It was arguably the best scene on Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and it was certainly the greatest depiction of Darth Vader’s Dark Side rage to be ever be shown on-screen, but the scene was a late addition to the film….
There is no denying the awesome presence of Darth Vader in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The last time the Dark Lord of the Sith was on screen, he was just waking up and getting used to his new life-sustaining suit, in a rather awkward moment from the end of Revenge of the Sith.
Previous to that moment, Vader was seen as this tall and menacing figure, who in A New Hope, was a slow and clunky duelist with his lightsaber. Thankfully, that was rectified by Empire Strikes Back, and Darth Vader’s skill with a lightsaber and his use of the Force were much improved through his final act in Return of the Jedi.
Image Credit: Lucasfilm
When Vader shows up to chase down the Death Star plans aboard the Rebel ship, he instills the kind of terror that only a rampaging Dark Lord of the Sith can demonstrate. Deflecting blaster bolts, using the Force to pin a man to the ceiling, then using his lightsaber to cut that man in half while continuing on and slaughtering the remaining Rebels, before the plans were safely passed through a crack in the door.
What makes this scene even more interesting, is that it almost wasn’t part of the film, as it was a late addition, explains Rogue One editor, John Gilroy, in an interview with Yahoo Movies:
"“What was added — and it was a fantastic add — was the Vader action scene, with him boarding the ship and dispatching all those rebel soldiers. That was something conceptualized a little later.”"
Can you imagine Rogue One without that scene? That Darth Vader rampage scene not only helped to reestablish the Sith Lord’s menacing and dominating nature, but it also helped to connect Rogue One to A New Hope, as he makes his way to the airlock where the Tantive IV was escaping.
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