Darth Vader is a fictional character and the central antagonist in the Star Wars (Star Wars (film series)) saga, George Lucas (George Lucas) six-film science fiction saga. Vader originally appeared as the Empires (Galactic Empire (Star Wars)) villainous enforcer in the original Star Wars trilogy (Original Star Wars trilogy) (Episodes IV, V, VI), and as a tragic (tragedy) figure near the end of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, the third and final film of the Star Wars prequel trilogy (Star Wars prequel trilogy). Lucas, in the audio commentary for Revenge of the Sith, says that he considers both trilogies together to be The Tragedy of Darth Vader.

In the original Star Wars trilogy (Original Star Wars trilogy), Vader is embodied by David Prowse, though Sebastian Shaw (Sebastian Shaw (actor)) portrays the unmasked Vader in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. In Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Vader is played by Hayden Christensen. In the original trilogy and Revenge of the Sith, James Earl Jones provides Vaders voice when he is masked, although Jones was originally uncredited for this role.

In the original trilogy, George Lucas depicts Darth Vader as a fearsome cyborg who acts as the supreme commander of the brutal Galactic Empire (Galactic Empire (Star Wars)) and right hand man of Emperor Palpatine (Palpatine) (Ian McDiarmid). Throughout the films, Vader oppresses the galaxy (Star Wars galaxy) and hunts down the members of the Rebel Alliance. In Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, the series final chronological installment, Vader redeems himself by killing Palpatine and saving his son, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), sacrificing himself in the process.

In the prequel trilogy (Star Wars prequel trilogy), Vader is shown as his former self, Anakin Skywalker, a slave (slavery) boy who eventually becomes a Jedi Knight (Jedi), and later, a hero in the Clone Wars (Clone Wars (Star Wars)). Palpatine manipulates Anakin into betraying the Jedi, and Anakin falls to the "dark side (dark side (Star Wars))" of the mystical Force (Force (Star Wars)).

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