Star Wars: Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker’s top 15 moments

Image Credit: Topps

Here’s a rundown of the 15 moments that define the life of Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker from Star Wars.

While George Lucas created a slew of fascinating concepts, worlds and characters, none more interesting than Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker.

This is because all Lucas’ Star Wars movies, both the original and prequel trilogies, are dedicated telling his story. It’s quite a tale. In it, a galaxy-spanning peaceful Republic and an ancient order of warrior monks fall. From their ashes, a fascist Empire rises.

In the midst of all the thrilling space battles and epic lightsaber duels, the Star Wars saga tells the story of the rise of Anakin Skywalker and the fall of Darth Vader. Though that story is full of shocking twists and irritating incongruities, the whole is more than the sum of its parts.

Obviously, the best way to consume the story of Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader is to watch the first six episodes of the Star Wars film series. However, there are 15 moments from the series that can be isolated to show why the character has become such an indelible pop-culture icon.

In examining those moments, it can be understood why Anakin Skywalker is such a sympathetic tragic hero. Conversely, they also reveal what makes Darth Vader is such a terrifying villain.

Incidentally, considering the character’s top-15 moments also show that Anakin’s descent in the prequels makes Vader’s actions in the original trilogy more impactful. They also help point out what the new Disney produced Star Wars films get fundamentally wrong about the character.