Summary
The Empire Strikes Backset many precedents and established plenty of important lore for theStar Warsuniverse. But one fan discovered a particularly obscure yet oddly significant detail regarding Darth Vader in the movie. Maybe Anakin Skywalker’s eternally memed aversion to sand had some other effects.
The ice planet Hoth section ofThe Empire Strikes Backremains among the most iconic sequences in the entireStar Warsfranchise. To give an idea of how impactful this sequel still is, that section is also one that fans quickly forget as the film moves to more exciting and impactful moments. But it’s not just the brilliant cinematography and action that elevates it. It also features one of the few moments where Darth Vader joins a battle alongside his troops. This is even well before he beginsforeshadowing his big twist inThe Empire Strikes Back.
But as pointed out byWheatley-Crabbon theStar Warssubreddit, this battle marks another significant first for Darth Vader. It turns out that this is the only time in the entire original trilogy that Vader sets foot planetside on any world. Go ahead, try to think of another one. It’s not that easy? That’s because, as strange as it sounds, he never comes into contact with the actual ground anywhere but in this scene during these first three films. Perhaps his hatred of sand, as seen inAttack of the Clones, affected his willingness as Vader to touch grass.
For those still having trouble believing this claim from someone who woke up and chose chaos, another user looked at Darth Vader’s various appearances throughout the trilogy to drive it home. First, he shows up on the Blockade Runner ship in search of the Death Star plans inStar Wars: A New Hope, then spends the rest of the movie on the Death Star itself (give or take the time in his spinning TIE Advanced fighter trying not to hurl). InEmpire Strikes Back, aside from the Hoth scene,Darth Vader is either on his flagship with his suit apparatusor in Cloud City, a city in the clouds, not on the ground. Wild, right?
“Funny, I had never thought of this but it’s true.
ANH: First seen on the Blockade Runner then spends the rest of the movie on the Death Star
ESB: Outside the [mentioned] scene on Hoth, Vader is either on his flagship or Cloud City
RotJ: Vader goes between being on a Star Destoryer or the Death Star for most of the movie. For the scene on Endor he is high up on the landing platform/AT-AT docking bridge.”
Finally,Return of the Jedisees Darth Vader do more traveling but ultimately still adhere to the claim. Some might bring up his scene on the forest moon of Endor, but he never leaves the landing platform during that scene. Technically, not planetside, andStar Warsfans love their technicalities. Hey, here’s another one straight from the comments. Technically, Vader’s feet haven’t touched any planet sinceAnakin and Obi-Wan dueled inRevenge of the Sith.
“Trick question, his feet are still on Mustafar.”
But even aside from the robot leg concession, it’s fascinating to think of how Vader spent 99% of his time in the originalStar Warstrilogy off the ground. Maybe it’s an unintentional allusion to how he’s “more machine now than man,” as spoken by Obi-Wan.The difference between Anakin and Darth Vaderis often subtle, and given Anakin’s affinity for ships and piloting over staying on the ground, it looks like some things carried over.
TheStar Warssaga is available on Disney Plus.
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise created by George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd with the 1977 motion picture. The science fiction franchise follows the adventures of characters (both humanoid and alien) in outer space, including those who can wield a mystical power known as the Force. Since the release of the original trilogy movies, the franchise has expanded to include multiple films and branched out to other mediums like comics, video games, TV shows, theme park attractions, and more. The IP and Lucasfilm were sold to Disney in 2012.
