Darth Vader is one of the most iconic film characters in modern film. Even people who haven't seen the film series can still name him. (Trust me, they do exist!) He is one of the most powerful and feared Sith Lords to come out of the Star Wars universe, who is able to turn back to the light side at the very end of the films. Originally just an honest kid with wicked piloting abilities, Anakin Skywalker's start was on Tatooine with his mother. As he grew older, he learned of the ways of the Jedi, giving him a chance to control his incredible powers.
Although the prequel films are nearly universally disliked, they give us a chance to learn about this villain's origin. It is perhaps the dislike of these films that helped spread misinformation about Darth Vader. Because of all the annoyance, the prequels don't get watched as much, and so the information in them can be remembered incorrectly very easily.
With all of the film, book, and video game canon to sift through, just a hazy memory of the prequels can help spread the misinformation quickly. A lot of people hadn't read the books or comics, so the movies were all they had to go on. (It didn't help that Disney made an official statement as to which of the novels would be canon and which wouldn't be, making memories of what's real and not harder to pin down. Pick up your lightsaber and come enjoy this list of things people forget about Vader.
25 He Said What?
Chances are if you live on this earth, someone somewhere has (mis)quoted the line, "Luke, I am your father." Vader didn't have to go on space Maury to tell his son the truth, but the general audience doesn't seem to remember the moment exactly. What Vader actually said was "No, I am your father." When people add in the name Luke, My guess is that it's to help others understand the context of what they're quoting. It's harmless enough if you ask me.
24 A Far-Flung Fan Theory
One of the biggest things I always had a problem with concerning the prequels was that it was stated that Padmé was ended because of one of two things: either Anakin did some damage when he used the force on her, or she lost the will to live.
Vader's actions may not have directly lead to Padmé's end.
It seems I wasn't the only one bothered, either. Check out this site that gives a whole explanation as to why it couldn't have been true, and who the real culprit was.
23 A Questionable Choice
Mega fans of the Star Wars sometimes forget how Luke was at the beginning of A New Hope. He was whiny and obnoxious, very similar to the way that Hayden Christensen chose to portray Anakin. It makes sense that they'd be this way, as it's all part of the Joseph Campbell hero's journey. But the difference is that we already knew Darth Vader as a boss; seeing him as any other way ruins the character for us. Years after the movies finished, the YouTube channel Honest Trailers made the connection.
22 More Like A Cameo
A New Hope introduced us to the entire Star Wars universe as well as its most iconic villain. Like Jaws later, most of the build up of the villain came because they didn't get much screen time. In this first installment, Vader only appears in 12 minutes of it. Much of Vader's awesomeness came not because we had seen Vader do some awesome things, but there were so many terrible things said of him. Word of mouth had created a fear in the characters and viewers. Anyone remembering the movie would swear it was longer.
21 A Father's Love
Given that Vader is one of the villains of the film, it would be simple to say that Vader only turned back to the light because it was the end of the film. Maybe that is one way to read it, but the careful viewer sees that Vader makes some deliberate choices to support Luke's efforts.
Vader tried to make amends with Luke.
That's one of the reasons why Vader is such a complex character. Many people view him as just Vader, but underneath that mask is still Anakin Skywalker.
20 Lore-Based Design
Ever since the first movie came out, Darth Vader's armor (and more specifically his helmet) has become iconic. Based on helmets worn by Japanese samurai, Vader's helmet has some other interesting bits behind it as well. While some people assume it was only given that shape because it is unique, that's not true. It takes after old helmets worn by Sith lords in the past, connecting Vader to his dark side roots. Remember, the lore goes quite a bit deeper because of novels and such that were added after the movies.
19 A Small Problem
Given that Anakin grew up on Tattooine, (a very open and barren world), you'd think he might like some tighter spots in to escape a feeling of loneliness. It's supported by his personal chambers being so small. But all of the cramped spaces around Vader come from his need to survive. Looking at Vader medically gives you a picture of a man who is basically on movable life support. He isn't known for liking tight spaces, but luckily he gains power from anger and hatred.
18 Acupuncture, Perhaps?
Besides the psychological effects of always being in his helmet, Vader has some physical problems with it, too. Given that a lot of his body was injured during his battle with Obi Wan, Vader's suit has to be built to help his brain recognize the signals in the nerves.
Vader's helmet causes him pain just so he can function.
Unfortunately, the only way to do that is to have very tiny needles in his helmet, similar to acupuncture. They help carry the signal so that he can move normally. Most people only think his helmet is for breathing. Think again.
17 Power In His Sole
Vader's suit is pretty neat, and we've discussed a few of its features. Another part of his suit that spreads confusion are his shoes. Just from the sound he makes while walking and not knowing the far-reaching effects of his injuries, you'd think he'd just be relying on robotic legs. That is true, but it's not the only unusual bit. His shoes have magnets in them at all times so that he can walk properly. Makes you wonder what else he's hiding up his sleeve.
16 An Extra Set Of Eyes
Once more we return to Vader's helmet. For all of the pain it causes him, it does give some back in return. For one thing, it is always scanning the area for potential threats. When fans got to see how Vader sees in the movies, we wondered how he could do anything given the limited field of vision.
The helmet can warn of danger.
Thankfully we have the extended universe to help flesh things out and explain how Vader got so awesome. It gives him the edge he needs to fight as well as he does.
15 Cleverly Disguised
Given that the first movie came out in the late 70s and the internet was far away from being realized, there was some misinformation about how the movie was made. Vader is at the center of one of these things. For a while, some fans thought that Vader's breathing noise was created by a sound designer speaking in a fan, but that's not the case at all. Instead, it's come to light that he used a scuba regulator to get that iconic sound.
14 Pleading The Fifth
One of the most notable achievements Vader contributed to was the destruction of the planet Alderaan. Given that the story is told with Luke at the center, things are a little skewed.
Alderaan wasn't as innocent as we all thought.
The planet was painted to be a free world, living the best it can under the rule of the empire. But if you think that Alderaan was completely innocent, you'd be wrong. It was a millitary target housing some of the rebel's greatest leaders. Vader was just doing his job.
13 Quite A Shock
One of the things I never understood as a child was why Vader didn't play at Palpatine's level and use force lighting to end the Emperor. It was a technique he was skilled enough to probably have learned and he was looking to rid himself of the villain in the end. The problem comes with Vader's body. The force travels best through living things and not so well with machinery. Given that Vader is more machine than man these days, it wouldn't make sense for him to try such a dangerous move.
12 Seeing Double
This is common sense now, but back when the first movie came out, we didn't have great access to cast and crew records. So when the question came of who actually got to play the man himself, there were some questions. The answer is (at least) two people. David Prowse did the physical acting and James Earl Jones dubbed over all of his lines. This was actually nearly unknown to Prowse himself for a time. His accent wasn't quite what they were looking for.
11 Good One, Dad
Vader had some pretty awesome scenes in 2016's Rogue One. One scene fans had a problem with was when he made a dad joke after scaring one of his underlings. Some felt like Vader would never crack a joke, particularly one so corny.
Vader has a funny bone too.
But here's one thing you have to remember. He was trained by Obi Wan. During the prequel movies, Obi Wan was the king of one-liners. To say that all of that never rubbed off on Vader is a pretty far stretch.
10 Another Story
When Vader finally took his helmet off for the first time on screen, everyone was surprised. Underneath was someone old and frail- a far cry from his intimidating reputation. But tucked under the helmet was something fans started questioning. Where did that scar come from? Many thought it was from Obi Wan during that last fight, but it has been confirmed to have come off screen. This added to Vader's legacy, as you know there have been some crazy battles in his past.
9 What Does That Button Do?
Anyone looking at Vader's character design might have one vital question: what does that control panel do, if anything? The answer is actually quite a bit. Because of how much damage Anakin received during that last conflict with Obi Wan, Vader is quite dependent on his suit and it's machinery. That panel controls just about everything. Once again, part of Vader's costume is more for function than fashion. I personally assumed a couple of the buttons did something, but it wasn't till now that I came to understand how much Vader needs his suit.
8 A Fine Farewell
Being that Anakin was a Jedi, it stands to reason that he should disappear, just as we saw Obi Wan and Yoda do. When the movies came out, backstory provided in the sequel wasn't available, so you couldn't have blamed it on the fact that Anakin wasn't a Jedi master.
There was no reason for Vader's body to just disappear.
The reason given here is that perhaps it was a trick learned after passing by Qui-Gon who taught it to his friends. Vader's leaving a body behind also helped give Luke some closure, as he took care of his father after his passing.
7 A Hard Thing To Swallow
Let's face it: the prequels shouldn't have tanked. With the excellent actors chosen for their roles and a great premise, it could have become some of the most beloved in the series. Unfortunately for fans, George Lucas was given free reign and things got weird. But something that did come from the prequels and SHOULD make sense are midichlorians. Now before you start scrolling again, take this into account. Jedi tend to be more logic based. Sith are emotions based. Shouldn't it then make sense that they gravitate towards science?
6 Darker Days
One idea about why Anakin turned to the dark side has to do with something fairly serious and more prevalent is that he had bipolar (you can read an article here). It unfortunately doesn't go into much detail, but not being understood because there is something going on in your mind can make anyone choose as he did. I'd also like to suggest that perhaps he also has a bit of PTSD. Given everything he went through, it's not hard to see how his past caught up to him.