Star Wars: The Darth Vader Story Is Full Of Twist & Turns

Darth Vader is among the best villains in all of Cinema. The character appeared for 12 minutes in the first Star Wars movie, Episode IV: A New Hope. Even after much less time on the screen, Vader is seen as the ultimate symbol of evil and danger. 

George Lucas and his team faced a lot of challenges while creating the character. Let’s find out the fundamental difficulties they encountered behind the scenes. 

Crafting A Sith Lord In A Galaxy Far, Far Away

Challenge 1: Creating Mysterious Fear

Lucas acknowledged, "How do I make that scary and evil? Even though he chokes people and is large and black, people aren't always terrified of him." 

The imposing costume, the methodical movements, the deep, booming voice (thanks to the renowned James Earl Jones), every aspect had to shout, "Don't mess with this Sith!"

Challenge 2: The Armour

There were innumerable revisions to the design.  While the early models were excellent, they were too "earthly" for a galaxy far, far away. They looked like samurai armor. 

Interesting fact: Darth Vader's helmet was fashioned after a German motorcycle helmet from World War II.

Challenge 3: Breathe Easily, or Not Too Much

Darth Vader's trademark sound is his heavy breathing, but it wasn't an act for poor David Prowse inside the suit. The helmet has a lousy reputation for fogging up and overheating. So, finding the right actor with the right sound was a challenge. 

Challenge 4: The Force Is Mighty, But Assistance from Special Effects Was Needed

Light-wielding swords? Before the magic of film editing took over, they were just glorified glow sticks. Even though they are outdated by today's standards, these clever hacks created the iconic Darth Vader picture.

George Lucas and his group were successful despite the difficulties. In addition to being a villain, Darth Vader rose to fame in popular culture.