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Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader

Conceived by the will of the Force itself, Anakin Skywalker was the prophesied Chosen One, destined to bring the Force into balance. Anakin struggled to balance competing attachments to the Jedi Order and his wife Pé Amidala, and ultimately fell to the dark side, becoming Darth Vader. For years he served as Palpatine's right hand man, but he was ultimately redeemed by the faith of his son, Luke Skywalker. Now a Force Ghost, Anakin continues to act as an agent of balance.

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Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader Split By a Lightning Bolt
Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader
Created By
George Lucas
Cast
Bob Anderson, Hayden Christensen, James Earl Jones, Matt Lanter, Matt Lucas, Jake Lloyd, David Prowse, Sebastian Shaw
Died
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return Of The Jedi
Alliance
Jedi, Sith
Race
Human
Movies
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

TV Shows
Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi, Ahsoka
Franchise
Star Wars

latest

Obi-Wan Kenobi in Revenge of the Sith to the left and Anakin Skywalker in Revenge of the Sith to the right in front of an image of Mustafar
Obi-Wan and Anakin's Jedi Bond Cracked WAY Before Order 66 Came Around
Comics

Anakin and Obi-Wan's bond fractured early, as Anakin's impatience and different views on the Force laid groundwork for their tragic future.

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Anakin Skywalker shirtless waking up from a nightmare in Revenge of the Sith
20 Years After Anakin Skywalker's Iconic Star Wars Thirst Trap, These 7 Characters Have Followed In His Footsteps

20 years ago, Anakin Skywalker's shocking shirtless scene began an unexpected precedent in Star Wars movies and TV shows that continues to this day.

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Close up of Darth Vader in the glowing red light of his lightsaber blade
After 20 Years, Star Wars Is Finally Going To Show What Happened When Anakin Turned His Lightsaber Red

Star Wars is finally about to reveal what really happened when Darth Vader turned the kyber crystal at the heart of his lightsaber red...

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Anakin Skywalker
Star Wars Fans Won't it It, But There's No World Where Anakin Avoids the Dark Side
Comics

Anakin's immense power and the Jedi Order's restraints fueled his conflict and fear of loss, making his fall to the dark side inevitable.

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Darth Vader and Kirak Infil'a Custom Star Wars Image
Darth Vader's Bloodlust Is Infamous, And It Stems From a Fight Few Fans Know About
Comics

Vader’s deep anger was fueled by a brutal fight with a surviving Jedi, showcasing his raw rage after his fall and losing his former life.

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Star Wars' Anakin Skywalker.
Star Wars Has Turned Cassian Andor Into Disney’s Anakin Skywalker Replacement
Andor

Thanks to the final episodes of Andor, Star Wars has effectively turned Cassian into the Rebellion's Anakin Skywalker (from a certain point of view).

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Obi-Wan Kenobi in Attack of the Clones to the left and Anakin Skywalker in Attack of the Clones to the right in front of an image of stars
This Star Wars Moment Proves Obi-Wan Is Basically Anakin's Dad Whether You Like It or Not
Obi-Wan Kenobi

Anakin Skywalker’s sarcasm, a defense and coping mechanism, was learned from his master, Obi-Wan Kenobi's own dry wit.

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Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader
Darth Vader's Creation Was Way Darker (and More Painful) Than Star Wars Let On
Comics

Anakin's brutal transformation into Vader, as depicted in this comic, was agonizing, physically and mentally. Relentless pain forged a ruthless Sith.

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Anakin Skywalker Lightsaber Red and Blue Lightsaber Ahsoka's Vision Custom Star Wars Image
Star Wars Has Just Released The Anakin Skywalker Lightsaber I've Always Dreamed Of

Star Wars has released a brand-new Anakin Skywalker replica lightsaber, and it's the sort of collectible I've always wanted thanks to one key feature.

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Palpatine, Vader, and Momin
The Sith Behind Darth Vader's Stronghold Is Way More Terrifying Than You Realize
Comics

An ancient Sith subtly guided the creation of Vader's Mustafar castle. His horrifying vision makes him more terrifying than Vader himself.

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5 Ways The Jedi Council Had Already Lost Anakin's Trust Before Revenge Of The Sith
5 Key Ways The Jedi Council Had Already Lost Anakin's Trust Before Revenge Of The Sith
Movies

Anakin's anger toward the Jedi Council in Revenge of the Sith may seem like it comes out of nowhere, but his outrage was actually a long time coming.

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Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious to the left and Anakin Skywalker to the right, both from Revenge of the Sith in front of a red background
I Can't Believe I Never Noticed How Palpatine Twisted The Jedi Code To Corrupt Anakin
Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious

Palpatine weaponized one of the core beliefs of the Jedi to turn Anakin Skywalker to the dark side in Revenge of the Sith, and it totally worked.

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Darth Vader in Andor
"He Doesn't Have A Lot To Say": Why Darth Vader Isn't In Andor (& Where He Is During The Show)
Andor

Andor showrunner Tony Gilroy explains why Darth Vader isn't in the new Star Wars TV show - but what is the Dark Lord of the Sith up to at the time?

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Mace Windu looking serious to the left and Anakin from Revenge of the Sith to the right in front of a vibrant purple background
Anakin Skywalker & Mace Windu Just Crashed Revenge Of The Sith
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

Hayden Christensen and Samuel L. Jackson kicked off the return of Anakin Skywalker and Mace Windu to theaters in Revenge of the Sith in the best way.

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Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader
"Anakin Can't Be Redeemed": 20 Years Ago, George Lucas Explained Why Darth Vader Hero Worship Is So Misguided
Movies

Darth Vader has become a character who seems larger than life itself, but that celebration of the villain must not become confused with hero worship.

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Anakin Skywalker and Revenge of the Sith
Hayden Christensen Heads To See The Revenge Of The Sith Re-Release In Fantastic New Video
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader actor Hayden Christensen goes to the theater to see Revenge of the Sith's theatrical re-release in this hilarious video.

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Kylo Ren and Darth Vader With Force Lightning Background Custom Star Wars Image
Wait, Did Kylo Ren Actually Master the 1 Force Power Darth Vader Never Could?
Ben Solo/Kylo Ren

While uncovering his grandfather's legacy, Kylo Ren may have just tapped into the one power Darth Vader could never wield in the Star Wars canon.

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Anakin Skywalker to the left and Darth Vader to the right in front of a blue background
Wait, Did Hayden Christensen Just Tease A Darth Vader Return? And I Don't Mean Ahsoka Season 2
Movies

Brand-new comments from Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader actor Hayden Christensen suggest we could be seeing his return in another new show.

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Darth Maul and Darth Vader brandishing their red lightsabers next to each other.
Darth Vader vs Darth Maul: Star Wars Thinks It Knows Who'll Win, But It's Wrong
Darth Maul

While most people think that Vader could easily best Maul in a fight, including his voice actor, they underestimate the Sith lord's power.

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Ariana Greenblatt as young Ahsoka Tano to the left and Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker in Clone Wars armor to the right in front of a purple background showing the Star Wars Celebration Japan banner
I'm Convinced Hayden Christensen Just Hinted At More Live-Action Clone Wars In Ahsoka Season 2
Ahsoka

After the Ahsoka season 2 at Star Wars Celebration 2025, I'm convinced Hayden Christensen is dropping hints about more live-action Clone Wars.

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