There cannot be a villain more iconic in a sci-fi movie than Darth Vader. That sinister aura and the breathing as well as that epic all-black costume makes Darth Vader such a terrifying presence. This guy oozes evil and we love him for it. The Star Wars movies and shows have done their best to portray Darth Vader as a terrifying force to be reckoned with. He can bring down Star Destroyers and wreck whole cities using the Dark Side. Darth Vader has accomplished feats no living human being in the Galaxy far, far away has ever been able to. But for all his feats, Star Wars is still guilty of underselling Darth Vader and nerfing his abilities, turning him from a Force God to a mere foot soldier.
Second only to Emperor Palpatine, Darth Vader is someone who deserves more respect than he commands in the movies. But the non-movie material have actually done a better job at showcasing the full extent of his Force abilities. The movies and shows are forever doomed to only tease a fraction of his true strength. Why is that?
Star Wars Movies Always Fail To Show Darth Vader’s Force God Powers
The original Star Wars trilogy movies did their best to project Darth vader as the Villain to end all villains. But in the process, they committed one fatal error. Darth vader rarely fights using his lethal combat abilities in battle. There’s barely one lightsaber duel per movie in the OG trilogy. And they are rather lackluster compared to how brutal Darth Vader gets in the comic books and light novels. In Return of the Jedi, Darth vader and Luke Skywalker duke it out but the focus is less on the battle and more on their characters.
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Empire Strikes Back sees Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader battle but their were bydgetory and technical restrictions at the time. The fragility of lightsaber props meant the fight could not be as intense. Darth vader was moreover merely toying with Obi-Wan rather than actually get serious in the battle. The only movie that is an exception to this rule is Rogue One, which was a masterclass in various aspects. The darth vader hallway fight scene will be forever etched as one of the greatest Star Wars action sequences to have been ever made.
But that was one fight. Star Wars has the original, the prequel, and the sequel trilogy along with the spin-off projects. And all it could ever give us was one good Darth Vader fight scene.
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Obi-Wan Kenobi Episode 5 Proves Live-Action Star Wars Will Never Acknowledge Darth Vader’s Combat Skills
Obi-Wan Kenobi Episode 5 does try in this area. Darth Vader returns from the dead and boy is he pissed. When he gets to Jabiim, Vader gets to work after stopping a transport carrier that was on full thrust in mid-air. Then with a flick of his wrist, he strips down the entire carrier like it was a house of cards. After Reva tries to kill him from his blindspot, Vader shows surprising dexterity as he mauls down every attempt by the Third Sister to land a blow on him.
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The fight is not as impressive because vader barely moves but in one way, that is a testament to his powers. Vader is so freakishly strong that even Reva cannot make him break a sweat, let alone force him to draw his lightsaber.
The Star Wars Comic Books Showcase Vader’s True Force God Powers
In the comic books, there is the legendary tale of the Battle of Vrogas Vas. Entire regiments of Rebel Troopers and Armored Convoys pitted against a single man – Darth Vader. Sure the rebels are no match for Vader but their sheer numerical superiority meant not even Darth vader would escape this fight alive. And it turns out, he just did. Vrogas Vas saw Vader chew down all rebel forces, crushing them like a gnat. It was a massacre of legendary proportions.
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Darth Vader and the Lost Command sees Darth Vader bring down a whole city over him. And yet even without his helmet and his life support system, Vader survives, claiming the Dark Side is enough to sustain him as long as he has the hatred and rage in him. Legends goes even further, which see Vader break the barrier between life and death using the Force, breaching into the afterlife.
Star Wars movies are not showing Darth Vader’s truly cosmic abilities probably because he would get too overpowered and then the story gets diluted. His ridiculously OP feats in comic books proves Vader is yet to unleash himself and go all out in the movies. From the looks of it, he probably never will.
