DARTH VADER
Courtesy of http://www.starwars.com
Standing two meters tall, dressed in flowing black robes and black body
armor, Darth Vader is a tangibly evil symbol of the Emperor's doctrine of rule
through fear and terror. With the Emperor's favor Vader has risen through the
Imperial ranks to become a fearsome and dreaded military commander, now
one of the most highly placed individuals in the New Order.
His face locked behind a hideous metal breath screen, Vader cannot survive
without the artificial support of his suit, which functions like a walking "iron
lung," breathing for his crushed lungs and keeping his shattered body alive. In
spite of these injuries, Vader is a powerful and dangerous figure. Ruthlessly
employing torture and brutal violence to achieve his objectives, Darth Vader
commands fear within his own troops as well as among his Rebel enemies.
While there are those within the military who despise his weird "sorcerer's
ways" and his eccentric and dramatic behavior, as Vader's power has grown
these objections have become fewer.
Once a Jedi Knight, Vader was formerly the pupil of Obi-Wan Kenobi in the
days of the Old Republic, learning the ways of the Force for the purpose of
defending truth and justice throughout the galaxy. Impatient with Obi-Wan's
teachings, Vader chose a different way of using the Force, and followed the
temptations of the dark side of this power. Corrupted and turned evil, he
betrayed his mentor and helped the Emperor hunt down and destroy the Jedi,
leaving the terrible regime of the New Order unopposed.
When Grand Moff Tarkin's Death Star was destroyed by the Rebels, it was
believed that Vader had been lost to the void. But he did survive, piloting a
special advanced prototype fighter equipped with hyperspace engines. Vader
returned from deep space more powerful than before, to take command of the
Imperial Star Destroyer fleet assigned to track down Luke Skywalker.
Through the use of thousands of probe droids dispatched to comb the
galaxy, Vader eventually located the new Rebel base on the ice planet Hoth.
Vader directed the invasion of Hoth and then trapped Luke's friends as they
sought refuge on Cloud City. Ruthlessly manipulating Han Solo, Princess
Leia, and Chewbacca, Vader used their pain as bait to bring Luke to their
rescue, all the while plotting to capture Skywalker for the Emperor. In his
confrontation with Luke, Vader would unleash psychological horror to bring
Luke down the same dark path. Tempting him with power, chilling him with
revelation, Vader fought young Skywalker with far more dangerous powers
than the lightsabers clashing savagely between them.
Their final confrontation would be before the Emperor himself, on board the
second Death Star, within the depths of the Emperor's dark Throne Room.
Here the ultimate battle for good and evil would be played out between their
spirits, and in one last defining moment Vader's identity is at least revealed
for everything that it is. Luke triumphs for both of them, and the circle of the
Force is at last truly complete.
