STAR WARS' DARTH VADER MAKES IT FUN TO ROOT FOR THE BAD GUY
by Swanka Burnette
Darth Vader has a tendency towards solving problems by slicing them in half. He’s a cold-blooded assassin who rarely shows mercy to his adversaries. He’s also nigh-universally thought of as the most recognizable villain in all of entertainment media. Fans of the Star Wars franchise continue to get behind him despite all his murderous flaws. He continues to stand out from other anti-heroes such as Wolverine, Deadpool and Lobo due to the humanity and tragedy of his arc. Vader’s characterization and stories are endlessly compelling because despite all the terror he unleashes and younglings he deletes, he ultimately renounces the dark side and is redeemed.
The direct aftermath of Vader’s fiery defeat at the hands of Obi-Wan Kenobi on lava planet Mustafar is revealed in 2017 Marvel Comics release Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith from writer Charles Soule with artists Giuseppe Camuncoli, Daniele Orlandini and Cam Smith. Vader’s first act in his iconic jetblack containment suit is to hunt and cut down Order 66 survivor and Jedi Master Kirak Infil’a (through Order 66 Emperor Palpatine’s Clone Army exterminated almost all Jedi during the time period coinciding with Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of The Sith). Vader eliminates the combat obsessed Jedi Master and an entire city of innocent civilians for the sole purpose of procuring Infil’a’s lightsaber and the valuable crystal inside. Vader’s upcoming appearance in War of the Bounty Hunters #3 is scheduled to showcase a clash with Star Wars mainstays Boba Fett and Jabba the Hutt in what is sure to be a similarly deadly affair.
These comic tales display the always entertaining Vader at his worst, fully enraptured in the role of chief cyborg enforcer of the galactic empire. There is little heroism left in the former Jedi after more than half of his human body is burnt away and replaced with cybernetics, but no matter how far into the dark side he falls and the people he hurts as Sith commander, his story always ends with him ascending to the rarefied status of Jedi Force Ghost. Only Jedi receive this mystical gift and dying a Jedi cements the idea that Vader IS a hero. He just takes a winding path to get there. It’s a fascinating dynamic as Vader represents an aspect of humanity most can relate to – the notion that no one is a prisoner of their past and that one can make amends for even the most horrible decisions. It’s a very human arc for a character that loses most of his humanity after nearly perishing on Mustafar.
The shocking depths Darth Vader sinks to will always be counter-balanced by his final sacrificial act. In destroying Emperor Palpatine and giving his own life for that of Luke Skywalker he fulfills his destiny and brings balance to the force. It would be a fools errand to soften Vader’s pre-ascension villainous exploits. His final redemptive act is bolstered and enhanced by his temporary fall to the dark side. The deeper the fall, the more meaningful the rise. The stories of Anakin when he was Vader benefit from this paradoxical dynamic. That Vader is the chosen one is why it’s so much fun to see him being bad.
Image Credit: Justine Cruz/@justinecruzart