Since his introduction in the Star Wars movie, Darth Vader has become a pop-culture icon. The character has since appeared in several other films, TV shows, video games, and books and is one of the most well-known antagonists ever.
In the past four decades, audiences have witnessed Vader’s rise, fall, and ultimate redemption on the screen.
Now, Hayden Christensen reprises his role as Vader in Obi-Wan Kenobi, a Star Wars project that once again centers on Darth Vader as the antagonist.
It seems that most of Vader’s life has already been covered extensively in Star Wars media so there wouldn’t be more to show. Even so, considering how popular the character is, bringing him back will always be an enticing idea unless Lucasfilm decides to drop the Skywalker tale altogether.
Some fans of the franchise have expressed interest in even seeing a spinoff show dedicated to Vader, as the studio continues to make more movies and TV shows. Even Christensen is interested in the idea.
In a Screen Rant interview to promote the new show, Christensen was asked whether he would consider playing Vader again. The actor expressed enthusiasm regarding the possibility and also suggested that publishing materials could serve as a springboard for further stories.
Here’s what the actor had to say on his chances of appearing once again as Vader:
“I don’t know. I can’t answer that question. I certainly would love to continue with this character, and I feel like there’s more there to do. But we’ll see… In preparing for this, I did as much research as I could. And I got to read some of these Darth Vader comics, these standalone comics that just focus on Darth Vader, and [there’s] some really interesting stuff there. I don’t know. But yeah, I would love to get to do this again.”
Christensen
As with any Star Wars project, the key is finding a compelling narrative to tell. The Sith Lord’s role is related to Obi-Wan Kenobi’s personal trauma, so Vader feels like an organic continuation of the prequels would be him ruthlessly hunting down his former master. Future appearances should aim for something along those lines, fleshing out the character and adding to his mythos.
There has been criticism of Disney’s Star Wars relying too heavily on fan service at times. This is why having Vader return just for the sake of it, might not be the best idea.
However, there might still be more of Vader to explore. For example, it would be interesting to follow Vader during the early days of the Empire’s reign. A film or series of this type could potentially lend depth to his dynamic with Emperor Palpatine.
As for Christensen, he isn’t quite finished with Star Wars yet. Anakin will reportedly appear in flashbacks or as a Force ghost in the upcoming Ahsoka series. But it remains unclear whether he will play Vader again.
There don’t seem to be any natural roles for him within Lucasfilm’s current lineup unless he surprises us in Andor this summer.
It’s possible they might announce a new spinoff or movie for Vader at some point, but this might be a time when it’s better for the studio to let Star Wars’ legacy characters rest and start telling stories about new characters that the audiences will love.
While it is great that Christensen is enthusiastic about continuing in Star Wars after Obi-Wan Kenobi, it feels like his character’s time in the franchise has come to an end…unless Lucasfilm and Christensen have some surprises up their sleeves.
For now, fans can watch Darth Vader and his story unfold further in Obi-Wan Kenobi, on Disney+.
About Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi is a Star Wars spinoff series directed by Deborah Chow for Disney+. It premiered on May 27, 2022 on Disney+.
The main cast includes Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen, who will be reprising their roles for Obi-Wan and Vader, respectively. Additionally joining them are Kumail Nanjiani, Indira Varma, Joel Edgerton, Bonni Piesse, and Rupert Friend among many others.
The show follows Obi-Wan Kenobi ten years after the events of Revenge of the Sith where he faced his greatest defeat, the downfall and corruption of his best friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker turned evil Sith Lord Darth Vader.
Source: Disney+
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