence of the Force. Then everything else is logical: the power of Vader, high level midi-chlorians in the blood and the status of the Chosen One - the one who must bring the Force into balance.
But one of the fan theories suggests a darker and more real possibility of Anakin's birth. In Revenge of the Sith, Advisor Palpatine tells Anakin about the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise, who knew how to use midi-chlorians to create life. According to this theory, either Plagueis himself or his apprentice Palpatine could experiment and create Anakin in an attempt to obtain a powerful ruler of the Force.
6. A whole team worked on the costume and sound effects
As originally planned by Lucas, Darth Vader did not have any helmet - instead, his face was wrapped in a black scarf. The helmet was intended only as part of military uniform- after all, you need to somehow move from one starship to another. In the end, it was decided that Vader would wear this helmet at all times. Both the helmet and the rest of the ammunition of Vader and the Imperial military Lucas were inspired by the uniforms of the Nazis and the helmets of Japanese military leaders. Vader's famous heavy breathing was created by sound producer Ben Burtt. He placed a small microphone in the mouthpiece of a scuba regulator and recorded the sound of his breathing.
5 Actor David Prowse And Director George Lucas Hate Each Other
The feud between Lucas and Prowse has become legendary among the Star Wars crew. At first, Prowse thought that his voice was being used for the film and was terribly upset by the voice acting. During the filming of episodes 5 and 6, Prowse ruined the lives of everyone on set by not bothering to say the lines that were written in his role, and instead chatting some kind of nonsense. For example, it was necessary to say "Asteroids do not excite me, I need this ship," and he calmly said: "Hemorrhoids do not excite me, I need to take a shit."
Prowse was also upset that he was replaced as a stunt double for the fight scenes despite being physically fit. But he kept breaking lightsabers. Lucas later accused Prowse of leaking secret information that Vader was Luke's father. The actor also did not like the fact that the audience would not see his face on the screen: Vader without a mask was played by another actor. The strained relationship between Lucas and Prowse came to a head when Prowse starred in the 2010 anti-Lucas film The People vs. George Lucas. This overwhelmed the director's patience and he struck Prowse out of all future Star Wars productions.
4 There Was An Alternate Ending In Which Luke Becomes The New Vader
Return of the Jedi ends with the good guys winning and everyone celebrating. But Lucas originally intended a darker ending to his sci-fi saga. Consistent with this alternate ending, the battle between Skywalker and Vader and the subsequent scene with Vader and the Emperor's death lead to a different outcome. Vader also sacrifices himself to kill the emperor, and Luke helps him remove his helmet - and Vader dies. However, Luke then puts on his father's mask and helmet, says "Now I am Vader" and turns to the dark side of the Force. He defeats the rebels and becomes the new emperor. It was this ending that would have been logical, according to Lucas and his screenwriter Kazdan, but in the end, Lucas decided to make a happy ending, because the film was designed for a children's audience.
3. Alternate ending from the comics: again a Jedi and all in white
Since we are talking about alternative endings, here is another one - from the Star Wars comics. In accordance with this version, both Luke and Leia are standing in front of Palpatine, and the emperor orders Vader to kill Leia. Vader is stopped by Luke, they fight with lightsabers and as a result of the duel, Vader is left without an arm, and Luke reveals to him the truth that he and Leia are his children, after which he boldly announces that he will no longer fight Vader.
Here the fun begins: Vader falls to his knees and asks for forgiveness, again returning to the light side of the Force and becoming Anakin Skywalker. The Emperor manages to escape, the second Death Star is destroyed, but Leia, Luke and Vader manage to leave it together. They later meet aboard the Command Frigate Home One, and Anakin Skywalker is still dressed as Darth Vader, but all in white. The Skywalker Jedi family decides to hunt down and kill the emperor, which they most likely succeed because they are a gang.
2. This is the most profitable Star Wars character
The creators of Star Wars managed to make a lot of money on their characters by selling related products, toys and the like. The army of fans of this saga is huge. On the Internet there is a special "Wookiepedia" - an encyclopedia of "Star Wars", with detailed articles about everyone and everything that anyone can edit. But no matter how much other heroes of the saga are loved, Darth Vader is the most popular, cult character and, of course, it is on this image that one can earn the most. With merchandising revenues of over $27 billion in 2015, for example, it's safe to assume that Darth Vader is worth billions - he's a big part of that pie.
1. On one of the cathedrals there is a chimera in the form of a helmet of Darth Vader
Believe it or not, one of the towers of Washington Cathedral is decorated with a gargoyle in the shape of Darth Vader's helmet. The sculpture is located very high and it is difficult to see it from the ground, but with the help of binoculars it is possible. In the 1980s, the National Cathedral together with the magazine national geographic announced a children's competition for the best decorative chimera sculpture to decorate the northwestern tower. A boy named Christopher Rader took third place in this competition with his drawing of Darth Vader. After all, the chimera must be evil. And this sketch was brought to life by sculptor Jay Hall Carpenter and stone carver Patrick Jay Plunkett.
It is unlikely that among fans of cinema and pop culture there is a person who does not know He has become a symbol of the Star Wars space epic and its main antagonist. Despite the fact that he is a negative character, fans elevate him to the rank of favorite heroes. However, once one of the greatest villains in the history of the Galaxy (ours and fictional) was an ordinary boy who, for many reasons, became a servant of the dark side.
Childhood
Once the most controversial character in the Star Wars movie saga, Darth Vader was called Anakin Skywalker. For the first time, viewers meet him on the sandy planet Tatooine, where he, along with his mother, was enslaved by a parts salesman named Watto. From early childhood, the boy had a high intellect and highly developed technical abilities. Already at the age of 9, he assembled his own C-3PO droid and a real racing car. Qui-Gon Jinn immediately felt the great Force in the young slave. The Jedi's feelings did not disappoint when he learned that the number of Medichlorians in Anakin was much greater than that of Master Yoda. He tries to find out from his mother Shmi who was the father of the child, but she says that, besides her, he never had anyone else. This prompts Qui-Gon to think about a prophecy that says that a man will be born from the Force, designed to restore balance to the world. Then he decides to take young technician himself as a Padawan, which becomes possible when he wins a bet with Watto, the condition of which was Anakin's victory in the races.
clone war
After ten years of training, Anakin masterfully masters Jedi techniques and has special talents. Obi-Wan Kenobi becomes his teacher, as it was Qui-Gon Jinn's dying request. In this part of Star Wars, Darth Vader begins to awaken inside a young Skywalker. Stubbornness and vanity accompany him everywhere, and the patronage of the Sith Lord, which is Chancellor Palpatine, further strengthens his sense of his own superiority. The first step taken towards the transition to becomes the mass execution of an entire Tusken tribe in the name of revenge for the capture and subsequent death of the mother. At the same time, he developed strong feelings for the former Queen of Naboo. He learns that his love is not unrequited, and contrary to the strict rules of the Jedi, he marries his chosen one in secret from everyone. Due to the inseparable connection with his wife, a strong fear of losing her arises in him, which also condones the formation of the Sith.
Transition to the dark side
The next significant move internal war Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker become assassinated on the orders of Chancellor Palpatine, which violates the Jedi principle of not executing unarmed captives. Almost immediately after this, he learns about Padme's pregnancy, but his joy at this news is replaced by a strong fear that overshadows everything around. The Force shows him a future in which his wife dies in childbirth. Concerned about this vision, he shares it with Palpatine, which speaks of the young Jedi's unconditional trust in his patron. He is unaware of the future Emperor's artfully crafted plan to make Eni a Sith and his devoted student. Thus, the seeds of the dark side sown by him begin to sprout rapidly. When Skywalker learns that the chancellor is Darth Sidious, he tells the Jedi Council about it, where he sits as Palpatine's representative. However, he soon begins to realize that the latter is able to save Padme from death. In the climactic battle between Mace Windu and the Sith Lord, Anakin takes the latter's side, resulting in the master's death. From that moment on, he becomes a student of Sidious and, on his orders, kills all the young Jedi and separatists. It is the new trilogy that reveals to the audience the truth about who Darth Vader is, and gives an idea of how he became a villain.
Years of Sith rule
At the end of the new trilogy, Obi-Wan cuts off both of Anakin's legs and an arm, and his body is completely burnt in a fire. However, the self-proclaimed Emperor Palpatine manages to save his student from death with the help of a special suit. Since then, the sword of Darth Vader turns red, and he himself commands armed forces his teacher while on the Death Star. He captures Princess Leia Organa, who is his daughter, but does not yet know about it. In order to reveal where the rebel base is, as well as retrieve the schematics for his space station, he destroys Alderaan. At this time, the Millennium Falcon is attracted to them, along with Han Sol, Chewbacca, an aged Obi-Wan, Luke and the droids on board. They flee, but Vader manages to kill his former teacher. He later confronts Luke while he is trying to destroy the Death Star and senses that the youth is full of the Force. As a result, he has to run, and the planet destroyer explodes thanks to the young Skywalker.
Meeting with son
In the next episode, Luke will discover a terrible secret about who Darth Vader is. He ends up on Dagoba, where he studies with Master Yoda. However, at this time, the dark overlord captures his friends in order to lure Skywalker into a trap. He succeeds, and during a lightsaber battle, he cuts off the hand of a young Jedi, after which he admits that he is his father. Vader invites his son to choose his side and together overthrow the Emperor in order to rule the galaxy. Luke takes this news painfully and jumps into the garbage bay, where he is picked up by the escaped crew of the Millennium Falcon.
Repentance
In the next installment of the popular space opera Star Wars, Darth Vader is building a new Death Star that is supposed to be more powerful than the previous one. Together with the Sith Lord, he develops a plan to lure Luke to the dark side, because his skills could be very valuable to the Empire. Thus, he once again captures his son, who firmly decided not to resist, as he hopes that goodness remains in his father. Vader soon learns that he has a daughter, also endowed with the Force. Then he threatens Luke that he will lure her to his side. The young Jedi succumbs to anger and tries to strike down Vader with his lightsaber. The Emperor encourages him to kill his father and take his place, but Skywalker does not give in and discards the weapon. While Palpatine inflicts heavy lightning strikes on Luke, Darth Vader realizes that he cannot allow the death of his son and dumps his master into the mine, where he dies. However, Anakin's life support is damaged. Taking off his helmet, he says last words and his healed soul finds peace.
Armor
It is thanks to the black cape and helmet that most people know who Darth Vader is. This armor was specifically designed to keep an injured Skywalker alive, without it he would almost immediately be unable to breathe. Sith tradition dictates that heavy black suits be worn. In total, 2 different outfits were created for each of the trilogies. Their design and construction took a lot of time and effort, which in the end paid off.
actors
As many as 4 actors participated in creating the image of Darth Vader. In the first part of the new trilogy, little Anakin was played by Jake Lloyd, and in the next two, Skywalker was replaced by Hayden Christensen, who also appears in the sixth episode in the guise of a ghost. With the original trilogy, things are more complicated. In all three parts in a suit was who, during sword battles, was replaced by the British swordsman Bob Anderson. The voice of Darth Vader belongs to James Earl Jones, and in parts 3 to 6. And when his hero takes off his mask, the audience opens the face of the actor Sebastian Shaw. Probably, this is one of the few characters in the history of cinema, whose image was embodied at the same time by such a large number of performers and became truly iconic.
The film epic "Star Wars" is a world-famous story about space adventures, life and struggle of various heroes - both good and bad. The latter include the completely ambiguous character Darth Vader, aka the Dark Lord, who was called Anakin Skywalker in childhood.
Star Wars and Darth Vader
The history of the creation of the cult film saga, and then the Star Wars universe, dates back to 1971, when director and producer George Lucas signs a contract with the United Artists studio to shoot the Star Wars film.
However, it is generally accepted that it all began in 1976, after the release of a novelization book of the same name by D. Lucas and A. D. Foster. The producers of the film company were afraid that the film would fail at the box office, and decided to play it safe by releasing a book. In 1977, D. Lucas received a reader's literary award for this novel, and the doubts of the producers were finally dispelled.
In May of the same year, the first of the nine epic films, which is called Star Wars. New Hope". In it for the first time and appears one of the main characters. Who is Darth Vader?
Characteristics of the main character
Darth Vader is the main negative character, the cruel and cunning leader of the Galactic imperial army, which dominates the entire universe. He is, in fact, the most powerful Sith, and is also trained by Emperor Palpatine himself and is on the dark side of the Force.
Darth Vader is fighting against the Rebel Alliance in order to prevent the collapse of the Empire. The Alliance, on the contrary, wants the restoration of the Galactic Republic and the union of free planets.
But initially Darth Vader was a positive character, one of the Jedi named Anakin Skywalker. His transition from the Light side to the dark side of the force and the transformation into Darth Vader occurs for several reasons. To understand who Darth Vader is, you need to look at all the stages in his life.
Childhood of Anakin Skywalker
Anakin Skywalker, who later became Darth Vader, was born in 42 BC on the planet Tatooine. His mother was a slave named Shmi Skywalker who didn't say anything about Anakin's father. The Jedi Qui-Gon Jin, who found the future Darth Vader and considered the boy to be the chosen one, claimed that Light Force was his father.
Qui-Gon Jean frees Anakin from slavery and takes him to the planet Coruscant. Qui demands the consent of the Jedi Council to train Skywalker, but is refused, motivated by the fact that he already has an apprentice, and because of Anakin's age. Also, the reason for the refusal was the anger and fear that he had from his slave times. Later, Skywalker becomes a Jedi under the mentorship of Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the Council comes to terms with this.
From Anakin Skywalker to Darth Vader
Anakin, 10 years later, becomes an adult and acquires the skill of a Jedi, although he is still Kenobi's Padawan. At the same time, Sheev Palpatine (aka Darth Sidious, the future emperor) begins to carry out his plan, which he has been hatching for many years. He consisted in making Anakin Skywalker his student, luring him to the dark side of the force.
Palpatine takes advantage of Anakin's loss of trust in his Jedi mentors and Skywalker's forbidden love for Naboo's queen, Padmé Amidala Naberri. One of the main reasons for Anakin's transformation is his pain and anger, which appear after he avenges the death of his mother Shmi to the Tusken nomads. The grief and hatred that engulfed him due to the loss of his mother pushes Anakin to merciless murders, in which women and children die. Of course, Skywalker does not yet know who Darth Vader is, but the process is already irreversible, and, to the delight of Palpatine, Anakin, not realizing everything that is happening, finds himself on the Dark side of the force and becomes a student of the Emperor.
Transition to the Dark Side
Chancellor Palpatine is captured by the Separatists, and in order to free him, Anakin and Obi-Wan fight them. During the duel, Obi-Wan is stunned by the leader of the rebels, Count Dooku, but Anakin defeats him. The Chancellor then orders Skywalker to cut off the unarmed Earl's head. Anakin obeys the order, but doubts the correctness of what has been done, because killing a prisoner is not the job of a Jedi.
Anakin returns to Coruscant, where Padmé, whom he has secretly married, tells him of her pregnancy. Palpatine makes Skywalker his representative on the Jedi Council, but the Assembly, obeying the will of the Chancellor, does not elevate Anakin to Master. He is also entrusted with shadowing Palpatine, after which the future Darth Vader finally loses faith in the Jedi.
Later it turns out that the chancellor is actually the same Sith Lord, behind whom long time hunted by the Order. Master Windu and several Jedi are sent to arrest the Chancellor. Anakin follows them and finds a duel between Palpatine and Windu. The chancellor is protected from a fatal blow by Anakin Skywalker, stopping Windu, after which Palpatine kills the master.
Darth Vader
All of the above events and the death of his beloved wife Padme finally incline Anakin to the Dark Side of the Force. There is no turning back for Skywalker, as he essentially became an accomplice in the murder of the Jedi Master. He takes an oath of allegiance to Darth Sidious (Palpatine) and receives a new Sith name - Darth Vader.
After some time, he receives an order from Sidious - to destroy all the Jedi who are in his temple. Darth Vader kills them with his own hands, sparing neither younglings nor Padawans, with clone soldiers helping him in this atrocity. Also, following the orders of Sidious, Vader destroys all the leaders of the Confederation on the planet of volcanoes Mustafar, naively believing that by doing so he will achieve the long-awaited peace in the Republic.
Yoda and Obi-Wan, having learned who organized the massacre in the temple, decide to kill Darth Vader. In a duel, Kenobi cuts off Darth's left arm and both legs with his lightsaber, after which, dying, he falls to the river bed from molten lava, and his clothes begin to burn.
Darth Vader costume
Half-dead and burned Vader is saved by his mentor Sidious. In order to maintain life, Darth Vader is put on a special sealed suit-suit. He was a portable mobile life support system, which Vader could not do without after being injured in a duel with Obi-Wan and burned from a lava river. This armor was created using ancient Sith alchemical knowledge.
The main thing in the suit of Darth Vader was the most complex respiratory system, with which he could breathe, since it was impossible to do this after burns. The armor was created according to all the traditions of the Sith warriors and provided good protection to its owner, although they occasionally broke down, after repair they continued their work. One of the elements of the costume was the helmet of Darth Vader, before which his grandson would later swear an oath of allegiance.
Darth Vader's weapon
Darth Vader, while still Anakin Skywalker, was trained in swordsmanship by one of the most powerful masters of the Jedi Order - Yoda. Thanks to his teacher, Vader learned and mastered all styles of lightsaber combat.
He preferred the fifth form of combat, which was distinguished by increased aggressiveness and rapid pressure, aimed at physically breaking the enemy. Dart also mastered the technique of simultaneous possession of swords, which was useful to him in numerous battles.
Unusual character abilities
As a result of the catastrophic injuries sustained in the duel on the planet Mustafar, much of Vader's Force was irretrievably lost. However, the Dark Lord had great power and a great degree of skill, enough to win in almost every duel.
Darth possessed the highest degree of telekinesis mastery, and also perfectly mastered the Choke and Force Push techniques, which he often demonstrated in fights with opponents. In the wars, Darth Vader used the art of Tutaminis, which allowed him to absorb, reflect and redirect the plasma streams released by the blaster.
The Dark Lord was an excellent telepath and could penetrate the thoughts of opponents, manipulating their consciousness, subordinating their will to himself. Over time, he managed to restore the power of his severed limbs. Although not without the help of the suit, his strength increased significantly. Using all his skills and Dark Force, Vader was practically invincible.
Return to the Light Side of the Force
Darth Vader makes plans to turn his only son, Luke Skywalker, to the dark side, who has become a Jedi. After he learns from Master Yoda about who his father is, he surrenders to the warriors subordinate to Palpatine and meets with Darth and the Emperor. The Emperor is trying to convince Luke to give free rein to his fear for friends and anger, in order to use this to incline him to the Dark Side of the Force. Darth Vader at this time penetrates the mind of his son and learns about his sister Leia Organa. The voice of Darth Vader in Luke's head threatens to turn her into a Darkforce adept if he refuses.
Luke gives in to his rage and almost kills his father, but just in time he subdues his anger and throws his lightsaber aside, not wanting to deal a fatal blow. The Emperor tries to tempt Luke Skywalker with power and demands that he kill Darth Vader, but is rebuffed. The enraged ruler attacks Vader's son using the power of lightning, Luke asks his father for help. Vader suppresses the Dark Force in himself and helps his son by dropping the Emperor into the Death Star reactor.
Death of the main character
While rendezvousing with his son on the unfinished Death Star while saving Luke from Palpatine, Darth Vader dies, struck by deadly lightning bolts that the Emperor unleashed on him. Although he was afraid to rise up and betray his mentor Palpatine, he still could not kill his only son, knowing that he would pay for it with his life.
It is worth noting that Darth Vader was a kind of golem of the Emperor. The injuries he received from Palpatine's lightning bolts could not have killed him, as in the Darth Vader comics, his suit could withstand more significant attacks. In reality, the Dark Lord dies due to the fact that his energy connection with the Emperor, who contributed to the maintenance of life in him, is broken. Later, Luke Skywalker buries his father as a real Jedi.
In the Star Wars universe
George Lucas created the Star Wars universe, which included absolutely all the materials related to this movie saga. It widely presents all film and television versions, books, cartoons and animated series, as well as toys and computer games. Here you can see numerous photos of Darth Vader and other heroes of this story.
Vader is one of the most famous and beloved movie characters in the world, despite the fact that he is more of a negative character than a positive one. The American magazine "Empire" awarded Darth Vader the ninth place in the list of the greatest movie characters of all time. Of course, without this hero, the film would not have been so exciting, and the plot would have been largely lost due to the loss of intrigue.
It is worth noting that it is impossible to give an unambiguous answer to the question of who Darth Vader is, since this hero combined both the Dark and Light sides of the Force.