Growing up in the 70s, Star Wars was a HUGE part of my life. Endless imaginary lightsabre duels with imaginary foes (complete with sound effects), asthmatic breathing (who else do you know made asthma cool?) and the all important, invisible FORCE.
And the penultimate bad guy in Star Wars? Obviously, it has to be Darth Vader. In the 30+ years since his debut, there has been no badder-ass, evil-exuding asthma sufferer that’s quite caught the world’s attention as Lord Vader.
Sure, the fashion’s gone out of style since then, and he might have only come in 3rd by The American Film Institute’s list of the greatest movie villains after Hannibal Lecter and Norman Bates, but hey, who else do you know can force choke you with only a flick of the wrist with nary a care in the world?
If I saw Vader in real life today, I’d prostrate myself in front of him in awe. I remember going to bed worried that Vader was hiding under there.
Heck…Darth Vader IS Star Wars.
Tall and menacing, Darth Vader is the most potent icon of the Galactic Empire’s might. The protege of the Emperor himself, Vader answers to only the highest in the Imperial command structure and is granted great leeway in the work he conducts on his master’s behalf.
Once a Jedi, Vader possesses absolute command over the Force, and through him it is directed to terrible and often fatal effect. As a Lord of the Sith, the Dark Side flows through him, and it can be channeled to kill with a single thought or to subdue his detractors, enemies, and sometimes even subordinates.
Feared by Rebels and Imperials alike, Darth Vader is a terrifying union of man and machine hidden beneath black robes and forbidding armor. Determined to hunt down and extinguish the Rebel Alliance, Vader commands the massive Imperial fleet and rules his forces through unquestionable terror, much like some bosses we’ve all come across in real life at least once. *rolls eyes*
Having been such a big part of my childhood, it was inevitable I caved in and got myself a Sideshow Collectibles Premium Format Darth Vader statue. This piece is a museum quality 1/4 scale reproduction of the Dark Lord’s appearance in Star Wars: A New Hope.
The multi-layered costume has expertly tailored clothing with a body and armor cast in heavy-weight polystone and other mediums, each chosen to best represent the original costume.
The lightsabre, chest and belt panels feature electronic light function, as you can well see. However, as you can also see, the light up function on the lightsabre doesn’t seem to be even, showing up bright on only the tip and base of the sabre. Nitpicking aside, this is still totally beautiful. The light saber is an exact replica of Vader’s saber in Episode 5.
The clothing is real: Cloth for the cape and drapes, leather (or vinyl) for the suit and boots!
Towering over most other collectibles at a height of 23″, this statue certainly has the presence befitting of such an iconic character.
I’d give this beautiful statue 4.5 / 5. This piece basically loses points over the uneven light of the lightsabre and the unimaginative pose. Although, it has to be said, this pose is truly movie accurate.
The first Star Wars film hit screens in 1977 and was titled Star Wars: A New Hope. Basically this was Episode 4 in a series of 9, the last three of which seem unlikely to be made at this time.
Just for kicks, I pulled out a clip of duel between Obi Wan and Vader:
