Why Are People In Love With Darth Vader?

The Star Wars franchise gave movie and pop culture lovers one of the most iconic bad guys of all time. Some people say that the entire franchise would be unwatchable without Darth Vader’s brutality. He truly is one chilling villain. However, most surprising is the fact that action-figure collectors, whether kids or grown-ups are more than willing to pay for high-value items like the Darth Vader 30cm Figure to add their collection; and this isn’t even the first time that a bad guy has become the most sought after merchandise of a franchise.

So, what’s the deal? Why do folks love the villains more than the heroes? According to psychiatry, one reason people love them is that they resemble themselves in some ways. Whether you agree or not, this article will at least give you an idea of why Darth Vader is so appealing.

1. The helmet: The legendary concept designer from America, Ralph McQuarrie, and a sculptor from Britain, Brian Muir, envisioned the physical design and characteristics of Darth Vader. McQuarrie was just a child during World War II, but he realized later that he gained inspiration for this character unconsciously from the combat helmets used by the Germans. The gas masks used back then also attracted him. There’s a bit of both in the helmet worn by this iconic villain.

2. The dark side: The malignant nature of the Lord of the Sith was perfectly visible in A New Hope, particularly when his black figure casually walks into Leia’s white Corellian corvette. His deliberately slow gait while inspecting the dead bodies lying on the floor proves that this ghastly being is going to be the nemesis of every hero that will appear later in the film. The uniquely dark silhouette of Darth Vader was about to define his on-screen presence throughout the entire trilogy.

3. The inhuman appearance: Darth Vader does have two hands, one head, and two legs, and he physically looks just like any other human. Those who saw the face hiding under the mask know what to expect while watching the original trilogy. However, those who never saw it would surely identify this character as the faceless personification of everything despicable. Despite all the humanly features, the dark and soulless eyes combined with a robotic mouthpiece and an armored dome make him unimaginably inhuman while in costume.

4. The intimidating presence: Regardless of the gruesomeness of the scene, whenever Darth Vader enters the scene, viewers may feel intimidated, and helpless to do anything about it. Whether he walks through a room full of dead bodies or a valley laden with exotic blooms, nothing could affect his intimidating presence. David Prowse is the original actor who played the iconic role of this character. His immense physique combined with the samurai-inspired costume gave Vader an ominous presence.

A Tragic Hero

There’s much to be said about collectors of the iconic character. Those who own the Darth Vader Pop! Vinyl, for example, own it with pride, because they know the character isn’t pure evil. He has been a tragic hero, much like Brutus in Julius Caesar. The original trilogy presented the character as a despicable individual, but the prequel trilogy adds complexity to his story. He was nothing more than a wayward nine-year-old slave on Tatooine. He received a Jedi’s training and even earned the title of being “the Chosen One,” until the other villain Palpatine reeled him in under his wing and brainwashed him into becoming the iconic villain he is.

What do you think of Vader? A complicated character, or one-dimensional bad guy? Do you collect Star Wars merchandise, and if so, do you own more heroes or villains?

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