CLASSIC IMAGE: DEFEATING DARTH VADER!

It's the emotional climactic moment that made Return of the Jedi so truly special, as father and son duelled within the Emperor's Throne Room - the scene we'd been waiting three long years for - and ended with Luke's brutally defeating the wounded Darth Vader. Abandoning the Dark Side energies that had briefly fuelled his skills, Luke ultimately returns back to the light and discards his lightsaber to confront the dreaded Emperor who fiendishly manipulated Anakin Skywalker into being Darth Vader all those years ago.

CLASSIC ART: THE DARK SIDE ASSEMBLES...

Led by the ultimate monster in Darth Vader, the ultimate villains of the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, whom we so love to hate, come together in all their might for evil and destruction, in this superb Celebration Convention art by Doug Wheatley.

WHEN SITH'S COLLIDE! THE 'SHADOW LORD' MEETS HIS MATCH!

He's back, and badder than ever in Maul - Shadow Lord's gripping opening season finale.

It was the showdown worldwide Star Wars fans always wanted to see made a reality away from prior comic interpretations, as a non-speaking Darth Vader, a Sith Lord with slaying on his mind, menacingly took on the renegade Darth Maul, now out to build a new criminal enterprise for himself across the galaxy, and his reluctant fugitive comrades (including two runaway Jedi), all of them trapped within the jungle outskirts of the planet Janix, a world to which there now looked like no escape from. The confrontation/unleashing of Vader, returned to welcome animation form, was a big surprise and it proved a stunning action sequence to watch, certainly earning its place in the Saga's pantheon of classic scenes. It was a fine and exciting finale to Maul - Shadow Lord (one clearly acting as a tribute to a similar, if smaller in number, duel partaken by Vader against Luke and Leia on Mimban during the climax to 1978's Splinter of the Mind's Eye novel - the first Expanded Universe tale), whose opening season I thought started off quite dull, littered with mostly uninteresting supporting characters (who could have been in any bland police procedural drama ) and a thin overall story arc. Thankfully, as ever, Vader knows how to save the day and the streaming ratings! 

I'm sure the majority of fans will completely disagree with my assessment of the show as it so far stands. Nonetheless, as we all await the eventual second season, I hope it will ultimately prove more inventive in further showcasing one of the Prequel saga's greatest villains beyond the small-time criminality prior watched, and more of his fight against his once Sith Master whilst his own so far struggling empire builds further. Will there possibly be a Vader re-match? 

Scene Breakdown: Darth Vader Duels Maul | StarWars.com

One against many, but Vader will always get the upper hand!

Duelling in the forest of doom.

'

To slay a Jedi!

The clash continues!

The grip of evil!

Great character poster art promotion for the season finale.

CLASSIC ART: TO ESCAPE AN APOCALYPSE!

The Empire has been defeated, the Death Star is ready to destroy itself, and a son, who has prior rescued and helped redeem his late father from darkness, rushes to escape with his armoured body, in this superb art celebrating the emotional ending to Return of the Jedi, in 1983. An emotional death scene that brought the cinema houses down with tears worldwide.

A super art piece by Michael Heath.

CLASSIC ART: THE WEEKLY ADVENTURES CONTINUE...

Our heroes assemble for the climactic action/adventure chapter of the Original Trilogy, as the dominant evil of Darth Vader looms large, in this lovely art I hadn't previously seen before that graced one of the later issues of the MARVEL UK's Return of the Jedi weekly comic back in May 1985, before the saga went fully into limbo. If anyone knows the artist/s of the piece, please let me know, though I suspect Tom Palmer's work on the faces of Lando and Chewbacca.

And does anyone out there still have the free Ewok transfers?

DELETED SCENE: A GATHERING OF VILLAINY!

The time of the Emperor's arrival on the new Death Star has come.

Darth Vader's prior work at motivating the building teams of the Death Star II has yielded effective results. Now the Dark Lord gathers with his top Imperial officers for the newly arrived, fearsome Emperor, who is eager to see the space station and test its supreme firepower. 

A well-known deleted scene from Return of the Jedi cut for time and pacing reasons, and sadly one of only a very few sequences filmed showcasing Dave Prowse as Vader...

Imperial officers await Vader by the elevator entrance to the hangar bay as the Emperor makes his arrival.

Vader and Moff Jerjerrod (Michael Pennington) lead the assembled senior officers to the hangar bay.

A Stormtrooper (Gerry Sherard) keeps watch in the corridor.

'THE FORCE AWAKENS' AT 10: BETRAYING A BIRTHRIGHT!

A birthright to evil, as personified by Kylo Ren, General Hux and Captain Plasma, striking new villains for the sequel universe's first adventure.

Manipulated during a time of emotional weakness and instability during his early Jedi training by Supreme Leader Snoke, ruler of the eventual scourge that is the First Order, young and impressionable Ben Solo, saddled with prior feelings of abandonment by his parents Leia Organa and Han Solo, has now become the bitter and twisted, all-power in the Force craving figure of the masked murderer Kylo Ren, determined to wipe out the Jedi, and his former master Luke Skywalker, at all costs, as played with ferocity, anger and twisted villainy within The Force Awakens by the well-cast Adam Driver, an acclaimed actor who has now pretty much worked with all the great Hollywood and international directors out there, and accumulating a fine and diverse body of work beyond his great contribution to the sequel Star Wars franchise, playing a character indelibly linked to the slaying of his onscreen father, Han Solo.. 

Promotional merchandise art poster by Joe Corroney showcasing Kylo Ren and the First Order for Episode VII.

Ren is determined to follow in the dark and powerful footsteps of his late grandfather, Darth Vader, within the Force. Art by Brian Rood,

With the discovery of the Force-latent powers of the mysterious Rey, Ren is determined to use her in finding Luke Skywalker. But her power in the Force is growing...

Behind the scenes on the memorable moment.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 45: A UNIVERSE OF DRAMA AND ADVENTURE...

The long-running commercial artist John Alvin's work on the original Star Wars films have become highly beloved and respected over time. None more so than the super 1995 work he did for the films on their uncut VHS release before the debut of the Special Editions, of which all the key successful character ingredients for The Empire Strikes Back would be well represented.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 45: THE DUEL BEGINS!

The moment has finally come for Luke Skywalker to face his demon, as personified by the brutal presence in the Dark Side of the Force that is his nemesis, Darth Vader, the man/creature who helped wipe the Jedi Knights out of existence and whom supposedly killed his father. This duel will not just be a test of Luke's skill, but also his character, physical and psychological strengths. He'll need all of that not just to stay alive against such an experienced and lethal duellist, but also for the disturbing and shocking revelation that the Sith Lord will impart to him at the worst possible time...

Superb Marvel Comics art by the legendary Daredevil writer/artist Frank Miller back in 1980, celebrating one of the The Empire Strikes Back's greatest and most intense-to-watch sequences.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 45: THE CARBON FREEZE NIGHTMARE!

The superb Carbon Freeze Chamber set designed by Norman Reynolds.

Darkness falls within the once beautiful Cloud City on Bespin, as our captured Rebel heroes face the worst of times under the brutal auspices of the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Vader, amidst his shocking plans to ensnare Luke Skywalker. But first off, as a trial run to the young Jedi's planned destiny at the captured hands of the fearsome Emperor, Han Solo must be put into a carbon freeze prison...

Ever loyal to his friends, Chewbacca must protect Leia in Han's absence.

Boba Fett and Darth Vader make their mark in this chilling sequence.

A last goodbye?

Leia prepares for the worst...

Han is prepared for Carbon Freeze by an Ugnaught.

The classic scene, which generated humour and sadness.

"It gave George pause. He had not written the scene with a laugh. But the laugh opens you up emotionally. You don't have another emotional outlet in that scene."

Harrison Ford on "I know" - Starlog interview - Issue 35, 1980

The terrifying process begins, as Chewbacca and Leia witness the fate of Han Solo...

The Carbon Frozen Solo is hauled up.

The shocking reveal...

"When the cast of Solo in carbon freeze was created the first time, he was standing straight up, looking normal. That's what the prop department thought I wanted. I said, 'No, he's got to be looking like he is fighting to get out; he has to look like he is in agony.' So we changed it to the way it looks in the film."

Irvin Kershner - Star Wars - The Annotated Screenplays - 1997

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 45: BOUNTY HUNTER ASSEMBLY!

On the command deck of his Super Star Destroyer, much to the irritant of the Imperial Officers under his command, Darth Vader has put the call out to the deadliest group of Bounty Hunters in the galaxy to search for the Millennium Falcon and its occupants. Amongst them, and at the very top of the tree in his chosen specialist field of 'business', the totally lethal and resourceful Boba Fett, soon to be a legend of the Star Wars universe.

Left to right: Dengar (Moray Bush), IG-88 (a prop operated by UK Effects technician Bill Hargreaves), Boba Fett (Jeremy Bulloch), Bossk (Alan Harris), 4-Lom (Chis Parsons) and Zuckuss (Cathy Munroe).

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 45: DARTH VADER MAKES HIS ARRIVAL...

Darth Vader makes his presence felt within the near-abandoned Echo Base on Hoth.

"(Irvin) Kershner was a real actors director. Before we started shooting Empire, he told me,"I want you to be the thinking man's Darth Vader", and really took me through things. He was lovely."

Dave Prowse - Film Review magazine Star Wars Special - 1997  

The Rebel base's shield generator has been spectacularly destroyed, and the enemy forces have mostly been wiped out by the AT-AT's and Imperial Snowtroopers. Now, the immense dark presence that is Darth Vader has arrived to oversee the final capture of Luke Skywalker and his other friends who'd prior helped in destroying the Death Star. Sadly, such a visitation and plans of revenge by the ominous Dark Lord proves too late, as the Millennium Falcon speeds off the base just in time, heading into space... 

But Vader's hunt will continue...

Vader is soon angered that the Millennium Falcon and its passengers have escaped his grip.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 45: THE POWER OF POSTER ART!

Amidst the terrifying visage of the returned Darth Vader, technological action is another standout part of this classic early movie poster conceptual piece by the famous illustrator Tom Jung, of which the might of the Imperial AT-AT's against our Rebel heroes proves formidable, and truly showcasing how an Empire will strikes back! 

'EPISODE III' AT TWENTY: THE VADER FACTOR!

One of Lucasfilm's most ambitious and effective marketing campaigns yet for the Star Wars Prequels, designed to bring in fans old and new to movie theatres, featuring the iconic Darth Vader, whose emergence in Episode III proves crucial in bridging the two George Lucas created trilogies together. Indeed, Vader is the key marketing image for movie posters and selected advertising/merchandise worldwide during May 2005, as well as subsequent later tie-ins...

'EPISODE III' AT TWENTY: A DARK DESTINY FULFILLED!

The nightmare begins...

His near destroyed, battle scarred and fire consumed body secretly returned to Coruscant, Darth Sidious still has plans for his apprentice in evil, Anakin Skywalker, as he finally becomes the unforgettable armoured, life support system-suited vision that is Darth Vader, fully immersed in powerful evil yet tortured and anguished forever more due to his disfigurement - emotionally and psychologically ruined further with the unexpected and shocking news of his beloved Padme's demise.

Yannick Dusseault's dark and atmospheric concept art for the scene from November 7th, 2003. This image was later 'leaked' to the UK press the following year as a preview for Episode III.

In one of the darkest moments of the Prequel saga, Darth Vader is born in true Frankenstein-esque gothic style, and the universe will never be the same again with such a terrifying arrival...

"It's the iconic moment. It's Darth Vader. To be totally enclosed in that suit, behind that mask - was extremely empowering. No... intense? Overwhelming? Cool? I've got it - how about orgasmic?"

"It was indescribable, you know? It was a completion of a job. And then my sort of five-year journey was over coupled with the fact that it was just this incredibly powerful feeling, this beastly feeling that wells up inside of you when you're playing a character that is Darth. You walk by and people see Darth and you know you watch the reactions on their faces. The days that Darth came out was quite the event on set. Everyone wanted to see what was going on. It was a one-of-a-kind experience."

"Getting to act behind a mask in general is a very freeing experience, and when that face is Darth Vader, it's very empowering, very beastly."

Hayden Christensen - unknown Internet interview - May 2005

The horrifically disfigured Anakin willing surrenders to the mechanical suit/life support system that will fully transform him into Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith.

The timeline of Anakin Skywalker into Darth Vader.

CLASSIC IMAGE: GETTING VERBAL WITH VADER!

Captured by Imperial forces aboard her Blockade Runner, the bold Princess Leia Organa is brought forth to the evil Lord Darth Vader (watched by commander Daine Jir), who confronts her about the stolen missing Death Star data tapes and her role in the Rebellion as one of it's major leaders. It's interesting to see the above B/W image from this classic Star Wars scene, where Leia is clearly showing anger at Vader - a moment we don't see in the film. Perhaps an unused take or specially posed image for on-set stillsman John Jay? 

Italian lobby card photo from the scene.

CLASSIC ART: THE RISE OF DARTH VADER...

The might and evil of the Galactic Empire as represented by its most formidable and life threatening 'attack dog' - Darth Vader, the stuff that true nightmares are made of for the Rebel Alliance opposing the machinations of the dreaded Emperor Palpatine.

Great art by Vincent Di Fate for the cover of the fourth issue of the eighties US magazine Video Gaming Illustrated.

CLASSIC ART: 'STAR WARS' BEGINS...

The classic Hildebrandt Brothers poster that debuted in the UK at the end of 1977/early 1978.

As a rare and pristine condition British release print of the original 1977 version of Star Wars makes for a special screening (originally housed by Rank back in 1979, and later donated), for the first time in decades in the UK, launching this year's BFI Film on Film festival in London (12th to 15th June, 2025), here's a look back to that time when George Lucas's (at first one-off) film launched across the world in 1977 and 1978, promoted via these gorgeous adventure-fuelled posters that soon captured our hearts, minds and imaginations like never before...

Early US teaser poster with the original SW logo before the 'W' was changed.

US teaser poster.

American release poster.

Tom Jung's early poster, at first primarily used for the US, then appearing in various merchandising.

Tom Jung's version of the Hildebrandt original.

Some international posters mixed the Tom Jung art with the Hildebrandts.

Three Japanese posters from 1977/78.

Photo montage mixed with the Hildebrandt art.

Other Japanese rarities.

Italian art my Michelangelo Papuzza.

The 'Dirty Dozen' poster art for the UK and US from 1978, by Tom Chantrell.

Australian 'Daybill' poster. 

Hong Kong release poster - 1978.