While there are dozens of excellent characters in the Star Wars universe, fans will never get enough of Darth Vader. It’s not hard for anyone to see why, either. The cybernetic warrior was incredibly impactful when he debuted in the original Star Wars, and he remained that way as the extended film series continued to focus on Anakin Skywalker’s journey to becoming the iconic Sith. The character is a darling of pop culture and one of the defining faces of Star Wars.

The problem is that the story of the Skywalkers, and by extension Darth Vader, is now long done. This leaves Disney with some interesting decisions to make in the future. There will likely always be more Star Wars films, but they’ve struggled with villains in the sequel trilogy, a trend that most fans want to see end. This makes some wonder if Star Wars can ever recapture what made Darth Vader so iconic.

Related

The Most Powerful Mandalorians In Star Wars, Ranked

Mandalorians follow the same creed and code but they aren't comparable in terms of strength. These strongest Mandalorians stand out above the rest.

What Makes Darth Vader So Special To Fans?

Everyone will have their own unique reasoning for why Darth Vader is so special, but there are a few common reasons for fans to point to. When one thinks of Darth Vader, they’re bound to think of his unique suit, his terrifying brutality, and his compelling backstory. Among many others, those three aspects make Darth Vader an icon to so many. One great line Vader delivers to Moff Tarkin in the 2017 Darth Vader comics sums up his aura perfectly:

He’s Terrifying

This point doesn’t need much explanation. Every fan can point to a moment when Darth Vader sent chills down their spine. One of the most beloved Darth Vader moments in the eyes of fans comes from his surprise appearance at the end of Rogue One. Vader comes out of nowhere and obliterates multiple hallways filled with peopl, making sure audiences remember just how powerful he is.

He’s Compelling

There's always something wonderful and intriguing about a story about family. With two sets of Star Wars trilogies focusing on the Skywalker family, Darth Vader gets a lot of time to grow as a character. Apparently nothing more than the muscle for a greater evil, Darth Vader morphs from a faceless cyborg to the hero’s evil father, and later into a reformed hero in his own right. Years later, Star Wars fans were able to see how Anakin became Darth Vader, adding layers of complexity to a character that was once filled with mystique.

He’s Unique

It is fair to say that Darth Vader is far less unique now than he once was as the Star Wars universe has grown and grown. This point is to say that when he debuted, a sci-fi villain like Darth Vader was practically unheard of. No one knew what to make of Darth Vader because he was always in his suit, leaving his appearance a total mystery. Add in his mighty lightsaber and ability to wield the Force, and Star Wars fans had a villain capable of untold destruction.

How Can Disney Recapture The Magic Of Darth Vader?

The key to creating a villain as iconic as Darth Vader may be to not try to do so at all. Whenever a villain shows up in any media with a dark, face-covering helmet, they are immediately compared to Darth Vader. Cloaking a villain in black may be an easy way to signal that they are a bad guy, but a unique appearance will remove all potential comparisons on a visual level. Whether a man, woman, alien, or something else, a new villain might need to be completely different.

Still, what if Disney absolutely needed to create a new villain that is as recognizable as Darth Vader? An easy answer would be to say that a new villain must embody the already laid out aspects that made fans love Darth Vader. However, that could result in a poor imitation, a criticism some have for Kylo Ren. A better idea might be to simply set out to tell a compelling narrative first, and worry about crafting an iconic villain second.

Darth Vader benefited from his distinctiveness. He was unlike anything most people had seen before, and grew even better in the eyes of the fans as his importance in the Star Wars narrative emerged. With that in mind, the key to Disney’s success might just be a combination of mystery, uniqueness, and powerful presence.

What Villains Could Become The Next Darth Vader?

Potential New Villains

• Darth Revan
• Darth Nihilus
• Darth Traya
• Starkiller
• Darth Krayt
• Abeloth
• The Yuuzhan Vong

As many fans will make clear, originality is always something to cherish. Disney may want to look at something wholly unique if they want a new villain on Vader's level of popularity. If they wanted to look into the Star Wars universe for villains that could be brought to a new level, Disney also faces a variety of issues. One of the biggest problems is that with the canon reset and the new way the Star Wars story has played out, many well-known Star Wars villains can’t exist.

One avenue would be to look to the Star Wars video games for great villains, even though some fans have grown tired of the popular video game villains. Despite that, Darth Revan, Darth Traya, Darth Nihilus, or even the ever-popular but non-canon Starkiller all have the potential to become juggernauts of the series, if their storylines were twisted a bit. Starkiller is the only one who could exist in further Star Wars stories with the right explanation, leaving the others with the potential to be major villains in older eras of the galaxy. Each of these characters has fascinating backstories intertwined with the Jedi. Starkiller, though, is intimately linked with Darth Vader. He's a genuine secret apprentice who’s been lurking in the shadows to rebuild the Sith or recruit a new enemy. Starkiller could become his own unique character with similar gravitas to Darth Vader.

It is possible to go back through the history of the Sith and name all kinds of great potential villains, but there are at least two villains that could play a role moving forward in the Star Wars timeline. If Rey is going to continue the legacy of the Jedi, she’ll need new enemies. Having her contend with the likes of the Jedi-turned-Sith Darth Krayt, an invasion of the Yuuzhan Vong, or a less powerful version of the dark Force being Abeloth could create fantastic stories. In each instance, wholly original stories could be told. While Darth Krayt’s backstory may share some similarities to other fallen Jedi, a narrative focused on him could paint him as a sympathetic villain cast aside by the Jedi of old, creating a unique dynamic between Krayt and Rey’s new order.

Star Wars is available to stream now on Disney+.

Star Wars

Star Wars is a multimedia franchise originally created by George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd with the 1977 motion picture. The science fiction franchise follows the adventures of characters (both humanoid and alien) in outer space including those who can wield a mystical power known as the Force. Since the release of the original trilogy of movies, the franchise has expanded to include multiple films and branched out to other media like comics, video games, tv shows, theme park attractions, and more. The IP and Lucasfilm were sold to Disney in 2012.

More

Star Wars Fan Points Out Bizarre Detail About Darth Vader In The Empire Strikes Back

Darth Vader had one significant moment in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back that nobody talks about, and it oddly makes sense to his character.