| Darth Vader | |
|---|---|
| Star Wars character | |
 | |
| First appearance | Star Wars (1977) |
| Created by | George Lucas |
| Portrayed by | Various
|
| Voiced by | Various
|
| In-universe information | |
| Full name | Anakin Skywalker |
| Species | Human |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation |
|
| Affiliation | |
| Family |
|
| Spouse | Padmé Amidala (wife) |
| Children |
|
| Master |
|
| Apprentice |
|
| Homeworld | Tatooine |
Darth Vader (/dɑːrθ veɪdər/) is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise. He was first introduced in the original film trilogy as one of the leaders of the Galactic Empire. The prequel trilogy chronicles his transformation from the Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker into the Sith Lord Darth Vader. His metamorphosis begins when he is lured to the dark side of the Force by Chancellor Palpatine, who later becomes the Emperor. After a lightsaber battle with his former mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi, Vader is severely injured and is transformed into a cyborg. He serves Palpatine for over two decades, hunting down the remaining Jedi and attempting to crush the Rebel Alliance. When Palpatine tries to kill Vader's son, Luke Skywalker, the Sith Lord turns against his master and destroys him. Vader is the husband of Padmé Amidala, the father of Luke and his twin sister Leia Organa, and the grandfather of Ben Solo (later known as Kylo Ren).[a]
David Prowse physically portrays Vader in the original trilogy, while James Earl Jones provides his voice in all of the films and some television series. Sebastian Shaw portrays Anakin in Return of the Jedi (1983), while Jake Lloyd and Hayden Christensen portray Anakin in the prequel trilogy, with Christensen reprising the role in the series Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022) and Ahsoka (2023). In the standalone film Rogue One (2016), Vader is portrayed by Spencer Wilding and Daniel Naprous. The character also appears in novels, comics, and video games. He has become an iconic villain of cinema.[b]
- ^ "Anakin Skywalker". StarWars.com. Archived from the original on April 20, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
- ^ "Darth Vader". StarWars.com. Archived from the original on June 19, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
- ^ Hidalgo & Sansweet 2008c, p. 163.
- ^ Shkoukani, Emily. "Like Grandfather, Like Grandson". StarWars.com. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
- ^ Diaz, Jesus (July 31, 2018). "How Darth Vader became the most iconic evil figure in film history". Fast Company. Archived from the original on April 2, 2024. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
- ^ "Darth Vader – #1 Top 100 Villain". IGN. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
- ^ Shea, Andrea (February 18, 2008). "Darth Vader: The Tragic Man Behind the Mask". NPR. Archived from the original on April 1, 2024. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
- ^ Warmann, Amon (February 28, 2024). "Hayden Christensen: The Master Of The Dark Side Speaks". Empire. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
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