Saga RO or ROTS Vader?

Definitely R1. Hayden just did not fill out the suit for me, and the Frankenstein homage was a little much for my tastes. In R1, he was everything I could have hoped for.

 

It was much more than "fan service" IMO. This is the first time we see what Anakin has truly become as Darth Vader. He is a merciless tool of the Emperor. It really establishes an aura of fear around him. I'd say that does a TON for character development.

 

I am pleasantly surprised by your answer.
Nice one, man.

 

Don't get me wrong, I loved the Vader scene, but I call it fan service, because:

1) While we haven't seen Vader like this in the films, it has been seen in the EU. So, from that perspective it is not really development.
2) It is something fans have been wanting to see for a long time, so from that perspective it's something, that's always been integral to the Vader character, even though we never saw it.
3) ROTS had a similar scene with the Separatists, so even though he wasn't wearing the suit, he has already been there.

 

I hear ya... I guess I'm getting irritated with the term "fan service" these days. Most often (though not always) it's used in a derogatory sense. I guess overall, I don't see pleasing fans as a bad thing.

 

If it's limited to just "suit Vader" in ROTS, then that's not nearly enough to compare to... the film was already resolved and he didn't really do anything. Rogue One Vader also had a small role, but still factored into the plot at that point.

 

FINALLY seeing the mask and hearing the breath at the end of RotS was a good moment, it gave me goosebumps, but that didn't last past the Frankenstein stumbling, the lame Nooo, and the angsty temper tantrum. R1 Vader was the terrifying unstoppable Sithlord I always knew he was, and I was finally seeing him in unfettered action for the first time. The corridor is the stuff rebel nightmares are made of. Iconic.

 

I'm going with Rogue One because he's intimidating and horrifying. Not that I would prefer to meet him in real life, of course. From a writing standpoint, however, it's interesting to see him nineteen years after ROTS. It also proves he was being cautious around old Obi-Wan in ANH, given how ruthless he was in RO.

 

Although I still refuse to pick one because I find every stage of Vader's life important to the story, some of the posts triggered some thoughts.

R1 Vader was handled perfectly and exactly what his arc required. Thinking in terms of watching the Saga in chronological order as if you've never seen any of them provides an exciting journey. Anakin rising. Anakin turning Vader and very powerful. Vader getting crippled and ending on a solemn note. You are left wondering if he will still be a fighting machine or just limited to force attacks. You put on R1 and you realize Vader isn't everywhere. On the ground level, he isn't talked about. Then you see him still disabled and still as high officer on the totem pole. Maybe he's just a talker now and uses his force powers to intimidate. Shows up in his craft. Ok. He's just a General called in for the most important missions. But he leads while others fight. Maybe his crippling was permanent. Then the scene. Ok. He's saber fighting just like Anakin. Worse, he has no Jedi to worry about now so he's an unstoppable machine.

Then you go into the OT where his conflict begins. Leia challenges him like others don't. His intimidation prowess is challenged. In a small way, he respects Leia the way opposing high ranking military officers respect one another. Then OB1 shows up and his internal conflict begins.

You can talk about the EU, but this essentially is a movie saga. And for the movie saga to stand up, it needs to hit the key moments in the movie. Samurai Vader wasn't fan service. It was necessary. It isn't *better*. It's just continuing development on screen.

As far as EU Vader, the EU has a lot of hits and misses. And Disney somewhat ruined my EU love as I now have a lot of off-film SW information that I can't keep straight on whether it is meaningful or meaningless. I'm gun shy about exploring something that could all be discarded on a whim.

 

Between the two I would def pick ROTS Vader, even if the scene was somewhat underwhelming and cheesy.

The building of his suit, the first iconic breath...it was breathtaking. Something us fans had been waiting to see for years. I, like every other fan, hated the Frankenstein stumbling and the terrible, awful, cringey "NOOOOOOOO" but atleast it inspired some great memes?

Vader's appearance in R1 was a very welcomed addition IMO, but it seemed out of place and barely furthered the story line. Also, the voice was noticeably off, and the character didn't seem like iconic Vader. I found it strange they almost had Darth Vader spit out a sarcastic joke when on Mustafar. I will admit though, that the ending where he is stomping towards the Tantive IV destroying the Rebel Soldiers was just incredibly sick.

 

I loved Vader in RO. It was great seeing his fortress on Mustafar (and how interesting that he chose that world, the place of his painful confrontation with Obi-Wan, where he thought he'd killed Padme... it represents now I think his commitment to the Dark Side and leaving Anakin behind him... it also is a reminder of his mistake--when he lost everything). Watching Vader at home is like getting even closer to the character.

I liked the fight scene at the end too with Vader because freed up from the original kind of stilted fights of the OT (*cringes recalling the Vader/Obi-Wan duel in ANH*), finally we get to see Vader fight in the modern more awesome way of the newer films. And seriously just imagining being in that hallway when Vader enters knowing you are *dead* is chilling. I know some people didn't like that it was just him as he generally always has guards with him, but it would have been less dramatic with guards in the scene. Vader is a one man killing machine, absolutely terrifying, and the scene would have been less effective were he not alone (at least for me).

And as much as I really didn't like the Tantive IV being at the battle at first (though it just keeps growing on me), I loved the part where Vader watches it speed off. He wants that ship and he will not be denied it. Insatiable hunger.

I didn't like the "Noooooo" at the end of RotS and so the scene wasn't my favorite. I didn't like it because it's like it broke the fourth wall for me and I couldn't seem to take it seriously for some reason. I did like however that Vader exploded everything in the room with his rage. That was just impressive. And I liked the awkward way he tried to walk not used to the suit. Welcome to your new life as a disabled person.

 

I don't understand why some people object to Vader's "choke on your ambition" line in R1. To my ears, it's no different from "Apology accepted, Captain Needa" or "Admiral Ozzel is as clumsy as he is stupid" or "The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am."

 

I'll say this.

ROTS Vader Separatist massacre > R1 Vader Rebel massacre

The sequence in ROTS is far more shocking and horrific, preceded by Obi-Wan's "Who could have done this," and closing on Nute Gunray's pig squeal as Anakin slices through him.

 

Every other fan, minus this one. Have no problem with it whatsoever. I get a laugh out of how twisted up it makes some fans, though.

ROTS Vader is my choice based on how dynamic his situation is, although R1 is totally kickass. I've seen it 3 times and every time my heart is pounding even before he ignites his saber. Fan service of course, but it was organic fan service that was executed to the highest standard.

I mean he throws a dude to the ceiling and cuts him in half.

Oh but my little Ani still wins...crying on Mustafar after he chopped everyone's **** all up. Bless him


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I agree but deeper than that there is one explanation I have come across that is very well thought out:

The problem lies not in the use of the word choke, but the emphasis on it. What Vader's true pun was is the word aspirations. Meaning to breathe. On the surface, he's warning Krennic not to be too ambitious. But he's also subtly mocking him. "Be careful not to choke on your breathing," is what the pun is really saying. He's sarcastically pretending Krennic is having trouble breathing because he's dumb, rather than the fact that Vader is choking him himself. It's genius in my opinion. It's a very clever way of calling Krennic incompetent while delivering the more important message: I'm not going to sort out your little squabble with Tarkin just because you think you deserve the attention the Emperor is giving him.

 

One of the best Star Wars moments EVER.

 

I didn't understand what Krennic was thinking in this scene or why he thought he could go to Vader for help.

 

Definitely RO Vader for me. Just to see him in that tank, on Mustafar of all places, his shadow before meeting Krennic, the breathing, and that fantastic corridor scene. Such an amazing feeling to see him again on the big screen and kicking ass.

 

ROTS, it's not even close. Not because RO was bad, but because seeing his turn in ROTS is heartbreaking

 

RO.

The Vader scenes, coupled with the worst acting performance in the entire SW franchise from Haden Christensen, the awful Jake Lloyd and the whiney, love sick, course-sand-hating adolescent character that populated the prequel trilogy seriously tarnished my views on Darth Vader. Prior to watching the prequels - he was my favorite movie character ever. I nearly gave up on him.

RO restored my faith in him. The three scenes he was in totally, and FINALLY enabled me to forget everything about the prequels with regards to this character. For me, my fandom, Vader's story starts with RO.

 

RO, we don't really get much suited Vader in ROTS.

 

ROTS, the birth of Vader scene is so well done, juxtaposing the natural birth of the twins with the mechanical 'birth' of Vader. It's also the centrepiece of the climax, while the R1 scenes he's in could be cut out of the film entirely without really affecting anything.

ROTS also has pre-suit Vader for the only time, which is pretty unique.

 

RO Vader made a pun and I like puns, so RO Vader

No, but seriously, I agree with the other comments here. RO Vader was utilized really well and fit nicely with the plot. ROTS Vader was cool, too, of course but didn't do anything once he was burned up and suited up.