Current Events > Darth Vader was cooler outside of the original trilogy

(+) Yeah! (+)

In other media he's a hulking badass who basically kills everyone he comes across

In the OT, he's a huge failure

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True dat, playa.

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"This character is much cooler in fanfiction" is a statement that can be applied to basically every character ever.

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Not Jebadiah Sprungfeld

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In 1977 there was nothing like Darth Vader in the world of film. His mere presence, his menacing costume, and JEJ's voice were far more than enough to sell his character.

Now he's old hat, so people demand he does "the cool thing" to try to recapture that feeling.

That's why he has his scene in Rogue One.

That's why Kanan and Ezra are nigh useless against him in Rebels.

That's why Cal Kestis can't fight him directly in Fallen Order.

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Apology accepted captain needa

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ANH and RO are the only Vaders I'm not particularly fond of.

And in fairness, RO Vader was amazing during the part that feels like it was actually a part of the movie and not a tacked on "GRR I'M DISNEY AND VADER NEEDS MORE SCREEN TIME" scene.

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Vader in Rogue One and Fallen Order actually feels like the terminator that he is reputed to be in the original trilogy. Rather than the stiff board that we got.

The end of Fallen Order was so fucking intimidating

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Duncanwii posted...

"This character is much cooler in fanfiction" is a statement that can be applied to basically every character ever.

is it really fanfiction if it's extended universe stuff?

Yeah Vaders appearance was great, but when he basically became a lapdog in V, spun out in IV, and lost in VI rather stupidly(I'll take it as a limitation of that era and not how he was supposed to lose, the chosen one getting overwhelmed by someone with what...half a year of training?)

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CyricZ posted...

In 1977 there was nothing like Darth Vader in the world of film. His mere presence, his menacing costume, and JEJ's voice were far more than enough to sell his character.

Although, if you go back and watch ANH, he actually doesn't feel like the Vader we know and love at all. He throws a legit tantrum in the opening scene, for example. It wasn't until ESB that his cool-headed yet menacing feel really settled into place.

Han Solo is the same way, but honestly I prefer ANH Han.

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Akagami_Shanks posted...

is it really fanfiction if it's extended universe stuff?

Yeah Vaders appearance was great, but when he basically became a lapdog in V, spun out in IV, and lost in VI rather stupidly(I'll take it as a limitation of that era and not how he was supposed to lose, the chosen one getting overwhelmed by someone with what...half a year of training?)

The Force helped Luke defeat him.

DevsBro posted...

Although, if you go back and watch ANH, he actually doesn't feel like the Vader we know and love at all. He throws a legit tantrum in the opening scene, for example. It wasn't until ESB that his cool-headed yet menacing feel really settled into place.

Han Solo is the same way, but honestly I prefer ANH Han.

Wrong.

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DevsBro posted...

Although, if you go back and watch ANH, he actually doesn't feel like the Vader we know and love at all. He throws a legit tantrum in the opening scene, for example. It wasn't until ESB that his cool-headed yet menacing feel really settled into place.

Han Solo is the same way, but honestly I prefer ANH Han.

Well we're not supposed to "love" Vader. He's a villain. We're supposed to be frightened of him, or at least be intimidated by him. Don't forget this is 70's cinema we're talking about. People weren't exactly in the headspace to look at a menacing figure dressed in black with a skull mask and go "wow how cool". We weren't even in the Dark Age of Comics yet.

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i'd love to see an updated vision of the OT

we already have

EP 9 spoilers People pulling ships out of the sky, force projections, etc... so i'm wondering with new special effects tech what powers they would give Vader, since he's supposed to be one of the, if not THE strongest force users

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Akagami_Shanks posted...

In the OT, he's a huge failure

well yeah

better that than Rogue One where he's making puns

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CyricZ posted...

Well we're not supposed to "love" Vader. He's a villain. We're supposed to be frightened of him, or at least be intimidated by him. Don't forget this is 70's cinema we're talking about. People weren't exactly in the headspace to look at a menacing figure dressed in black with a skull mask and go "wow how cool". We weren't even in the Dark Age of Comics yet.

I use the term more as a figure of speech.

But what I mean is his character got a couple of updates between ANH and ESB.

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Comic Vader ftw



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Akagami_Shanks posted...

is it really fanfiction if it's extended universe stuff?

All extended works became fanfiction the second Disney took over. Sorry.

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Akagami_Shanks posted...

i'd love to see an updated vision of the OT

Oh please no. Star Wars holds up enough. It doesn't need remakes.

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Freddie_Mercury posted...

well yeah

better that than Rogue One where he's making puns

That scene was so bad. And not just the dumb joke.

It was clearly tacked on at the last minute and serves no purpose whatsoever. All they needed was the vat scene to set him up for his kickassery.

All he does is mimick his own most iconic body language in contexts that don't make sense and tell Krennek the same crap that Tarkin tells him already, then make a stupid joke to remind us he is the same guy as awful prequel Anakin. The joke almost could have worked as a combination homage/farewell to the character if he were a lovable character instead of an annoying turboemo.

I get that James Earl Jones' iconic voice is at least as important to Vader's identity as the mask and stuff but it really doesn't justify a completely worthless scene with awful directing and acting that adds absolutely nothing to the film except hearing the guy's voice.

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Duncanwii posted...

All extended works became fanfiction the second Disney took over. Sorry.

there is a new extended universe too.

Basically, every appearance Vader has had outside of the OT actually made him feel threatening in currently canon, or previously canon, works.

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I think it is a bit unfair to call him out in the OT.

Episode 4 he is cautious fighting Obi-Wan since you know, Obi-Wan fucked him up.

Episode 5 he knows Luke is his son, and is purposefully trying not to harm him too badly so that he can turn him.

Episode 6 he is conflicted, and is fighting a true Luke Skywalker Jedi.

Makes sense in those situations he wouldn't be such a badass. Times when it isn't about that stuff though? He is a fucking beast.

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ThePrinceFish posted...

Vader in Rogue One and Fallen Order actually feels like the terminator that he is reputed to be in the original trilogy. Rather than the stiff board that we got.

The end of Fallen Order was so fucking intimidating

For real. Probably the only time they've truly showed why Vader was feared.

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Vader in Fallen Order just destroying the whole place with the Force is how i imagine Vader to actually be, not the knuckle dragger he was in the movies

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One thing I will say about Vader: in the OT I think he was sort of too important to be dealing with common rabble. He could use his force powers on random soldiers, but he fulfilling more important leadership roles.

It is more the EU and to some extent the PT that established him as a sort of warrior general. Which is cool, but not really what they were going for originally, I think.

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He was fine in the original trilogy. Was.

It's the prequel trilogy that turns him into a cringey twerp, and makes it impossible to take him seriously anywhere else (including the original trilogy now).

It's fucking astounding how one of the most iconic villains in science fiction became one of its biggest laughing stocks. Truly blows my mind.
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Inferno Dive Dragoon posted...

He was fine in the original trilogy. Was.

It's the prequel trilogy that turns him into a cringey twerp, and makes it impossible to take him seriously anywhere else (including the original trilogy now).

It's fucking astounding how one of the most iconic villains in science fiction became one of its biggest laughing stocks. Truly blows my mind.

If you think that, you've never played any Star Wars video games, seen Rebels, or seen Rouge One.

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Vader is awesome in Rebels. Actually feels like the force of nature he's meant to be.

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I mean he was unstoppable in empire strikes back

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dave_is_slick posted...

If you think that, you've never played any Star Wars video games, seen Rebels, or seen Rouge One.

Wouldn't make any difference if I did, I'm always going to associate Vader with his enthusiasm for pod racing and hatred of sand. Can't even escape that embarrassing "nooooo" because they put it in the special editions of the OT.

For me, at least, there's just no salvaging the character, and I don't call myself a fan of him anymore.
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People like TC is why Star Wars is how it is now.

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Darth Vader was never cool

star wars was never good

except for rogue one

Inferno Dive Dragoon posted...

I'm always going to associate Vader with his enthusiasm for pod racing and hatred of sand. Can't even escape that embarrassing "nooooo" because they put it in the special editions of the OT.

All of these are courtesy of:

1. A mere kid.
2. A teenaged(?) Anakin
3. A young, impressionable adult who was lead to believe that he killed the love of his life

Vader, on the other hand, has none of that. Vader was Anakin, sure, but nobody treats them as the same person. Anakin is essentially dead.

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