For almost 50 years, he was the greatest villain in the history of cinema: from his first appearance on the screen he became a legend.

We are in 1977, at the beginning of a great epic that took place a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. A small band of rebels tries to resist the storms of the Empire, but the losses are high and the casualties are many. Suddenly, the battle calms down and John Williams’ music takes on a different tone.

The door slides. Thick white smoke spreads in the corridor. And a dark figure advances with heavy steps among the corpses. His breathing is slow, mechanical, deep, unforgettable. He wears a long black cape, metal armor, a helmet that oscillates between a samurai and a Nazi soldier, and at this point he doesn’t utter a single word.

• He’s one of cinema’s greatest villains: 24 years ago, he instantly catapulted the young actor to global stardom.

immediate effect

The effect is immediate, and without explaining why, every viewer who attends the first Star Wars screening feels like they know one of the greatest villains to ever set foot on the planet.

Born from the imagination of George Lucas, of course, but also thanks to the talents of artists Ralph McQuarrie and John Molloy, brought to life by the movements of David Prowse and the voice of James Earl Jones, Darth Vader is a character like no other. It’s never been seen before and instantly becomes part of the collective imagination of viewers as well as the world of pop culture.

All his interventions (whether or not new hope or in later films) will only confirm this insatiable first impression and prove this antagonist’s charisma as no other.

The greatest villain in cinema

The Admiral’s drowning, the first Latin duel against Obi-Wan Kenobi, Vader’s supreme revelation to his son Luke in The Empire Strikes Back, his ultimate redemption in Return of the Jedi, and of course all of his past, carefully explored in George Lucas. “Prelogue…

Over the years, all the pieces of this great puzzle that is the enigmatic Darth Vader have cleverly come together to form not only one of cinema’s greatest villains, but one of the most fascinating stories ever written.

Before Descendants, Vader was still a significant challenge for George Lucas, while the Star Wars adventure was still in its infancy on the pages of his manuscript.

“His character has to go beyond that.”

“Darth Vader scared me enough to not show his face to the audience. Basically, it’s just a black mask.”explained the film director at the Rolling Stone microphone.

“I thought, ‘How can I turn this into something horrible and evil?’ He’s tall and dark, and he wears a samurai cap and helmet, but that’s not necessarily going to be enough to make his character go beyond him.”

Beyond his costume, then, it’s the character’s powerful absurdity, his inner strength, but also his voice and his approach that helped make Vader’s legend. A villain that no other Star Wars antagonist has been able to take down since.

What is your favorite Darth Vader scene?

(Re)discover all the hidden details of ‘A New Hope’…