Credit: Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
Darth Vader is probably one of the most recognizable figures in the Star Wars movie franchise. Even for those who haven’t watched a single episode, he is the villain that stood out the most. His famous line also cements this, “I am your father,” which made rounds all around the Internet. Below, we present to you 5 fun facts about this well-known antagonist.
If you like Star Wars, you may like more of our articles about the franchise here and here!
5. Anakin joined the Dark Side to save Padmé but ended up killing her along the way
Let’s start with something canonical, something those who have already watched probably know.
Upon Anakin’s discovery of Palpatine being the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, the Jedi forces tried to apprehend him. This caused Palpatine to defend himself and go on a killing spree, defeating some of the Jedis in the process. When Mace Windu was about to kill Palpatine, Skywalker severed Windu’s hand, allowing Palpatine to kill the Jedi. He does this because he knows that Darth Sidious is the only way to save his wife, Padmé.
Skywalker decided to join the Sith because of this. Anakin Skywalker was venerated as Darth Vader by Darth Sidious. When Padmé tried to persuade him to leave the Dark Side, Anakin, now referred to as Darth Vader, got into a fit of rage. He grappled her and choked her with the Force. He then dropped her unconscious.
Later on, it was revealed that Padmé died of strangulation. The very reason why the former Anakin decided to join the Sith Order had become why his wife lost her life.
Credit: Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
4. “I am your father.”
That quote is probably one of the few things those who haven’t yet watched the franchise know about the franchise. Of course, it’s very iconic, but there’s a justification for that, and not just some emotional manipulation for Luke to join the Dark Side.
As mentioned in the last item, Anakin became Darth Vader. But before that, his wife bore two children from him, Luke and Leia, whom she managed to give birth to before they died. Knowing that Darth Vader is actually Anakin, Luke indeed is a legitimate child of Darth Vader.
3. The word Vader is an allusion to what was about to come
As mentioned earlier, Darth Vader’s most remarkable line is, without a doubt, “I am your father.” However, Dutch speakers could have seen it coming. That is because “vader” means “father” in the said language. A similar word also exists in the German language, “vater,” which only has a T instead of a D. This makes the villain’s name have somewhat of a connotation of a “dark father” because he was revealed to be a father and, as we all know, he joined the Dark Side.
credit: Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
2. He probably knows Sith Lightning
Just like any other member of the Sith order, Darth Vader is hypothesized to know to perform the Sith Lightning move. The said move, also known as Dark Lightning, is something the users of the Force can do through the dark side.
He is not shown to perform the said move a lot because of electroconductivity. His strong armor is made up of heavy metals (contributing to its weight as well), and the execution of such a move, that is, conjuring lightning will cause the lightning to be conducted through the metals of the armor. He would end up frying himself alive by summoning lightning.
1. In Ukraine, a statue of Lenin was replaced with that of Darth Vader
In late 2015, a statue in a factory in the Ukrainian port city of Odesa was given a new look. A statue of the former soviet leader Vladimir Lenin was a target of the “de-communization” movement of the Ukrainian government. However, instead of demolishing the monument completely, the residents pleaded for a transformation.
Now, a Darth Vader figure stands where Lenin’s once stood. Lenin’s statue was still inside the Darth Vader figure, as one could notice by Vader’s posture. It is reportedly said that free wi-fi is also emitted from the villain’s helmet.
What makes it different from any other Darth Vader statue in the world is that it’s a part of a country’s attempt to heal from its dark past. It isn’t like any other statue of his out there that was only found in amusement parks. Moreover, deep inside the statue, it is still Lenin.
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