Summary
Darth Vaderis the greatest villain in all ofStar Wars, but do we need to see more of him? Vader has become the quintessential character for the franchise, and for years, there have been requests to get Darth Vader into his ownStar Warsmovie or TV show.Darth Vader’s cruelest moments inStar Warsshowcase just how evil he is, defining his fantastic character. However, the character has already garnered so much amazing screen time since 1977 that it poses the question of whyStar Warsshould bother with yet another.
Vader is undoubtedly one of themost powerful Sith inStar Wars, but giving his character more screen time can diminish his value in that regard. A dedicated series about him could also continue a recent trend of over-saturating legendary characters. Vader is a mysterious character who should not be too exposed. He has had many stories told about him in theStar Warscomics. I do believe that having Vader be a part of stories within the franchise is still a great thing. That said,a movie or TV show centered around Darth Vader is a bad idea.
Star Wars: 10 Best Darth Vader Stories, Ranked
Darth Vader is one of the most crucial characters in all of Star Wars, and these 10 stories from the comics, movies, and TV shows are the very best.
Star Wars Keeps Oversaturating Iconic Characters' Stories
Boba Fett, Obi-Wan, Luke, Han, Leia
Perhaps the most troubling trend of Disney’sStar Warssaga is the over-saturation of the franchise’s legendary characters.An over-saturated character is not always bad, but it can easily lead to problems. In the case of Disney, their use of legendary characters became problematic because they expanded characters in unfavorable storylines that faltered the characters' arcs. Doing this makes a character’s storyline feel forced rather than an authentic addition. In Disney’s case, too many characters have fallen down that pitfall.
For Boba Fett, his over-saturation inThe Book of Boba Fettled to a once iconic mysterious character being part of a poor story that diminished so much of what made the bounty hunter great. In the case ofObi-Wan Kenobiin theObi-WanKenobiseries, his story altered what was thought to be previous knowledge, changing his arc within the canon in a series that was a major letdown overall. These examples show thatinserting Vader into his own series would be a problem, and a movie wouldn’t fare better.
Han and Leia’s storyline in the sequel trilogy has garnered many opinions over the near decade sinceStar Wars:The Force Awakenswas released. Han’s death at the hands of his son, who murdered him in cold blood, and then Leia hugging Rey first instead of Chewbacca after she finds out, is another example of this problematic over-saturation. None of them are looming larger than what many fans have viewed as the dismantling of Luke Skywalker’s greatness.Adding to a character’s arc isn’t always necessary, or a good thing. In fact, in recent stories, it has been a problem.
The Less We See Of Vader, The Better
As Vader, a villain, he’s meant to be more mysterious
When that tall, dark, scary figure first appeared inA New Hope, he entranced us. We knew nothing about him, but we knew he was the bad guy. As time passed, we began to learn a little more about him piece by piece. The simple fact is thatwhen Vader’s story progresses through the original trilogy, he is at his best. Why? Because we did not know much about him. His arc was shrouded in darkness and mystery.
Outside the original trilogy,the use of Vader (other thanObi-Wan Kenobi) has been well-executed. We see his creation inStar Wars: Episode III -Revenge of the Sithfor one scene. Vader’s appearance inRogue One: A Star Wars Storyis only for a handful of scenes, totaling about 15 minutes of screen time. InStar Wars Rebels,he is shown in a handful of episodes and only has three speaking lines. Even in theJedivideo games, Vader is used sparingly.
Vader’s appearances inStar Wars Rebelsare in: S1E15 “Fire Across the Galaxy,” S2E1 & S2E2 “The Siege of Lothal,” S2E18 “Shroud of Darkness,” and S2E21 & S1E22 “Twilight of the Apprentice.”
Darth Vader inObi-Wan Kenobiwas a welcome sight. The scenes with him and Obi-Wan Kenobi were top-class and emotionally gripping. Even most of the scenes without Kenobi were solid. However,an unfortunate side effect may have taken hold on his arc. He is now an over-saturated character whose scenes in a below-average story have devalued his character. The less we see of Vader, the better.
All 14 Actors Who’ve Played Darth Vader In Star Wars
Darth Vader is one of the most iconic villains in pop culture, but with a tenure lasting over 40 years, 14 actors have helped keep him in Star Wars.
Vader’s Story Has Already Been Told In Comics
You could do an adaptation, but… why bother?
Many stories have been told about Vader off-screen. With so many of them detailing his time between the movies, it is possible to adapt these stories, but again, why? With a character like Vader, it has become clear that using him sparingly is much more of a pro than a con.There are a multitude of comic series revolving around Vader, and reading them might be better than attempting to translate any of them on screen. Given the recent run of classic characters becoming over-saturated onscreen, it would be best to just leave Vader alone.
Star Wars: 10 Best Darth Vader Stories in Comic History, Ranked
Darth Vader has no shortage of incredible stories in Star Wars' comic book history, but some are better than others. Here are his 10 best, ranked!
It’s Best To Leave Vader’s Story Alone
It’s the safest option to protect the character
Darth Vader is undoubtedly one ofStar Wars' best characters,andhaving him on screen is certainly a plus when it is managed correctly. For the sake of the character, though, it is best to leave Vader’s story alone.Star Wars’recent track record with some of the more iconic characters is a note of concern should a Vader project ever come to fruition. In addition to the fact that there are so many stories we can experience in the comics, protecting Vader’s character arc now takes precedence over adding to it.
Darth Vader is a character at his best when he is used infrequently in stories. Many stories in theStar Warscomics can be adapted, which would be unnecessary and a mistake. It’s not unthinkable to believe that ifStar Warswere to create a Vader movie or TV show, it would continue their pattern of over-saturating the character to the point where it would do more harm than good to the character’s legacy. At this point, an all-time great and belovedStar Warscharacter such asDarth Vadershould be left alone.
Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader
Conceived by the will of the Force itself, Anakin Skywalker was the prophesied Chosen One, destined to bring the Force into balance. Anakin struggled to balance competing attachments to the Jedi Order and his wife Padmé Amidala, and ultimately fell to the dark side, becoming Darth Vader. For years he served as Palpatine’s right hand man, but he was ultimately redeemed by the faith of his son, Luke Skywalker. Now a Force Ghost, Anakin continues to act as an agent of balance.
