Waiting For Darth Vader

Now that another episode of Star Wars is coming out this December. I must admit that I’m still pining for the last episode, Revenge of the Sith. In my opinion, Episode III was a big disappointment, an epic blockbuster that should have been but never was. I remember being so excited. Finally, fans were going to see how Darth Vader became the most feared, kick-ass alpha villain in the galaxy. My anticipation was over the moon. To my regret, the movie never lived up to my expectations. I left the theatre thinking: “Was that it?--Really?”

My disappointment was not only for myself, but also for Hayden Christiansen who I thought was the perfect actor to play the role, if only he had been given a role to play. Instead, his character was still stuck in Episode II. He was still just a Jedi-in-training, still taking orders and needing correction from his less capable Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi.

What happen? One article I read cited Lucas as saying that he made the movie he had wanted to make despite the disappointment of some fans that were eager to see Darth Vader swinging his light saber as the one, true chosen recipient and all-powerful commander of the force.

What a selfish comment I thought at the time, and still think. As an author of a fiction novel, you must learn how to do both. Yes, you write the story you want to write. But you can’t just write for yourself. You must always take your readers into consideration. You must consider their feelings when developing your plot and when figuring out your characters and what will happen to them. Above all, you must deliver what you promised—and here lies the reason for my discontent. We never got what we were promised.

The Star Wars saga was as much about Darth Vader as it was about Luke Skywalker. May be not in the beginning, in 1977, when it first exploded onto the screen. But as the prequels progressed, and we became invested in the characters and learned that Darth Vader was Luke’s father, we were promised, by that revelation, a story that would reveal how it all came about. We were promised a story about Darth Vader’s rise. We were led to believe that Revenge of the Sith would show us just how strong the force was with Anakin and how he became the ultimate villain. Instead, we got a pouty plot with Anakin still mourning the loss of his mother and fearful he would also lose his wife--a conflicted and confused Jedi who lacked the confidence to stand up to the Jedi council and become the all powerful knight he was supposed to be. He couldn’t even reveal his marriage to Padme, or see behind the manipulations of the Supreme Chancellor, Palpatine. Does that sound like someone who could ever become the most feared bad ass in the galaxy?

So my enthusiasm for this latest installment is not there. Don’t get me wrong. I'm still going to see The Force Awakens; I’m just not dying to see it. It’s hard for me to get all “worked-up” about it when the last episode left me so unfulfilled and still waiting for Darth Vader.

Beginning battle scene summary:

Anakin is a one man wrecking crew. He swoops in and blast all the enemies ships out of the orbit before Obi Wan has the chance to get off his first shot. Obi Wan is left wandering why he ever came.

Anakin battles Count Dooku scene summary:

Instead of a fight scene, Count Dooku immediately drops his light saber and bows to Anakin, knowing he is no match for the Jedi. Anakin nods his head to the Count in recognition of the Count's submission. Anakin turns to the Supreme Chancellor. Then, in a flash, Anakin turns around and lops the Count's head off. With a swagger in his gait, Anakin walks away without giving the Chancellor a second glance.

Anakin & Obi Wan battle summary:

This is the scene where Anakin misjudges his attack on Obi Wan and falls into the volcanic ash, disfiguring his face.

As you can see from the photo, the two appear evenly matched. In my version, Anakin would have been kicking Obi Wan's Kenobi. You would see Anakin reeling his saber with such skill and quickness, running away would be the only alternative for Obi Wan. Finally, the Jedi Master is cornered, with his light saber knocked out of his hand, Anakin is about to deliver the final blow to Obi Wan when a earthquake occurs and Anakin falls into the ash.