Rumors About Darth Vader's Beginning Have Root In The Past

Posted Monday, January 27, 2003 at 2:41 PM Central

by Tim Briscoe

[WARNING: This article contains several possible spoilers about the events to happen in the forthcoming Star Wars: Episode III. If you do not want to ruin the movie by knowing the potential storyline, do NOT read this story!]

For the period between Episodes V (The Empire Strikes Back) and Episode VI (Return Of The Jedi), George Lucas had everyone talking about the truth behind Vader's claim to be Luke Skywalker's father. Between 1980 and 1983, the general public debated the paternity but most were like Luke and refused to believe. Of course, we were eventually given the bitter truth but were never given the real details. How does Luke's father, Anakin Skywalker, became the masked Darth Vader?

The final chapter of Lucas' sci-fi tale told in chronological disorder will undoubtedly give us that answer. And, once again, the fans are all a-buzz concerning the possible Vader origin. The difference this time is that the fans are looking at some historical clues.

The unofficial Star Wars fan voice, TheForce.net has reported findings from an interview with Lucas in 'Rolling Stone' -- an interview published in Aug. 25, 1977. George Lucas gives a bit of Vader's origin saying, "Vader kills Luke's father, then Ben [Obi-Wan] and Vader have a confrontation, just like they have in Star Wars, and Ben almost kills Vader. As a matter of fact, he falls into a volcanic pit and gets fried and is one destroyed being. That's why he has a breathing mask. It's like a walking iron lung."

Vader's fiery beginnings have also been corroborated by a report in the August 1978 issue of 'Future Magazine': "[One possible script shows] a young, handsome Darth turning rogue Jedi, killing Luke Skywalker's father and being pushed into a pool of molten lava by avenging angel Ben Kenobi. Darth is so badly scarred that he dons his black armor forever. It serves as a combination exoskeleton and walking iron lung. The second version portrays Darth as being, in reality, Luke Skywalker's father." Various mentions from Star Wars toys and miscellaneous books of the '80s and even '90s include this same mention of a volcanic duel.

There's also talk of a Episode III set being developed that includes snow. The theory has Lucas not satisfied with the idea of just a molten planet, wanting to add a "fire and ice" setting where the snowfall immediately melts upon hitting the hot planet. Thus setting up the purported duel on a stage where Obi-Wan and Anakin/Vader clash amidst falling snow and lava pits.

This is surely only the beginning of the Episode III rumor ride ahead of us. After all, it's a long time until the film's opening on May 25, 2005.