A 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're selfish.
- Not!
- You left me. You let me down! Do you know what I've become?
His appearance on the screen precedes the "Imperial March" by John Williams. His appearance inspires horror and awe. His name resounds throughout the galaxy. One of the most famous villains in all of cinematic history, the central and highly controversial character in Star Wars. When you watch the saga in order, the finale of the third episode becomes a bit of a shock. Especially for those who once heard something about Darth Vader somewhere, but did not watch the original trilogy. The Rebirth of a Noble Jedi Anakin Skywalker into the powerful Sith Lord Darth Vader - this is perhaps the brightest emotional component of the story.
The films do not fully reveal either Anakin or Vader. To better understand the complex inner world of the hero, you should pay attention to the animated series Clone Wars (Anakin), Clone Wars (Anakin) and Rebels (Vader, appears in the second season). And of course - to the expanded Universe, consisting of a variety of books and comics.
The Inner World of Anakin and Vader
"You don't give up on feelings, Anakin. They make you special."
("The Clone Wars", season 4, episode 16.)
These words of 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 capable of completely immersing himself in both love and hate. To curb emotional impulses, he needed a real, understanding friend. Unfortunately, in the end, there was no such thing next to 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. And therefore, the teacher not only missed Anakin’s internal torment, but also could not understand in time that he needed something more than the duty censure of the mistakes made, did not see the moment when the wayward student had to be put in his place as a father as harshly and soberingly. A past as a slave left Skywalker with a legacy of independence. Strength and talent have become the causes of excessive conceit and pride. Anakin was too young and inexperienced to handle himself on his own. And with spiritual losses that followed one after another, fear for the closest people to whom he was attached with all his heart. Close people - it was these attachments that ultimately killed Skywalker and saved Vader.
“He was bold. Rarely lost. But people were amazed by his kindness. He treasured his friends very much and protected them to the end.”
(Ahsoka on 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 he would hate his entire tribe - 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 had to! .. I will learn how to make people not 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 though he already doubted the Jedi, he never left him in trouble. There was a moment in their lives when Kenobi hid the staging of his death from his best friend for maximum credibility, 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 developed a wonderful, very warm brother-sister relationship. Ahsoka's character, independent and at the same time not alien to affections, was very reminiscent of Skywalker himself. Subsequently, after being falsely accused of betrayal, she became disillusioned with the Jedi Order and left it. To meet again face to face already with Darth Vader - and in this battle, having recognized each other, they could not deliver decisive blows. "I'm close to wanting to get away from the Order," Anakin said before Ahsoka left the Order. "I know". Only later, with bitterness and a great sense of guilt, did she realize how much her departure contributed to Anakin's transition to the dark side of the Force - she was needed by someone who always believed in her and asked to stay.
Supreme Chancellor Palpatine- the wise mentor of the boy, in many ways replacing his father. He was always ready to listen, understand, explain. Only person with whom you could talk about the most intimate, who never dismissed Anakin. Neither the Jedi Order, nor Obi-Wan, nor even Padme could give Skywalker the attention he needed as Palpatine. Anakin loved and unconditionally trusted Palpatine - but very soon ceased to have these feelings for Darth Sidious.
Padme Amidala- the love of Anakin's life, so strong that for the sake of his beloved he was really ready for anything. Dreams of her death became an obsession, the horror of the inevitable loss of dear person pushed to find a way to change the future. She believed in Anakin, but she didn't have enough time to get him back.
Luke Skywalker- a son whose existence Vader did not learn about until 20 years after his birth, living all these years with the thoughts 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 he is fundamentally different from Obi-Wan, who, despite his worries 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 is the use of strength if there is no discipline? The boy is as dangerous to himself as 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 the goal), but this does not change the essence - each such act dangerously brought him closer to the fatal line. And one of the first such steps was a 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 bravery and military talent. But he also differed from others in his methods of interrogating separatist henchmen. The result was important to him, and therefore he even used his famous suffocation by the Force at a distance during interrogations. Skywalker's entourage suspected methods contrary to the principles of the Jedi, but turned a blind eye to them every time: apparently, it suited that there was someone who was not afraid to do all the dirty work. Everything was comfortable for everyone, until one day it touched them personally.
Another such unworthy act was the beheading of an unarmed Count Dooku. Anakin doubted the correctness of this act, but the dark influence of Palpatine was already becoming stronger than the Jedi teachings.
In fact, there were more such episodes. If we add to all this the periodic exacerbation of the sense of 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 sometimes represented.
Was it possible to stop the process of going to the dark side? Haunted by nightmares about the death of his beloved, the young man came to Yoda for advice. But could advice satisfy a tormented soul by simply letting go of its attachments? Didn't the sage's standard answer look like an excuse? In fact, everyone turned away from Anakin: distrust, fear of his Force, unwillingness to understand the complex inner world 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 there again. Gave hope. Got rid of fear. Made me feel the power. At what point did Anakin put an end to his doubts? Kneel before a new teacher? Becoming a cold-blooded killer? Or allowing selfishness, albeit for a while, to take precedence over love? After all, even taking the path of Darth Vader, Skywalker experienced several moments of bitter regret. And if Kenobi behaved precisely as an understanding and faithful friend, if he had not interfered in Anakin's conversation with Padme, then it is likely that even then Anakin would have been able to return to the bright path. The most important outward manifestation belonging to the dark side of the Force is the color of the eyes - in the minutes of complete immersion in Darkness, it changes to yellow. For Anakin, this most clearly happened only after the fight with Obi-Wan. It is the hatred for the former teacher, sizzling physical and heartache became the last decisive link in the chain of internal metamorphoses. "You were my brother!" exclaims Kenobi, looking at the defeated Vader, but is he sincere in his words? Did he himself at that moment become simply a machine for carrying out the orders of the Jedi Council? How could that former 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 torment in the flames of lava?
“A Jedi is obliged to discard such attachments from his life,” and Kenobi followed this teaching. Did he ever realize that he had actually betrayed, without even trying to save? ..
The video uses the composition Lars Erik Fjosne "Bad medicine".
Life of Darth Vader
The films show little of Everyday life 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 use it as a space suit, etc.), on the other hand, it was so ill-conceived that Vader could only explain its appearance by the unwillingness of the emperor to give him complete freedom. Poor-quality metal alloys, an extremely vulnerable life support panel, constant annoying hissing of the breathing apparatus, heaviness and sluggishness, 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, to restore his lungs destroyed by the heat of the lava by the Force, but he could only last a few minutes without the apparatus. 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 Power. To escape from constant memories, he took various psychotropic drugs, but again and again returned to the past, which made him regret his choice. After all, there, inside the suit, was still Anakin - a man tragic fate. His life is a story that 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 mess things up.
The video features Hans Zimmer's "Time".
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 everyone who loves this saga. And may the Force be with you!
15. He had 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
In James Luceno's science fiction book Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader" tells that after the events of Episode 3 ("Revenge of the Sith"), everyone in the galaxy was convinced that the Jedi Anakin Skywalker - the Chosen One - died heroically on Coruscant during the battle in the Jedi Temple. Imperial propaganda also supported this official version , 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 in "The Empire Strikes Back" when at one point Vader is shown in the meditation chamber - he's not wearing a helmet and the torn 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 trilogy " star Wars Vader was played by David Prowse. The six-foot-tall British champion weightlifter was perfect for the role, but he had to be re-dubbed due to his thick Bristol accent (which made him furious). The stunt double was Bob Anderson - since Prowse was constantly breaking 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 is understandably taken aback by this claim, but after testing Anakin's blood for midi-chlorians, he is convinced it is indeed the result. immaculate conception, exclusively under 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. The creation of both the helmet and the rest of the ammunition of Vader and the imperial military Lucas was inspired by the Nazi uniforms and helmets 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, you had to say "Asteroids don't bother me, I need this ship," and he calmly said: "Hemorrhoids don't bother 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 alternate endings, then here's 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 you 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, in conjunction with National Geographic magazine, announced 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 in the internal war between Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker is an assassination 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 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 Star Wars space opera, Darth Vader builds new Star Death, which should become 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, he was replaced by the British swordsman Bob Anderson during sword battles. 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 worldwide famous history about space adventures, life and struggle of various heroes - both positive and negative. 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 villain, 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 in fact the same Sith Lord, who was hunted by the Order for a long time. 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 Dartha with his lightsaber. left hand and both legs, after which, dying, he falls to the riverbed of 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. It was a portable mobile life support system that 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 costume of Darth Vader was the most difficult respiratory system, with which he could breathe, since after the burns it was impossible to do this. 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.
Dart possessed the highest degree telekinesis skills, as well as mastering the Strangle and Push Force 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.
Anakin Skywalker
However, Anakin took the first step to the Dark Side of the Force long before these events - when on Tatooine he exterminated the entire tribe of the Sand People, avenging his mother Shmi Skywalker. Anakin's next move to the dark side of the Force was to kill the unarmed Count Dooku on the orders of Chancellor Palpatine. And finally, he took the decisive step when he betrayed the Jedi Master Windu and helped Palpatine defeat him.
Suppression of the Rebellion
Darth Vader commanded the military forces of the Empire. The rebels sometimes mistook him for the Leader of the Empire, but forgot about the Emperor. He instilled fear in the entire 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 this. 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 number 66 came into force, after which most of the Jedi Knights were destroyed, and Grand Army 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 to be eliminated by the rebels, as well as a deity for the Empire. He acted without miscalculations and misfires. Vader was a war genius. Any miscalculation on the part of subordinates was severely punished by his favorite measure of torture - strangulation at a distance. Darth Vader and Darth Sidious, unlike the other Sith, had full access to the Jedi data archive. At any moment, they could look at the dossier on any Jedi or event. Due to his punitive functions and unconditional devotion to the Emperor, he commanded the respect of 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". He was played by bodybuilder David Prowse and two stunt doubles (one of them - Bob Anderson), and the voice of Vader belongs to actor James Earl Jones. Darth Vader is the main antagonist: the cunning and cruel leader of the army Galactic Empire that rules the entire galaxy. Vader appears as a student of Emperor Palpatine. He uses the dark side of the Force to prevent the collapse of the Empire and destroy the Rebel Alliance, which seeks to restore the Galactic Republic. On the other hand, Darth Vader (or the Dark Lord) is one of the greatest figures in the Star Wars universe. As one of the most powerful Sith, he is well liked by 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 by her side when the 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 has come to the Death Star to save Leia, and kills him (Obi-Wan becomes a spirit of the Force). He then meets Luke Skywalker in battle on the Death Star, and senses in him a 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 a surprise 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 (Eng. 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 locate 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 in order to lure Luke into a trap. He makes a deal with Cloud City administrator Lando Calrissian to turn Khan over to bounty hunter Boba Fett, and freezes Solo in carbonite. Luke, who at this time is undergoing training in the possession of the light side of the Force under the guidance of Yoda on the planet Dagoba, senses the danger that threatens his friends. The young man goes to Bespin to fight Vader, but is defeated and loses his right hand. Vader then reveals the truth to him: he is Luke's father, not Anakin's killer, as Obi Wan Kenobi told the young Skywalker, and offers to overthrow Palpatine and rule the galaxy together. Luke refuses and jumps down. He is sucked down a garbage chute and thrown towards Cloud City's antennas, 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. Vader then leaves without saying a word.
Return to the Light Side
The events described in this section take place in the film"Star Wars. Episode VI: 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.
During this time, Luke had nearly completed his Jedi training 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 unleash 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 the existence of Leia and threatens to turn her into a servant. dark side Forces instead. Luke gives in to his rage and nearly kills Vader by chopping off his father's right arm. But at that moment, the young man sees Vader's cybernetic hand, then looks at his own, realizes that he is dangerously close to the fate of his father, and curbs his anger.
Vader's costume design was influenced by the costume worn by Lightning, a villain in the television series Fight the Devil Dogs, and Japanese samurai masks, but Vader's armor was also similar to that of the Marvel Comics supervillain Doctor Death.
The canonical Vader breathing noise was created by Ben Burtt breathing through an underwater mask with a small microphone in the regulator. He originally recorded many variations of breath sounds, from rattling and asthmatic to cold and mechanical. A more mechanical version was mostly chosen, with a more rattling one in Return of the Jedi, after Vader was fatally damaged by Sidious' Force lightning. Vader was originally intended to sound like an emergency room, with clicks and beeps as long as he was in the frame. However, it turned out to be too distracting, and all this noise was reduced to only breathing.
One of the canon changes regarding the costume was that by 4 ABY, Vader's left shoulder was completely artificial, and in 3 ABY, after an encounter with Luke on Bespin, he noted that his right shoulder had healed well. Because the bionic shoulder was unable to heal, Vader's right shoulder must still have 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 during 2nd and 3rd of his Episodes, we see how Anakin Skywalker first lost his right arm below the elbow (in a fight with Count Dooku (replaced by a prosthesis in the same Episode 2)), and then lost his left arm below the elbow, and both legs below the knee (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 spoke of this healing literally, sarcastically, or metaphorically is unknown. Another change was that in Episode III, Vader's costume, which was brand new, was made different from the original design, albeit only slightly, to give it a new, newly created look. Several small changes to the length of the neck and shoulder grips gave Vader's movements a more mechanical feel. 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 named. In addition, this control panel had ancient Jewish symbols, which, according to some fans, translate as "His deeds will not be forgiven until he deserves it."
The suit 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 that look very much like part of Vader's outfit. Also in Star Wars: Unite, when Mara tries on wedding dresses, one of them looks like Vader's armor. Leia tells the designer that the reason Mara rejected him is "The bride doesn't want to dress like the groom's father".
Criticism and reviews
This character is one of the most famous pop idols among the villains in the history of cinema.
... the presence of the disease explains the popularity of Vader's character among teenagers. It is noted that young people see a kindred spirit in Darth Vader, as young viewers themselves often suffer from borderline personality disorder.
The full results of this study were published in scientific journal Psychiatry Research in January 2011.
see also
Notes
- The website www.StarWars.com indicates that Anakin's official height is 185 cm. The height of actor Hayden Christensenwho played Anakin is 187 cm.
- British Director Ken Annakin Passes Away , theforce.net, April 24, 2009
- Ken Annakin dies at 94; British director of "Swiss Family Robinson" and others , latimes.com, April 24, 2009
- Vader in the Dutch dictionary
- Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
- The Chosen One Featurette
- Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide. ISBN 0-7566-1420-1.
- Empire of Dreams
- Dressing a Galaxy: The Costumes of Star Wars. ISBN 0-8109-6567-4.
- The sneak preview BTS look at Episode III included in the OT special addition bonus material
- Star Wars: The men behind the mask
- Audio commentary to
- Audio commentary to
- Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
- Shadows of the Empire (comic)
- Star Wars: Dominion Crystal Shard. ISBN 5-7921-0315-1.
- Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
- Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
- A comment regarding the inscription on the suit's control panel.(unavailable link)
- AFI's 100 Years…100 Heroes and Villains ", American Film Institute, last accessed April 17, 2008
- 100-greatest-movie-characters . empireonline.com. Archived from the original on February 5, 2012. Retrieved January 13, 2012.
- French psychiatrists diagnosed the character of the film epic "Star Wars" Radio "Moscow Says"
- Darth Vader was found to have a mental disorder
- Darth Vader declared mentally ill
- French psychiatrists diagnosed Darth Vader
- Bui E., Rodgers R., Chabrol H., Birmes P., Schmitt L. Is Anakin Skywalker suffering from borderline personality disorder? (English) // Psychiatry Research. - January 2011. - Vol. 185. - No. 1-2. - P. 299. - ISSN 0165-1781. - DOI:10.1016/j.psychres.2009.03.031
- SOUL CALIBUR IV
- Lenta.ru: From life: Darth Vader visited the Odessa City Hall
- Lenta.ru: From life: Darth Vader turned to the mayor of Odessa
Links
- Anakin Skywalker Internet Movie Database
- Gallery "The Return of Darth Vader" on GoodCinema.ru (Russian)
- Family tree of Darth Vader on the site MoeDrevo
- Anakin Skywalker (Russian) on Wookieepedia: Wiki about Star Wars
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