What if Darth Vader is confronted with his past? Hardly any of the viewers who came to the cinemas in 1977 suspected that the true protagonist of Star Wars is actually not the fearless young man Luke Skywalker, but his antagonist Darth Vader, flaunting in the frame with a idlely developing black cloak. The first look at Vader did not foreshadow anything extraordinary in his image. George Lucas introduced the audience to an almost perfect villain, revelling in his own power. The subordinates unquestioningly follow his orders, the enemies fly away from his power, and timid attempts to contradict the will of the Dark Lord turn into painful sufferings for those who disagree, if not death. Watching the development of the narrative of “New Hope”, the audience did not think much about the past of the villain. And yet the director did not miss the moment to hint at the origins of Vader’s biography, attributing him to the traitors of the once majestic Jedi Order, the Knights Defenders of the Old Republic. Familiarizing the audience with the first part of his space Saga, Lucas had no opportunity to delve into the narrative and backstory of the characters, because his tape was a battering ram, punching the “Star Wars” path into a rainbow future. Therefore, it was extremely important to engage the audience in the narrative, while not overstepping the line with suddenly popping up revelations that can confuse even the most attentive viewers. The great success of the film, which turned into record box office, several fully deserved Oscars and the love of the public on both sides of the ocean, allowed Lucas to develop the story, neatly complementing it with intriguing details, among which there was also a place for the image of Darth Vader, who got rid of the custody of the Grand Moff Tarkin and completely headed the fleet of the Emperor himself.
The fifth episode of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, stuns viewers with revelations about the biological heritage of Darth Vader. As it turned out, the spectacular, but somewhat stereotyped villain turned out to be a much deeper, thoughtful figure on the board of galactic confrontation than we could imagine. In addition to all the confidence of the Emperor, finally untied his hands, Vader noted that in the story appeared his son, whose name is Luke Skywalker. No one could imagine that the greatest hero and the most dangerous villain are actually in a blood relationship that threatens to turn into unexpected plot consequences. The final part of the original trilogy, Return of the Jedi, finally dispels the mythology of Vader as a heartless villain, revealing the inner contradictions of the Sith that can once and for all rid the Galaxy of despotism. Thus George Lucas invented and developed one of the most intriguing characters ever to appear in Hollywood cinema, giving rise to a real cult of personality, whose echoes are still heard. Having collected all possible awards and applause, the director gave the words to return to the galaxy far, far away and tell the world about how Vader came to the side of the Emperor. In 1999, "Star Wars" once again climbed to the top of popularity with "The Hidden Menace", which moved the plot action in the final years of the Old Republic.
The first episode of the Prequel Trilogy introduced us to Anakin Skywalker, a young boy growing up in slavery on the desert planet Tatooine. It is here that one should look for the rudiments of the inner dissatisfaction of Anakin, who over the years stepped on the path of the Sith. The next two episodes of the Saga detailed Anakin’s growing up path from slave to Jedi, and from Jedi to Dark Lord. There are no more blank spots left in the narrative and viewers have learned everything that has tormented their minds since 1983, marked by the epochal battle at Endor. And despite a certain amount of criticism thrown at the Prequels, they closed the historical circle, describing the life of Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader from childhood to tragic death. George Lucas has opened up new, previously unexplored pages of his Saga, showing that every decision made has serious consequences. The serene spirit of the Original Trilogy was not reflected in the Prequels, but this is hardly a drawback of the last episodes of Lucas, because he did not want to repeat the past, since a true director always looks ahead, opens uncharted roads leading to the disclosure of fresh ideas.
In order to fully understand the story of Darth Vader, it is necessary to revise all the six episodes of Star Wars in chronological order. Some viewers repeatedly revisit the Saga, looking for previously overlooked details that only open when repeatedly familiarized with the legacy of George Lucas. However, the unstoppable flow of modern life does not always allow you to return to your favorite hobby in full. Realizing this and nourishing a reverent love for Star Wars, independent director and screenwriter Charles Caliste considered it not superfluous to put a modest short film, urgently describing the mental anguish of Vader, in which the flame of Anakin Skywalker has not yet died out. The film “Darth Vader Runs Into Anakin Skywalker” was released on small screens in 2014, when work on the Seventh episode was already underway and in a light, unobtrusive form showed that the Dark Side, nurtured in the arms of the Jedi Order, can bring its lord not only universal power, but also serious confusion. Under the direction of Caliste, a slightly dramatic, hilarious and even comedic story is played out, describing the adventures of Anakin throughout the cinematic Saga. The creators of the short film could not bypass Jar Ja Binks, a ridiculous alien and part-time friend of Anakin from “The Hidden Threat”, which in itself carries humor from which you can not hide.
In the end, I want to say that “Darth Vader Runs Into Anakin Skywalker” will please fans of “Star Wars” with a lively, dynamic story that reveals the secrets of the soul of Darth Vader, who never completely disappeared into the dark side. The tape is useful because its narration quickly runs through all the episodes of George Lucas, highlighting the most important points from them. So if you don’t want to watch or revisit all of Star Wars at once, Dark Vader Runs Into Anakin Skywalker is a great book about Vader and his place in galactic history.
7 out of 10
