Crazy-ass Episode VII rumor du jour: Darth Vader returns, and Obi-Wan killed your father

‘Industry insiders’ tell Express.co.uk that Darth Vader will be returning in Episode VII.

“He’s an integral part of the franchise. Replacing him is virtually impossible,” explains a film mole.

“The plan is for him to return and play a significant role in the new films.”

Lest we forget, Darth Vader died – as Anakin Skywalker – in Episode VI, Return of the Jedi. And I’m sure this can be fanwanked to hell and back – flashback? Zombie? Reincarnation? – but for now, let’s just remember that sometimes a rumor is just a rumor.

17 Replies to “Crazy-ass Episode VII rumor du jour: Darth Vader returns, and Obi-Wan killed your father”

  1. Just tabloid trash (but I expect The Daily Mail will respond by publishing an outraged opinion piece about how the Sith are corrupting our UK schools).

    Nothing to see here.
    Move along, move along.

  2. The crazy thing is, it makes financial sense. Vader IS integral to the franchise and its value. No character moves the needle like Vader does. However, I don’t think that means he’ll be in the ST. I do think it means they’ll go back and do a “Dark Times” movie or TV series that will in fact have Vader.

    We all know that Lucas’ version of the LAS allegedly did not have Vader or the main characters. And that’s fine. But you can bet that Disney understands that a “Jedi Purge” type TV series or movie(s) would be very popular.

    Vader is the crown jewel in the Star Wars marketing world and Disney is gonna leverage that one way or the other.

  3. Okay, only because we see Vader as Anakin’s ghost at the end of RotJ, that will keep him from coming back like the many versions of Fett. What could work is he can appear to Luke more as a force ghost. I’m sure midichlorians will be explain it but there you go.

  4. I am confident that Disney is in touch with the “real world”, and will not go off on this crazy tangent. Boba Fett surviving the Sarlaac was quite enough, thank you.

  5. They could do it in a Jedi Prince type of way: Somebody pieces together Vader’s armor and pulls a Dark Empire style return with a “Maul vs. Vader” type reincarnation. Et voilà: Vader. Not really Vader, but enough of Vader to make it to the teaser poster. ;-)
    BTW: When the first rumors of Grievous hit, I didn’t believe that Lucas would throw a droid general at us. Look what happened… :-)

  6. Aaron makes a good point–VADER is the lynchpin, not Anakin Skywalker. It’s the armor, the breathing, the “I find your lack of faith disturbing” that sells, not Anakin’s character arc. So Anakin can have been dead for a hundred years, that doesn’t mean someone isn’t going to try and bring back Darth Vader.

    Not to mention, this is Star Wars, remember? Even if they literally want Anakin-as-Vader, that’s what clones are for….

  7. This would only happen if the studio had gone completely insane and was convinced no one would see a Star Wars movie without Vader. Episode 1 and 2 mad plenty of money without him (Anakin doesn’t count.) I believe, and hope, they know people don’t just watch Star Wars for Vader.

  8. Of course, Luke’s son could turn to the dark side and try to symbolically pick up the Vader mantle, in the same sense of the Green Goblin. Something dynastic. Just as Luke was to fulfill the potential “light side” destiny of Anakin, Luke’s son could be corrupted to try and fulfill the potential Dark Side destiny of Vader (he was only the apprentice and never became the Sith Master, he only played second fiddle to Palpatine).

    What seems logical, considering the logical and thematic balances and arcs of the movies, and general things from the Expanded Universe, is that (a) Anakin will appear to Luke (as a ghost) to help guide him in the crisis. Hayden Christianson’s appearance will tie the prequel together with the original trilogy. (b) Luke or Leia’s son, a descendant of Anakin, a member of the Skywalker clan, and all their genetic potential, will try to start an evil insurrection and overthrow the Republic.

    This is where all the major philosophical issues will come about, as Lucas has foreshadowed.

    a. When is a rebellion justified? Some rebellions are “good,” like the American Revolution (the Rebel Alliance), whereas others are bad and motivated purely by right-wing, oppressive, commercial based ideology, such as the Confederacy in U.S. history (this was like the Trade Federation in the prequels, very abstractly though, without the slavery issue, but with the commerce as justification for revolt issue).

    b. How is it not hypocritical for the New Republic, born in Revolution and Rebellion to put down a new insurrection, without betraying its founding principles? Sort of like the philosophical problems facing Lincoln in 1861.

    c. You will see the Republic, founded by the Skywalkers, accused of the same thing Dookoo and Palpatine accused the Old Republic of: cronyism, nepotism, corruption and the like. The idealism of Luke and Leia will face the harsh realities of government, and this will make the Sith ideology much more appealing among the younger generations. Luke and Leia will have to try and learn the lessons of their mother, Padme and what she learned on Naboo, to try and avert another Galactic Civil War, without de-legitimizing the one that brought the Skywalkers to power.

  9. I suppose that this will be a Napoleonic style thing. Look at France in the 19th Century. Rather than get a new name, Napoleon III just renamed himself after his famous Uncle, Napoleon I.

    I think the new “Vader,” may not be Vader, per se, but could be a descendent of Vader who will pick up the mantle and don the suit, and call himself Vader, so as to unify the Sith factions. He will try to use his genetic linneage to legitimize this claim. Why claim another Sith name, if you can so strongly identify with one of the biggest Sith of them all?

  10. “BTW: When the first rumors of Grievous hit, I didn’t believe that Lucas would throw a droid general at us. Look what happened… :-)”

    I don’t think “a droid general will lead the droid army” is even remotely like the rumor that Darth Vader will literally come back from the dead. Yes, I realise Maul and Boba did, but we never saw their ghosts (heck, two ghosts for that matter).

    I have no faith in the Daily Express. Take it from a Brit, they’re not a reliable source. And I think Lucasfilm know that bringing Vader back would be a ridiculous thing to do.

    The only scenario I see is something like Taboo proposed – someone dresses up as Vader to continue his legacy. But even that would seem hackneyed.

  11. @Josh: Again, they are talking about Vader, not Anakin. Anakin’s story is over or should be, but that doesn’t mean they won’t use Vader somehow. And there are possibilities that wouldn’t even involve him; Taboo mentioned some, I mentioned some.
    And to generalize a litte: How close will the sequels be to the classic trilogy anyway: Will we see star destroyers? X wings? TIE fighters? Will the new Jedi put on their old bathrobes? Will the Millennium Falcon still fly? And will Han Solo still wear the same clothes?
    The Vader thing is just a part of that wider array of questions. And personally I could accept it if Vader’s helmet were to inspire the new bad guy/gal. An actual comeback of Vader, on the other hand, would be a tough sell.

  12. I also hear that the Empire isnt totally dead thirty years after the Endor victory and liberation of Coruscant, Naboo, Kashyyk and other places. Sources are saying that a thirty or forty year Cold War type situation may be envisioned by Lucas and that an uneasy truce consisting if covert ops but no major battles will turn the republic into a quasi police state.

    A cloned Vader or Skywalker who goes bad and picks up the mantle could fit in here. Remember, Lucas is a history buff and is using Caesar and Napoleon and the American Revolution and Civil war for allusions and ideas.

  13. Any villain can be placed in Vader’s suit to take advantage of his vile reputation…especially a very nasty one, the kind Disney likes

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