A Tribute to Vader

The Saga Continues

He has a peculiar looking mask. He has a low voice. He is very dangerous.
He is half-man, half-machine and does not have a face to show for a mother to love.

But his charisma is so strong that audiences get mesmerized. In some instances the heroic Luke shrinks in His presence. Star Wars has brought a huge impact to the pop culture. All over the world, Darth Vader merchandising items alone are a sure “sold out”, decades ago. Heck! I’ll do anything to get at least a photo with Darth Vader or a replica of Darth Vader – in the metallic black costume that looks as hot as hell.

It’s easy to say that his power is fascinating which also gives me a reason to like the Dark Side. The truth is, Darth Vader may be the ultimate anti-hero: a son, then prodigal son, and finally a redeemed soul.

He is every man in that sense, but never to a woman. Darth Vader, of all the larger-than-life persona of Star Wars, is the one who closely approximates a human’s dream existence. He was a gifted child, even though disadvantaged by poverty as many are. He is a skilled Jedi warrior, my dream role; and he on a young, beautiful and intelligent queen.

George Lucas worked in a story around Anakin. I’ve been curious to know the man behind that metal mask.

One begins to trace his roots, for the young Anakin before he gets Jedi training, continues to do as the Council is uncertain of his acceptance, and as he stands up and does not fall after one dire event after another occurs in whom the Force is strong.

The death of his mother from the Sand people is a tragedy. One therefore forgives him his slaughter of the Sand people, but becomes lost as he tracked the path to the Dark Side and trades his allegiance to the Jedi for the life of his pregnant wife.

As Obi Wan discovers this, his heart was shattered into pieces. “Anakin is too heroic to be given up, yet is too sinful to be redeemed easily.”

(Fast forward) Then, his own son, Luke Skywalker now a Jedi warrior comes to his rescue from the evil clutches of the Dark Side – uncertain at first, then determined later on (?).

This saga has been a father-and-son conflict and eventual reconciliation with some political issues and romantic affairs in it. When the evil Emperor tried to kill Luke, Darth Vader fought against him and brought him to his death. Unfortunately, his rescue to Luke gave him fatal injuries in the process. We see ourselves in Darth Vader and are pleased that he returns to the Jedi as a Force ghost with Obi Wan and Yoda in the final episode.

Yes, we fear the Dark and Darth; and we can win if we can face him with bravery, faith and a little amusement.