Editing Darth Vader

{{Infobox character
| color              = #AF181F
| name               = Darth Vader<br />{{small|Anakin Skywalker}}
| image              = [[File:Darth_Vader.jpg]]
| alt                = 
| caption            = [[David Prowse]] as Darth Vader in ''[[The Empire Strikes Back]]'' (1980)
| series             = [[Star Wars]]
| first              = ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' (1977)
| creator            = [[George Lucas]]
| full_name          = Anakin Skywalker
| nickname           = Ani
| alias              = Darth Vader
| title              = 
| gender             = Male
| occupation         = {{Plainlist|
* Slave 
* Padawan (''Episode II'')
* [[Jedi|Jedi Knight]] (''Episode III'', ''The Clone Wars'')
* Jedi General in the Grand Army of the Republic (''The Clone Wars'')
* [[Sith|Dark Lord of the Sith]] (''Episodes III-VI'', ''Rogue One'', ''Rebels'')
}}
| lbl21              = Homeworld
| data21             = [[Tatooine]]
| spouse             = [[Padmé Amidala]]
| children           = {{Plainlist|
* [[Luke Skywalker]] (son)
* [[Princess Leia|Leia Organa]] (daughter)
}}
| family             = {{Plainlist|*[[Shmi Skywalker]] (mother)
*[[Cliegg Lars]] (step-father)
*[[Owen Lars]] (step-brother)
*[[Beru Whitesun]] (sister-in-law) 
}}
| relatives          = '''Canon''':
{{Plainlist|
*[[Han Solo]] (son-in-law)
*[[Kylo Ren|Ben Solo]] (grandson)
*[[List of Star Wars characters|Jobal Naberrie]] (mother in-law)
*[[List of Star Wars characters|Ruwee Naberrie]] (father in-law)
*[[List of Star Wars characters|Sola Naberrie]] (sister in-law)
}}
'''Legends''':
{{Plainlist|
*[[Mara Jade]] (daughter-in-law)
*[[Ben Skywalker]] (grandson)
*[[Jacen Solo]] (grandson)
*[[Jaina Solo]] (granddaughter)
*[[Anakin Solo]] (grandson)
}}
| affiliation        = {{Plainlist|
*[[Watto|Watto's shop]]
*[[Jedi|Jedi Order]]
*[[Galactic Republic]]
*[[Sith|Sith Order]]
*[[Galactic Empire (Star Wars)|Galactic Empire]]
}}
| portrayer          = {{Plainlist| 
* as '''Darth Vader''':
*[[David Prowse]] (Episodes IV-VI)
*[[Bob Anderson (fencer)|Bob Anderson]] (Episodes V-VI, stunts)
*[[Hayden Christensen]] (Episode III)
*[[Spencer Wilding]]/Daniel Naprous (''Rogue One'')
* as '''Anakin Skywalker''':
*[[Sebastian Shaw (actor)|Sebastian Shaw]] (Episode VI){{efn|name="ghost"}}
*[[Jake Lloyd]] (Episode I)
*Hayden Christensen (Episodes II-III, VI){{efn|name="ghost"|Christensen replaced Sebastian Shaw's appearance as a Force ghost in the [[Changes in Star Wars re-releases#Anakin's Force ghost|2004 DVD Special Edition]] of ''Return of the Jedi''}}
}}
| voice              = {{Plainlist|
* as '''Darth Vader''':
*[[James Earl Jones]] (Episodes III-VI, IX, ''[[Rogue One]]'', ''[[Star Wars Rebels|Rebels]]'')
*[[Ben Burtt]] (vocal effects)
*[[Brock Peters]] ([[Star Wars (radio series)|radio drama]])
*[[Matt Sloan (voice actor)|Matt Sloan]] (''[[Soulcalibur IV]]'')
* as '''Anakin Skywalker''':
*Hayden Christensen (Episode IX)
*[[David Birney]] ([[Star Wars (radio series)|radio drama]])
*[[Mat Lucas]] (''[[Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003 TV series)|Clone Wars]]'')
*[[Matt Lanter]] (''The Clone Wars'' [[Star Wars: The Clone Wars (film)|film]] and [[Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008 TV series)|TV series]], ''Rebels'', ''[[Star Wars Forces of Destiny|Forces of Destiny]]'' and ''[[Disney Infinity 3.0]]'')
}}
}}
'''Darth Vader (Anakin Skywalker)''' is Luke Skywalker's dad. Darth Vader's name before he joined the dark side was Anakin Skywalker.

Darth Vader is a fictional character in the ''[[Star Wars]]'' franchise.  He is a major [[antagonist]] in the [[Star Wars Trilogy|original trilogy]], but, as Skywalker, is the main [[protagonist]] of the [[Star Wars prequel trilogy|prequel trilogy]]. In the [[Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith|third film]] of the prequel trilogy, he becomes the secondary antagonist (following his rebirth as Darth Vader) alongside [[Palpatine]]. ''Star Wars'' creator [[George Lucas]] has collectively referred to the first six episodic films of the franchise as "the [[tragedy]] of Darth Vader".<ref name=tragedy>{{cite web|first=Gregory|last=Wakeman|url=https://www.cinemablend.com/new/George-Lucas-Was-Terrible-Predicting-Future-Star-Wars-68506.html|title=George Lucas Was Terrible At Predicting The Future Of Star Wars|date=December 4, 2014|website=CinemaBlend|accessdate=December 2, 2018}}</ref>

Originally a [[Jedi]] prophesied to bring balance to [[the Force]], Anakin Skywalker is lured to the [[dark side (Star Wars)|dark side of the Force]] by the evil Palpatine, who manipulates his wavering faith towards the Jedi and his fear of possibly losing his secret wife [[Padmé Amidala]] and becomes a [[Sith|Sith Lord]]. After fighting a [[lightsaber]] battle with his former mentor [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]] in which he is severely burnt and dismembered, Vader is transformed into a [[cyborg]]. He then serves the [[Galactic Empire (Star Wars)|Galactic Empire]] as the villainous Darth Vader until he redeems himself by saving his son, [[Luke Skywalker]], and seemingly killing Palpatine, sacrificing his own life in the process.<ref>{{cite web|first=Mark|last=Thornton|url=https://www.mises.org/story/1818|title=What is the 'Dark Side' and Why Do Some People Choose It?|website=www.mises.org|publisher=[[Ludwig von Mises Institute]]|location=Auburn, Alabama|date=May 13, 2005|accessdate=May 5, 2007}}</ref> He is also the father of [[Princess Leia]], and grandfather of [[Kylo Ren]], the main antagonist of the [[Star Wars sequel trilogy|sequel trilogy]].

The character has been portrayed by numerous actors, [[David Prowse]] physically portrayed Vader while [[James Earl Jones]] voiced him in the original trilogy, [[Sebastian Shaw (actor)|Sebastian Shaw]] portrayed the unmasked Vader in the sixth film as well as the character's force ghost in the original release of it. [[Jake Lloyd]] and [[Hayden Christensen]] played the character in the prequel trilogy in the first and next two films respectively with Christensen also portraying the character's force ghost in the re-release of the sixth film in 2004. His cinematic appearances span the first six ''Star Wars'' films, as well as ''[[Rogue One]]'', and he is referenced in both ''[[Star Wars: The Force Awakens|The Force Awakens]]'' and ''[[Star Wars: The Last Jedi|The Last Jedi]]''. He also appears in television series (most substantially ''[[Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008 TV series)|The Clone Wars]]'') and numerous iterations of the [[Star Wars expanded to other media|''Star Wars'' Expanded Universe]], including video games, novels, and comic books.

Darth Vader has become one of the most iconic villains in popular culture, and has been listed among the greatest villains and fictional characters ever.<ref name="IGN.com">{{cite web|url=http://au.ign.com/lists/top-100-villains/1|title=Darth Vader – #1 Top 100 Villain|work=[[IGN]]|publisher=[[J2 Global]]|location=San Francisco, California|accessdate=February 4, 2016}}</ref><ref name="Comicbook.com">{{cite web|url=https://comicbook.com/2015/06/29/why-darth-vader-is-the-best-villain-ever/|title=Why Darth Vader Is The Best Villain Ever|work=Comicbook.com|date=June 29, 2015|accessdate=February 4, 2016}}</ref> The [[American Film Institute]] listed him as the third greatest movie villain in cinema history on ''[[AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes and Villains|100 Years... 100 Heroes and Villains]]'', behind [[Hannibal Lecter]] and [[Norman Bates]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://connect.afi.com/site/DocServer/handv100.pdf?docID=246 |title=AFI's 100 Years... 100 Heroes and Villains |work=afi.com|publisher=[[American Film Institute]]|location=Los Angeles, California|accessdate=May 21, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807135547/http://connect.afi.com/site/DocServer/handv100.pdf?docID=246 |archivedate=August 7, 2011  }}</ref> His role as a [[tragic hero]] in the prequel trilogy was also met with positive reviews.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmsmarts.com/movies/returnofthejedi/tragic-hero-anakin.html|title=Tragic hero: Anakin Skywalker from Return of the Jedi (1983)|website=Filmsmarts.com|accessdate=November 10, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Brian A.|last=Kinnaird|url=https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-hero-in-you/201511/darth-vader-the-value-redemptive-sacrifice|title=Darth Vader: The Value of Redemptive Sacrifice|magazine=[[Psychology Today]]|publisher=Sussex Publishers|location=New York City|date=November 15, 2015|accessdate=May 31, 2018}}</ref>

{{TOC limit|3}}

==Creation and development==
[[File:George Lucas 1986 (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright|left|[[George Lucas]], Vader's creator]]

===Name===
Series creator [[George Lucas]] initially wrote the series' main villain as separate from Luke Starkiller's father Annikin {{sic}}. Various combinations of names for the character were built upon the phrase "Dark Water". Then Lucas "added lots of last names, Vaders and Wilsons and Smiths, and [he] just came up with the combination of Darth and Vader." After the release of ''[[The Empire Strikes Back]]'' (1980), Lucas said the name Vader was based upon the German/Dutch-language [[homophone]] ''vater'' or ''vader'', meaning 'father', making the name representative of a "Dark Father".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2017/11/28/did-german-speakers-understand-the-darth-vader-reveal-before-anyone-else|title=Did German Speakers Understand The Darth Vader Reveal Before Anyone Else?|last=Murphy|first=William|date=November 28, 2017|website=[[Forbes]]|accessdate=March 11, 2019}}</ref> However, there is no evidence that Lucas conceived of Vader as Luke's father before 1978.{{sfn|Kaminski|2008|p=211}} Other words which may have inspired the name are "death" and "invader",<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com.au/star-wars-linguistic-origins-2015-12|title=The real-world origins of the names and languages in 'Star Wars'|last=Jordan|first=John-Erik|date=December 17, 2015|website=Business Insider Australia|accessdate=March 12, 2019}}</ref> as well as the name of a high school upperclassman of Lucas's, Gary Vader.<ref>{{cite book |last=Jones |first=Brian Jay |title=George Lucas: A Life |date=2016 |publisher=Little, Brown and Company |location=New York City |isbn=978-0316257442 |p=213}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Macek III |first=J. C. |title=Obi-Wan Kenobi LIVES! (and other deleted intentions) |url=https://www.popmatters.com/193389-abandoned-star-wars-plot-points-episode-iii-evolution-of-light-and-d-2495532121.html |website=PopMatters |accessdate=October 11, 2019 |date=May 27, 2015}}</ref>

As no other character with the title "Darth" was introduced until the release of ''[[The Phantom Menace]]'' (1999),{{efn|Characters in the [[Star Wars prequel trilogy|prequel trilogy]] such as [[Darth Sidious]], [[Darth Maul]], and [[Darth Tyrannus]] reveal that Darth is a title for [[Sith Lords]].}} some viewers interpreted it as the character's first name, in part because [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]] addresses him as "Darth" in the original film.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thoughtco.com/star-wars-glossary-darth-2958042|title=The Definition of the Word 'Darth' in the Star Wars Universe|last=Hill|first=Amelia|date=April 16, 2018|website=ThoughtCo|publisher=[[Dotdash]]|accessdate=March 11, 2019}}</ref> The moniker is bestowed upon Anakin in ''[[Revenge of the Sith]]'' (2005) upon his turn to the dark side of [[the Force]].

Director [[Ken Annakin]]'s films ''[[Swiss Family Robinson (1960 film)|Swiss Family Robinson]]'' and ''[[Battle of the Bulge (1965 film)|Battle of the Bulge]]'' influenced the [[Star Wars Trilogy|original trilogy]],<ref>{{cite web |last=Young |first=Bryan |title=The Cinema Behind Star Wars: Battle of the Bulge |url=https://www.starwars.com/news/the-cinema-behind-star-wars-battle-of-the-bulge |website=StarWars.com |accessdate=March 25, 2019 |date=January 21, 2014}}</ref> leading some to believe that Anakin was named after him. Lucas's publicist denied this following Annakin's death in 2009.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-ken-annakin24-2009apr24,0,3633303.story |title=Ken Annakin dies at 94; British director of 'Swiss Family Robinson' and others |first=Dennis |last=McLellan |date=April 24, 2009 |access-date=March 15, 2019 |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |publisher=[[Tronc]]|location=Los Angeles, California|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090427111703/http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-ken-annakin24-2009apr24,0,3633303.story |archive-date=April 27, 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Anakin and Luke's original surname "Starkiller" remained in the script until a few months into filming ''Star Wars'', when it was dropped due to what Lucas called "unpleasant connotations" with [[Charles Manson]] and replaced with "Skywalker".<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Eric|last=Eisenberg|url=https://cinemablend.com/new/Why-George-Lucas-Had-Change-Luke-Skywalker-Name-Star-Wars-90857.html|title=Why George Lucas Had To Change Luke Skywalker's Name In Star Wars|magazine=Cinema Blend|publisher=Cinema Blend LLC|location=Portland, Oregon|date=October 26, 2015|accessdate=January 27, 2019}}</ref>{{efn|The name "Skywalker" first appeared as Luke's surname in Lucas's 1973 treatment of the film.<ref>{{cite book |last=Jones |first=Brian Jay |title=George Lucas: A Life |date=2016 |publisher=Little, Brown and Company |location=New York City |isbn=978-0316257442 |p=171}}</ref>}}

===Concept and writing===
In the first draft of ''The Star Wars'', tall, grim general "Darth Vader" was already close in line with his final depiction, and the protagonist Annikin Starkiller had a role similar to that of his son Luke's as the 16-year-old son of a respected warrior.<ref>{{cite web|first=Jay|last=Serafino|url=http://mentalfloss.com/article/88540/8-major-changes-original-star-wars-trilogy-drafts|title=8 Major Changes From the Original Star Wars Trilogy Drafts|website=[[Mental Floss]]|publisher=Dennis Publishing|location=London, England|date=November 17, 2016|accessdate=May 26, 2019}}</ref> Originally, Lucas conceived of the [[Sith]] as a group that served the [[Palpatine|Emperor]] in the same way that the ''[[Schutzstaffel]]'' served [[Adolf Hitler]]. In developing the backstory for ''The Empire Strikes Back'', Lucas condensed this into one character in the form of Darth Vader.{{sfn|Kaminski|2008|p=184}}

After the success of the original ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' (1977), Lucas hired science-fiction author [[Leigh Brackett]] to write the sequel with him. They held story conferences and, by late November 1977, Lucas had produced a handwritten [[Film treatment|treatment]]. In the first draft that Brackett would write from this, Luke's father appears as a ghost to instruct Luke.<ref>{{cite web |first=John|last=Saavedra|url=https://denofgeek.com/us/movies/star-wars/251045/star-wars-leigh-brackett-and-the-empire-strikes-back-you-never-saw| title=Star Wars: Leigh Brackett and The Empire Strikes Back You Never Saw|work=[[Den of Geek]]|publisher=Dennis Publishing|location=London, England|date=May 21, 2018| accessdate=May 31, 2018}}</ref> Lucas was disappointed with the script, but Brackett died of cancer before he could discuss it with her.<ref>{{harv|Bouzereau|1997|p=144}}</ref> With no writer available, Lucas wrote the next draft himself. In this draft, dated April 1, 1978, he made use of a new plot twist: Vader claiming to be Luke's father.<ref>{{cite tweet|user=PhilSzostak|number=1157776519923552256|date=August 3, 2019|title=2. "Darth Vader, a tall, grim-looking general" appears in the May 1974 The #StarWars rough draft 3. Darth Vader is not Luke Skywalker's father until the April 1, 1978 second draft of #EmpireStrikesBack 4. "Darth" doesn't mean anything in Dutch or German MYTH BUSTED}}</ref> According to Lucas, he found this draft enjoyable to write, as opposed to the year-long struggles writing the first film.<ref>{{cite video|title=The Empire Strikes Back|medium=[[DVD]]|publisher=[[20th Century Fox]]|year=2004}}</ref>

The new plot element of Luke's parentage had drastic effects on the series. Author Michael Kaminski claims and argues in his book that it is unlikely that the plot point had ever seriously been considered or even conceived of before 1978, and that the first film was clearly operating under an alternate storyline where Vader was a separate character from Luke's father.<ref>{{harvnb|Kaminski|2008|pp=120–121}}</ref> After writing the second and third drafts in which the [[plot point]] was introduced, Lucas reviewed the new backstory he had created: Anakin had been Obi-Wan Kenobi's brilliant student and had a child named Luke, but was swayed to the dark side by [[Palpatine]]. Anakin battled Obi-Wan on the site of a volcano and was badly wounded, but was then reborn as Vader. Meanwhile, Obi-Wan hid Luke on [[Tatooine]] while the [[Galactic Republic]] became the tyrannical [[Galactic Empire (Star Wars)|Galactic Empire]] and Vader systematically hunted down and killed the Jedi.<ref>{{harvnb|Kaminski|2008|pp=164–165}}</ref> This change in character would provide a springboard to the "tragedy of Darth Vader" storyline that underlies the [[Star Wars prequel trilogy|prequel trilogy]].

After deciding to create the prequel trilogy, Lucas indicated that the story arc would be a tragic one depicting Anakin's fall to the dark side. He also saw that the prequels could form the beginning of one long story that started with Anakin's childhood and ended with his death. This was the final step towards turning the film series into a "saga".<ref>{{harvnb|Kaminski|2008|pp=299–300}}</ref> For the first prequel, ''Episode I: The Phantom Menace'' (1999), Lucas made Anakin nine years old<ref name="anakinbts">{{cite web|url=http://www.starwars.com/databank/character/anakinskywalker/|title=Anakin Skywalker|work=[[Star Wars Databank]]|publisher=[[Lucasfilm]]|location=Los Angeles, California|accessdate=August 12, 2010}}</ref>{{efn|Making the character 14 years younger by the time of the original film than ''[[A Guide to the Star Wars Universe]]'' previously stated<ref>{{Cite book|last=Slavicsek|first=Bill|title=A Guide to the Star Wars Universe|year=1994|publisher=Del Rey|edition=2nd|isbn=0-345-38625-6|page=[https://archive.org/details/guidetostarwarsu00slav/page/ xix]|url=https://archive.org/details/guidetostarwarsu00slav/page/}}</ref>}} to make the character's separation from his mother poignant.<ref name="gamesradar"/> Movie trailers focused on Anakin and a one-sheet poster showing him casting Vader's shadow informed otherwise unknowing audiences of the character's eventual fate.<ref>{{Harvnb|Bowen|2005|p=22}}</ref> The movie ultimately achieved a primary goal of introducing audiences to Anakin.<ref>{{harvnb|Kaminski|2007|pp=299–300}}</ref>

Author Michael Kaminski, in ''The Secret History of Star Wars'', offers evidence that issues in Anakin's fall to the dark side prompted Lucas to make massive story changes, first revising the opening sequence of the third prequel, ''[[Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith|Revenge of the Sith]]'' (2005), to have Palpatine kidnapped and his apprentice, [[Count Dooku]], killed by Anakin in cold blood as the first act in the latter's turn towards the dark side.<ref>{{harvnb|Kaminski|2008|pp=380–384}}</ref> After [[principal photography]] was complete in 2003, Lucas made even more massive changes in Anakin's character, re-writing his entire turn to the dark side; Anakin's fall from grace would now be motivated by a desire to save his wife, [[Padmé Amidala]], rather than the previous version in which that reason was one of several, including that he genuinely believed that the Jedi were plotting to take over the Republic. This fundamental re-write was accomplished both through editing the principal footage, and new and revised scenes filmed during [[Pick-up (filmmaking)|pick-ups]] in 2004.<ref name="star wars 3 documentary">{{cite video|title=Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith documentary "Within a Minute"|medium=DVD documentary|date=2005}}</ref>

During production of the ''[[Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008 TV series)|Clone Wars]]'' TV series, [[Ahsoka Tano]] was developed to illustrate how Anakin develops from the brash, undisciplined Padawan apprentice in ''[[Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones|Attack of the Clones]]'' (2002) to the more reserved Jedi Knight in ''Revenge of the Sith''.<ref name="TVGuide">TV Guide Article August 11, 2008</ref> ''Clone Wars'' supervising director and ''Rebels'' co-creator Dave Filoni said that giving Anakin responsibility for a Padawan was meant to place the character in a role that forced him to become more cautious and responsible. It would also give him insight into his relationship with Obi-Wan and depict how their relationship matured. Ahsoka and Anakin's relationship was seen as an essential story arc spanning both the animated film and ''Clone Wars'' television series.<ref>{{cite magazine|first=JR|last=Minkel|url=http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/star-wars-clone-wars-qa-david-filoni/|title=When Clones Attack: Q&amp;A with Clone Wars Director David Filoni|magazine=[[Scientific American]]|publisher=[[Springer Nature]]|location=New York City|date=August 11, 2008|access-date=May 26, 2016}}</ref> Filoni began thinking about the final confrontation between Ahsoka and Vader ever since he created the former;<ref>{{cite AV media|chapter=From Apprentice to Adversary: Vader vs. Ahsoka featurette|title=Star Wars Rebels season 2|format=Blu-ray|url=http://m.ign.com/articles/2016/08/26/star-wars-rebels-blu-ray-clip-explores-the-darth-vader-vs-ahsoka-tano-duel|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160921220359/http://m.ign.com/articles/2016/08/26/star-wars-rebels-blu-ray-clip-explores-the-darth-vader-vs-ahsoka-tano-duel |archive-date=September 21, 2016 }}</ref> different iterations had different endings,<ref name="fatesfulfilled1">{{cite web|url=http://www.starwars.com/news/dave-filoni-interview-star-wars-rebels-season-two-part-1|title=Fates Fulfilled: Dave Filoni Reflects on Star Wars Rebels Season Two, Part 1|last=Brooks|first=Dan|date=August 30, 2016|publisher=StarWars.com|access-date= November 20, 2016}}</ref> including one in which Vader kills Ahsoka just as she slashes open his helmet to reveal Vader's scarred face.<ref>{{cite web|first=James|last=Whitbrook|url=https://io9.gizmodo.com/the-art-that-inspired-ahsoka-and-darth-vaders-epic-duel-1786636507|title=The Art That Inspired Ahsoka and Darth Vader's Epic Duel in Star Wars Rebels|website=[[io9.com]]|date=September 14, 2016|access-date=November 20, 2016}}</ref>

Ahsoka's presence in ''[[Star Wars Rebels|Rebels]]'' was necessary to allow Darth Vader to encounter the show's lead characters without the latter being "destroyed"; Ahsoka can "stand toe-to-toe" with Vader.<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Ed|last=Gross|url=http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/star-wars-dave-filoni-talks-rebels-well-rogue-one-connections/|title=Star Wars: Dave Filoni talks Rebels as well as Rogue One connections|magazine=[[Empire (film magazine)|Empire]]|publisher=[[Bauer Media Group]]|location=London, England|date=September 30, 2016|access-date=November 20, 2016}}</ref>

===Design===
[[File:MAP Expo Casque XVI 06 01 2012.jpg|thumb|left|Ralph McQuarrie incorporated [[samurai armor]] into his conceptual designs for Vader's costume in 1975.]]
The original design of Darth Vader's costume did not originally include a helmet. The idea that Vader should wear a [[Self-contained breathing apparatus|breathing apparatus]] was first proposed by [[concept art]]ist [[Ralph McQuarrie]] during preproduction discussions for ''Star Wars'' with George Lucas in 1975. McQuarrie stated that Lucas's artistic direction was to portray a malevolent figure in a cape with [[samurai armor]]. "For Darth Vader, George just said he would like to have a very tall, dark fluttering figure that had a spooky feeling like it came in on the wind."<ref name=insider>{{cite journal|title=The Old Master: Ralph McQuarrie on Designing Star Wars|journal=[[Star Wars Insider]]|date=June 2004|issue=76}}</ref> McQuarrie noted that the script indicated that Vader would travel between spaceships and needed to [[Space exposure|survive in the vacuum of space]], and he proposed that Vader should wear some sort of [[space suit]]. Lucas agreed, and McQuarrie combined a full-face breathing mask with a [[samurai helmet]], thus creating one of the most iconic designs of space fantasy cinema.<ref name="Casey">{{cite book|last1=Casey|first1=Dan|title=100 Things Star Wars Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die|date=2015|publisher=Triumph Books|isbn=9781633193451|url=https://books.google.com/?id=dizlCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT309|accessdate=June 22, 2017|language=en|chapter=64. Ralph McQuarrie, the Conceptual Mastermind}}</ref><ref name=insider/> McQuarrie's [[:File:Ralph McQuarrie Darth Vader production painting.jpg|1975 production painting]] of Darth Vader engaged in a [[lightsaber]] duel with Deak Starkiller (a character prototype for [[Luke Skywalker]]) depicts Vader wearing black armor, a flowing cape and an elongated, skull-like mask and helmet. Its similarity to the final design of Vader's costume demonstrates that McQuarrie's earliest conception of Vader was so successful that very little needed to be changed for production.<ref name="sw-memorable">{{cite web|title=Ralph McQuarrie's Most Memorable Masterpieces {{!}} StarWars.com|url=http://www.starwars.com/news/ralph-mcquarries-most-memorable-masterpieces|website=StarWars.com|accessdate=June 22, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170622155610/http://www.starwars.com/news/ralph-mcquarries-most-memorable-masterpieces|archivedate=June 22, 2017|date=August 16, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

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}}
Working from McQuarrie's designs, the [[costume designer]] [[John Mollo]] devised a costume that could be worn by an actor on-screen using a combination of [[clerical robes]], a [[motorcycle suit]], a [[Stahlhelm|German military helmet]] and a [[gas mask]].<ref name="theguardian-mollo">{{cite web |last1=Gilbey |first1=Ryan |title=John Mollo obituary: Star Wars costume designer who dressed Darth Vader |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/nov/01/john-mollo-obituary |website=The Guardian |accessdate=July 10, 2018  |date=November 1, 2017}}</ref> The prop sculptor [[Brian Muir (sculptor)|Brian Muir]] created the helmet and armour used in the film.<ref name="starwarscom">{{cite web |url=http://www.starwars.com/fans/medianews/news20100324/index.html |title=''Insider'' Excerpt: Vader Sculptor Brian Muir |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809032321/http://www.starwars.com/fans/medianews/news20100324/index.html |archive-date=August 9, 2011 |website=StarWars.com |date=March 24, 2010}}</ref>

The sound of the [[respirator]] function of Vader's mask was created by [[Ben Burtt]] using modified recordings of [[scuba set|scuba breathing apparatus]] used by divers.<ref>{{cite book|first=J.W.|last=Rinzler|others=Foreword by [[Ben Burtt]]|title=The Sounds of Star Wars|date=2010|publisher=Simon & Schuster|location=London|isbn=9780857200761}}</ref> The sound effect is [[trademark]]ed in the [[U.S. Patent and Trademark Office]] under Trademark #77419252 and is officially described in the documentation as "The sound of rhythmic mechanical human breathing created by breathing through a scuba tank regulator."<ref>{{cite news|last1=O'Reilly|first1=Terry|title=The Crazy World of Trademarks|url=http://www.cbc.ca/radio/undertheinfluence/the-crazy-world-of-trademarks-1.3918789|accessdate=January 7, 2017|work=Under the Influence|publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]]|date=January 5, 2017}}</ref>

Commentators have often pointed to the influence of [[Akira Kurosawa]]'s films such as ''[[The Hidden Fortress]]'' (1958) on George Lucas, and Vader's samurai-inspired costume design is held up as a significant example of the Japanese influences on ''Star Wars''.<ref>{{cite web|first=Ollie|last=Barder|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/olliebarder/2015/12/21/understanding-the-japanese-influences-behind-star-wars/|title=Understanding The Japanese Influences Behind 'Star Wars'|magazine=Forbes|publisher=[[Forbes Media]]|location=New York City|date=December 21, 2015|accessdate=November 10, 2016}}</ref>

===Portrayals===
[[File:David Prowse 2013.jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[David Prowse]] physically portrayed Vader in the original film trilogy.]]
Darth Vader was portrayed by [[Bodybuilding|bodybuilder]] [[David Prowse]] in the original film trilogy, and by [[stunt performer]] [[Bob Anderson (fencer)|Bob Anderson]] during the character's intense [[lightsaber]] fight scenes.<ref name="vaderstarwars.com" /><ref name="Anderson">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-16383728 |title=British Darth Vader fighter dies aged 89 |accessdate=September 13, 2016 |work=BBC News|date=January 2, 2012}}</ref> Lucas originally intended for [[Orson Welles]] to voice Vader (after dismissing using Prowse's own voice due to his English [[West Country]] accent, leading to the rest of the cast nicknaming him "Darth Farmer").<ref name="Lucas">{{cite AV media|people=[[George Lucas|Lucas, George]] (writer/director)|title=DVD commentary for Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope|date=1977|edition=2004|medium=DVD|publisher=[[20th Century Fox Home Entertainment]]|location=Los Angeles, California}}</ref> After deciding that Welles's voice would be too recognizable, he cast the lesser-known [[James Earl Jones]] instead.<ref name="Dreams">''Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy''. Star Wars Trilogy Box Set DVD documentary. [2005]</ref><ref name="casting">{{cite web|last=Russo|first=Tom|work=[[Premiere (magazine)|Premiere]] |publisher=[[Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S.]]|title=The Force Wasn't With Them |url=http://www.premiere.com/article.asp?section_id=6&article_id=2164 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060508222750/http://www.premiere.com/article.asp?section_id=6&article_id=2164 |archivedate=May 8, 2006 |accessdate=October 3, 2006}}</ref> Jones initially felt his contributions to the films were too small to warrant recognition and his role was uncredited at his request until the release of ''[[Return of the Jedi]]'' (1983).<ref name="vaderstarwars.com" /> When Jones was specifically asked if he had supplied Vader's voice for ''Revenge of the Sith''—either newly or from a previous recording—Jones answered, "You'd have to ask Lucas about that. I don't know".<ref name="newsday">{{cite web |url=http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/fanfare/fast-chat-james-earl-jones-1.883740 |title=Fast Chat: James Earl Jones |work=[[Newsday]] |location=New York |date=March 12, 2008 |authorlink=Frank Lovece |first=Frank |last=Lovece |accessdate=March 1, 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091204034334/http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/fanfare/fast-chat-james-earl-jones-1.883740 |archivedate=December 4, 2009 |url-status=live  }}</ref> [[Hayden Christensen]] and Gene Bryant alternately portray Vader in ''Revenge of the Sith''.<ref>{{cite AV media | year = 2004 | title = The Star Wars Trilogy (Bonus Material) | trans-title = Episode III Preview: The Return of Darth Vader | medium = DVD | publisher = [[20th Century Fox Home Entertainment]]
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://m.eonline.com/au/news/774845/darth-vader-confirmed-to-appear-in-rogue-one-a-star-wars-story|title=Darth Vader Confirmed to Appear in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story: All the Details|website=[[E!]] News Australia|last=Johnson|first=Zac|date=June 24, 2016}}</ref><ref name="inverse">{{cite web|last1=Britt|first1=Ryan|title=The Most Menacing Figures Who Played Darth Vader|url=https://www.inverse.com/article/25213-darth-vader-bodies-actors|website=Inverse|accessdate=December 27, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20171227122034/https://www.inverse.com/article/25213-darth-vader-bodies-actors|archivedate=December 27, 2017|date=December 14, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> During the production of ''Revenge of the Sith'', Christensen asked Lucas if a special Vader suit could be constructed to fit his own body, rather than have a different actor don one of the original sets of Vader armor worn by Prowse.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/story/lucas-made-vader-suit-extra-awkward |title=Star Wars – Lucas Made Vader Suit Extra Awkward|accessdate=November 11, 2016 |website=[[Contactmusic.com]]}}</ref> [[Brock Peters]] provided the voice of Darth Vader in the [[Star Wars (radio)|NPR/USC radio series]]. Both [[Spencer Wilding]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-38401893 |title=Rogue One: Darth Vader storms Rhyl for Star Wars showing |date=December 22, 2016 |website=BBC Wales |access-date=December 22, 2016 |quote=While the actor has the body role, just like his predecessor in the original Star Wars films David Prowse, the voice of Lord Vader is actor James Earl Jones.}}</ref> and Daniel Naprous portrayed Vader in ''[[Rogue One]]'' (2016), with Jones reprising his role as the character's voice.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/rogue-one-why-it-took-multiple-actors-to-play-darth-vader-exclusive-180501988.html|title=Rogue One: Why it took multiple actors to play Darth Vader (exclusive)|last=Butler|first=Tom|work=Yahoo Movies|date=December 14, 2016|accessdate=December 16, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.flickeringmyth.com/2016/04/star-wars-exclusive-rogue-ones-darth-vader-casting-revealed/|title=Star Wars Exclusive: Rogue One’s Darth Vader casting revealed|publisher=Flickering Myth|last=Owen|first=Luke|date=April 11, 2016}}</ref>

Vader's character has also been portrayed in several [[Star Wars video games|video games]]; in games such as ''[[Star Wars: Rebel Assault II: The Hidden Empire|Rebel Assault II: The Hidden Empire]]'' and ''[[Star Wars: Dark Forces|Dark Forces]]'', visual effects artist C. Andrew Nelson appears in short sequences in the Vader costume, voiced by [[Scott Lawrence]]. [[Matt Sloan (voice actor)|Matt Sloan]], who appeared in the [[YouTube]] parody ''[[Chad Vader]]'', provided the voice of Darth Vader in ''[[The Force Unleashed]]''.<ref name="vanityfair-sloan">{{cite web|last1=DiGiacomo|first1=Frank|title=The Game Has Changed|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2008/03/lucas200803?currentPage=2|website=The Hive|date=January 1, 2010|accessdate=December 27, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20171227124407/https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2008/03/lucas200803?currentPage=2|archivedate=December 27, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> As a result of his video game appearances, Nelson was cast to appear as Vader in brief sequences inserted into the [[List of changes in Star Wars re-releases|Special Edition]] of ''The Empire Strikes Back'', in which Vader is seen boarding his shuttle.<ref name=inverse />

During production of ''Return of the Jedi'', the casting crew sought an experienced actor for the role of Anakin Skywalker since his death was unquestionably the emotional climax of the film, and [[Sebastian Shaw (actor)|Sebastian Shaw]] was selected for the role.<ref name="Starlog">{{cite magazine|first=Adam|last=Pirani|title=Sebastian Shaw: The Return of Anakin Skywalker|magazine=[[Starlog]]|date=July 1987|volume=11|issue=120|pages=56–57, 96}}</ref>{{efn|Director [[Richard Marquand]] wanted a famous actor like [[Laurence Olivier]] to play the role.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://io9.gizmodo.com/10-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-star-wars-ret-1383276948|title=10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Star Wars: Return of the Jedi|last=Anders|first=Charlie Jane|website=[[Gizmodo]]|date=September 25, 2013|accessdate=April 16, 2019}}</ref>}} When Shaw arrived at the set for filming, he ran into his friend [[Ian McDiarmid]], the actor playing the Emperor. When McDiarmid asked him what he was doing there, Shaw responded, "I don't know, dear boy, I think it's something to do with science-fiction."<ref name="SWInsider">{{cite magazine|first=Scott|last=Chernoff|title=Ian McDiarmid: An Interview with the Emperor|magazine=[[Star Wars Insider]]|issue=37|date=April–May 1998|page=33}}</ref> His presence during the filming was kept secret from all but the minimum cast and crew, and Shaw was contractually obliged not to discuss any film secrets with anyone, even his family. The unmasking scene, directed by [[Richard Marquand]], was filmed in one day and required only a few takes, with no alteration from the original dialogue.<ref name="Starlog"/> Lucas personally directed Shaw for his appearance in the final scene of the film, in which he is a Force Ghost of Anakin. Shaw's image in this scene was replaced with that of Christensen in the 2004 DVD release. This last attempt to tie the prequel and original trilogies together proved to be possibly the most controversial [[List of changes in Star Wars re-releases|change in the ''Star Wars'' re-releases]].<ref name="Brooker">{{cite magazine|first=Derek|last=Johnson|title=Star Wars fans, DVD, and cultural ownership: an interview with Will Brooker; Interview|magazine=[[Velvet Light Trap]]|date=September 22, 2005|pages=36–44}}</ref><ref name="Ebert">{{cite news|first=Roger|last=Ebert|title=Anakin's fans strike back|newspaper=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|publisher=[[Sun-Times Media Group]]|location=Chicago, Illinois|date=May 1, 2005|page=3}}</ref> Shaw received more fan mail and autograph requests from ''Return of the Jedi'' than he had for any role in the rest of his career. He later reflected that he very much enjoyed his experience filming ''Return of the Jedi'' and expressed particular surprise that an [[action figure]] was made of him from the film.<ref name="Starlog" />

[[File:James Earl Jones (8516667383).jpg|thumb|upright|[[James Earl Jones]] voiced Darth Vader in the original trilogy, ''Revenge of the Sith'', and ''Rogue One''.]]
When ''The Phantom Menace'' was being produced, hundreds of actors were tested for the role of young Anakin<ref name="ProductionNotes">{{cite web|url=http://www.starwars.com/episode-i/bts/production/f19990501/indexp4.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20041023023458/http://www.starwars.com/episode-i/bts/production/f19990501/indexp4.html|archivedate=October 23, 2004|date=May 1, 1999|title=Star Wars Episode I'' Production Notes: The Actors and Characters – Part I|website=StarWars.com|accessdate=November 9, 2016}}</ref> before the producers settled on [[Jake Lloyd]], who Lucas considered met his requirements of "a good actor, enthusiastic and very energetic". Producer [[Rick McCallum]] said that Lloyd was "smart, mischievous and loves anything mechanical{{mdash}}just like Anakin."<ref name="NotesII">{{cite web|url=http://www.starwars.com/episode-i/bts/production/f19990501/indexp5.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20041023023636/http://www.starwars.com/episode-i/bts/production/f19990501/indexp5.html|archivedate=October 23, 2004|date=May 1, 1999|title=Star Wars Episode I'' Production Notes: The Actors and Characters – Part II|website=StarWars.com|accessdate=April 5, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.starwars.com/episode-i/bts/production/f19991102/index.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071102150746/http://www.starwars.com/episode-i/bts/production/f19991102/index.html|title=The Man (Literally) Behind C-3PO|date=November 2, 1999|website=StarWars.com|accessdate=November 11, 2016|archivedate=November 2, 2007}}</ref> During production of ''Attack of the Clones'', casting director Robin Gurland reviewed about 1,500 other candidates for the role of the young Anakin before Lucas eventually selected [[Hayden Christensen]] for the role.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.starwars.com/episode-ii/bts/profile/f20020128/index.html|title= Robin Gurland – Don't Call Her; She'll Call You|accessdate=November 11, 2016 |work=[[Star Wars.com]]|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628202200/http://www.starwars.com/episode-ii/bts/profile/f20020128/index.html|archivedate=June 28, 2011}}</ref> When ''Revenge of the Sith'' was being produced, Christensen and [[Ewan McGregor]] began rehearsing their climactic [[lightsaber]] duel long before Lucas would shoot it. They trained extensively with stunt coordinator [[Nick Gillard]] to memorize and perform their duel together. As in the previous prequel film, McGregor and Christensen performed their own lightsaber fighting scenes without the use of stunt doubles.<ref name="Stunts">''Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith'' DVD documentary ''It's All for Real: The Stunts of Episode III'', [2005].</ref>

Anakin has also been voiced by [[Mat Lucas]] for the 2003 micro-series ''[[Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003 TV series)|Clone Wars]]'', and by [[Matt Lanter]] in the [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI]] animated film ''[[Star Wars: The Clone Wars (film)|The Clone Wars]]'', the [[Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008 TV series)|television series of the same name]] and for Anakin's small roles in the animated series ''[[Star Wars Rebels|Rebels]]'' and ''[[Star Wars Forces of Destiny|Forces of Destiny]]''.<ref name="Breznican">{{cite magazine |first=Anthony|last=Breznican |url=https://ew.com/movies/2017/04/13/star-wars-female-heroes-forces-of-destiny-stories/ |title=''Star Wars'' highlights female heroes in ''Forces of Destiny'' |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |publisher=[[Meredith Corporation]]|location=New York City|date=April 13, 2017 |accessdate=April 13, 2017}}</ref> James Earl Jones reprised the voice role for Vader's appearances in ''Rebels''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.starwars7news.com/2014/10/james-earl-jones-to-voice-darth-vader-in-star-wars-rebels.html|title=James Earl Jones to Voice Darth Vader in Star Wars: Rebels' Premiere on ABC!|website=Star Wars Episode VII News|date=October 9, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150225180958/http://www.starwars7news.com/2014/10/james-earl-jones-to-voice-darth-vader-in-star-wars-rebels.html |archive-date=February 25, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Nathalie |last=Caron |url= http://www.blastr.com/2015-4-20/official-star-wars-rebels-season-2-trailer-released-james-earl-jones-confirmed-darth-vader |title= James Earl Jones confirmed as Darth Vader |publisher=[[Blastr.com]] |date= April 21, 2015 |accessdate= February 21, 2018}}</ref> Both Lanter and Jones contributed their voices for the second-season finale of ''Rebels'', at times with identical dialogue spoken by both actors blended together in different ways.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lS4sclln5J4&|title=Ahsoka's Untold Tales Panel {{!}} Star Wars Celebration Europe 2016|date=July 15, 2016|via=YouTube|access-date=July 15, 2016}}</ref>

===Characteristics===
In ''Attack of the Clones'', Anakin Skywalker feels "smothered" by Obi-Wan Kenobi and is incapable of controlling his own life.<ref>{{Harvnb|Bortolin|2005|p=17}}</ref> By ''Revenge of the Sith'', however, his "father-son" friction with his master has matured into a more equal, brotherly relationship.<ref>{{cite book|title=Finding the force of the Star wars franchise: fans, merchandise, & critics|first1=Matthew|last1=Kapell|first2=John Shelton|last2=Lawrence|page=137|date=2006|publisher=[[Peter Lang (publisher)|Peter Lang]]|location=New York City|isbn=978-0-8204-8808-0}}</ref> Once he becomes Darth Vader, each evil act he commits shatters any hope or connection towards his previous life, which makes it harder for him to return to the light,<ref>{{Harvnb|Bortolin|2005|p=115}}</ref> but he ultimately escapes the dark side and redeems himself by sacrificing his life to save his son, Luke Skywalker, and kill the Emperor in ''Return of the Jedi''.<ref>{{Harvnb|Bortolin|2005|p=x}}</ref>

Eric Bui, a [[psychiatry|psychiatrist]] at [[University of Toulouse]] Hospital, argued at the 2007 [[American Psychiatric Association]] convention that Anakin Skywalker meets six of the nine diagnostic criteria for [[borderline personality disorder]] (BPD), one more than necessary for a diagnosis. He and a colleague, Rachel Rodgers, published their findings in a 2010 letter to the editor of the journal ''Psychiatry Research''. Bui says he found Anakin Skywalker a useful example to explain BPD to medical students.<ref name="BPD paper"/> In particular, Bui points to Anakin's [[Abandonment (emotional)|abandonment issues]] and uncertainty over his identity. Anakin's [[mass murder]]s of the Tusken Raiders in ''Attack of the Clones'' and the young Jedi in ''Revenge of the Sith'' count as two [[dissociation (psychology)|dissociative]] episodes, fulfilling another criterion. Bui hoped his paper would help raise awareness of the disorder, especially among teens.<ref name="BPD paper" />

==Appearances==
Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker appears in seven of the live-action ''Star Wars'' films, the animated series ''The Clone Wars'' (including the film), ''Rebels'', and the [[micro-series]] ''Clone Wars'' and ''Forces of Destiny''. He also has a main and recurring role in games, comics, books and the non-canon ''[[Star Wars Legends]]'' material.

===Skywalker saga===
{{main|Skywalker saga}}
====Original trilogy====
Darth Vader first appears in ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' (later retitled ''A New Hope'') as a ruthless cyborg serving the [[Galactic Empire (Star Wars)|Galactic Empire]].<ref name="vaderstarwars.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.starwars.com/databank/character/darthvader/|title=Darth Vader|accessdate=August 12, 2010|work=[[Star Wars Databank]]|publisher=[[Lucasfilm]]}}</ref> He is tasked, along with [[Grand Moff Tarkin]], with recovering the secret plans for the [[Death Star]] superweapon, which were stolen by the [[Rebel Alliance]]. Vader captures and tortures [[Princess Leia]], who has hidden the plans inside the [[droid (Star Wars)|droid]] [[R2-D2]] and sent it to find Vader's former [[Jedi Master]] [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]] on the planet [[Tatooine]]. During Leia's rescue by Obi-Wan's allies [[Luke Skywalker]] and [[Han Solo]], Vader strikes down Obi-Wan in a [[lightsaber]] duel. Having placed a tracking device aboard their ship, the ''[[Millennium Falcon]]'', Vader is able to track down the Rebel base on the planet Yavin 4.<ref name="Darth Vader Databank">{{cite web|url=http://www.starwars.com/databank/darth-vader|title=Darth Vader|website=StarWars.com|accessdate=September 23, 2016}}</ref> During the Rebel attack on the Death Star, Vader boards his [[TIE fighter]] and attempts to shoot down Rebel [[X-wing fighter]]s, but Solo intervenes and sends Vader's ship spiraling off course, allowing Luke to destroy the Death Star.

In ''[[The Empire Strikes Back]]'', Vader becomes obsessed with finding the [[the Force|Force]]-sensitive Luke<ref name="Darth Vader Databank" /> and leads both the [[501st Legion (Star Wars)|501st Legion]] and the [[Death Squadron]] (Vader's personal Imperial armed forces) to attack on the Rebel base on [[Hoth]], which the Rebels escape. While conversing with [[Emperor Palpatine]] via hologram, Vader convinces him that Luke would be a valuable ally if he could be turned to the dark side. Vader hires a group of [[bounty hunter]]s to follow Luke's friends, and negotiates with [[Bespin]] administrator [[Lando Calrissian]] to set a trap for them in order to bait Luke.<ref name="Darth Vader Databank" /> After Han, Leia, [[Chewbacca]], and [[C-3PO]] arrive, Vader tortures and freezes Han in carbonite and gives him to the bounty hunter [[Boba Fett]].<ref name="Darth Vader Databank" /> When Luke arrives, Vader overpowers him in a lightsaber duel, severing his hand. Vader tells Luke that he is his father, and tries to persuade him to join the dark side and help him overthrow the Emperor. Horrified, Luke escapes through an air shaft. Vader [[telepathy|telepathically]] tells Luke that it is his destiny to join the dark side.<ref name="Darth Vader Databank" />

[[File:Vaderdies.jpg|thumb|[[Sebastian Shaw (actor)|Sebastian Shaw]] as the redeemed Anakin Skywalker in ''Return of the Jedi'' (1983)]]
In ''[[Return of the Jedi]]'', Vader and the Emperor supervise the final stages of the second Death Star's construction.<ref name="Darth Vader Databank"/> Thinking that there is still good in his father, Luke surrenders to Vader and tries to convince him to turn from the dark side. Vader takes Luke to the Death Star to meet the Emperor. While there, Palpatine tempts Luke to give in to his anger, which leads to Vader dueling with Luke once again.<ref name="Darth Vader Databank"/> Realizing that Leia is Luke's twin sister, Vader threatens to turn her to the dark side if Luke will not. Furious, Luke overpowers Vader and severs his father's robotic hand. The Emperor entreats Luke to kill Vader and take his place. Luke refuses and the Emperor tortures him with [[Force lightning]]. Unwilling to let his son die, Vader throws the Emperor down a reactor chute to his apparent death, but is mortally electrocuted in the process.<ref name="Darth Vader Databank"/><ref name="Databank">{{cite web|url=http://www.starwars.com/databank/anakin-skywalker|title=Anakin Skywalker|website=StarWars.com|access-date=September 23, 2016}}</ref> The redeemed Anakin Skywalker asks Luke to remove his mask, and admits that there was still good in him after all as he dies peacefully in his son's arms.<ref name="Databank" /> Luke escapes the Death Star with his father's body and cremates it in a [[pyre]] on [[Endor (Star Wars)|Endor]]. As the Rebels celebrate the Death Star's destruction and the Empire's defeat, Luke sees the spirits of Anakin, [[Yoda]], and Obi-Wan watching over him.<ref name="Databank" />

====Prequel trilogy====
In ''[[Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace]]'', which takes place 32 years before the original ''Star Wars'' film, Anakin appears as a nine-year-old [[slave]]<ref name="gamesradar">{{cite web|url=https://gamesradar.com/george-lucas-nearly-wrote-perfect-prequel-trilogy-he-just-didnt-seem-notice/|title=George Lucas nearly wrote a perfect prequel trilogy. He just didn't notice|website=Gamesradar|last=Houghton|first=David|date=May 4, 2016|accessdate=March 30, 2017}}</ref> living on Tatooine with his mother [[Shmi Skywalker|Shmi]]. In addition to being a gifted pilot and mechanic, Anakin has built his own protocol droid, [[C-3PO]]. Jedi Master [[Qui-Gon Jinn]] meets Anakin after making an emergency landing on Tatooine with Queen of [[Naboo]] [[Padmé Amidala]]. Qui-Gon learns from Shmi that Anakin was [[Miraculous births|conceived without a father]] and can [[Precognition|foresee the future]]. Qui-Gon senses Anakin's strong connection to the Force and becomes convinced that he is the "[[Chosen One (Star Wars)|Chosen One]]" of Jedi prophecy who will bring balance to the Force. After winning his freedom in a [[podrace]] wager, Anakin leaves with Qui-Gon to be trained as a Jedi on [[Coruscant]], but is forced to leave his mother behind. During the journey, Anakin forms a bond with Padmé. Qui-Gon asks the Jedi Council for permission to train Anakin, but they sense fear in the boy and refuse. Eventually, Anakin helps end the [[Trade Federation]]'s invasion of Naboo by destroying their control ship. After Qui-Gon is killed in a lightsaber duel with Sith Lord [[Darth Maul]], Qui-Gon's apprentice Obi-Wan promises to train Anakin, with the Council's reluctant approval.<ref name="Databank" /> Palpatine, newly elected as the [[Galactic Republic]]'s Chancellor, befriends Anakin and tells him that he will watch his career "with great interest".

In ''[[Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones|Episode II: Attack of the Clones]]'', which takes place 10 years after ''The Phantom Menace'', Anakin is still Obi-Wan's Padawan apprentice. After rescuing Padmé from an assassination attempt, Anakin travels with her to Naboo as her bodyguard, and they fall in love. Sensing that Shmi is in pain, Anakin travels with Padmé to Tatooine to rescue his mother. While there, Anakin learns from his former slaver Watto that Shmi had been freed by and married to [[Cliegg Lars]] some few years after he left. He then visits Cliegg and learns from him that she was kidnapped by [[Tusken Raiders]]. Anakin locates Shmi at a Tusken campsite, where she dies in his arms. Anakin, enraged, massacres the Tusken tribe and returns to the Lars homestead to bury Shmi.<ref name="Databank" /> Anakin then travels with Padmé to [[Geonosis]] to rescue Obi-Wan from Sith Lord [[Count Dooku]]. Dooku captures the trio and sentences them to death. However, a battalion of Jedi arrives with an army of [[clone trooper]]s to halt the executions. Obi-Wan and Anakin confront Dooku, but the Sith Lord beats them both in a lightsaber duel and severs Anakin's arm. After being rescued by Yoda, Anakin is fitted with a robotic arm and secretly marries Padmé.

[[File:Anakin-Jedi.jpg|thumb|[[Hayden Christensen]] as Anakin Skywalker in ''Revenge of the Sith'' (2005)]]
In ''[[Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith|Episode III: Revenge of the Sith]]'', set three years after ''Attack of the Clones'', Anakin is now a Jedi Knight and a hero of the [[Clone Wars (Star Wars)|Clone Wars]]. He and Obi-Wan lead a mission to rescue Palpatine from Separatist commander [[General Grievous]]. The two Jedi battle Count Dooku, whom Anakin kills at Palpatine's urging. They rescue Palpatine and return to Coruscant. Anakin reunites with Padmé, who tells him that she is pregnant. Although initially excited, Anakin has prophetic visions of Padmé dying in childbirth.<ref name="Databank" /> Later, Palpatine reveals to Anakin that he is the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, and says that only he has the power to save Padmé from dying. Anakin reports Palpatine's treachery to Jedi Master [[Mace Windu]], who confronts and subdues Palpatine. Desperate to save Padmé, Anakin disarms Windu, which allows Palpatine to kill the Jedi Master. Anakin pledges himself to the Sith, and Palpatine dubs him Darth Vader.<ref name="Databank" />

On Palpatine's orders, Vader leads the [[501st Legion (Star Wars)|501st Legion]] to kill everyone in the Jedi Temple and assassinates the remaining Separatist leaders on the volcanic planet [[Mustafar]]. A distraught Padmé goes to Mustafar and begs Vader to return to the light side. Vader refuses and asks her to help him overthrow Palpatine so they can rule the galaxy together. Seeing Obi-Wan on Padmé's ship, and thinking they have conspired to kill him, Vader uses the Force to choke Padmé into unconsciousness. Obi-Wan engages Vader in a lightsaber duel that ends with Obi-Wan dismembering Vader and leaving him for dead on the banks of a lava flow, severely burned. Palpatine finds Vader and brings him to Coruscant, where his apprentice is resuscitated and his mutilated body rebuilt with the black armor first depicted in the original trilogy. Palpatine tells Vader that he himself killed Padmé in his rage, and Vader screams in agony. At the end of the film, Vader supervises the construction of the first Death Star alongside Palpatine and Tarkin.

====Sequel trilogy====
Vader's melted helmet appears in ''[[The Force Awakens]]'' (2015), in which Vader's grandson [[Kylo Ren]] is seen addressing him, though Vader does not appear in the film. At one point, his helmet was considered as the film's [[MacGuffin]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Szostak|first=Phil|title=The Art of 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'|date=2015|publisher=[[Abrams Books]]|location=New York City|isbn=9781419717802|page=79}}</ref> Footage of the upcoming ''[[Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker]]'' (2019) shown at a Disney shareholders event also includes the helmet.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.inverse.com/article/53906-star-wars-episode-9-trailer-new-footage-solves-the-mystery-of-rey-s-lightsaber|title=Star Wars Episode 9 Trailer: Footage Solves the Mystery of Rey's Lightsaber|last=Kleinman|first=Jake|date=March 8, 2019|website=Inverse|accessdate=March 10, 2019}}</ref>

===Film series===
====''The Clone Wars'' (film)====
In the 2008 [[3D animated|3D animated film]] ''[[Star Wars: The Clone Wars (film)|The Clone Wars]]'', Yoda assigns [[Ahsoka Tano]] as Anakin's Padawan apprentice, a responsibility Anakin is at first reluctant to accept. Anakin calls her "Snips" for her "snippy" attitude, while Ahsoka calls him "Skyguy" as a pun on his surname.<ref name="Databank" /> After earning Anakin's respect during a dangerous mission, Ahsoka joins him on a quest to rescue [[Jabba the Hutt]]'s infant son, Rotta. Her impetuousness both annoys and endears her to her master, and Anakin develops a friendly affection for his apprentice.

====Anthology films====
In the first anthology film ''[[Rogue One]]'', Vader makes a [[cameo appearance]] in which he meets with Imperial weapons engineer [[Orson Krennic]], who asks him for an audience with the Emperor regarding the Death Star, which Krennic lost command of to Tarkin. Vader refuses, however, using the Force to choke him, and ordering him to ensure that the Death Star project has not been compromised. At the end of the film, Vader boards the disabled Rebel flagship ''Profundity'' with a cadre of [[Imperial stormtrooper#501st Legion|501st Legion]] troopers and kills several Rebel soldiers as he attempts to recover the plans. However, the docked blockade runner ''Tantive IV'' escapes with the plans, setting up the events of ''A New Hope''.

===Television series===
====''Clone Wars'' (2003–2005)====
Anakin is a lead character in all three seasons of the ''[[Star Wars: Clone Wars (TV series)|Clone Wars]]'' micro-series, which takes place shortly after the conclusion of ''Attack of the Clones''. Anakin becomes a Jedi Knight and is quickly promoted to a General of the Republic's Clone Army, due in part to Palpatine's influence. Among other missions, he fights a duel with Dooku's apprentice [[Asajj Ventress]], helps Obi-Wan capture a Separatist-controlled fortress and rescues Jedi Master [[Saesee Tiin]] during a space battle. During the third season, Anakin frees a planet's indigenous species from Separatist control and sees a cryptic vision of his future as Darth Vader. In the season finale, Anakin and Obi-Wan go on a mission to rescue Palpatine from General Grievous, leading to the opening of ''Revenge of the Sith''.

====''The Clone Wars'' (2008–2014)====
Anakin is a lead character in all seasons of ''[[Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008 TV series)|The Clone Wars]]''. As a Jedi Knight, he leads the [[501st Legion (Star Wars)|501st Legion]] on missions with both Obi-Wan and Ahsoka throughout the war. Some of Anakin's actions taken out of concern for Ahsoka violate the Jedi code, such as torturing prisoners who may know her location when she goes missing.<ref name="io9netflix">{{cite web|url=http://io9.gizmodo.com/how-clone-wars-ahsoka-tano-made-the-star-wars-franchis-1537984315|title=Why Ahsoka Tano Is the Best Thing to Happen to Star Wars in 20 Years|last=Davis|first=Lauren|date=December 16, 2015|website=[[io9]]|accessdate=November 20, 2016}}</ref> During the third season, Anakin experiences a vision of his future as Darth Vader.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wired.com/2011/02/this-week-in-the-clone-wars-anakin-meets-darth-vader/|title=This Week in The Clone Wars: Anakin Meets Darth Vader|work=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]|date=February 11, 2011|accessdate=November 20, 2016}}</ref>

====''Rebels'' (2014–2018)====
Darth Vader appears in multiple episodes of the first season of ''[[Star Wars Rebels]]'', which takes place 14 years after ''The Clone Wars'' concludes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ign.com/articles/2014/10/02/everything-you-need-to-know-about-star-wars-rebels|title=Everything You Need To Know About Star Wars Rebels|first=Matt|last=Fowler|accessdate=September 23, 2016|website=[[IGN]]|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|date=October 2, 2014}}</ref> Vader leads a squadron of Force-sensitive Imperial Inquisitors who actively search for and kill any remaining Jedi and Force-sensitive children. In the second-season premiere, Vader discovers that Ahsoka has joined the Rebel Alliance, and the Emperor orders him to kill her. When they meet, Ahsoka is overwhelmed when she recognizes Anakin under "a layer of hate" in Darth Vader.<ref name="fatesfulfilled1"/> Later in the season, Ahsoka has a vision in which Anakin blames her for allowing him to fall to the dark side. In the season finale, Ahsoka duels with her former master inside a Sith Temple, allowing her friends to escape Vader and the temple's destruction. As the episode concludes, Vader escapes from the temple's ruins. Vader makes a final voiceless cameo in the late fourth-season episode "A World Between Worlds", in which it is revealed that Ahsoka escaped from her previous duel with Vader by entering a Force-realm. Shortly afterward, Vader’s voice is heard echoing in the void.

====''Forces of Destiny'' (2017–2018)====
Anakin Skywalker appears in multiple episodes of the [[animated|2D animated]] online micro-series ''[[Star Wars Forces of Destiny]]''.<ref name="Breznican"/>

===Canon literature===
In the first chapter of the [[Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (novel)|novelization of ''The Phantom Menace'']], Anakin participates in a podrace<ref>{{cite web |last=Asher-Perrin |first=Emily |title=The Star Wars: Episode I Novelization Explains All the Things the Movie Does Not |url=https://www.tor.com/2015/11/05/the-star-wars-episode-i-novelization-explains-all-the-things-the-movie-does-not/ |website=TOR |publisher=Macmillan |date=November 5, 2015 |accessdate=September 13, 2019}}</ref> through Beggar's Canyon on Tatooine. This parallels his future son Luke's flights through the same canyon as mentioned in ''A New Hope''.<ref>{{cite web |title=T-16 Skyhopper |url=https://www.starwars.com/databank/t-16-skyhopper |website=StarWars.com |accessdate=September 13, 2019}}</ref>

''[[Star Wars: Lords of the Sith]]'' was one of the first four canon novels to be released in 2014 and 2015.<ref name="SW Adult">{{cite web|url=https://www.starwars.com/news/disney-publishing-worldwide-and-random-house-announce-relaunch-of-star-wars-adult-fiction-line |title=Disney and Random House announce relaunch of ''Star Wars'' Adult Fiction line |publisher=StarWars.com |date=April 25, 2014 |accessdate=May 26, 2016}}</ref> In it, Vader and Palpatine find themselves hunted by revolutionaries on the [[Twi'lek]] planet [[Ryloth]].<ref name="NYDN">{{cite web |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/pageviews/review-star-wars-lords-sith-blog-entry-1.2201665 |title=REVIEW: ''Star Wars: Lords of the Sith'' throws Darth Vader and the Emperor onto the battlefield |work=[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]]|location=New York |first=Sean |last=Keane |date=April 28, 2015 |accessdate=May 27, 2016}}</ref><ref name="IGN">{{cite web |url=https://ign.com/articles/2015/05/09/star-wars-lords-of-the-sith-review |title=''Star Wars: Lords of the Sith'' Review |first=Eric |last=Goldman |date=May 9, 2015 |website=IGN |accessdate=May 27, 2016}}</ref>

====Comics====
In 2015, Marvel released a 25-issue series called ''Darth Vader'' (2015–16),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://marvel.com/comics/series/19379/darth_vader_2015_-_present |title=Darth Vader (2015 – present) &#124; Comics |publisher=Marvel |accessdate=December 20, 2016}}</ref> which focused on the title character in the aftermath of the destruction of the Death Star, as well as his life after learning about the existence of his son.<ref>{{cite web|last=Schedeen |first=Jesse |url=https://ign.com/articles/2015/06/03/star-wars-delivers-huge-change-for-han-solo |title=Star Wars Delivers Huge Change for Han Solo |website=IGN |publisher=Ziff Davis|date=June 3, 2015 |accessdate=December 20, 2016}}</ref> The series happens parallel to the comic book series [[Star Wars (2015 comic book)|''Star Wars'']], with which it has a crossover titled ''Vader Down''.<ref>{{cite web|first=Jesse|last=Schedeen|url=https://ign.com/articles/2015/11/17/star-wars-vader-down-1-review|title=Star Wars: Vader Down #1 Review|website=[[IGN]]|publisher=[[j2 Global]]|location=San Francisco, California|date=November 17, 2015|accessdate=November 10, 2017}}</ref>
A prequel-era series written by [[Charles Soule]] and published 2017–18, also called ''Darth Vader'' and featuring the same logo, begins moments after Vader wakes up in his black suit at the end of ''Revenge of the Sith''. The series focuses on the titular character's emotional transformation upon learning of Padme's death, his adjustment to his mechanical suit, how he creates his red-bladed lightsaber, and his hunting of Jedi in the Inquisitor program introduced in ''Rebels''.<ref>{{cite web|first=Dan|last=Brooks|url=http://www.starwars.com/news/in-marvels-new-darth-vader-series-we-will-see-the-sith-lords-rise-the-construction-of-his-lightsaber-and-more|title=In Marvel's New Darth Vader Series, We Will See the Sith Lord's Rise, the Construction of His Lightsaber, and More |website=StarWars.com|date=March 10, 2017|accessdate=November 10, 2017}}</ref> Its final issue indicates that Palpatine used the Force to conceive Anakin ''[[in utero]]'',<ref name=father>{{cite web|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/darth-vaders-father-revealed/|title=Does a New 'Star Wars' Comic Book Reveal Darth Vader’s Father?|last=Young|first=Bryan|date=December 28, 2018|website=/Film|accessdate=March 17, 2019}}</ref> as some fans had theorized that ''Revenge of the Sith'' implies.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dorksideoftheforce.com/2018/12/20/star-wars-comic-anakin-father/|title=Star Wars comic finally reveals Anakin’s father|last=Gunn|first=Callum|year=2019|website=Dork Side of the Force|accessdate=March 17, 2019}}</ref>{{efn|In the film, Palpatine tells Anakin about [[Darth Plagueis]] the Wise, "a Dark Lord of the Sith so powerful and so wise, he could use the Force to influence the midi-chlorians to create life." This was preceded by the rough draft of ''Revenge of the Sith'', in which Palpatine says to Anakin, "I arranged for your conception. I used the power of the Force to will the midichlorians to start the cell divisions that created you."<ref name=father/>}}

The five-issue mini-series ''Obi-Wan & Anakin'' (2016), also written by Soule, depicts the lives of the titular Jedi between ''The Phantom Menace'' and ''Attack of the Clones''. At [[New York Comic Con]] 2015, Soule described the story as "pretty unexplored territory".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.starwars.com/news/nycc-2015-exploring-the-uncharted-in-marvels-obi-wan-and-anakin-an-interview-with-charles-soule|title=Obi-Wan & Anakin Interview with Charles Soule|last=Brooks|first=Dan|website=StarWars.com|date=October 12, 2015|accessdate=November 20, 2016}}</ref>

===Virtual reality game===
In the 2015 [[Star Wars Celebration|''Star Wars'' Celebration]], it was announced [[David S. Goyer]] is helping to develop a [[virtual reality]] game series based on Darth Vader. As a observer with limited influence, the player is able to walk, pick up, push and open things, and possibly effect the story.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/star-wars-darth-vader-vr-film-david-s-goyer-spin-off-a7141201.html|title=A Star Wars film based on Darth Vader is on the way|date=July 17, 2016|website=The Independent|accessdate=November 10, 2017}}</ref> There will be three episodes overall, set between ''Revenge of the Sith'' and ''Rogue One''; the first became available with the launch of [[Oculus Quest]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Kris |first=Holt |title='Star Wars' VR game 'Vader Immortal' teases story details in trailer |url=https://www.engadget.com/2019/04/12/star-wars-vader-immortal-trailer-vr-oculus/ |website=Engadget |accessdate=April 25, 2019 |date=April 12, 2019}}</ref>

===''Legends''===
In April 2014, most of the licensed ''Star Wars'' novels and comics produced since the originating 1977 film ''Star Wars'' were rebranded by Lucasfilm as ''[[Star Wars Legends|Legends]]'' and declared non-canon to the franchise.<ref name="SW Adult"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.starwars.com/news/the-legendary-star-wars-expanded-universe-turns-a-new-page |title=The Legendary ''Star Wars'' Expanded Universe Turns a New Page |publisher=[[StarWars.com]] |date=April 25, 2014 |accessdate=May 26, 2016}}</ref>

====Literature====
Vader is featured prominently in [[List of Star Wars books|novels set in the ''Star Wars'' universe]]. In the 1978 novel ''[[Splinter of the Mind's Eye]]'' by [[Alan Dean Foster]], Vader meets Luke Skywalker for the first time and engages him in a lightsaber duel that ends with Luke cutting off Vader's arm and Vader falling into a deep pit.<ref name="vaderstarwars.com" /> (In 1999's ''[[Vader's Quest]]'', however, Vader encounters Luke for the first time after hiring a bounty hunter to find the pilot who destroyed the Death Star.) ''[[Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (novel)|Shadows of the Empire]]'' (1996) reveals that Vader is conflicted about trying to turn his son to the dark side of the Force, and knows deep down that there is still some good in him.

Anakin Skywalker's redeemed spirit appears in ''[[The Truce at Bakura]]'' (1993), set a few days after the end of ''Return of the Jedi''. He appears to Leia, imploring her forgiveness. Leia condemns him for his crimes and exiles him from her life. He promises that he will be there for her when she needs him, and disappears. In ''[[Tatooine Ghost]]'' (2003), Leia learns to forgive her father after learning about his childhood as a slave and his mother's traumatic death. In ''[[The Unifying Force]]'' (2003), Anakin tells his grandson [[Jacen Solo]] to "stand firm" in his battle with the Supreme Overlord of the [[Yuuzhan Vong]].

Upon the release of the prequel films, the Expanded Universe grew to include novels about Vader's former life as Anakin Skywalker. [[Greg Bear]]'s 2000 novel ''[[Rogue Planet (novel)|Rogue Planet]]'' and [[Jude Watson]]'s ''[[Jedi Apprentice]]'' and ''[[Jedi Quest]]'' series chronicle Anakin's early missions with Obi-Wan, while [[James Luceno]]'s 2005 novel ''[[Labyrinth of Evil]]'', set during the Clone Wars, depicts Anakin battling Separatist commander [[General Grievous]]. In Luceno's ''[[Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader]]'' (2005), set a few months after the events of ''Revenge of the Sith'', Vader disavows his identity as Anakin Skywalker as he systematically pursues and kills the surviving Jedi and cements his position in the Empire. The novel reveals that Vader plans to eventually overthrow Palpatine and that he betrayed the Jedi because he resented their supposed failure to recognize his power.

In [[The Dark Nest trilogy|the ''Dark Nest'' trilogy]] (2005), Luke and Leia uncover old recordings of their parents in R2-D2's memory drive; for the first time, they see their own birth and their mother's death, as well as their father's corruption to the dark side. In ''[[Bloodlines (Star Wars novel)|Bloodlines]]'' (2006), Han and Leia's son Jacen – who has himself turned to the dark side – uses the Force to "watch" Darth Vader slaughter the children at the Jedi Temple.

Vader also appears in a series of tongue-in-cheek children's books by [[Jeffrey Brown (cartoonist)|Jeffrey Brown]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.starwars.com/news/goodnight-darth-vader-by-jeffrey-brown-exclusive-reveal|title=Goodnight Darth Vader By Jeffrey Brown – Exclusive Reveal|website=StarWars.com|date=February 10, 2014|accessdate=May 4, 2016}}</ref> In Brown's series, a hapless Vader sets out to be a father to a young Luke and Leia, with some scenes portraying light-hearted versions of their darker film counterparts (for example, one scene shows Vader, Luke and Leia at the carbonite freezing chamber on Bespin, with Vader pronouncing the freezer adequate for making [[ice cream]]).

====Comics====
Vader appears in several comic books such as [[Dark Horse Comics]]' ''[[Star Wars Tales]]'' and [[Marvel Comics]]' ''Star Wars'' (1977–1986) series.

Anakin Skywalker is a major character in Dark Horse's ''[[Star Wars: Republic]]'' series (1998–2006).

===Video games===
Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker have appeared in a number of ''Star Wars'' since the earliest days of the franchise, though rarely as a playable character. Vader plays a central role in ''[[Star Wars: The Force Unleashed]]'' (2008), where he is the playable character for the first level of the game. He also appears in the sequel ''[[Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II]]'' as the final boss. Darth Vader has also appeared in non-''Star Wars'' video games as a guest character, for example''[[Soulcalibur IV]]'' (2008).

Most recently, Vader makes a cameo appearance in the final mission of ''[[Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order]]'', where he arrives after the main antagonist is defeated.

===Other===
In the ''[[Star Wars Holiday Special]]'', a television special broadcast by [[CBS]] in 1978, features a brief appearance by Darth Vader, who appears on-screen speaking with Imperial officer "Chief Bast" in footage cut from the original 1977 film. The sequence is dubbed with new dialogue, performed by James Earl Jones. In the story, Vader colludes with Boba Fett to entrap the Rebels.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hayes |first1=David C. |editor1-last=Rausch |editor1-first=Andrew J. |editor2-last=Riley |editor2-first=R.D. |title=Trash Cinema: A Celebration of Overlooked Masterpieces |date=2015 |publisher=BearManor Media |location=Albany, Georgia|url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=kQVBCgAAQBAJ&lpg=PT140&dq=Star%20Wars%20Holiday%20Special%20darth%20vader%20bast&pg=PT140#v=onepage |accessdate=June 20, 2018 |language=en |chapter=The Star Wars Holiday Special}}</ref>

Darth Vader features in the 1981 [[Star Wars (radio)|radio drama adaptation of ''Star Wars'']], voiced by the actor [[Brock Peters]]. Vader makes his first appearance on the planet [[Ralltiir]], where he treats Princess Leia with suspicion. In later extended scenes, he is heard interrogating and torturing Leia on board his [[Star Destroyer]] and aboard the Death Star.<ref>{{cite book|first1=Brandon|last1=McKinney|first2=Scott|last2=Kolins|first3=Daniel|last3=Wallace|title=Star Wars: the Essential Guide to Planets and Moons|date=1998|publisher=Ballantine Publishing Group|location=New York City|isbn=9780345420688|page=157}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Listening to Star Wars: Part III – Future of the Force|url=https://futureoftheforce.com/listening-to-star-wars-part-iii-7e01ba93eb76|website=Future of the Force|accessdate=July 11, 2017|date=February 15, 2017}}{{Dead link|date=July 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Derek|last=John|title=That Time NPR Turned 'Star Wars' Into A Radio Drama — And It Actually Worked|url=https://www.npr.org/2015/12/18/460269884/that-time-npr-turned-star-wars-into-a-radio-drama-and-it-actually-worked|website=[[NPR]]|date=December 18, 2015|accessdate=July 11, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170711085910/http://www.npr.org/2015/12/18/460269884/that-time-npr-turned-star-wars-into-a-radio-drama-and-it-actually-worked|archivedate=July 11, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

Vader appears in ''[[Star Tours – The Adventures Continue]]'', where he is voiced by Jones. Vader is featured as a combatant in the popular series ''[[Death Battle]]'', in which he is pitted against [[Marvel Comics]] villain [[Doctor Doom]].

An action figure of Vader comes to life alongside ''[[RoboCop]]'' and ''[[Jurassic Park]]'' toys in ''[[The Indian in the Cupboard (film)|The Indian in the Cupboard]]'' (1995).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3430323/remember-indian-cupboard-brought-together-darth-vader-robocop-jurassic-park/|title=Remember When 'Indian in the Cupboard' Brought Together Darth Vader, RoboCop and 'Jurassic Park'?!|last=Squires|first=John|date=March 30, 2017|website=[[Bloody Disgusting]]|accessdate=March 11, 2019}}</ref> Vader also had a brief cameo in ''[[Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian]]'' (2009), in which he and [[Oscar the Grouch]] try unsuccessfully to join the army formed by [[Ivan the Terrible]], [[Napoleon]] and [[Al Capone]].

==Cultural impact==
{{See also|Cultural impact of Star Wars}}

Darth Vader has gained much positive reception as a classic film villain. The character ranked number two on ''[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]]'' magazine's 2008 list of ''The 100 Greatest Movie Characters''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.empireonline.com/100-greatest-movie-characters/default.asp?c=2 |title=''Empire's'' The 100 Greatest Movie Characters |publisher=Empire Magazine |accessdate=May 21, 2010}}</ref> ''[[Premiere (magazine)|Premiere]]'' magazine also ranked Vader on their list of ''The 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmsite.org/100characters.html |title=''Premiere Magazine's'' The 100 Greatest Movie Characters |website=Filmsite.org |accessdate=May 21, 2010}}</ref> On their list of the ''100 Greatest Fictional Characters'', Fandomania.com ranked Vader at number 6.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fandomania.com/100-greatest-fictional-characters-10-6/ |title= The 100 Greatest Fictional Characters|website=Fandomania.com |accessdate=May 21, 2010}}</ref> Darth Vader was also the No. 1 [[supervillain]] on the [[Bravo (US TV channel)|Bravo]] series ''Ultimate Super Heroes, Vixens and Villains'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tvguide.com/detail/tv-show.aspx?tvobjectid=191868&more=ucepisodelist&episodeid=4615590 |title=Ultimate Super Heroes, Vixens and Villains Episode Guide 2005 – Ultimate Super Villains |work=[[TV Guide]] |accessdate=November 7, 2010}}</ref> and No. 1 in [[IGN]]'s list of top 100 ''Star Wars'' characters.<ref>{{cite web|title=Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker is No. 1 |url=https://ign.com/star-wars-characters/1.html |website=[[IGN]]|accessdate=December 6, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120813015853/https://www.ign.com/star-wars-characters/1.html |archivedate=August 13, 2012  }}</ref> Furthermore, Darth Vader's quote in ''The Empire Strikes Back''—"No, ''I'' am your father" (often misquoted as "Luke, I am your father"),<ref>{{cite web |first=Michael |last=French| year=2003| title=The Common Concept of In |website=TheRaider.net | url=http://www.theraider.net/features/articles/indy_concept.php | accessdate=February 26, 2007}}</ref>—is one of the most well known quotes in cinema history as well as the scene where the revelation takes place is considered one of the greatest plot twists in cinema history. The line was selected as one of the 400 nominees for the [[American Film Institute]]'s ''[[AFI's 100 Years…100 Movie Quotes|100 Years... 100 Movie Quotes]]'', a list of the greatest American movie quotes.<ref name="autogenerated2">{{cite web|url=http://connect.afi.com/site/DocServer/quotes400.pdf?docID=205 |title=AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movie Quotes: Official Ballot |publisher=[[American Film Institute|AFI.com]] |accessdate=July 2, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090919175551/http://connect.afi.com/site/DocServer/quotes400.pdf?docID=205 |archivedate=September 19, 2009  }}</ref> Vader received the Ultimate Villain recognition at the 2011 [[Scream Awards]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/george-lucas-makes-surprise-appearance-249019|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|publisher=[[Eldridge Industries]]|location=Los Angeles, California|accessdate=October 16, 2011|first=Rebecca|last=Ford|date=October 15, 2011|title=George Lucas Makes Surprise Appearance at Spike TV Scream Awards}}</ref>

[[File:Darth vader grotesque (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright=.8|The [[Darth Vader Grotesque]] sculpted into the [[Washington National Cathedral]]]]
Darth Vader's iconic status has made the character a symbol for evil in popular culture. For example, a three part series of episodes of the YouTube series [[Epic Rap Battles of History]] has Darth Vader facing off against [[Adolf Hitler]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gawker.com/5688845/epic-rap-battles-of-history-darth-vader-vs-hitler|title=Epic Rap Battles of History: Darth Vader vs Hitler|first=Christopher|last=Han|website=[[Gawker]]}}</ref> Psychiatrists have considered Vader to be a useful example for explaining [[borderline personality disorder]] to medical students.<ref name="BPD paper">{{cite news|last=Hsu|first=Jeremy|title=The Psychology of Darth Vader Revealed|url=http://www.livescience.com/culture/psychology-darth-vader-revealed-100604.html|work=[[LiveScience]]|publisher=TopTenReviews|date=June 8, 2010|accessdate=June 8, 2010}}</ref> Anakin's origin story in ''The Phantom Menace'' has been compared to [[Sign (semiotics)|sign]]ifiers of African American racial identity,<ref>{{cite book|title=Black space: imagining race in science fiction film|first=Adilifu|last=Nama|url=https://books.google.com/?id=kHKzYBfEuSwC&pg=PT75&dq=%22anakin+skywalker%22#v=onepage&q=%22anakin%20skywalker%22|date=2008|publisher=[[University of Texas Press]]|location=Austin, Texas|isbn=978-0-292-71745-9|pages=63–64}}</ref> and his dissatisfaction with his life has been compared to [[Siddhartha (novel)|Siddartha]]'s before he became [[Gautama Buddha]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Bortolin|2005|p=xiii}}</ref> A Mexican church advised Christians against seeing ''The Phantom Menace'' because it portrays Anakin as a [[Christ figure]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Bowen|2005|p=97}}</ref> The slime-mold beetle ''[[Agathidium vaderi]]'' is named after Vader,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/April05/slime-mold.Bush.Cheney.ssl.html|title=Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld are now species of slime-mold beetles – but strictly in homage|work=Cornell News|publisher=[[Cornell University]]|accessdate=April 27, 2008}}</ref> and several buildings across the globe are regularly compared to him.<ref>{{cite news|title=An architectural Star Wars clash at Sierra Point|newspaper=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|date=April 17, 1986|page=4}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/06/29/realestate/focus-seattle-creating-an-office-empire.html|title= Focus: Seattle; Creating An Office Empire|last=Egan|first=Timothy|date=June 29, 1986|work=[[The New York Times]]|accessdate=May 8, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.belltownmessenger.com/062007/062007-100-bellawards.html |title=the bell awards – Tom Graff (interview) |date=June 2007 |work=Belltown Messenger |accessdate=May 8, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070617144243/http://www.belltownmessenger.com/062007/062007-100-bellawards.html |archivedate=June 17, 2007 |df= }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dayout.co.nz/attraction-subject-results.asp?subject=panels|title=Search – panels – Dayout New Zealand|website=Dayout.co.nz|accessdate=November 10, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://wayward-wellingtonians.blogspot.com/2008/07/grand-canyon-scale-for-wellingtonians.html|title=Wayward Wellingtonians: Grand Canyon Scale for Wellingtonians|last=Brendan|date=July 11, 2008|website=Wayward-wellingtonians.blogspot.com|accessdate=November 10, 2017}}</ref> A [[grotesque]] of Darth Vader looms over the east face of the [[Washington National Cathedral]]'s northwest tower.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalcathedral.org/about/darthVader.shtml |title=About Darth Vader |publisher=[[Washington National Cathedral]] |accessdate=April 27, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055524/http://www.nationalcathedral.org/about/darthVader.shtml |archivedate=September 21, 2013 |df= }}</ref> During the [[2007–08 NHL season]], [[Ottawa Senators]] goaltender [[Martin Gerber]] performed so well in an all-black mask that fans endearingly termed him "Darth Gerber".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tsn.ca/story/?id=250552 |title=Sens' Gerber has new mask, new outlook on season |publisher=The Sports Network |date= September 24, 2008| accessdate= June 17, 2010}}</ref> In 2015, a statue of [[Vladimir Lenin]] in [[Odessa, Ukraine]], was converted into one of Darth Vader due to a law on [[Decommunization in Ukraine|decommunization]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Worland|first1=Justin|title=Ukrainian Lenin Statue Turned into Darth Vader|url=http://time.com/4086228/ukraine-lenin-darth-vader/|accessdate=October 25, 2015|work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|publisher=[[Meredith Corporation]]|location=New York City|date=October 25, 2015}}</ref>

Many films and television series have paid homage to Darth Vader. The 1982 compilation movie<!--Don't write "TV film", as "Cosmic Princess" was also released in theaters.--> ''Cosmic Princess'', compiled from parts of ''[[Space: 1999]]'' episodes, contains several ''Star Wars'' references including a character named "Vader".<ref>{{cite web |title=Cosmic Princess |url=http://catacombs.space1999.net/main/tscript/z00cp.html |website=catacombs.space1999.net |accessdate=July 2, 2018}}</ref> [[Marty McFly]] in ''[[Back to the Future]]'' (1985), dressed in a [[NBC suit|radiation suit]], calls himself "Darth Vader from the planet [[Vulcan (Star Trek planet)|Vulcan]]" to convince the past version of his father to ask his mother to a dance. [[Rick Moranis]] plays "Dark Helmet" in the ''Star Wars'' parody ''[[Spaceballs]]'' (1987). In ''[[Chasing Amy]]'' (1997), Hooper X speaks at a comic convention about Darth Vader being a metaphor for how poorly the science fiction genre treats black people; he is especially offended that Vader, the "blackest brother in the galaxy", reveals himself to be a "feeble, crusty old white man" at the end of ''Return of the Jedi''. The character was also parodied in the [[Nickelodeon]] cartoon ''[[Rocko's Modern Life]]'' in the episode "Teed Off".<ref>{{cite web|title=Western Animation: Rocko's Modern Life|url=http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/WesternAnimation/RockosModernLife|website=TV Tropes|publisher=TV Tropes|accessdate=December 20, 2015}}{{better source|date=June 2017}}</ref> On another Nickelodeon cartoon, ''[[Jimmy Neutron]]'', Darth Vader's infamous line, "I am your father", was interpolated in the [[Jimmy Neutron mini-episodes|mini-episode]] "New Dog, Old Tricks".<ref>{{cite web|title=The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius > Season 1 > Episode 1 > New Dog, Old Tricks. |url=http://www.tv.com/shows/the-adventures-of-jimmy-neutron-boy-genius/new-dog-old-tricks-424584/ |publisher=TV.com |accessdate=December 22, 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222142227/http://www.tv.com/shows/the-adventures-of-jimmy-neutron-boy-genius/new-dog-old-tricks-424584/ |archivedate=December 22, 2015  }}</ref> The line was also alluded to in ''[[Toy Story 2]]'', which also introduces Emperor Zurg (a parody of Vader) to [[Toy Story (franchise)|the Disney media franchise]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.inafarawaygalaxy.com/2013/12/toy-story-easter-egg-references-starwars.html|title=Toy Story references to the Star Wars films|date=December 7, 2013|website=In a far away Galaxy|accessdate=December 26, 2015}}</ref> The character of Dark Mayhem in ''[[The Thundermans]]'' is also a parody of Vader, especially in his original depiction, while his later appearances changed the character to a comical supervillain usually working with incompetent henchmen. The [[Warner Bros.]] animated show based on the [[Looney Tunes]], ''[[Loonatics Unleashed]]'' has a [[Sylvester the Cat]] type character named Sylth Vester, a parody and play on the character and name of Darth Vader respectively.

The ''[[Final Fantasy IV]]'' the character Golbez, who spends most of the game as the main antagonist, was stated by Takashi Tokita to be based on Vader, with his following a similar character arc.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/features/final-fantasy-iv-creator-conversation|title=A Conversation With the Creator of Final Fantasy IV|website=1UP.com|accessdate=May 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150404131218/http://www.1up.com/features/final-fantasy-iv-creator-conversation|archive-date=April 4, 2015|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
In 2010, [[IGN]] ranked Darth Vader 25th in the "Top 100 Videogame Villains".<ref>{{cite web|title=Darth Vader is number 25 |url=https://ign.com/videogame-villains/25.html |website=IGN.com |accessdate=December 6, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203060448/http://www.ign.com/videogame-villains/25.html |archivedate=December 3, 2010}}</ref>

Many commentators and comedians have also evoked his visage to [[political satire|satirize]] politicians and other public figures, and several American political figures have been unflatteringly compared to the character. In response to [[Ronald Reagan]]'s proposed [[Strategic Defense Initiative]] (dubbed "Star Wars" by his political opponents), German news magazine ''[[Der Spiegel]]'' portrayed the president wearing Vader's helmet on its cover in 1984.<ref>{{cite magazine |editor-last=Woods|editor-first=Bob|year=1997|title=It Took the World by Force|magazine=Star Wars: Official 20th Anniversary Commemorative Magazine|location=New York|publisher=[[Topps]]|page=57}}</ref> In 2005, [[Al Gore]] referred to [[Tele-Communications Inc.]]'s [[John C. Malone]] as the "Darth Vader of cable",<ref>{{cite news|url=http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2005/08/22/8270018/index.htm|title=Al Gore Battles Old Cable Demons| first= Marc |last= Gunther|date=August 22, 2005|publisher=CNN|accessdate=April 27, 2008}}</ref> and political strategist [[Lee Atwater]] was known by his political enemies as "the Darth Vader of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://politics.netscape.com/story/2006/11/07/harvey-leroy-lee-atwater-was-a-republican-political-consultant|title=Harvey Leroy "Lee" Atwater, was a Republican political consultant|accessdate=April 27, 2008}}</ref> Native American artist [[Bunky Echohawk]] portrayed [[General Custer]] as Vader in his painting ''Darth Custer''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bunky Echo-Hawk takes the stage with live painting | work=[[The Brown Daily Herald]] |date=October 5, 2007 | accessdate=November 5, 2015 |url=http://www.browndailyherald.com/2007/10/05/bunky-echohawk-takes-the-stage-with-live-painting/ |first=Robin |last=Steele}}</ref>

In 2006, US Vice President [[Dick Cheney]] referenced Darth Vader in an interview with [[CNN]]'s [[John King (journalist)|John King]]. While discussing the [[George W. Bush administration]]'s dogma on gathering intelligence, Cheney said, "It means we need to be able to go after and capture or kill those [[terrorist|people who are trying to kill Americans]]. That's not a pleasant business. It's a very serious business. And I suppose, sometimes, people look at my demeanor and say, 'Well, he's the Darth Vader of the [[Administration (government)|administration]].'"<ref>{{cite interview |url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/22/sitroom.03.html |subject=Dick Cheney |interviewer=John King |work=The Situation Room |publisher=[[CNN]] |title=Interview With Dick Cheney |date=June 22, 2006 |accessdate=April 27, 2008}}</ref>
Following this interview, many pop culture celebrities referred to Cheney in this manner during and after his vice presidency. On January 25, 2007, [[Jon Stewart]] put on a Darth Vader helmet to address Dick Cheney as a "kindred spirit" on ''[[The Daily Show]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=81345&title=Cheney-Camera-3|publisher=[[Comedy Central]]|title=The Daily Show: Cheney Camera 3|date=January 25, 2007|accessdate=December 6, 2008}}</ref> Cheney's wife, [[Lynne Cheney|Lynne]], presented Stewart with a Darth Vader [[action figure]] on her appearance on the show on October 10, 2007. Both Stewart and [[Stephen Colbert]] have occasionally referred to Cheney as "Darth Cheney". In the [[satire|satirical]] cartoon show ''[[Lil' Bush]]'', Dick Cheney's father is portrayed as being Darth Vader. At her presidential campaign event on September 19, 2007, [[Hillary Clinton]] also referred to Cheney as Darth Vader. At the 2008 Washington [[Radio and Television Correspondents' Association]] Dinner, Cheney joked that his wife [[Lynne Cheney|Lynne]] told him that the Vader comparison "humanizes" him. George Lucas told ''[[The New York Times]]'' columnist [[Maureen Dowd]], however, that Cheney is more akin to [[Palpatine|Emperor Palpatine]], and that a better stand-in for Vader would be [[George W. Bush]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/19/opinion/19dowd.html |title=The Aura of Arugulance |accessdate=April 19, 2009 | work=[[The New York Times]] |first=Maureen | last=Dowd | authorlink=Maureen Dowd |date=April 19, 2009}}</ref> An issue of ''[[Newsweek]]'' referenced this quote, and compared Bush and Cheney to Vader and Palpatine, respectively, in a satirical article comparing politicians to various ''Star Wars'' and ''[[Star Trek]]'' characters.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title='Star Wars' vs. 'Star Trek' |url=http://www.newsweek.com:80/id/195414 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509142918/http://www.newsweek.com/id/195414 |archivedate=May 9, 2009 |magazine=Newsweek |date=May 4, 2009 |volume=153 |issue=18 |pages=54–55 |access-date=November 24, 2017 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

In Ukraine, the [[Internet Party of Ukraine]] regularly lets people named Darth Vader take part in elections.<ref name=NewsweeDVU>{{cite news|url=http://www.newsweek.com/darth-vader-runs-prime-minister-ukraine-vowing-take-back-crimea-putin-279629|title=Darth Vader Is Running for Prime Minister of Ukraine, Vowing to Take on Putin|work=[[Newsweek]]|date=October 24, 2014}}</ref>{{efn|Two men named Darth Vader were candidates at the 25 May [[2014 Kiev local election|2014 Kiev mayoral election]] and the [[Odessa]] [[2014 Ukrainian local elections|mayoral election]] of the same day.<ref name=DVAM1514>{{cite news|url=http://un.ua/eng/article/507502.html|title=Kyiv Election Commission Registers Darth Vader As Candidate For Kyiv Mayor|agency=[[Ukrainian News Agency]]|date=May 1, 2014|access-date=May 1, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502013412/http://un.ua/eng/article/507502.html|archive-date=May 2, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://espreso.tv/news/2014/05/01/dart_veyder_krim_stolyci_kandyduye_i_v_mery_odesy|title=Darth Vader candidate for mayor of Odesa]|website=[[Espreso TV]]|date=May 1, 2014|language=Ukrainian}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/198450.html|title=Tsushko to compete for post of Odesa mayor|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140403000854/http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/198450.html|archivedate=April 3, 2014|website=[[Interfax-Ukraine]]|date=March 29, 2014}}</ref> A man named Darth Vader earlier had submitted documents to be registered as a presidential candidate in the 25 May [[2014 Ukrainian presidential election]], but his registration was refused because his real identity could not be verified.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.euronews.com/nocomment/2014/04/04/ukraines-darth-vader-presidency-bid-rejected/|title=Ukraine’s Darth Vader presidency bid rejected|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304080619/http://www.euronews.com/nocomment/2014/04/04/ukraines-darth-vader-presidency-bid-rejected/|date=March 4, 2016|website=[[Euronews]]|archivedate=March 4, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://abcnews.go.com/International/pro-western-parties-darth-vader-set-win-ukrainian/story?id=26469069|title=Pro-Western Parties, Not Darth Vader, Set to Win Ukrainian Elections|publisher=ABC News|first1=Rym|last1=Momtaz|first2=Dragana|last2=Jovanovic|date=October 26, 2014|accessdate=September 24, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ukraine/11188609/Ukraines-Darth-Vader-candidate-denied-vote-after-refusing-to-remove-mask.html|title=Ukraine's Darth Vader candidate denied vote after refusing to remove mask|newspaper=The Telegraph|quote= Darth Alekseyevich Vader, an official candidate in Ukraine's parliamentary elections, is turned away from a Kiev polling station after refusing to remove his mask|first=Geraldine|last=Cooper|date=October 26, 2014|accessdate=September 24, 2015}}</ref> In the [[2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election]], Darth Vader and ''Star Wars'' characters such as [[Chewbacca]], [[Padmé Amidala]] and [[Yoda]] ran for seats in the [[Ukrainian parliament]].<ref name=NewsweeDVU/> Candidates named Darth Vader reappeared in the [[2015 Ukrainian local elections]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Putin headed for victory in Odesa as Darth Vader clouds farcical election|url=http://uatoday.tv/politics/darth-vader-clouds-farcical-ukrainian-election-519586.html|work=[[Ukraine Today]]|date=October 23, 2015}}</ref>}}

In 2019, an original Vader helmet from ''The Empire Strikes Back'' was sold for $900,000 in an online auction.<ref>{{cite web |title=Darth Vader's Actual 'The Empire Strikes Back' Helmet Sold for $900K at Auction |url=https://manofmany.com/entertainment/movies-tv/darth-vaders-actual-the-empire-strikes-back-helmet-sold-for-900k-at-auction |website=Man of Many |accessdate=October 1, 2019 |date=September 29, 2019}}</ref>

==Family tree==
{{Main|Skywalker family}}

{{Skywalker family tree}}

==References==
'''Footnotes'''
{{notelist}}

'''Citations'''
{{Reflist|30em}}

===Sources===
{{refbegin}}
*{{Cite book|first=Matthew|last=Bortolin|title=The Dharma of Star Wars|year=2005|publisher=Wisdom Publications|isbn=978-0-86171-497-1|ref=harv|url=https://archive.org/details/dharmaofstarwars00bort}}
*{{Cite book|first=Jonathan L.|last=Bowen|title=Anticipation: The Real Life Story of Star Wars: Episode I-The Phantom Menace|publisher=iUniverse|year=2005|isbn=978-0-595-34732-2|ref=harv}}
*{{cite book | last=Kaminski | first=Michael | year=2008 | title=The Secret History of Star Wars | publisher=Legacy Works Press | isbn=978-0-9784652-3-0 | ref=harv }}
{{refend}}

==Further reading==
{{refbegin}}
*''[[Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace#Novelization|Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace Novelization]]'', 1st edition paperback, 1999. {{Aut|[[Terry Brooks]]}}, {{Aut|[[George Lucas]]}}
*''[[Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones#Novelization|Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones Novelization]]'', 2003. {{Aut|[[R. A. Salvatore]]}}, {{ISBN|0-345-42882-X}}
*''[[Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith#Novelization|Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith Novelization]]'', 1st edition hardcover, 2005. {{Aut|[[Matthew Woodring Stover]]}}, {{Aut|[[George Lucas]]}}, {{ISBN|0-7126-8427-1}}
*''The New Essential Guide to Characters'', 1st edition, 2002. {{Aut|Daniel Wallace}}, {{Aut|Michael Sutfin}}, {{ISBN|0-345-44900-2}}
*''Vader: The Ultimate Guide'', 2005.
*''Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary'', hardcover, 1998. {{Aut|Dr. David West Reynolds}}, {{ISBN|0-7894-3481-4}}
*''Star Wars: The Phantom Menace: The Visual Dictionary'', hardcover, 1999. {{Aut|Dr. David West Reynolds}}, {{ISBN|0-7894-4701-0}}
*''Star Wars: Attack of the Clones: The Visual Dictionary'', hardcover, 2002. {{Aut|Dr. David West Reynolds}}, {{ISBN|0-7894-8588-5}}
*''Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith: The Visual Dictionary'', hardcover, 2005. {{Aut|James Luceno}}, {{ISBN|0-7566-1128-8}}
*{{cite web|url=http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/113/1131094p1.html|title=Darth Vader in Games: A Visual History|date=October 28, 2010|website=IGN}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
{{commons category}}
*{{Star Wars Databank |subject=darth-vader|text=Darth Vader}}
*{{Star Wars Databank |subject=anakin-skywalker|text=Anakin Skywalker}}
*{{Wookieepedia|Anakin Skywalker|Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20170706180503/http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0000005/ Darth Vader] on [[IMDb]]
*{{cite web|url=http://www.britannica.com/topic/Darth-Vader|title=Darth Vader|work=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]}}

{{Star Wars universe}}
{{Star Wars: The Clone Wars}}
{{Star Wars Rebels}}
{{Soul series}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vader, Darth}}
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