There are few if any villains in pop culture who are as iconic or who have the popularity and legacy that Darth Vader does. He is utterly incredible the whole way through Star Wars, and despite the brilliance of the likes of Maul, Vader may well still be the best villain in the franchise. This is not only shown by his actions and character arc, but by a variety of quotes too.
Vader has so many fantastic lines throughout the films, TV shows, and comics, and many of them prove him to be the best Star Wars villain by showing off his badassery, complexity, and overall brilliance.
Dr. Aphra Underestimates The Power Of The Sith
"I Am A Lord Of The Sith. It Is They Who Should Be Running."
One of the best dynamics in the canon Star Wars comics is that between Darth Vader and Chelli Lona Aphra, and here, Vader makes clear to her that he has absolutely no fear of any rebel fighters, no matter their number.
When Aphra tells Vader to run from a group of rebel ships, he hits her with this quote that inspires fear in the reader. He handily deals with the rebels in typical Vader fashion, taking out the entire squadron without getting hit. Not only does Vader show his confidence and fearlessness, but his skill and power. The rebels should have run, they should have been mortified by Star Wars' scariest villain.
When He Has Luke Cornered
"There Is No Escape. Don't Make Me Destroy You."
After Vader found out the truth about his son, he really tried to bring Luke onboard to the cause of the dark side of the Force. When Luke showed defiance, Vader showcased the levels behind him that Luke was regarding combat and power.
There is no doubt that if he wanted and if Luke never jumped, Vader could have easily killed Luke. Vader is not only a brilliant villain by being terrifying and powerful with this line, but being the same with his lightsaber prowess and Force ability.
Captain Needa Was Not Quite Forgiven
"Apology Accepted, Captain Needa."
Vader rarely takes failure, as seen numerous times throughout Star Wars. Perhaps the best, and even funniest, time this happened with Vader was when he killed Captain Needa.
Choking Needa to death following his apology to Vader while seemingly accepting said apology is one of Vader's most ruthless moments in the original trilogy. There are many contenders, but this may be Vader's most badass quote in the trilogy, proving that even if he is not the best villain in the saga, he is the most badass.
He Discovers That His Son Is Alive
"He Will Be Mine. It Will All Be Mine."
Darth Vader comics have yet to miss in the canon thus far. They all range from good to absolutely incredible, and one of the best moments is when Vader finds out that his son survives and deems the Galaxy his for the taking.
What makes this quote so great outside of the usual badassery and goosebump-inducing nature of it is the memories Vader goes through the range of thoughts and emotions he feels. The moment showcases the rich history and tragedy of the character on top of the more base-level villainous attributes.
Luke Was Not On His Level
"The Force Is With You, Young Skywalker. But You Are Not A Jedi Yet."
There are many opinions about what is the best lightsaber duel in Star Wars, and many believe it is Luke Vs. Vader in The Empire Strikes Back in which Vader shows unreal ability and confidence, making Luke seem like a child playing Jedi in the process.
This quote from Vader both belittles Luke and his obviously lackluster abilities compared to Vader while also reminding his son that his lightsaber skill and Force powers are to be feared. It is one of those iconic lines that every fan re, and no villain has as many of those as Darth Vader.
Fearlessness In The Face Of Impossible Odds
"All I Am Surrounded By Is Fear & Dead Men."
Vader has a plethora of moments throughout Star Wars that give the fans goosebumps, and as far as the comics go, there is perhaps no moment that does that, like when Vader is surrounded by legions of rebels and states this.
This quote is not arrogance or overconfidence; it would take many, many more rebels than what was there to harm Vader. He exudes strength at this moment. This quote comes in one of the most iconic Darth Vader comic s and has even transcended the comics to become known to fans who solely watch on-screen content, showing the effect a great Darth Vader quote can have.
Anakin Skywalker Is Gone
"I Hate You!"
It is debatable what is the exact moment that Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader. But, as he screams at Obi-Wan as his body burns on the Mustafar floor, it is safe to say Anakin is gone.
This "I hate you" is so poisonous, full of hatred, anger, and vitriol. It shows how far and how suddenly Anakin fell in becoming Darth Vader while also highlighting the emotions that keep Vader going, the feelings that fuel him despite all the physical and psychological pain he experiences daily. It is an experience that is on a whole other level to any other villain.
His Final Words
"Tell Your Sister… You Were Right."
At this point, Anakin Skywalker has ittedly returned, and Darth Vader is gone; however, this quote as Anakin resides in the Vader suit is a powerful, poignant reminder of the tragedy of Anakin and how he was always there, present in Vader.
Every day Vader was in immeasurable physical, psychological, and emotional pain, channeling it all into hatred, power, and anger, but Anakin was always there deep down. There was good in him. For all the atrocities Vader performed, there was a good man deep, deep down desperate to return, and there are few villains with those kinds of emotional and narrative layers.
The Iconic Twist
"No, I Am Your Father."
Some excellent quotes in Star Wars do not necessarily reflect the character's personality, showcasing their traits or skill or anything like that. Some are just representative of moments in time that make the character so good.
This may well be the best twist in cinematic history, definitely the best surprise in all of Star Wars to this point, and it was all Vader. Even without the tonne of other badass, terrifying, and highly affecting quotes, Vader would still be one of the best villains in Star Wars for this quote, and for this moment, alone.
'Twilight Of The Apprentice'
"Then You Will Die."
"Twilight of the Apprentice" is such a wonderful yet shattering Star Wars story that truly showed that there was a time when nobody could have dragged Anakin out of the dark, gaping pit of Darth Vader.
On top of all the emotion involved in Vader's exchange with Vader, there are lines like this that, quite simply, no other villain could pull off in any situation to the same effect. Vader gives audiences so many lines that have a truly strong effect on them. Alongside "Then you will die," this episode also gives Rebels fans "Ahsoka," "Then you will die braver than most," and "Revenge is not the Jedi way," with each of them adding to the quality of the episode and of Vader as a character within it.
