The imposing personification of the dark side of the Force and Emperor Palpatine’s enforcer. Once Known as Anakin Skywalker, Vader was seduced by evil and accepted the title of Dark Lord of the Sith. He was thus transformed into a cruel and unrelenting Dark Jedi, unable to accept failure in others and willing to use any means necessary to achieve his diabolical goals. Yet a shred of goodness remained in this incredibly evil man, a light that Luke Skywalker finally exposed, ending Vader’s reign forever.

Although he had once been the good and just Anakin Skywalker, the man known as Darth Vader was almost thoroughly vile. Consumed by rage and a disregard for all life, Vader committed numerous atrocities during his rise through the Imperial ranks. He lusted after power, served the Emperor’s every whim, and knew nothing of compassion or forgiveness.

Vader first emerged when Anakin was introduced to the dark side of the Force by Senator Palpatine. After succumbing to his aggression and hate, Skywalker began falling deeper into Palpatine’s clutches. His former teacher, Obi-Wan Kenobi, eventually realized the path that Anakin had chosen and tried to save his friend from the dark side. According to legend, a lightsaber duel erupted between the two and Anakin ultimately plummeted into a molten pit. When he emerged from the pit, Anakin had truly become Darth Vader. Due to his injuries, Vader relied upon his terrible black armor and a rasping breather, but these only made him seem more intimidating.

Soon after his confrontation with Kenobi, Vader embarked on a quest to exterminate the remaining Jedi Knights. Obi-Wan and Jedi Master Yoda went into hiding to avoid the purge. Kenobi also secreted away Vader’s newborn twins, separating the children to protect them from their father. Vader, however, had no knowledge of his offspring and went on sowing the seeds of terror throughout the galaxy. When the Rebellion became a threat, he assembled an Imperial task force to eliminate the Alliance.

While aboard the first Death Star, a devastating battle station designed to destroy the Emperor’s enemies in one fell blow, Darth Vader was once again confronted by his mentor, Obi-Wan. During this duel, however, Vader proved victorious and Obi-Wan was struck down.

Although the Death Star was eventually destroyed, Vader continued to plague the Rebels. He also discovered that Luke was his son and began plotting to covert the boy to the dark side. To this end, he made all of Luke’s allies suffer unspeakably on Cloud City. Fortunately, Luke escaped Vader during their violent clash on the mining colony, but not before Vader revealed his true identity. This knowledge would haunt Luke throughout the months that followed.

Ultimately, Vader’s attempts to transform Luke into a Dark Jedi culminated in a dramatic duel between father and son aboard the second Death Star. While the Emperor watched, Luke struggled against his hatred and aggression, an inner conflict that the young Jedi ultimately won. Determined to destroy Luke, the Emperor enveloped Skywalker in blue Force lightning until the boy hovered on the edge of death. Yet, Luke’s pleas to his father awakened the spirit of Anakin Skywalker. Vader then grabbed the Emperor and threw him into the Death Star’s reactor core, where Palpatine perished. Vader collapsed soon after and began to die. At Vader’s request, Luke removed his father’s helmet, revealing Anakin’s face. In that moment, the evil being known as Darth Vader was destroyed and only Anakin Skywalker remained. Sadly, Anakin was unable to recover from his injuries and became one with the Force shortly before the destruction of the second Death Star. To honor his father’s passing, Luke took Vader’s mask and black armor to the forest moon of Endor, where he burned them in a huge pyre. A short time later, he saw that his father had joined Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi as a luminous being basking in the light side of the Force.

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