Darth Vader by Miriam E. Baker

Darth Vader

Darth Vader is one of the most powerful and darkest of the villains in Star Wars history. But who is really behind the mask of shadows that he wears? Darth Vader shows many characteristics of a villain and in the end showed characteristics of a hero, so does he die a hero or a villain? Is he a cold hearted killer? What was he like before he fell into temptation, and why did he turn to the dark side? What makes him turn on his own son and ultimately save his son’s life? This character analysis is going to look at all of these questions and look into the role Darth Vader plays throughout episodes four, five and six.

Darth Vader was once the apprentice of Obi-Wan Kenobi. During his apprentice ship he learned the ways of the force. But his undisclosed story begins before his training. It begins when he was called Anakin Skywalker. He was born on the planet of Tatooine, when he was a slave. He was a very skilled pilot, and it was possible that he was the one from the prophecy that would restore balance to the force. There was another possibility however, this being that he could have been created by the Sith Lords from lifelessness and was meant to be the perfect apprentice to the Dark Lords. When the council finally agreed to teach Anakin, he was trained in the ways of the Jedi. In the end Anakin became entranced by the dark arts. When he began to have visions of his forbidden and beloved wife Padmé Amidala dying, he became distraught with grief. One of his trusted friends, later revealed to be Sith Lord Darth Sidious, told him of a way to immortality. In the end, Anakin began to doubt the power of the Jedi and knelt before the Sith Lords. He was hence forth called Darth Vader. He did not know that his wife had given birth to twins, and in the end when he felt that he had been betrayed by his wife, he killed her. He then fought his old master. He was defeated.

The Empire now used Darth Vader’s hatred to destroy the other Jedi and to get whatever else they wanted. Darth Vader was Anakin Skywalker no more, only Darth Vader remained, a being consumed by evil, fear, and hatred. As Obi-Wan Kenobi said, “Your father was seduced by the dark side of the force. He ceased to be Anakin Skywalker, and became Darth Vader, when that happened, the good man who was your father was destroyed…” (Obi-Wan Kenobi, Return of the Jedi). Over the years, he loyally served the Empire and used his power to destroy all that got in his path. He was the reason that the Jedi were annihilated.

In “The New Hope”, Darth Vader’s son, Luke Skywalker, did not know that Darth Vader was his father. Luke had no direct confrontations with his father in this movie. Darth Vader was revealed by Obi-Wan Kenobi, to be a betrayer of Luke’s father and the reason for his destruction. Darth Vader first demonstrated the power of the dark side of the force when he was questioned by the council. He also demonstrated his piloting skills in the final battle of “The New Hope”. By the end of “The New Hope”, Darth Vader remained a villain with no signs of regret or desire to change (The New Hope).

Darth Vader’s character was further developed in “The Empire Strikes Back”. It was shown how the other people who served the empire feared him and his power. Darth Vader had become completely obsessed with finding his son Luke. During Luke’s training with Yoda, Luke entered a cave and fought with what appeared to be Darth Vader. When he cut off Darth Vader’s head, he saw that it was his head that had been chopped off. Darth Vader was given orders from the Empire to kill, or turn Luke to the dark side. Darth Vader, at this point, knew that Luke was his son. Darth Vader fought with his son and in the process, cut off Luke’s right hand. After Vader defeats Luke, he reveals to him that he is his father by telling him “… I am your father.”(Darth Vader, The Empire Strikes Back). Luke is devastated by this news and does not want to believe him. He also tells him, “Luke, you can destroy the emperor, he has foreseen this is your destiny. Join me and together we can rule the galaxy as father and son.” (Darth Vader, The Empire Strikes Back). Luke refuses to join Darth Vader. Throughout this movie, Darth Vader serves as a temptation to Luke and a servant of the dark side. At the end of this movie he had offered to spare his son if he joined him, rather than just killing him on the spot. At this point he was still a being filled with anger, fear, and hatred (The Empire Strikes Back).

Throughout the third movie, “Return of the Jedi”, Darth Vader acts as a constant temptation to Luke and as always, a servant to the dark side. He is obsessed with finding his son, he has yet to learn of his daughter, Leia. In this movie, Luke accepts that Darth Vader is his father. In this movie, Luke says, “…Because there is good in him, I felt it. He won’t turn me over to the emperor, I can save him, I can turn him back…” (Luke, Return of the Jedi). This, for the first time, shows that not everyone has given up on Darth Vader; his son was not willing to believe that he was no longer Anakin Skywalker. Darth Vader can sense the presence of his son, Luke, and Luke can sense Darth Vader. Later in the movie, Luke tells his father “I know there is good in you the emperor has not driven it from you fully.” (Luke, Return of the Jedi). Darth Vader is surprised by his son’s words but still does not believe it is possible that he can turn from the dark side. Darth Vader takes his son to the emperor, so that he may be persuaded to join the dark side. Luke continues to try and persuade his father to return to the right path throughout the battle before the emperor. At this point in the movie, Darth Vader still plays his role for the side of darkness. During this fight, Darth Vader also loses his right hand. Darth Vader watches his son be tortured by the emperor. When Luke begs, “Father please…” (Luke, Return of the Jedi)Darth Vader is conflicted with emotions and attacks the emperor, killing him but sustaining mortal injuries. When Darth Vader was dying in his son’s arms, and Luke said that he had to save him, he said, “You already have, Luke. You were right about me…” (Darth Vader, Return of the Jedi). Darth Vader dies in the arms of his son (Return of the Jedi).

Darth Vader was one of the main villains in Star Wars. He was also the most developed villain in the series. He was corrupted by his own fear and hatred. He was hated and feared by most, and was depicted to be beyond redemption. All but one believed that Anakin Skywalker had died, lost forever. Luke Skywalker alone believed that his father could be saved. Throughout movies four, five and six, his part was to help the dark side, but in the end he sacrificed himself to save his son. Because in the end he died for his son I believe that he died a hero, and that Anakin Skywalker was saved, and brought back from the side of evil. I think that the reason Darth Vader helped his son in the end, was because his son still believed in him. Like a soul in free fall, Darth Vader reached out and grabbed the only hand offered to him, and was saved by Luke’s love.

Work Cited

Lucas, George, dir. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Twentieth Century Fox, 1977. Film.

Kershner, Irvin, dir. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. Twentieth Century Fox,

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Marquand, Richard, dir. Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. Twentieth Century Fox, 1983.

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