George Lucas never let Darth Vader go to waste in the Star Wars movies he wrote, but now that the story is in the hands of Disney, the villain’s power has never been more evident. With the benefit of having access to more advanced special effects and elevated stunts than the earlier movies did, Disney’s Star Wars projects wasted no time showcasing just how frightening Vader could be. While the new Star Wars content has lots of material to explore, one thing that stays constant is Darth Vader’s ability to terrify.
When Lucas introduced Darth Vader as his antagonist in A New Hope, he created one of the most iconic villains in history. Though Vader’s power was clearly something to fear in the original trilogy, Lucas’ Darth Vader had shockingly little screen time. Now, with Disney creating so much more material, Vader has had several opportunities to prove himself worthy of his sinister reputation.
The Hallway Slaughter
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was one of the first installments in Disney’s reign over Star Wars, and rose to the challenge of portraying characters and situations that were already important to the original trilogy - Darth Vader chief among them. Vader is featured several times in the movie, always accentuating his control through steady physical and verbal intimidation - not to mention a frightening mastery of the Force. Vader commanded the room in every scene he was in, though it wasn’t until the end of the movie that he wielded a lightsaber.
The film saw Darth Vader's crimson lightsaber ignite in live-action for the first time since Return of the Jedi. When the dark hallway filled with armed Rebel troops lit up with the red light of his blade, the soldiers there would be no survivors. Darth Vader uses the Force, his lightsaber, and even the deflected shots of the men’s own blasters to finish them off in quick, but brutal, fashion. The dramatic and haunting sequence emphasized the terror that Darth Vader instilled in the Rebels and the rest of the galaxy for two decades.
Reva’s Humiliating Defeat
Throughout each episode of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Reva Sevander was quite the formidable opponent for the downtrodden titular character. However, when her history is finally revealed and she attempts to take revenge on Vader, her skills are no match. Immediately after her blade is ignited, Vader uses the Force to stop her in her tracks before even turning to face her. Reva’s lightsaber skills were impressive up to that point in the series, but her inferiority to Vader was blatant.
Vader couldn’t be bothered to activate his lightsaber. Instead, he toyed with her, sidestepping Reva’s attacks and using the Force and her own momentum to push her around. Though his face can't be seen, Vader’s body language appears calm and at ease, even though Reva is clearly focusing all her skills on the fight.
When Vader takes and disconnects the halves of her double-bladed saber, he tosses Reva one of the hilts and finishes the battle one-on-one. In a mockery of their imbalance, he allows her to have the illusion of a fair fight, but it's over in moments. Having been outmatched in every way, Reva is ultimately disarmed and impaled by the monster who haunted her for a decade.
Vader vs. Obi-Wan Rematch Shows Off Combat Skills
In the original trilogy, Vader’s power is primarily shown through his use of the Force, with few scenes featuring him fighting with a lightsaber. When he fights Obi-Wan on the Death Star, both characters simply hit their lightsabers together without showcasing much flair or skill. It isn’t until the prequel trilogy that the fight choreography becomes truly impressive, and Darth Vader isn’t featured in those scenes (unless one counts Anakin’s duel with Obi-Wan on Mustafar).
After he is confined to his suit, Vader loses a lot of his agility and general mobility. Episode 6 of Obi-Wan Kenobi provides the first real look outside of animation of a Darth Vader who is not only strong and ruthless, but fast and skillful, as well. Unlike when he fought Obi-Wan in episode 3, Vader is looking for a fight rather than simply torturing his old master, and he doesn’t hold back. With this new visual of Vader in combat, it’s easy to understand the terror he brought to the galaxy.
Vader’s rage is more evident in his body language during this duel against Obi-Wan than it is in other scenes. Though his robotic limbs and breathing equipment prevent him from performing the nimble moves that he was able to do as Anakin Skywalker, it’s clear that Vader has not forgotten how to wield his lightsaber with deadly skill.
Pulling An Entire Ship From The Sky With The Force
In episode 5 of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Obi-Wan, Leia, and a group of rebels and refugees are attempting to flee Jabiim with Vader on their tails. As the group loads into a getaway ship, the sequence cuts to Vader confidently striding through the tunnels and rooms littered with the bodies of those standing between him and Obi-Wan, building the intensity he brings to the scene. He arrives just as a ship begins to take off, and Vader stops it in midair with the Force. With little effort, the Sith Lord pulls the ship back to the ground before tearing it apart.
In Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Kylo Ren and Rey attempt a similar move, with no success. Though the two of them were battling each other’s Force abilities as well as the ship itself and Rey’s accidental use of Force lightning interrupts the action, they struggled to control the ship as either of them planned to. Considering both characters are considerably powerful in the Force, Vader’s ability to easily take hold of an entire ship as it soars away from him speaks volumes to the strength of his Force capabilities.
Piloting A TIE Fighter… Using Only The Force
Before finding out that he is actually Darth Vader, one of the first things said about Luke’s father is that he was the best star pilot in the galaxy. Vader is seen flying his own ship just once in the original trilogy, but the prequels make sure to emphasize Anakin’s skill in the pilot’s seat. However, Star Wars Rebels takes things to a whole new level in the season 2 finale, when Vader controls his own TIE fighter using the Force instead of the cockpit while he stands on top of it.
Vader appears only a handful of times throughout Rebels, but always makes a big and terrifying impact when he does: “Twilight of the Apprentice” features Vader’s reunion with Ahsoka Tano, though his old Padawan is only just starting to accept his identity. The Sith Lord's dramatic entrance underscores his power by showcasing his ability to so easily control such a large object (and hints at the bravado from what remains of Anakin Skywalker).
Surrounded By Fear And Dead Men
Vader Down, written by Jason Aaron and Kieron Gillen, is a comic crossover combining the narratives of 2015's Star Wars and Darth Vader runs. It features Vader between the events of A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, shortly after learning that Luke is his son. Having been shot down by Luke and surrounded by Rebel Alliance forces, Vader is forced to put all his efforts into simply surviving and evading capture as he hunts his son. This is a situation that rarely happens in canon material, and it puts an especially strong emphasis on just how powerful Darth Vader can be.
Vader is usually on the offensive side when he is in battle, but Vader Down finds him playing defense. Unfortunately for the Rebel infantry, Vader proves himself every bit as formidable as his reputation implies. Though he obviously has to come out of the situation alive, the comic continues to throw challenges at him that only highlight the raw power and skill of Vader's character. By the end of the story, Darth Vader leaves the Rebel Alliance with nothing more than a slaughtered army and renewed fear of his might.
No matter how Darth Vader comes to be involved in a story, the one thing to expect is a display of power. Disney seems to understand that, and no matter what its upcoming projects might cover, it’s likely that Darth Vader will only become more terrifying. With the return of Hayden Christensen, it's possible that Disney might feature Darth Vader in central roles in future Star Wars films and shows, putting his abilities on display even more.