When it comes to iconic moments in the Star Wars universe, few characters have more than Darth Vader. The Sith Lord is one of the most menacing villains in all of pop culture. Which is why fans might be surprised to learn: the best Darth Vader moment doesn't come from the original trilogy, but from a comic book.
Darth Vader has plenty of memorable scenes, with his greatest movie moments some of the most famous in movie history. His iconic revelation that Luke Skywalker is his son, throwing Emperor Palpatine down the reactor core shaft, killing Obi-Wan Kenobi, and of course, the exact scene where he becomes Darth Vader. But for those who know more than just Vader's movie appearances, there is no question his best moment overall comes from the Darth Vader comic series, showcasing a pivotal, unseen moment in his journey. Followed by some serious rage control.
In Darth Vader #6 by Kieron Gillen, Salvador Larroca and Edgar Delgado, Boba Fett returns from Vader's mission to find out which Rebel pilot blew up the Death Star. Fett reveals to a disappointed Vader that he lost track of the pilot, but that he knows his name: Skywalker. As Fett walks away, Vader slowly remembers the scene in which Padmé Amidala first told Anakin she was pregnant. As Vader clenches his fist, the memory is juxtaposed with the memory of the Emperor revealing to him that Padmé was killed by Vader in a fit of anger. The Emperor was fudging the truth -- as Padmé died in childbirth -- as just another deception to complete his turn to the dark side.
The moment is chilling, as Vader's rage is perfectly apparent. The window he stands before cracks as he clenches his fist, trying to control his anger. The window continues to crack more and more. Vader approaches Emperor Palpatine who asks him if he has something to say or is "he wise enough to know your place?" Vader tells the Emperor he's angry, but he's used to that anger to bring him to Palpatine and that he won't fail upcoming plans.
Vader returns in front of the window, turns off his communication device and remembers Padmé being laid to rest before uttering out "I have a son," as he looks out into the stars. He monologues that "he will be mine," and "it will all be mine," as the issue concludes.
The harrowing moment reflects all the sacrifices Darth Vader has made to get to his current position. Cracking all the glass yet keeping it together is an incredible visual cue to Vader's anger. Vader thought he killed his potential child in a fit of blind rage. While he thought Padmé met her end that tragic day, he now knows Luke lived on and became his biggest threat. Vader seems to believe Luke could eventually fight alongside him for the dark side - a notion that's eventually dismissed in grand fashion.
There's nothing as equally impactful or harrowing in the original Star Wars trilogy or extended canon that's as beautifully executed as Vader finding out about his son. Vader's had some incredible movie moments, but the realization in the comics will live on in Star Wars as Vader's best moment.