Who played Darth Vader in Star Wars. Character history

Warning: The article contains information that reveals the main storylines.

“Ahsoka... Ahsoka, why did you leave?” Where were you when I needed you?
- I made a choice. I couldn't stay.
- You are selfish.
- No!
- You left me. You failed me! Do you know who I have become?..

His appearance on screen precedes John Williams' The Imperial March. His appearance inspires horror and awe. His name resounds throughout the Galaxy. One of the most famous villains in the entire history of cinema, the central and very controversial character of Star Wars. When you watch the saga in order, the ending of the third episode comes as a bit of a shock. Especially for those who once heard something about Darth Vader somewhere, but did not watch the original trilogy. Rebirth of a Noble Jedi Anakin Skywalker into the powerful Sith Lord Darth Vader is perhaps the brightest emotional component of the story.

The films don't fully develop either Anakin or Vader. To better understand the complex inner world of the hero, it is worth paying attention to the animated series “Clone Wars” (Anakin), “Clone Wars” (Anakin) and “Rebels” (Vader, appears in the second season). And definitely - to the expanded Universe, consisting of various books and comics.

The inner world of Anakin and Vader

“You don't give up on feelings, Anakin. They are what make you special."
("The Clone Wars", season 4, episode 16.)

These words from Palpatine, addressed to the young Jedi, perfectly convey the essence of Skywalker. It was feelings that always led Anakin through life. He was a man who could be completely immersed in both love and hate. To curb his emotional impulses, he needed a real, understanding friend. Unfortunately, in the end there was no one near him. Obi-Wan, who seemed to sincerely love Anakin, gradually fenced himself off from him by the rules of the Jedi. There was never any real trust between them. Therefore, the teacher not only missed Anakin’s internal torment, but also failed to understand in time that he needed something more than routine reprimands for his mistakes, and did not discern the moment when the wayward student had to be put in his place as harshly and soberingly as possible in a fatherly manner. Skywalker's slave past left him with a craving for independence. Strength and talent became the causes of excessive conceit and pride. Anakin was too young and inexperienced to handle himself on his own. And with mental losses that followed one after another, fear for the closest people to whom he became attached with all his heart. Close people - it was these attachments that ultimately destroyed Skywalker and saved Vader.

“He was brave. Rarely lost. But people were amazed by his kindness. He valued his friends very much and defended them to the end.”
(Ahsoka about her teacher, Rebels, season 2, episode 18.)

Anakin's mom. As a little boy, he picked up and left a wounded Tusken raider, not even suspecting that in the future his entire tribe would hate him - it was the raiders who kidnapped and killed his mother. Mom died in Anakin’s arms - this pain never left his heart: “Why did she die? Why didn't I save her? I know, I should have!.. I’ll learn to make sure people don’t die!”

Obi-Wan Kenobi. Despite frequent mutual misunderstandings with Obi-Wan, Anakin did not hesitate to rush to his aid in the most risky situations. Even doubting the Jedi, he never left him in trouble. There was a moment in their lives when, for maximum plausibility, Kenobi hid the staging of his death from his best friend, but how much mental anguish this performance cost Anakin! For him they were more than brothers, they were one...

Ahsoka Tano- Anakin's first and only Padawan. They had a wonderful, very warm brother-sister relationship. Ahsoka's character, independent and at the same time not alien to affection, was very reminiscent of Skywalker himself. Subsequently, after being falsely accused of treason, she became disillusioned with the Jedi Order and left it. To again meet face to face with Darth Vader - and in this battle, having recognized each other, they were never able to deliver decisive blows. “I feel close to the desire to get away from the Order,” Anakin said before Ahsoka left the Order. "I know". Only later did she realize with bitterness and a huge sense of guilt how much her departure contributed to Anakin’s transition to the dark side of the Force - she was needed by the one who always believed in her and asked to stay.

Supreme Chancellor Palpatine- the boy’s wise mentor, who in many ways replaced his father. He was always ready to listen, understand, explain. The only person with whom you could talk about the most intimate things, who never brushed aside Anakin. Neither the Jedi Order, nor Obi-Wan, nor even Padmé could give Skywalker the attention he needed like Palpatine. Anakin loved and trusted Palpatine unconditionally - but very soon he stopped having these feelings for Darth Sidious.

Padmé Amidala- the love of Anakin’s life, so strong that for the sake of his beloved he was really ready to do anything. Dreams of her death became an obsession; the horror of the inevitable loss of her dearest person pushed her to search for a way to change the future. She believed in Anakin, but she didn't have enough time to win him back.

Luke Skywalker- a son whose existence Vader learned about only 20 years after his birth, living all these years with the thought that he had killed both his wife and his child. Luke, who believed in his father's bright side, was able to bring Anakin back. In this way, he is fundamentally different from Obi-Wan, who, despite his experiences and regrets, did not fight for his second “I”, but accepted the existence of Darth Vader as a given.

From Anakin Skywalker to Darth Vader

“What good is strength if there is no discipline? The boy is no less dangerous to himself than to his enemies.”
(Count Dooku in Matthew Stover's book Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.)

While still a Jedi, who did not even think about switching to the dark side of the Force, Anakin sometimes did things that were unacceptable from the point of view of the Order. Some of them can be understood and even justified (as you know, sometimes all means are good to achieve a goal), but this does not change the essence - each such action brought him dangerously closer to the fatal line. And one of the first such steps was cruel revenge for the death of my mother. From the piercing feeling of losing a loved one, Anakin succumbed to anger and despair unacceptable for a Jedi.

General Skywalker was known for his reckless courage and military talent. But he also differed from others in his methods of interrogating Separatist minions. The result was important to him, and therefore he even used his famous Force strangulation at a distance during interrogations. Skywalker's entourage was aware of the methods that were contrary to the principles of the Jedi, but every time they turned a blind eye to them: apparently, they were happy that there was someone who was not afraid to do all the dirty work. Everything was convenient for everyone until one day it affected them personally.

Another such unworthy act was the beheading of the unarmed Count Dooku. Anakin doubted the correctness of this act, but Palpatine's dark influence was already becoming stronger than Jedi teachings.

In fact, there were more such episodes. If we add to all this the periodic exacerbation of the sense of personal superiority cultivated by Palpatine, the desire to act as independently as possible and the general emotionality of Skywalker, then it becomes clear what an explosive mixture his soul was sometimes.

Was it possible to stop the process of transition to the dark side? Haunted by nightmares about the death of his beloved, the young man came to Yoda for advice. But could advice to simply let go of one's attachments satisfy a tormented soul? Didn't the sage's standard answer sound like an excuse? In fact, everyone turned away from Anakin: distrust, fear of his Force, unwillingness to understand the complex inner world of his ward and in time to help him cope with his passions - this is the reaction of the Jedi Council to Skywalker. And Palpatine was nearby once again. Gave me hope. Freed me from fear. Made me feel power. At what point did Anakin put an end to his doubts? Kneeling before a new teacher? Becoming a cold-blooded killer? Or allowing selfishness, albeit temporarily, to take precedence over love? After all, even taking the path of Darth Vader, Skywalker experienced several moments of bitter regret. And if Kenobi had behaved exactly like an understanding and loyal friend, if he had not interfered in Anakin’s conversation with Padmé, then it is likely that even then it would have been possible to return Anakin to the bright path. The most important external manifestation of belonging to the dark side of the Force is the color of the eyes - in moments of complete immersion in Darkness, it changes to yellow. For Anakin, this happened most clearly only after the fight with Obi-Wan. It was hatred of the former teacher, withering physical and mental pain that became the last decisive link in the chain of internal metamorphoses. “You were my brother!” - Kenobi exclaims, looking at the defeated Vader, but is he sincere in his words? Didn't he himself at that moment simply become a machine for executing the orders of the Jedi Council? Could the old Obi-Wan leave his beloved friend, with whom he spent so many years side by side, to whom he owed his life more than once, to die in wild agony in the flames of lava?

“A Jedi must cast away such attachments from his life,” and Kenobi followed this teaching. Did he ever realize that he had actually betrayed him without even trying to save him?..

The video uses the composition “Bad Medicine” by Lars Erik Fjosne.

The Life of Darth Vader

The films show little about the daily life of the dark lord, but fans can learn a lot from the stories of the same expanded Universe.

It becomes clear that Darth Vader never became the most powerful Sith in history - crippled, completely dependent on his suit, he lost a significant part of the Force. The suit, on the one hand, had impressive technical functionality (magnetic feet, explosion resistance, the ability to be used as a spacesuit, etc.), on the other hand, it was so ill-conceived that Vader could only explain its appearance by the emperor’s reluctance to give him complete freedom. Low-quality metal alloys, an extremely vulnerable life support panel, a constant irritating hiss of the breathing apparatus, heaviness and clumsiness, pain when moving... In addition, Vader began to suffer from claustrophobia and therefore developed special pressure chambers where he took off his helmet and meditated. He dreamed of learning to breathe on his own, of using the Force to restore his lungs destroyed by the heat of the lava, but he could only hold out without the apparatus for a few minutes. By order of the Emperor, Vader lived in a tower on Mustafar - the place where Anakin lost everything. Hatred and heartache were, according to the Emperor's plan, to spur Vader's dark Force. To escape from constant memories, he took various psychotropic drugs, but again and again he returned to the past, which made him regret his choice. After all, there, inside the suit, Anakin was still there - a man of tragic fate. His life is a story about how even a kind and selfless soul can make mistakes. That love can bring not only happiness, but also pain. That you can be lonely and misunderstood in a crowd of people, some of whom call you their friend. That good is not always completely light, and evil is dark. That in every person there are always both sides and the outcome of their struggle depends only on him. A story about how easy it really is to ruin everything.

The video uses the composition “Time” by Hans Zimmer.

The Vader crater on Charon is named in his honor.

Character names

Origin of the name

Anakin Skywalker

Transition to the Dark Side of the Force

Character "Star Wars"
Darth Vader
Activity	Supreme General of the Imperial Army Sith Lord
Home planet	Tatooine (Anakin), Coruscant (Darth Vader)
Race	Human
Floor	Male
Height	202 cm (armored)
Weapon	Red lightsaber
Vehicle	TIE Advanced, Seed Fighter (more advanced model), Executor
Affiliation	Galactic Empire Sith
Actor	Hayden Christensen (II-III) David Prowse (IV-VI) James Earl Jones (III-VI, Rogue One, voice) Sebastian Shaw (VI, unmasked) Spencer Wilding and Daniel Napros (Rogue One)

After participating in the Clone Wars, Anakin and Obi-Wan return to Coruscant. During the siege of the capital, they are tasked with infiltrating the battleship Invisible Hand, the ship of one of the commanders of the Separatist army, General Grievous, in order to free Chancellor Palpatine from captivity. Separatist leader Count Dooku stuns Obi-Wan in a duel with the Jedi, but is himself defeated by Anakin. Palpatine orders Anakin to behead the defenseless Count. Anakin fulfills the request, but doubts its correctness. Killing a defenseless prisoner is not the job of a Jedi. Palpatine claims that Dooku is "too dangerous to be left alive." After rescuing the Chancellor, Anakin, with the help of Obi-Wan, lands the dilapidated cruiser on a landing strip at one of the spaceports on Coruscant.

After Anakin returns to Coruscant, Padmé tells him that she is pregnant.

Palpatine, who effectively becomes Anakin's patron and mentor, appoints him as his personal representative on the Jedi Council. However, the Council, forced to agree with the Chancellor's decision, refuses to promote Anakin to the rank of Master and, off the record, instructs him to monitor Palpatine's actions. Angered by these decisions of the Council, Anakin loses his remaining faith in the Jedi. Using the Force, he sees the future: Padme will die during childbirth. Chancellor Palpatine pushes Anakin to understand all manifestations of the Force, including its dark side, in order to learn to defeat death. It becomes clear to Anakin that Palpatine is the Lord of the Sith, whom the Jedi Order has been looking for for so long. He reveals Palpatine's secret to Master Windu. Then, together with Masters Fisto, Tiin and Kolar, Windu goes to arrest Palpatine. He refuses to take Anakin with him, as he does not trust him, and orders him to wait for his return at the Jedi Temple. Anakin has an inevitable thought: without Palpatine, he will lose the chance to save his wife. Moreover, he does not want to betray his mentor, who has supported him almost his entire life.

Anakin goes to Palpatine and witnesses the fight between him and Windu. By that time, the Sith had killed the accompanying masters, but Windu knocks the sword out of Palpatine’s hands and is already preparing to deal him a fatal blow, but Anakin, remembering the Jedi code, says that the Jedi do not kill their captives. Meanwhile, Sidious, posing as a defenseless captive, convinces Anakin that the Jedi are trying to seize power. Windu makes the fateful decision to kill Palpatine, fearing that the dark lord's influence on the government of the Republic is so great that any court will side with him. Thus, he finally persuades Anakin to the Dark Side. With a counterstrike, Anakin cuts off Master Windu's hand with the sword. After this, Darth Sidious uses Force lightning to throw the disarmed Windu out of the window that was previously broken in the heat of battle.

There is no turning back for Anakin, because he, in fact, helped kill one of the Jedi Masters. In desperation, Anakin turns to the Dark Side of the Force and swears an oath of allegiance to his new teacher and master. Darth Sidious gives him the Sith name Darth Vader. By order of Sidious, he, with the support of clone troopers, kills all the Jedi in the Temple, sparing neither the Padawans nor the younglings. The clones are also given “order number 66” - an order to kill all Jedi knights, who for the most part are not ready for stabs in the back.

On the orders of Darth Sidious, Vader kills all the remaining leaders of the Confederacy on the volcanic planet Mustafar, thinking that by doing so he will bring long-awaited peace to the Republic. Obi-Wan and Yoda, survivors of Order 66, arrive at the Jedi Temple and defend it from the clones. After viewing the hologram of the surveillance system, Obi-Wan finds out who commanded the clones. Yoda instructs Obi-Wan to kill Darth Vader, and he goes to Padmé, but she refuses to say where Vader is and does not even believe that he has turned to the Dark Side. After this conversation, Padme flies to Darth Vader on Mustafar, and Obi-Wan secretly enters her ship. Vader, who has already completed the task given to him by Darth Sidious, goes out onto the platform to Padmé's ship. During their conversation, Obi-Wan emerges from the ship, which is why Vader, suspecting that Padmé brought his former teacher specifically to kill him, angrily tries to choke her with the Force. Obi-Wan Kenobi is horrified by what is happening, and the battle begins. Master Kenobi ends up cutting off both of Vader's legs and left arm with his lightsaber. He falls near a riverbed with a river of molten lava. The heat causes his clothes to catch fire and he burns alive. Obi-Wan, turning his back to his former student, picks up Vader's lightsaber and rushes to the aid of the prone Padme.

The burnt and barely alive Vader is saved by Darth Sidious who arrives in time. He is put on a sealed spacesuit, which will henceforth serve as his support and life support system.

However, Anakin took his first step towards the Dark Side of the Force long before these events - when on Tatooine he exterminated the entire Sand People tribe, avenging his mother Shmi Skywalker. Anakin's next step towards the Dark Side of the Force was the beheading of the unarmed Count Dooku on the orders of Chancellor Palpatine. And finally, he took the decisive step when he betrayed Jedi Master Windu and helped Palpatine defeat him.

Suppression of the Rebellion

Darth Vader commanded the Empire's military forces. The rebels sometimes mistook him for the Leader of the Empire, and forgot about the Emperor. He inspired fear throughout the galaxy. Thanks to the brutality of his operations, the rebels had a hard time. In general, he is indirectly guilty of the beginning of the war: while still a Jedi knight, he foresaw the death of his wife and, of course, did not want it. Darth Sidious, aka Palpatine, was then the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic and used this to lure Anakin to the Dark Side. After Anakin became Darth Vader, Order No. 66 came into force, after which most of the Jedi Knights were destroyed, and the Grand Army of the Republic, in accordance with the charter, came under the direct control of the Supreme Chancellor. During the rebellion, Vader played the role of a target for the Rebels to eliminate, as well as a deity for the Empire. He acted without miscalculations or misfires. Vader was a genius of war. Any miscalculation on the part of his subordinates was strictly punished by his favorite measure of torture - strangulation at a distance. Darth Vader and Darth Sidious, unlike other Sith, had full access to the Jedi data archive. At any moment, they could look at the file on any Jedi or event that happened. Because of his punitive functions and unconditional devotion to the Emperor, he commanded respect from his soldiers, and among the rebels he received the nicknames “The Emperor’s Chain Dog” and “His Majesty’s Personal Executioner.”

Darth Vader

In the original Star Wars trilogy, Anakin Skywalker appears under the name Darth Vader.

New Hope

Vader is tasked with recovering the stolen Death Star plans and finding the Rebel Alliance's secret base. He captures and tortures Princess Leia Organa and is present when Death Star commander Grand Moff Tarkin destroys her home planet of Alderaan. Soon after, he engages in a lightsaber battle with his former master Obi-Wan Kenobi, who has arrived at the Death Star to rescue Leia. He then meets Luke Skywalker at the Battle of the Death Star, and senses his great ability in the Force; this is confirmed later when the youth destroys the battle station. Vader was about to shoot down Luke with his TIE Fighter (TIE Advanced x1), but an unexpected attack Millennium Falcon, piloted by Han Solo, sends Vader far into space.

The Empire Strikes Back

After the destruction of the rebel base "Echo" on the planet Hoth by the forces of the Empire, Darth Vader sends bounty hunters in search of the Millennium Falcon. Aboard his Star Destroyer, he executes Admiral Ozzel and Captain Niida for their mistakes. Meanwhile, Boba Fett manages to discover the Falcon and track its progress to the gas giant Bespin. Finding that Luke is not on the Falcon, Vader captures Leia, Han, Chewbacca, and C-3PO to lure Luke into a trap. He makes a deal with Cloud City administrator Lando Calrissian to hand Han over to bounty hunter Boba Fett, and freezes Solo in carbonite. Luke, who at this time is being trained to master the Light Side of the Force under the guidance of Yoda on the planet Dagobah, senses the danger threatening his friends. The young man goes to Bespin to fight Vader, but is defeated and loses his right hand. Vader then reveals to him the truth: he is Luke's father, and not Anakin's killer, as Obi Wan Kenobi told young Skywalker, and offers to overthrow Palpatine and rule the Galaxy together. Luke refuses and jumps down. He is sucked into a garbage chute and thrown towards the antennas of Cloud City, where he is rescued by Leia, Chewbacca, Lando, C-3PO and R2-D2 on the Millennium Falcon. Darth Vader tries to stop the Millennium Falcon, but it goes into hyperspace.

Return to the Light Side

Vader is tasked with overseeing the completion of the second Death Star. He meets with Palpatine aboard the half-completed station to discuss Luke's plan to turn to the Dark Side.

At this time, Luke had practically completed his training in the art of the Jedi and learned from the dying Master Yoda that Vader was indeed his father. He learns about his father's past from the spirit of Obi-Wan Kenobi, and also learns that Leia is his sister. During an operation on the forest moon of Endor, he surrenders to Imperial troops and is brought before Vader. Aboard the Death Star, Luke resists the Emperor's call to give vent to his anger and fear for his friends (and thus turn to the dark side of the Force). However, Vader, using the Force, penetrates Luke's mind, learns of Leia's existence and threatens to turn her into a servant of the Dark Side of the Force in his place. Luke gives in to his rage and nearly kills Vader by cutting off his father's right hand. But at this moment the young man sees Vader's cybernetic hand, then looks at his own, realizes that he is dangerously close to his father's fate and curbs his anger.

When the Emperor approaches him, tempting Luke to kill Vader and take his place, Luke throws away his lightsaber, refusing to deal the killing blow to his father. In anger, Palpatine attacks Luke with lightning. Luke writhes under the Emperor's torture, trying to fight. Palpatine's anger grows, Luke asks Vader for help. At this time, a confrontation between the Dark and Light Sides arises in Vader. He is afraid to rebel against the Emperor, but at the same time, he does not want to lose his only son. The Emperor almost kills Luke when Anakin Skywalker finally defeats the Dark Side and returns to the Light Side. He then grabs the Emperor and throws him into the Death Star's reactor, only to be fatally struck by lightning.

Before he dies, he asks his son to take off his breathing mask so he can look at Luke “with his own eyes.” The first (and, as it turned out, last) time father and son actually see each other. Before dying, Vader admits to Luke that he was right and the Light Side remained in him. He asks his son to convey these words to Leia. Luke flies away with his father's body, and the Death Star explodes, destroyed by the Rebel Alliance.

That same night, Luke cremates his father as a Jedi. And during a victory celebration on the forest moon of Endor, Luke sees the ghost of Anakin Skywalker, dressed in Jedi robes, standing next to the ghosts of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda.

The Force Awakens

About thirty years after the events of the sixth episode, one of the members of the organization that replaced the Empire, the First Order, Kylo Ren, the son of Leia and Han Solo, as well as the grandson of Anakin, received the melted and twisted helmet of Darth Vader. The film shows Kylo kneeling in front of the helmet and promising that he will finish what Vader started.

Fulfillment of prophecy

When he first meets Anakin, Qui-Gon Jean believes him to be the Chosen One - a child who will restore the balance of the Force. The Jedi believed that the Chosen One would bring balance through the destruction of the Sith. Yoda believes that the prophecy may be misinterpreted. In reality, Anakin first destroyed many Jedi in the Temple on Coruscant and a large number of other Jedi during the formative years of the Empire, thereby fulfilling the prophecy and bringing balance to the Force, equalizing the number of Sith and Jedi (Darth Sidious and Darth Vader on one side of the Force, Yoda and Obi -Van on the other hand). 20 years later, Darth Vader kills the Emperor and sacrifices himself, leaving neither the Jedi nor the Sith. Luke Skywalker, Anakin's son, became the new Jedi after the final battle with Darth Vader, completing his final training.

Darth Vader's armor

Darth Vader costume- a portable life support system that he was forced to wear to compensate for the serious damage he received as a result of his duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi on Mustafar in 19 to i. b. It was designed to support and protect the charred body of a former Jedi. The costume was made in the ancient traditions of the Sith, according to which warriors of the dark side of the Force had to adorn themselves with heavy armor. The suit was constructed using numerous Sith Alchemy techniques to augment Vader's severely diminished vitality and capabilities.

The suit contained a wide variety of life support systems, the most important of which was a complex breathing apparatus, and gave Vader relative freedom of movement without the need to use a flying chair. During use, it broke down several times, it was repaired and improved. The suit was eventually damaged beyond repair by Emperor Palpatine's powerful lightning bolt aboard the second Death Star after Vader saved his son, Luke Skywalker, from near death. After his sudden death, Vader, wearing his armor, was buried by Skywalker with the ritual Jedi funeral ceremonies in the forest on Endor in 4 p.i. b.. Some 30 years later, his grandson Kylo Ren (Ben Solo) kneels before Vader's melted and mangled helmet, promising to finish what his grandfather started.

Capabilities

Lightsaber Mastery

Jedi Knight

Anakin Skywalker trained under one of the strongest members of the Jedi Order, Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. Thanks to his mentor, he learned almost all styles of using a lightsaber, which made him an incredibly powerful opponent, despite his young age.

Skywalker preferred to use the fifth form of combat, the most aggressive and aimed at physically suppressing the opponent, perfectly suited to the wayward and impulsive character of the young man. Natural talent allowed him to quickly master new techniques, to please his own ego, and, after a while, the Jedi began to consider himself an equal to Grand Master Yoda himself. Anakin also independently mastered the art of fighting with two lightsabers at once, which was very useful to him during his duel with Count Dooku on Geonosis and several more times during the Separatist Crisis.

Over the long ten years of conflict, Skywalker, who received the title of Jedi Knight, took part in a great many battles and skirmishes, continuing to hone his skills and abilities. Evidence of his skill can be seen in successful battles with Asajj Ventress, a Dark Jedi personally trained by Dooku, General Grievous' IG-100 "Magnaguards" and his own teacher in training sparring. Relying on both strength and agility, Anakin could easily deflect or evade enemy attacks, immediately responding with swift counterattacks. The use of Djem So often forced the Jedi to summon rage and anger in battle, pushing him further and further towards the Dark Side. During his final confrontation with Dooku, Skywalker surrendered completely to these dangerous emotions, allowing them to fuel his power and guide his actions. With incredible ease, he overcame the almost impenetrable defense of the Count, once considered the best swordsman of the Order, cut off both hands of the Sith Lord, and then brutally executed him at the instigation of Chancellor Palpatine. Before his death, Dooku recognized his opponent as the best practitioner of the fifth form that he had ever seen.

Sith Lord

When Anakin Skywalker finally embraced the Dark Side of the Force and the title of Darth Vader, he transformed his fighting style into an even more brutal and aggressive one. Yet the young, strong and gifted Sith lacked experience, poise and concentration. Calling on the Dark Side, he could not fully control the power bestowed, anger clouded his mind and clarity of thoughts, preventing him from fully enjoying the benefits of the fifth form. Ultimately, the inability to control emotions was the reason for the Sith's defeat in the duel on Mustafar.

After being imprisoned in an armored life support suit, Vader had to rely entirely on the newfound power of mechanical prosthetics. His fighting style became clumsy, consisting only of sharp vertical strikes aimed at knocking down and finishing his opponent on the ground. The Sith included elements of Soresu and Ataru, trying to somehow compensate for his own clumsiness and slowness.

However, the dark lord quite quickly managed to overcome his limitations and created a unique form of combat that incorporated many of the techniques of Makashi, Soresu, Ataru, Dzhem So and Juyo, even the highest, most dangerous ones. He turned the disadvantages of heavy cybernetic armor into advantages, using its weight and the strength of the implants to provide incredibly powerful blows. During combat, the Sith Lord only moved his elbows and wrists, rather than his entire arm. Vader also regained some of his former mobility, learning to use the Force to perform acrobatic feats. A two-handed grip on the handle, unexpected and unpredictable attacks, surprisingly quick reactions and amazing intuition once again turned the dark lord into a formidable opponent. One of his favorite tactics was to force his enemies to unleash their emotions, convince them that they were pressing him, in reality wasting all their strength, and then disarm them with one blow.

Vader was able to employ various variations of his own style, using a one-handed grip for greater precision and economy of movement during an attack. He did the same in his battle with Luke Skywalker on Bespin. Going on the defensive, the Sith Lord held the hilt of his lightsaber with both hands, pressing his elbows to his body and holding the blade straight out in front of him, using only his hands. This position provided protection for the body and the vulnerable control panel on the chest, but did not cover the limbs.

The Dark Lord learned a lesson from his ill-fated duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi and learned to take control of his feelings in battle, acting intelligently, deliberately, channeling the power of the Dark Side, not allowing rage to blind him. Vader often practiced with training droids that were stronger and faster than normal living beings. Such sparring helped the Sith's skills to always remain sharp, even in the absence of real combat practice for a long time. Despite the stiffness of his movements, he had no problems in duels with agile and agile opponents.

Force Abilities

Jedi Knight

Due to the fact that Skywalker was born with the highest concentration of midi-chlorians in his blood recorded at that time and was considered the Chosen One, his Force potential was truly enormous. Very young and with little training due to his late joining the Jedi Order, Anakin was one of the most powerful supporters of the Light Side of his time. However, training with a lightsaber attracted the young man much more than practicing Force techniques. As a result, his knowledge in this area was narrowed down to a few essential techniques.

The high level of midi-chlorians not only provided Skywalker with a close connection to the Force, but also made him overly arrogant and self-confident. Achieving much greater success than other students, Anakin continued to feed his pride and ego.

The Jedi was a true master of telekinesis, capable of lifting even huge objects with minimal effort. He could perform a Force Jump, traveling long distances in this manner, and use Force Push and Mind Trick. During the Separatist Crisis, Anakin mastered one of the dark abilities: Force Choke, using it more than once during the conflict. The techniques of increasing his own speed and creating a Force Barrier were also familiar to him. Even as a child, Skywalker discovered the gift of foresight, with the help of which he learned about the imminent death of his mother and wife. In the Geonosian arena of Petranaki, he managed to establish contact with the wild rick, demonstrating the technique of animal control.

Sith Lord

Due to the terrible damage to his body received as a result of the duel on Mustafar, a significant part of the potential of the Force of Skywalker, now Darth Vader, was lost. And yet, the Sith Lord had enormous power and the necessary skill to emerge victorious from almost any battle.

Darth Vader reached the highest point of mastery in mastering the ability of telekinesis, in particular the techniques of Asphyxiation and Force Push, which he repeatedly demonstrated on the battlefield. It was not difficult for him to destroy any object, literally grinding it into dust, or to affect the internal organs of a living creature, causing incredible pain or painful death. The Dark Lord mastered the art of Tutaminis, absorbing or redirecting blaster bolts with a prosthetic arm, as he demonstrated in battle on the Alliance's flagship while attempting to retrieve the plans for the Death Star. The cyborg could create an impenetrable barrier, protecting itself from enemy attacks or other third-party influences. Having mastered the Concealment of the Force, he was able to mask his presence, both physically and mentally.

In the original trilogy, Vader is presented as the cunning and cruel leader of the army of the Galactic Empire, which rules the entire Galaxy. Vader appears as Emperor Palpatine's apprentice. He uses the dark side of the Force to destroy the Rebel Alliance, which seeks to restore the Galactic Republic. The prequel trilogy chronicles the heroic rise and tragic fall of Vader's original personality, Anakin Skywalker.

The name “Darth Vader” is similar to the name “Dar Veter” from the novel by I.A. Efremov “Andromeda Nebula” (1957).

Appearances

Original trilogy

In the original trilogy Star Wars Darth Vader is the main antagonist: a dark, ruthless figure willing to capture, torture, or kill the film's heroes to prevent the collapse of the Empire. On the other hand, Darth Vader (or, as he is otherwise known, the Dark Lord) is one of the greatest figures in the Star Wars universe. As one of the most powerful Sith, he is endeared to many fans of the anthology and is a very charismatic character.

New Hope

Vader is tasked with recovering the stolen Death Star plans and finding the Rebel Alliance's secret base. He captures and tortures Princess Leia Organa and is present when Death Star commander Grand Moff Tarkin destroys her home planet of Alderaan. Soon after, he fights with lightsabers with his former master Obi-Wan Kenobi, who arrived on the Death Star to save Leia, and kills him (Obi-Wan becomes a Force spirit). He then meets Luke Skywalker at the Battle of the Death Star, and senses his great ability in the Force; this is confirmed later when the youth destroys the battle station. Vader was about to shoot down Luke with his TIE Fighter (TIE Advanced x1), but an unexpected attack Millennium Falcon, piloted by Han Solo, sends Vader far into space.

The Empire Strikes Back

After the destruction of the rebel base "Echo" on the planet Hoth by the Empire, Darth Vader sends bounty hunters. bounty hunters) in search of the Millennium Falcon. Aboard his Star Destroyer, he executes Admiral Ozzel (who was a completely incompetent commander) and Captain Niida for the mistakes they made. Meanwhile, the Mandalorian Boba Fett manages to discover the Falcon and track its progress to the gas giant Bespin. Finding that Luke is not on the Falcon, Vader captures Leia, Han, Chewbacca, and C-3PO to lure Luke into a trap. He makes a deal with Cloud City administrator Lando Calrissian to hand Han over to bounty hunter Boba Fett, and freezes Solo in carbonite. Luke, who at this time is being trained in the use of the Light Side of the Force under the guidance of Yoda on the planet Dagobah, senses the danger threatening his friends. The young man goes to Bespin to fight Vader, but is defeated and loses his right hand. Vader then reveals to him the truth: he is Luke's father, and not Anakin's killer, as Obi Wan Kenobi told young Skywalker, and offers to overthrow Palpatine and rule the Galaxy together. Luke refuses and jumps down. He is sucked into a trash chute and thrown towards Cloud City's antennas, where he is rescued by Leia, Chewbacca, Lando, C-3PO and R2-D2 in the Millennium Falcon.

Return of the Jedi

Vader is tasked with overseeing the completion of the second Death Star. He meets with Palpatine aboard the half-completed station to discuss Luke's plan to turn to the Dark Side.

At this time, Luke had practically completed his training in the art of the Jedi and learned from the dying Master Yoda that Vader was indeed his father. He learns about his father's past from the spirit of Obi-Wan Kenobi, and also learns that Leia is his sister. During an operation on the forest moon of Endor, he surrenders to Imperial forces and is brought before Vader. Aboard the Death Star, Luke resists the Emperor's call to give vent to his anger and fear for his friends (and thus turn to the dark side of the Force). However, Vader, using the Force, penetrates Luke's mind, learns of Leia's existence and threatens to turn her into a servant of the Dark Side of the Force in his place. Luke gives in to his rage and nearly kills Vader by cutting off his father's right hand. But at that moment the young man sees Vader's cybernetic hand, then looks at his own, realizes that he is dangerously close to his father's fate, and curbs his anger.

Vader's costume design was influenced by the costume worn by Lightning, a villain in the television series Fighting the Devil's Hounds, and Japanese samurai masks, but also featured similarities between Vader's armor and the costume of Marvel Comics supervillain Dr. Death.

Vader's iconic breathing noise was created by Ben Burtt, who breathed through an underwater mask with a small microphone in the regulator. He initially recorded many variations of breath sounds, from rattling and asthmatic to cold and mechanical. The more mechanical version was mostly chosen, and the more rattling version was chosen in Return of the Jedi, after Vader was fatally damaged by Sidious' Force lightning. Originally, Vader was supposed to sound like an emergency room, with clicks and beeps while he was in frame. However, it turned out that this was too distracting, and all this noise was cut down to just breathing.

One of the canon changes regarding the suit was that by 4 ABY, Vader's left shoulder was completely artificial, and in 3 ABY, after his encounter with Luke on Bespin, he noted that his right shoulder had healed well. Since the bionic shoulder could not heal, Vader's right shoulder must have still been made of his own flesh, although earlier, on Mimban, Vader's right arm was amputated from the shoulder. Such information may be somewhat incorrect, as throughout the 2nd and 3rd of his Episodes, we see how Anakin Skywalker first lost his right arm below the elbow (in a fight with Dooku (replaced with a prosthetic in the same Episode 2), and then lost his left arm below the elbow, and both legs below the knees (duel with Obi-Wan), which were also replaced with prosthetics at the end of Revenge of the Sith, during Anakin's final transformation into Darth Vader. However, whether Vader was talking about this healing literally, sarcastically, or metaphorically is unknown. Another change was that in Episode III the suit Vader, completely new, was made different from the original design, albeit only slightly, to give him a new, newly created look.A few small changes to the length of the neck and shoulder joints gave Vader's movements a more mechanical appearance. Another change in canon is that Vader's chest panel changed slightly from III to IV and from IV to V and VI. The canonical reason for this has not yet been stated. Additionally, this control panel contained ancient Jewish symbols, which some fans believe translate to "His deeds will not be forgiven until he deserves it."

The costume has been referenced several times in the Expanded Universe. For example, in the Star Wars Legacy comics, Cade Skywalker appears wearing a pair of pants very similar to some of Vader's clothing. Also in Star Wars Unification, when Mara tries on wedding dresses, one of them resembles Vader's armor. Leia tells the designer that the reason Mara rejected him is because "The bride doesn't want to dress like the groom's father."

Secret student

According to the Star Wars: The Force Unleashed project, immediately after the events of Episode 3, Darth Vader took as his apprentice the son of a Jedi, whose potential in power far exceeded his own. Vader wanted, with the help of his student, to overthrow the Emperor and seize power in the Empire, and in order for the student to become stronger, Darth Vader ordered him to destroy the 66 Jedi who remained alive after the order was executed. Later, the secret student, nicknamed Starkiller, realized his mistake and switched to the light side. After this, having received the trust of the rebels, he vowed to lead them in this battle, but they were found by Darth Vader, who captured the rebels, but Starkiller was able to escape. He vowed revenge on his former teacher. Arriving at the Death Star, he fought with the Sith Lord, severely maiming him, but still died at the hands of Emperor Palpatine and thereby saved the rebels.

It is unlikely that among fans of cinema and pop culture there will be a person who does not know, He became a symbol of the space epic “Star Wars” and its main antagonist. Despite the fact that he is a negative character, fans elevate him to the rank of their favorite heroes. However, once one of the greatest villains in the history of the Galaxy (ours and the fictional one) was an ordinary boy who, for many reasons, became a servant of the dark side.

Childhood

Once upon a time, the most controversial character in the Star Wars film saga, Darth Vader, was called Anakin Skywalker. Viewers first meet him on the sand planet Tatooine, where he and his mother are enslaved by a parts salesman named Watto. From early childhood, the boy had high intelligence and extremely developed technical abilities. Already at the age of 9, he assembled his own droid C-3PO and a real racing car. Qui-Gon Jinn immediately sensed enormous Power in the young slave. The Jedi's feelings did not fail him 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 the father of the child was, but she says that besides her, he never had anyone else. This leads Qui-Gon to think about a prophecy that says that a man will be born from the Force, called upon to restore balance to the world. Then he decides to take the young technician as his Padawan, which becomes possible when he wins a bet with Watto, the condition of which was that Anakin would win the race.

Clone War

After ten years of training, Anakin masterfully masters Jedi techniques and is distinguished by special talents. Obi-Wan Kenobi becomes his teacher, as this was Qui-Gon Jinn's dying request. In this part of Star Wars, Darth Vader begins to awaken within the young Skywalker. He is accompanied everywhere by stubbornness and vanity, and the patronage of the Sith Lord, who is Chancellor Palpatine, further strengthens his sense of his own superiority. The first step taken towards the transition is the mass execution of an entire Tusken tribe in the name of revenge for the captivity 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 inextricable connection with his wife, a strong fear of losing her arises in him, which also condones the development of the Sith.

Going to the dark side

The next significant move in the internal war between Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker is murder on the orders of Chancellor Palpatine, which violates the Jedi principle of not executing unarmed prisoners. Almost immediately after this, he learns about Padmé’s pregnancy, but his joy at this news is replaced by intense fear, overshadowing everything around him. The Force shows him a future in which his wife dies in childbirth. Disturbed by this vision, he shares it with Palpatine, which speaks of the young Jedi's unconditional trust in his patron. He is unaware of the skillfully thought-out plan of the future Emperor to make Ani a Sith and his devoted student. Thus, the seeds of the dark side he sowed begin to germinate rapidly. When Skywalker learns that the Chancellor is Darth Sidious, he tells the Jedi Council, where he sits as Palpatine's representative. However, he soon begins to realize that the latter is able to protect Padme from death. In the decisive battle between Mace Windu and the Sith Lord, Anakin takes the side of the latter, as a result of which the master dies. From that moment on, he becomes Sidious's student and, on his orders, kills all young Jedi and Separatists. It is the new trilogy that reveals to viewers the truth about who Darth Vader is and gives insight into 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 burned in the fire. However, the self-proclaimed Emperor Palpatine manages to save his student from death with the help of a special suit. Since then, Darth Vader's sword turns red, and he himself commands the armed forces of 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 the location of the rebel base, as well as return the circuits to his space station, he destroys Alderaan. At this time, the Millennium Falcon is pulled towards 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 encounters Luke as he attempts to destroy the Death Star and senses that the young man is full of the Force. As a result, he has to flee, and the planet destroyer explodes thanks to young Skywalker.

Meeting with my son

In the next episode, Luke will reveal a terrible secret about who Darth Vader is. He ends up on Dagobah, where he studies with Master Yoda. However, at this time the dark lord captures his friends in order to lure Skywalker into a trap. He succeeds, and during a lightsaber battle, he cuts off the young Jedi's hand, 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 compartment, where he is picked up by the escaped crew of the Millennium Falcon.

Repentance

In the next part of the popular space opera Star Wars, Darth Vader builds a new Death Star, which should 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, because he hopes that there is goodness left 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 defeat Vader with a lightsaber. The Emperor encourages him to kill his father and take his place, but Skywalker does not give in and throws away his weapon. While Palpatine inflicts heavy lightning strikes on Luke, Darth Vader realizes that he cannot allow his son to die and throws his master into the mine, where he dies. However, Anakin's life support is damaged. Removing his helmet, he speaks his last words, and his healed soul finds peace.

Armor

It is thanks to the black cloak and helmet that most people know who Darth Vader is. This armor was designed specifically to keep a wounded Skywalker alive; without it, he would almost immediately be unable to breathe. Sith traditions dictate 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 ultimately 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’s place was taken by Hayden Christensen, who also appears in the sixth episode in the guise of a ghost. With the original trilogy the situation is more complicated. In all three parts, the suit was replaced by British swordsman Bob Anderson during sword fights. 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 face of actor Sebastian Shaw is revealed to the audience. This is probably one of the few characters in the history of cinema, whose image was embodied simultaneously by so many performers and became truly iconic.

If you missed or forgot the first 6 parts of the epic, read Banderolkin's review of the main characters and the relationships between them.

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Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker

The main character, who is probably known to anyone who can theoretically read this article, is Darth Vader, the Sith Lord and the watchdog of the supreme villain of the Empire.

His enormous significance in the world of Star Wars is determined primarily by the fact that he played a key role both in the first episodes of the epic and in subsequent ones. In his childhood and adolescence, before turning to the dark side, his name was Anakin Skywalker, and great hopes were placed on him: the boy was considered the chosen one, capable of restoring the balance of power and destroying the Sith. Despite his low origins, Anakin managed to become one of the strongest Jedi and achieve great influence both in the Order and in politics.

However, the Dark Lord of the Sith, Chancellor Palpatine, managed to play on his feelings for his beloved, and tricked him into switching to the dark side. Where Anakin, or rather Vader, achieved even more - he became the commander-in-chief of the troops and the second man in the Empire after the Emperor himself.

Darth Skywalker took part in the main battles of the epic. He fought twice with his Jedi master Obi Wan Kenobi, with the Sith Lord Count Dooku and with his own son Luke Skywalker. It was he who played a key role in the formation of the Empire, and then he destroyed it.

Featured Quote:"I am your father!"

Master Yoda

A seemingly tiny green creature, but in fact the Grand Master of the Jedi Order. Yoda trained the most powerful knights in the saga, including Luke Skywalker, Dooku, Ki-Adi-Mundi, Kit Fisto and Mace Windu. And he himself was the strongest and wisest Jedi of his time. He fought Count Dooku, his past student, and Darth Sidious, the dark lord of the Sith. Without Yoda's wisdom, the Empire would not have been defeated.

And also, without it, we wouldn’t have learned to speak by rearranging words in a funny way in a sentence.

Featured Quote: “Ready, then? What do you know about that? He taught the Jedi for eight hundred years. I will decide for myself who to take for training.”

Palpatine/Darth Sidious

The most insidious character in the Star Wars saga is the Dark Lord of the Sith. He was a senator for a long time, was friends with the main characters and successfully pretended to be a friend of the Republic, which did not stop him from weaving vile intrigues against his own « friends » . It was he who managed to transfer Anakin Skywalker to the dark side, it was he who managed to destroy the Republic, and it was he who became the victim of his own atrocities. Killed (?) by his student - Darth Vader.

Featured Quote: “We stand on the threshold of a new world. For security and stability, the Republic will be transformed into the first Galactic Empire, a society of security and reliability that will exist for ten thousand years. An empire that will be governed by this majestic assembly and a sovereign ruler elected for life.”

Padme Amidala

Queen of the planet Naboo, senator of the Galactic Senate, wife of Anakin Skywalker, mother of Luke and Princess Leia. Despite her seemingly minor role, she influenced many events in the film. If the Jedi had not saved the queen, they would never have met the unusual slave boy from Tatooine, who later became Darth Vader; If Anakin had not fallen in love with Padme, he would not have fallen to the dark side; If Padme had not given birth to two talented children - Luke and Leia - the Empire would not have been defeated!

Featured Quote: “Obi-Wan... There's still good in him... I know. It’s in him..."

Obi-Wan Kenobi

Teacher of Anakin Skywalker and Luke Skywalker. It was Obi-Wan who, in the first battle with Anakin, cut off both his legs and an arm and burned him with lava. After this battle, Darth Vader was forced to put on a mask and a life support suit. Years later, Obi-Wan Kenobi, in his second battle with Darth Vader, for some reason stopped fighting, raised his sword, and as a result was defeated by his former student.

Featured Quote: “You were the chosen one! They predicted that you would destroy the Sith, not join them! You will restore the balance of the Force, and not plunge it into darkness!”

Luke Skywalker

Son of Anakin Skywalker and Padmé. A key character in the war with the Empire, a student of Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi. With the help of nobility and kindness, he managed to convince his father, Darth Vader, to once again turn to the light side and become a Jedi. He was equally good with the sword and the word, so he became famous as a talented warrior, a good speaker and a loyal friend.

Featured Quote: "I am a Jedi, just like my father."

Han Solo

A Corellian of high birth, who, due to his internal qualities, could not serve the Empire and became a smuggler. Adventurous, arrogant, but unconditionally loyal to his friends, he helped Luke throughout the war and played an important role in the victory over the Empire.

The most charismatic character in the saga, the husband of Luke Skywalker's sister, Princess Leia. Chewbacca's best friend, whom he rescued from slavery. Pilot and owner « ]]> Millennium Falcon]]> » .

Featured Quote: "You like me because I'm a scoundrel."

Princess Leia (Leia Organa Solo)

Daughter of Anakin and Padme. The youngest senator on the Galactic Council. She secretly supported the rebels fighting against the Empire, for which she became its enemy and was captured. As the story progresses, she, Han Solo and Luke Skywalker begin a love triangle. While Luke is her twin brother. However, they didn’t know about it then. Leia eventually married Han Solo.

Featured Quote:"Vader's death may have been heroic, but ten minutes of repentance cannot erase years of atrocities."

Chewbacca

Wookiee, Han Solo's best friend. A talented mechanic and pilot, he helped Luke Skywalker and his friends during the war with the Empire.

Featured Quote: “Wa-wa-waaaaa!!”

This was a selection of the most significant characters in the saga. In other reviews of Banderolka you can read about or find out which movie epics you can buy in American online stores.