Ever since he was first introduced to audiences during the opening moments of Star Wars: A New Hope, the Dark Lord of the Sith has made an impression on cinemagoers for generations. Despite some questionable decisions made in the prequel trilogy, his status as a terrifying villain has been substantiated through 45 years of various extended media.
Vader is an admittedly tragic figure who is eventually driven insane by his hatred and desires. But for all that emotional baggage, as a purely physical threat, there's a reason he makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up — he is truly to be feared, despite the fact he's on one side of an impenetrable screen and you the other.
Entrance/Interrogation ('A New Hope,' 1977)
His credentials as a bad guy are established from the very first moment he strides onto our screens. After the stormtroopers board and take the rebel cruiser, he enters, surveying the dead troopers with callous indifference. Everything about him makes a larger-than-life impression: his costume, his mask, and famously even the way he breathes.
We then see his first interaction with a character holding a man by his neck and interrogating him. It is clear that Vader possesses inhuman strength as seemingly without effort, the man is held aloft by one gloved hand. After the man refuses to give him the answers he wants, he tosses him aside like a piece of garbage.
Single-Handedly Obliterating Phoenix Squadron ('Star Wars Rebels,' Season 2 Episode 1, 2016)
Before his turn to the dark side, Anakin Skywalker was known as a cunning warrior and one of the best pilots in the galaxy during the clone wars. His internment in his famous black armor/life support system may have slowed him down physically but appears to have done little to diminish his skills in the flying department.
Set before the Rebel Alliance formally took shape, the members of the Phoenix Squadron were one of the better-known cells of defiance to Imperial rule. They were responsible for disrupting supply lines and destroying several squadrons of TIE fighters. However, none of them could match Vader's skill; when he encounters them during the Siege of Lothal, he ruthlessly tears through the entire squad single-handedly.
Long-Distance Force Choking ('The Empire Strikes Back,' 1980)
As a military commander, Vader is not generally known for his patience - or tolerance for failure. After a probe droid discovers the location of the hidden rebel base, Vader personally leads the fleet to engage them — but lets Admiral Ozzel plan the strategy in terms of the planetary bombardment.
Ozzel bungles this, coming out of hyperspace far too early, which alerts the rebellion to their presence and enables them to utilize their planetary shield. Vader is understandably annoyed at this blunder, but while anywhere else Ozzel may've been chewed out by his superior, the punishment in the Empire is a lot more severe. Vader uses his force powers to choke Ozzel across a vast distance while his second in command looks on in horror.
Entrance/"You Will Die Braver Than Most" ('Star Wars Rebels,' Season 2 Episode 22, 2016)
In addition to being a virtually unstoppable force of nature, Vader also seems to appreciate the value of showmanship. After Ezra Bridger and Maul team up to access a Sith temple — and the Holocron is activated — Vader senses the powerful object. As the temple is underground, what is a Dark Lord to do but use his Advanced TIE to lower himself down while standing atop it?
The lighting, the sound, and the way he enters literally towering over the vastly outgunned apprentice Jedi is awe-inspiring. Add to this the first words they exchange, where Ezra claims he is not afraid of Vader, only for him to retort "then you will die braver than most" is a moment that will send chills down the spine of every Star Wars fan.
Run! ('Jedi: Fallen Order,' 2019)
As Order 66 survivor and former Padawan Cal Kestis, Jedi: Fallen Order sees the protagonist trying to forget his old life, working on an Imperial ship-making assembly line. However, after he rescues a fellow worker using his powers, his presence is detected by the Inquisitors, and he is forced to take up his lightsaber and fight once again.
Vader has only a very brief cameo in this video game, but it is so effective. After spending the game avoiding the Ninth Sister, your final confrontation with her sees her defeated — only to have Vader show up, execute her for her failure, and then turn his attention towards you. Most games tend to end with a big boss battle, but the game very clearly demonstrates that Vader has you impossibly outmatched, and your only choice is to run.
Flooding a City and Crushing a Jedi ('Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith,' 2017)
This shows Vader at his most cunning and tactical, as well as a brutal combatant. The Dark Lord of the Sith comic run sees Vader hunting an exceptionally skilled Jedi named Kirak Infil'a. After chasing him across the galaxy, their final confrontation takes place on the river moon of Al'doleem.
As the two fight, Vader senses a water tank under where they're fighting. Relying on the Jedi's empathy and altruism, he ruptures the tank, which will cause the dam to burst and subsequently the nearby city to flood. The Jedi focuses his energy on preventing this, which costs him his life — Vader force chokes him while the tank ruptures and the city is destroyed.
Confronting his Former Apprentice ('Star Wars Rebels,' Season 2 Episode 22, 2016)
Perhaps one of the sadder moments on this list, Rebels sees the final confrontation between Ahsoka Tano and Anakin Skywalker played out. After aiding Kanan and Ezra in their quest to retrieve the Sith Holocron, Ahsoka intervenes as Vader is about to defeat Ezra and claim the object.
Being one of the few people who remember Vader as he was, Ahsoka appears to bring out something that remains of Anakin Skywalker as Vader seems a little hesitant for the first time in this series. However, he steels himself against these feelings, embracing the dark side and going toe-to-toe with his former apprentice and ally.
"All I'm Surrounded by Is Fear, and Dead Men" ('Vader Down,' 2016)
Set between the events of Empire and Jedi, Vader Down tracks Darth Vader as he attempts to find his son amongst the rebels. The first issue sees the alliance catch what they perceive as a lucky break, as Vader's ship is intercepted and brought down on a planet occupied by the alliance.
After Vader's ship crash-lands on the surface, two full battalions wait to greet him. A commander shouts, "you're surrounded!" Vader calmly replies, "All I'm surrounded by is fear...and dead men." He then proceeds to slaughter every rebel he sees, using skills like manipulating the force to detonate grenades still on rebel soldiers' belts. This is probably the biggest canonical show of Vader's skill and would be higher on the list had it been rendered in animation or live-action.
'Hallway Scene' (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, 2016)
After the devastating power of the Death Star is unleashed on Scarif, the last of our heroes are wiped out. However, all is not lost as their primary objective — getting the plans for the space station into the right hands — is in motion. Having beamed the data to a rebel ship in orbit, soldiers frantically scramble to relay the disk to an escape ship.
One of the doors jams, cutting off the escape of a group of soldiers. The hall goes dark. Suddenly, a red light appears at the end of the hall, illuminating Vader. The sheer terror on the faces of the men is noticeable as their commander yells, "Open fire!" Of course, the blasters have no effect, and Vader cuts through these men like a warm knife through butter. The skill, the quiet fury — we haven't seen Vader quite like this before or since.
"The Force is With You, Young Skywalker... But You Are Not a Jedi Yet" (The Empire Strikes Back, 1980)
Combining all of these aspects — the warrior, the showman, and the master tactician — Vader and Luke's first confrontation remains the high watermark for lightsaber duels in the franchise. Even the prequels, for all of their technical efforts, fail to hold a candle to this duel.
Everything about this scene highlights Vader is in total control of the situation. The way he delivers the line — throwing contempt into the second part — is perfect. While Luke is visibly shaking and raises his blade two-handed, Vader casually ignites his with one, daring the young man to make the first move. This is Star Wars at its finest, and Vader at his pinnacle as a Sith Lord.