Darth Vader is a central fictional character in the Star Wars franchise, originally introduced as a menacing Sith Lord and primary antagonist of the original trilogy. Before becoming Darth Vader, he was Anakin Skywalker, a heroic Jedi Knight known for his exceptional power and skill

. Anakin was once a goodhearted Jedi who secretly married Senator Padmé Amidala. He was plagued by visions of her dying in childbirth, which led him to seek forbidden Sith powers to prevent her death. Manipulated by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine—who was secretly the Sith Lord Darth Sidious—Anakin succumbed to the dark side, adopting the Sith name Darth Vader

. As Darth Vader, he became an agent of evil, helping Palpatine destroy the Jedi Order and enforce the Galactic Empire’s rule. He is infamous for his ruthless actions, including leading the attack on the Jedi Temple and killing young Jedi trainees. After a fierce duel with his former mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi on the volcanic planet Mustafar, Anakin was left severely injured and transformed into a cybernetically enhanced cyborg encased in black armor, which sustains his life and produces his iconic mechanical breathing

. Vader is the husband of Padmé Amidala and father to twins Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa. Throughout the original trilogy, he pursues the Rebel Alliance and attempts to turn his son Luke to the dark side. Ultimately, he redeems himself by turning against the Emperor to save Luke, sacrificing his own life in the process

. Darth Vader is widely regarded as one of the most iconic villains in cinema history, recognized for his distinctive black armor, deep mechanical breathing, and commanding presence. The character was physically portrayed by David Prowse and voiced by James Earl Jones in the original films, with Hayden Christensen portraying Anakin in the prequel trilogy

. In summary, Darth Vader is Anakin Skywalker’s dark alter ego—a tragic figure who fell from heroic Jedi Knight to Sith Lord and ultimately found redemption through his son