Darth Vader (Star Wars)

Main Article

Overview

The Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Vader is the physical embodiment of the Emperor's Will for the Galactic Empire. Encased in his life sustaining armor, Darth Vader betrayed and murdered the Jedi Order and brought about Order and Peace to the Galaxy ... by destroying and slaughtering anyone or anything that got in his path!

Darth Vader was physically portrayed by David Prowse in the original Star Wars trilogy and voiced by James Earl Jones. Darth Vader's breathing effect was done by the special effects artist Ben Burt breathing into a microphone inside a scuba mask. At the finale scene in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, Sebastian Shaw and his face was used.

In the prequel trilogy, Jake Lloyd served as the preteen Anakin Skywalker with Hayden Christensen portraying the character for the second and third films.

Background

Born a slave on the distant arid world of Tatooine, Anakin Skywalker would become a great pilot and hero. He was trained by Obi-Wan Kenobi and became a powerful Jedi Knight who fought bravely during the Clone Wars. However, he fell in love with Padme Amidala and was tempted into betraying the Jedi, becoming a Dark Lord of the Sith known as Darth Vader. As Vader, he hunted down and slew the Jedi and helped establish the Galactic Empire under Emperor Palpatine. His children, Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa would be raised in secret, unknowing of their parentage and would seek to bring about the destruction of the Empire.

Major Plots

Personality and Traits

Appearances

Films

TV Series

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Star Wars Rebels

Fire Across the Galaxy

Trivia

James Earl Jones who provided the menacing voice of Darth Vader for the original Star Wars trilogy declined to be credited for the first two films as he believed that his role was too small and that it fell more under "special effects" rather than as acting. After being asked for the third time, he finally agreed to be listed in Return of the Jedi as the iconic voice behind the mask. He has subsequently been credited in several re-releases of the earlier films as well. Ironically, despite being the famous voice for Darth Vader; James Earl Jones has never met David Prowse who served as Darth Vader's physical body.
Darth Vader's signature black helm were originally intended for a single scene as a spacesuit where he would dramatically cross open vacuum before boarding the captured Rebel ship as he would normally be masked in a regular black silk scarf. Reputedly, Lucas liked the helmet so much that he decided to incorporate the helmet as a permanent part of the character.
As part of Darth Vader's life support rig, it was originally intended for there to be audible beeps and clicks when he was onscreen. However, Lucas quickly dropped that idea during early test shooting as he realized that it would be simply too distracting.

Quotes

"Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've constructed. The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force." ―Darth Vader to Admiral Motti about the Death Star; Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
"I find your lack of faith ... disturbing." ―Darth Vader as he chokes Admiral Motti; Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope