Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of Darth Vader

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…. 

For the first time in years, the dark lord of the Sith, Darth Vader, was dreaming. In his dream, his son, Luke Skywalker, had fallen to the Dark Side and joined his father as his new apprentice. Vader’s longtime goal had been accomplished until his own Master, Emperor Palpatine, turned on them both. Startled awake, Vader wonders if this dream was a simple nightmare or a premonition of the future. 

Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of Darth Vader is an epic retelling of the first six Star Wars films (Episode I: The Phantom Menace to Episode VI: Return of the Jedi) entirely from the point of view of Anakin Skywalker, from his early childhood as a slave on Tatooine, to his heroics as a Jedi Knight, and his fall to the Dark Side as the evil Darth Vader, chronicling key events up to and including his redemption and death at the end of Return of the Jedi.  

The book begins with the dream serving as a prologue, shortly before the events of Episode VI. This leads Vader to reflect on his life—beginning with his earliest memory at three years old: Anakin and his mother first arriving on Tatooine. From that moment, the story progresses chronologically, with Anakin’s discovery by Qui-Gon Jinn, his training under Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the mounting pressures of the Clone Wars, the Chosen One prophecy, and an increasing fear of loss that eventually leads to his fall to the Dark Side. 

The concept of using dreams and memories as framing devices is a brilliant decision by author Ryder Windham. It shows that Vader is constantly haunted by the echoes of his past—namely, with the discovery that the Rebel pilot who destroyed the Death Star, Luke Skywalker, is in fact his son. The readers are placed inside Darth Vader’s mind and get to know his exact thoughts during pivotal moments in the saga. This framing is especially effective in providing additional context and emotional depth to Anakin’s fall to the Dark Side during the events of Revenge of the Sith, which otherwise felt rushed. 

It should be noted that this book now falls under Legends continuity—a distinction given to the old Expanded Universe, i.e., most Star Wars books, comics, games, and other media (minus the films and The Clone Wars) released prior to Lucasfilm’s acquisition by Disney in 2012. This means that this book is no longer considered part of the canon that connects to newer films, books, and other media released post-Disney, and instead exists in an alternate continuity. Despite this, The Rise and Fall of Darth Vader remains a faithful retelling of the first six films and stands on its own merits, even if it includes references to Expanded Universe material that is no longer canon. 

Overall, The Rise and Fall of Darth Vader serves both as an excellent retelling of the Star Wars saga and an insightful, emotional study into its main character, offering unparalleled insight into the mind and inner conflict of the most feared man in the galaxy. It is a great choice for middle-school readers who are ready to dive deep into an expanded, more reflective, and emotionally rich retelling of Episodes I-VI through the eyes of Darth Vader. 

Sexual Content 

• During the events of Attack of the Clones, Anakin is reunited with Padme Amidala. After retreating to Naboo to protect her from threats of assassination, “They were standing on the garden terrace at a lodge that overlooked a lake, and Padme was wearing a gown that revealed the fair skin of her back and arms when Anakin cautiously leaned close to her face and kissed her.” The two fall in love over the course of the film and marry in secret. 

Violence 

• In the prologue, Darth Vader dreams that Luke Skywalker has joined him on the Dark Side, only for Emperor Palpatine to attack them with Sith lightning. Luke screams as he is electrocuted, and Vader smells “roasting flesh” before awakening. The scene, while intense, is presented clearly as a nightmare. 

• Shortly after Anakin and his mother arrive on Tatooine, an enslaved alien attempts to escape from captivity but is killed when an explosive device inside his body detonates. His remains are described as a “smoldering mess,” and Anakin is told this is what happens to slaves who try to flee. 

• After the Battle of Naboo at the end of The Phantom Menace, Anakin learns that Qui-Gon has died in a lightsaber duel. “From Obi-Wan’s grim expression, Anakin knew what had happened. Qui-Gon Jinn was dead.”  

• At the beginning of the events of Attack of the Clones, Padme’s ship is destroyed upon arrival on Coruscant, killing six people. A second assassination attempt that night results in a chase through the city. The would-be assassin is disarmed in combat and later killed by a poison dart before she can reveal who hired her. Anakin thought that the assassin “got what she deserved.” He knew that as a Jedi, he shouldn’t believe that anyone deserved to die, but he’d “thought it just the same.” 

• Anakin’s mother is kidnapped and tortured by Tusken Raiders. He finds her tied up and barely alive. She soon dies in his arms. In his grief and rage, Anakin massacres the entire Tusken camp. Later, when speaking to Padme, Anakin admits openly to killing not just the men, “but the women, and the children, too.” Though he later admits shame, he also acknowledges, internally, disturbing satisfaction. 

• During a duel with Count Dooku, Anakin is struck with Sith lightning and later has his arm severed in a lightsaber duel. He survives and receives a cybernetic arm. 

• Three years later, in another duel with Dooku, Anakin cuts off the Sith’s hands and, at Palpatine’s urging, kills the unarmed prisoner. “Anakin rapidly uncrossed the blades, cleaving through Dooku’s neck. Dooku’s body collapsed alongside his hands, while his body rolled and thudded across the floor like an ill-shaped ball.” 

• Anakin, desperate to learn the teachings of the Dark Side, allows Palpatine to kill Mace Windu with Sith lightning, pledging himself to the Sith. Given the name Darth Vader, he is then ordered to kill the remaining Jedi and Separatist leaders. “Now, so many years later, Vader reflected on all the Jedi he killed that day. Remembering the stunned expression of Mace Windu as he fell from Palpatine’s office window and the screams of the Jedi younglings and their teachers, he felt no remorse. . . Smoke had still been billowing from the Jedi Temple when Vader traveled to the volcanic world of Mustafar to kill the Separatist leaders in their hideout.” 

• After being confronted by Padme on Mustafar, Anakin choked his wife for what he believed to be her treachery, which would eventually lead to her death. 

• Obi-Wan and Anakin would engage in an exhausting duel. Besting his former apprentice, Obi-Wan severs Anakin’s legs and remaining arm. Anakin is left severely burned on the lava planet. His suffering is described: “His screams were filled with anger as well as pain, not unlike that of any entirely helpless creature.” He would ultimately survive and be placed in a life-support suit. 

• Darth Vader kills a Rebel ship’s captain by choking him and snapping his neck. 

• At Vader’s command, sandtroopers kill Owen and Beru Lars on Tatooine. Their burning homestead is described: “He found the sight of rising flames – even holograms of flames burning millions of lightyears away – to be most satisfying.”  

• The Death Star destroys the entire planet of Alderaan in a test of its super laser, leading to the loss of billions of lives. The destruction is described as swift and total, with the planet being blown “to oblivion.” 

• Obi-Wan confronts his old apprentice on the Death Star. Vader strikes Obi-Wan down during the duel, but to the Sith Lord’s surprise, Obi-Wan’s body completely vanishes upon death. 

• Darth Vader kills Admiral Ozzel for making a tactical mistake that allowed the Rebels to raise a planetary shield. Ozzel is relieved not of his rank or position, but “of his life.” 

• Vader severs Luke’s hand during a duel on Cloud City. “Luke screamed as Vader’s red blade swept through his right wrist, and watched with horror as his hand and lightsaber fell away into the deep reactor shaft.” Luke survives, and like his father, is given a cybernetic arm. 

• A year later, Luke and Vader face off in a climactic lightsaber duel in the Emperor’s throne room aboard the second Death Star. Luke eventually bests his father, severing his mechanical hand. “As he fell back against the bridge’s railing, he was unable to stop Luke’s blade from severing his right wrist. Metal and electronic parts flew from Vader’s shattered stump, and his lightsaber clattered over the edge of the bridge and into the apparently bottomless shaft.” 

• The Emperor attacks Luke with an intense bout of Sith lightning. Luke’s pain and suffering is described: “Vader watched Luke curl in a fetal position as the Emperor hurled an even more staggering wave of lightning at his victim.” He collapses and begs for his father’s help while Vader watches. 

• Unable to let his son die, Vader uses his remaining strength to grab Palpatine and throw him down a reactor shaft. He heard “the explosion of dark energy that consumed the falling Emperor.” In doing so, Vader is redeemed.  

• The injuries sustained by the emperor’s lightning did irreparable damage to Vader’s suit and left him mortally wounded. He asks Luke to remove his helmet so that he can look on to him “with [his] own eyes” before dying. His remains are burned in a funeral pyre by Luke on Endor. 

Drugs and Alcohol 

• None 

Language 

• After being struck with a toxic dart, Padme’s would-be assassin mutters in an alien tongue, “Wee shannit . . . sleemo”, which Anakin translates as “bounty hunter slimeball.” 

• When describing what he had done to the Tusken Raiders to Padme, Anakin screams, “I HATE them!” 

• Obi-Wan tells Anakin that he was the Chosen One and that he was supposed to “destroy the Sith, not join them!” In response, Anakin yells, “I hate you!” 

Supernatural Content 

• After being fatally struck by Darth Vader, Obi-Wan’s body “had completely vanished.” This is because Obi-Wan had become one with the Force in death. 

• Similarly, after Anakin dies, he is in the Netherworld of the Force. Obi-Wan’s spirit guides him: “If you ever wish to revisit corporeal space, then I still have one thing left to teach you. A way to become one with the Force. If you choose this path to immortality, then you must listen now, before your consciousness fades.” Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Yoda appear as spirits to Luke on Endor.             

Spiritual Content  

• None 

by Nicholas Paragano