Darth Vader explained: who he is, why he fell and how he was made
Spoilers ahead: this article discusses the ending.
Darth Vader explained in a sentence: he is Anakin Skywalker, a Jedi Knight seduced to the dark side by Palpatine, who becomes the Empire's enforcer and is redeemed when he saves his son Luke. George Lucas has described the whole saga as the tragedy of that one man.
Vader first appeared in Star Wars in 1977 as a masked cyborg commander. Over six films his story was told in two directions: the original trilogy shows his redemption, and the prequels show his fall. Here is who he is, what drives him, and how a team of artists, actors and sound designers created him.
Darth Vader explained: who he is
In the original Star Wars, Vader serves the Galactic Empire alongside Grand Moff Tarkin, hunting the stolen Death Star plans. He captures Princess Leia, strikes down his former mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi, and nearly shoots down Luke before Han Solo intervenes. In The Empire Strikes Back he becomes obsessed with Luke, freezes Han in carbonite, cuts off Luke's hand and reveals that he is Luke's father, inviting him to overthrow the Emperor together.
How Anakin became Vader
The prequels begin with Anakin as a nine-year-old slave on Tatooine whom Qui-Gon Jinn believes is the Chosen One of Jedi prophecy. As a young man he grows arrogant, resents Obi-Wan, and falls in love with Padmé despite the Jedi Code. When his mother dies in his arms after being taken by Tusken Raiders, he massacres the tribe.
In Revenge of the Sith, Palpatine lures him to the dark side, and a duel with Obi-Wan leaves him badly injured and rebuilt as a cyborg. Lucas reshot parts of the film in 2004 to sharpen the motivation: earlier drafts gave Anakin several reasons, including a belief that the Jedi planned to seize the Republic, but the final cut makes his main reason the desire to save Padmé from death.
Motivation: fear, love and control
Vader's defining trait is a fear of loss turned into a need for control. The Jedi Council refused at first to train Anakin because of the fear he showed, and the fall that follows comes from trying to stop the people he loves from dying. Lucas said Anakin is still the Chosen One even after becoming Vader, and Hayden Christensen described him as someone who believes he is doing the right thing, a naivety that makes him more human.
Key scenes that define him
A handful of moments carry the character.
- His entrance aboard Leia's ship in Star Wars, the first image audiences had of him.
- The Cloud City reveal in The Empire Strikes Back, where he tells Luke he is his father.
- The throne room in Return of the Jedi, where he throws the Emperor down a reactor shaft to save Luke and is mortally wounded.
- Luke removing his mask so Vader can look at his son with his own eyes, before Luke burns his body on Endor.
How he was created
Lucas asked concept artist Ralph McQuarrie for a very tall, dark fluttering figure with a spooky feeling. McQuarrie suggested a space suit and combined a breathing mask with a samurai helmet. Costume designer John Mollo added clerical robes, a motorcycle suit, a German military helmet and a gas mask. Sound designer Ben Burtt made the breathing from modified scuba recordings, and the sound is trademarked.
David Prowse, a 6-foot-6 bodybuilder, played Vader in the suit; he had turned down Chewbacca because he wanted to play the villain. Lucas felt his West Country accent was wrong and considered Orson Welles before choosing James Earl Jones, who went uncredited until Return of the Jedi. To protect the twist, Prowse was given the line Obi-Wan killed your father; only Lucas, the producers and Mark Hamill knew the real one. Lucas has given different accounts of the name, including Dark Father and Dark Water.
Questions people ask
Is Darth Vader Luke's father?
Yes. He reveals it in The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi confirms it.
Why did Anakin turn to the dark side?
In the final cut of Revenge of the Sith, mainly to save Padmé from the death he foresaw.
Who played Darth Vader?
David Prowse wore the suit, James Earl Jones provided the voice, Bob Anderson did lightsaber duels in Empire and Jedi, and Sebastian Shaw played the unmasked Anakin.