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Anakin Skywalker

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Anakin Skywalker is the main character in the Star Wars saga,[1][2][3][4] appearing as the protagonist in the prequel trilogy and as the primary antagonist in the original trilogy as Darth Vader. He first appears under the guise of Darth Vader in the original film trilogy; Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi and the subsequent prequel films present Anakin Skywalker, a conflicted Jedi Knight who falls to and returns from the dark side of the Force. Before his fall to the dark side, Vader fathers both Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia Organa; Luke ultimately redeems his father in Return of the Jedi, and Anakin sacrifices himself to save his son.

Numerous actors have portrayed the character, whose appearances span all six Star Wars films, The Clone Wars animated series, video games, novels, and comic books. The character, particularly in the guise of Darth Vader, is a cultural icon.

Appearances

Films

Original trilogy

Vader first appears in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977), the first movie released but the fourth in the narrative. Vader is tasked with recovering technical schematics of the Death Star stolen by the Rebel Alliance seeking to overthrow the evil Galactic Empire. Vader's old Jedi master, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness), tells Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) that Vader "betrayed and murdered" Luke's father. Kenobi and Luke -- along with smugglers Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), and droids R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) and C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) -- help Leia escape the Death Star. However, Vader kills Kenobi. Vader later engages attacking Rebels in his TIE fighter, but is sent spinning into space shortly before Luke destroys the space station.

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) depicts Vader leading an Imperial starfleet in pursuit of the Rebels. Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) tells Vader that "the offspring of Anakin Skywalker" must not become a Jedi; Vader promises to turn Luke to the dark side or kill him. To this end, Vader captures Leia, Solo, Chewbacca and C-3PO on Cloud City, using them as bait for Luke. During their climactic lightsaber duel, Vader reveals that he is Luke's father. Vader fails to turn Luke to the dark side, and Luke escapes Cloud City aboard the Millennium Falcon.

File:Vaderdies.jpg
A redeemed Anakin Skywalker (Sebastian Shaw) dies in his son's (Mark Hamill) arms aboard the second Death Star in Return of the Jedi (1983).

In Return of the Jedi (1983), Luke surrenders himself to Imperial forces on Endor, hoping he can turn his father back "to the good side". Vader brings Luke to the Emperor, who tries to seduce Luke to the dark side. Luke attacks Vader when he threatens to turn Leia, Luke's sister, to the dark side. The Emperor urges Luke to kill Vader and become Palpatine's new apprentice, but Luke refuses. An enraged Palpatine attacks Luke, who begs his father for help. The sight of his son's suffering breaks the dark side's hold on Vader: he grabs Palpatine and throws him into a chasm to his death. However, Vader is mortally wounded in the process. After asking Luke to remove his helmet, he tells Luke that he was correct -- that there was good left in him -- shortly before dying. Luke burns his father and his armor in a funeral pyre, and afterward sees the redeemed spirit of Anakin Skywalker standing alongside the spirits of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda (Frank Oz).

Prequel trilogy

File:Anakin Skywalker.png
Anakin Skywalker as portrayed by Jake Lloyd in The Phantom Menace (1999), Hayden Christiansen in Attack of the Clones (2002), and Sebastian Shaw in Return of the Jedi (1983). Shaw was digitally replaced with footage of Christiansen for Return of the Jedi's 2004 DVD release.

Anakin Skywalker appears as a nine-year-old slave in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999). His fatherless origin implies miraculous birth. Raised by his mother, Shmi (Pernilla August), his intuition and aptitude garner the attention of Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson). Although Jinn believes Skywalker is the "Chosen One" -- foretold by a Jedi prophecy as the one who will bring balance to the Force -- the Jedi Council believe Anakin is too old to begin training. However, shortly before Jinn dies, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) promises to train young Skywalker. During the film, Anakin expresses affection for Padmé Amidala, Naboo's elected queen.

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002), set 10 years later, depicts Skywalker as Obi-Wan's Padawan learner. Skywalker has developed a friendship with Chancellor Palpatine, who tells Skywalker he foresees him becoming "the greatest of all the Jedi". Palpatine assigns Kenobi and Skywalker to investigate the attempted assassination of Amidala. Skywalker travels with her to Naboo, where he professes love for Amidala. She rebuffs him, saying they cannot act on their desires because they would be forced to keep the relationship a secret. Shortly thereafter, nightmares about his mother compel Skywalker and Amidala to travel to Tatooine. Skywalker finds his mother shortly before she dies, and he massacres the Tusken Raiders who captured and tortured her. Soon after, Skywalker and Amidala travel to Geonosis, hoping to rescue Kenobi from Count Dooku (Christopher Lee) and the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Instead, they are also captured and sentenced to die. Facing death, Amidala confesses her love for Skywalker. After being rescued from Geonosis by a clone army led by Yoda, Skywalker and Amidala secretly wed on Naboo.

In Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005), set three years later, Skywalker is a Jedi Knight and hero of the Clone Wars. While rescuing Palpatine from the Separatists, Skywalker viciously decapitates Count Dooku in cold blood. Although initially remorseful, Palpatine reassures him that his actions were appropriate and later makes Skywalker his representative on the Jedi Council. The Council, suspicious of Palpatine's grip on dictatorial power and unconventional appointment, denies Skywalker the customary rank of Jedi Master. Further, they ask him to spy on Palpatine, whom Skywalker considers a friend. Meanwhile, Skywalker is troubled by visions of Amidala, who is pregnant, dying in childbirth.

Ultimately, Palpatine reveals to Skywalker that he is the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, the mastermind behind the war. Palpatine also assures Skywalker that the dark side can prevent Amidala from dying. Conflicted, Skywalker reports Palpatine to Jedi Master Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson). Despite orders to remain behind, Skywalker follows Windu to the chancellor's office to ensure Palpatine is taken alive. When Windu raises his lightsaber to kill Palpatine, Anakin severs Windu's right hand. Palpatine then kills Windu, and Skywalker pledges himself to the Sith as Palpatine's apprentice, Darth Vader.

Palpatine sends Vader to kill everyone inside the Jedi Temple and then to assassinate the Separatist leaders on Mustafar. Amidala rendezvous with him there and pleads with him to flee with her. He refuses, saying that the two of them can overthrow Palpatine and rule the galaxy. When Kenobi emerges from Amidala's ship, Vader accuses her of conspiring against him and uses the Force to choke her into unconsciousness. Kenobi and Vader's lightsaber duel ends with Kenobi severing Vader's left arm and both of his legs. Vader body is ignited by lava, and Kenobi leaves him to die. Under medical care on Polis Massa, Amidala delivers her children -- Luke and Leia -- and dies.

Palpatine rescues Vader and reconstructs his apprentice's ruined body with the cybernetic limbs and black armor first seen in A New Hope. When Vader regains consciousness, Palpatine tells him Amidala died as a result of Vader's anger; Vader screams in torment. As the film near its conclusion, he is seen alongside Palpatine and Grand Moff Tarkin (Wayne Pygram) viewing the construction of the first Death Star.

Expanded Universe

See also: Star Wars Expanded Universe

Animation

In the animated series Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003), Anakin (voiced by Mat Lucas) is made a Jedi Knight despite the Council's reservations. During the next three years of fighting in the Clone Wars, Anakin becomes a legend throughout the galaxy, renowned as "The Hero With No Fear". Anakin's adventures in the Clone Wars are also chronicled in the Star Wars: Republic comic series. In the 2008 animated film The Clone Wars and the following television series, Anakin (voiced by Matt Lanter) takes on Padawan learner Ahsoka Tano.

Literature

In the novelization of Revenge of the Sith (2005), Anakin is described as a master of the Djem So form of lightsaber combat. At his best, Anakin is almost like "a destroyer droid with a lightsaber . . . every step a blow and every blow a step."[5]

In James Luceno's Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (2005), Vader completes the shedding of his identity as Anakin Skywalker; in the months afterward, he systematically pursues and kills the survivors of Palpatine's order to destroy the Jedi. The novel also reveals Vader's plan eventually to overthrow Palpatine, and that he betrayed the Jedi because he resented their supposed failure to recognize his power.

The redeemed spirit of Anakin Skywalker 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 banishes 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 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 The Unifying Force (2003), Anakin speaks to his grandson, Jacen Solo, telling him to "stand firm" in his battle with the Supreme Overlord of the Yuuzhan Vong. In Bloodlines (2006), Jacen uses the Force to "watch" Anakin slaughter the children at the Jedi Temple and become Darth Vader.

Vader appears numerous times in Marvel Comics' Star Wars series (1977-1986).

In Vader's Quest (1999), he hires bounty hunters to bring him information about the pilot who destroyed the Death Star, ultimately meeting Luke. In Splinter of the Mind's Eye (1978), Vader and Luke duel, and Luke cuts off Vader's right arm.[6]

Dark Force Rising (1992) explains that Darth Vader was the first representative of the Empire to find the Noghri, a race with exceptional combat skills, whom he manipulated into serving as his personal commandos and revering him as their master. Vader later transferred their services to Grand Admiral Thrawn.

Video games

Darth Vader plays a central role in The Force Unleashed (2008). He is playable in the first level of the game, where he and his armies invade Kashyyyk to hunt down a rogue Jedi. Vader kills the Jedi and protects the man's young Force-sensitive son, whom he raises as his secret apprentice. Vader sends this apprentice -- the game's protagonist -- on various missions to planets throughout the galaxy, with an ultimate goal to assassinate Palpatine so that he and his apprentice can rule the galaxy. Toward the end of the game, however, it is revealed that Vader isn't planning to overthrow Palpatine at all, and that he is just using his apprentice to expose the Empire's enemies. At the game's climax, the player chooses between attacking Palpatine to help his friend's escape the Death Star or killing Vader to become the Emperor's new apprentice.

Vader is a playable character in other games, including Lego Star Wars: The Video Game , Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy , Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga, Soulcalibur IV, Star Wars: Battlefront II, Star Wars: Empire at War and its Forces of Corruption expansion, and Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds. Vader is an active but non-playable character in Star Wars: Galaxies.

Characteristics

In Attack of the Clones, Skywalker feels "smothered" by Obi-Wan Kenobi and is unable to control his life.[7] However, their "father-son" friction transforms into a more brotherly relationship in Revenge of the Sith.[8] Once Skywalker becomes Darth Vader, each evil act he commits makes it harder for him to return to the light[9] -- nevertheless, Vader struggles to escape the dark side and redeem himself.[10]

Eric Bui, a psychiatrist at Toulouse University Hospital, argued at the 2007 American Psychiatric Association convention that Anakin 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.[11] In particular, Bui points to Anakin's abandonment issues and uncertainty over his identity. Anakin's mass murders of the Tusken Raiders in Attack of the Clones and the young Jedi in Revenge of the Sith count as two dissociative episodes, fulfilling another criterion. Bui hoped his paper would help raise awareness of BPD, especially among teens.[11]

Concept and creation

A character named "Anakin Starkiller" appears in an early draft of Star Wars, playing a role similar to Luke Skywalker's, as the 16-year-old son of a respected warrior.[12] The first draft of Star Wars also includes a tall, grim general named Darth Vader; the character came closer in line with his final depiction in the second revision.[6] For The Phantom Menace, series creator George Lucas changed Anakin's age from 12 to nine to make the character's departure from his mother more poignant.[12]

Movie trailers for The Phantom Menace focused on Skywalker, and a one-sheet poster showing Skywalker casting a shadow shaped like Vader informed otherwise unknowing audiences of the character's fate.[13] The movie ultimately achieved a primary goal of introducing audiences to Skywalker, the saga's main character.[1]

Vader's menacing mask was originally designed by Ralph McQuarrie as part of Vader's spacesuit, and not intended to be part of the regular costume.[6]

Portrayals

Bodybuilder and actor David Prowse's build and stature allowed him to fill out the large Vader costume in the original Star Wars trilogy, although stunt performer Bob Anderson portrayed Vader during the intense lightsaber fight scenes in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.[6] Sebastian Shaw originally portrayed the unmasked Vader in Return of the Jedi, although stock footage of Hayden Christensen replaced Shaw's appearance of Vader as a ghost in the 2004 DVD release. James Earl Jones, who provided the voice of Darth Vader, was uncredited in The Empire Strikes Back because he felt his contributions were too small to warrant recognition.[6]

Jake Lloyd was chosen from over 3,000 prospective child actors to play Anakin in The Phantom Menace.[14] Casting director Robin Gurland initially thought Lloyd was too young to play the role; however, upon another meeting several years later, Gurland believed Lloyd was an appropriate choice for the part.[14]

Hayden Christensen played Skywalker in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith; he also donned Darth Vader's armor for the final scenes of the third prequel. Mat Lucas voiced Anakin for the Clone Wars animated series and in various Star Wars video games. Matt Lanter voiced the character in the CGI The Clone Wars film and subsequent TV series.

Due to his role as the central antagonist in the Star Wars saga, Darth Vader has become a quintessential villain in the public's consciousness. His powerful bass voice, imposing armored figure, and cold mechanized breathing, have become oft-parodied trademarks of the character. Darth Vader's iconic status has made him a synonym for evil in popular culture. The American Film Institute listed him as the third greatest movie villain in cinema history on 100 Years... 100 Heroes and Villains, behind Hannibal Lecter and Norman Bates.[15] Darth Vader was also ranked number two on Empire magazine's 2008 list of The 100 Greatest Movie Characters.[16] Premiere magazine also ranked Vader on their list of The 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.[17] On their list of the 100 Greatest Fictional Characters, Fandomania.com ranked Vader at number 6.[18]

Anakin's origin story in The Phantom Menace has been compared to signifiers of African American racial identity,[19] and Skywalker's dissatisfaction with his life has been compared to Siddhartha's before he became Gautama Buddha.[20] A Mexican church advised Christians against seeing The Phantom Menace because it portrays Skywalker as a Jesus figure.[21]

A slime-mold beetle of the genus Agathidium is named after Vader,[22] and several buildings across the globe are regularly compared to him.[23][24][25][26][27][28]

A grotesque of Darth Vader looms over the south side of the Washington National Cathedral's northwest tower.[29]

During the 2007-08 NHL season, Ottawa Senators goaltender Martin Gerber performed so well an all-black mask that fans endearingly termed him "Darth Gerber".[30]

Politics

Many commentators and comedians evoke his visage to satirize politicians and other public figures, and several American political figures have been unflatteringly compared to the character. For example, Al Gore referred to Tele-Communications Inc.'s John C. Malone as the "Darth Vader of cable",[31] and political strategist Lee Atwater was known by his political enemies as "the Darth Vader of the Republican Party".[32]

Dick Cheney

File:Ds vader.JPG
Jon Stewart impersonating Darth Vader in front of a backdrop depicting the Eye of Sauron, talking to Dick Cheney

On June 22, 2006, U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney referred to himself as the Darth Vader of the Bush administration. Discussing the administration's philosophy on gathering intelligence, he said to CNN's John King, "It means we need to be able to go after and capture or kill those 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.'"[33]

Jon Stewart put on a Darth Vader helmet to address Dick Cheney as a "kindred spirit" on The Daily Show on January 25, 2007.[34] Cheney's wife, 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 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 Rodham Clinton also referred to Cheney as Darth Vader. At the 2008 Washington Radio and Television Correspondents' Association Dinner, Cheney joked that his wife Lynne told him that the Vader comparison "humanizes" him. George Lucas told New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd, however, that Cheney is more akin to Emperor Palpatine, and that a better stand-in for Vader would be George W. Bush.[35] 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.[36]

Film and television

Many films pay homage to Anakin Skywalker's Darth Vader alter ego. Marty McFly in Back to the Future (1985), dressed in a radiation suit, calls himself "Darth Vader from the 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 Space Balls (1987). In Chasing Amy (1997), Hooper X speaks at a comic convention about Darth Vader being a metaphor for how poorly sci-fi 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. In Robots (2005), a mute robot tries several discarded voice boxes, one of which gives him Vader's voice (provided by James Earl Jones) and a Vader-like mouth grill. In Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009), Vader makes a non-speaking appearance next to Oscar the Grouch.

Television parody characters include "Duck Vader" from Tiny Toon Adventures; "Darth Benkyou" in an episode of Doraemon; "Dearth Nadir" for The Muppet Show's "Pigs in Space" sketch; "Girth Plotz" (Thaddeus Plotz) in the Animaniacs episode "Star Warners"; Bowser's alter-ego "Darth Koopa" from The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!; "Dark Laser" in The Fairly OddParents; "Dark Vegan", the leader of the planet Vegandon on Johnny Test; Stewie Griffin's portrayal of the character in the Family Guy episodes "Blue Harvest" and "Something, Something, Something Dark Side"; "Darth Chef" in the South Park episode "The Return of Chef"; Lord Uniscorn in an episode of Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends; "Dark Fater" in the upcoming Fanboy and Chum Chum TV movie Food Storm.

References

  • Bortolin, Matthew (2005). The Dharma of Star Wars. Wisdom Publications.
  • Bowen, Jonathan L. (2005). Anticipation: The Real Life Story of Star Wars: Episode I-The Phantom Menace. iUniverse.

Notes

  1. ^ a b Bowen, 94
  2. ^ Thornton, Mark. "What is the "Dark Side" and Why Do Some People Choose It?", Ludwig von Mises Institute, May 13, 2005. Retrieved May 5, 2007.
  3. ^ Helinski, Keith. ""Revenge" Is Just Too Sweet", moviefreak.com. Retrieved May 5, 2007.
  4. ^ Winzler, Jonathan W. "The Making of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (Star Wars)", Powell's Books, April 2005. Retrieved May 5, 2007.
  5. ^ Stover, Matthew (2005). Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Del Rey Books. ISBN 0-345-42883-8.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Vader, Darth". Databank. Lucasfilm. Retrieved August 12, 2010.
  7. ^ Bortolin, 17
  8. ^ Kapell, Matthew (2006). Finding the force of the Star wars franchise: fans, merchandise, & critics. Peter Lang. p. 137. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthor= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ Bortolin, 115
  10. ^ Bortolin, x
  11. ^ a b Hsu, Jeremy (June 8, 2010). "The Psychology of Darth Vader Revealed". LiveScience. TopTenReviews. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
  12. ^ a b "Skywalker, Anakin". Databank. Lucasfilm. Retrieved August 12, 2010.
  13. ^ Bowen, 22
  14. ^ a b Bowen, 3
  15. ^ "AFI's 100 Years... 100 Heroes and Villains" (PDF). afi.com. Retrieved May 21, 2010.
  16. ^ "Empire's The 100 Greatest Movie Characters". Empire Magazine. Retrieved May 21, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  17. ^ "Premiere Magazine's The 100 Greatest Movie Characters". Filmsite.org. Retrieved May 21, 2010.
  18. ^ "The 100 Greatest Fictional Characters". Fandomania.com. Retrieved May 21, 2010.
  19. ^ Nama, Adilifu (2008). Black space: imagining race in science fiction film. University of Texas Press.
  20. ^ Bortolin, xiii
  21. ^ Bowen, 97
  22. ^ "Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld are now species of slime-mold beetles -- but strictly in homage". Cornell News. Cornell University. Retrieved April 27, 2008.
  23. ^ An architectural Star Wars clash at Sierra Point, San Francisco Chronicle, News Page 4, April 17, 1986
  24. ^ Property Values Reduced,Sun Sentinel, October 27, 1991
  25. ^ Egan, Timothy (June 29, 1986). "Focus: Seattle; Creating An Office Empire". NY Times. Retrieved May 8, 2008.
  26. ^ "the bell awards - Tom Graff (interview)". Belltown Messenger. June 2007. Retrieved May 8, 2008.
  27. ^ Day Out Results: BNZ Building.
  28. ^ "Grand Canyon Scale for Wellingtonians" Wayward Wellingtonians, 11 July 2008.
  29. ^ "About Darth Vader". Washington National Cathedral. Retrieved April 27, 2008.
  30. ^ "Sens' Gerber has new mask, new outlook on season". Tsn.ca. September 24, 2008. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  31. ^ Gunther, Marc (August 22, 2005). "Al Gore Battles Old Cable Demons". CNN. Retrieved April 27, 2008.
  32. ^ "Harvey Leroy "Lee" Atwater, was a Republican political consultant". Retrieved April 27, 2008.
  33. ^ "Transcripts". The Situation Room. CNN. Retrieved April 27, 2008.
  34. ^ "The Daily Show: Cheney Camera 3". Comedy Central. January 25, 2007. Retrieved December 6, 2008.
  35. ^ Dowd, Maureen (April 19, 2009). "The Aura of Arugulance". The New York Times. Retrieved April 19, 2009.
  36. ^ Newsweek

Further reading

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