As Anakin Skywalker he was a hero. As Darth Vader he was a traitor and villainous conqueror. He is the legendary hero of the Star Wars franchise and its greatest antagonist.
So will he return from the dead in Disney's recently announced Episode VII? Well according to a pretty outlandish rumor, the embodiment of Star Wars is returning in the new film.
IGN has reported that the British tabloid Express.co.uk is claiming that an "industry insider" has claimed that Disney will bring back the "iconic space villain Darth Vader" for a new trilogy of Star Wars films.
"He's an integral part of the franchise. Replacing him is virtually impossible," one source says. "The plan is for him to return and play a significant role in the new films. The plan is for him to return and play a significant role in the new films."
As IGN points out, this is only a rumor and has not been confirmed by anyone involved with the film franchise. But it is also a possibility because of the enormous popularity and marketability of the Darth Vader character.
In the original films Darth Vader was portrayed by former bodybuilder David Prowse and voiced by James Earl Jones. In "Return of the Jedi," actor Sebastian Shaw portrayed the unmasked Vader.
But in the 2004 DVD release of the trilogy, stock footage of Hayden Christensen replaced Shaw's appearance of Vader. Christensen played Anakin Skywalker in the last two films of the prequel trilogy and eventually donned the black armor in the trilogy's finale.
The insider also supposedly told Express.co.uk that "This is science fiction, remember... Darth Vader will rise from the ashes."
What do you think about the potential return of Darth Vader? If this rumor is true, do you think that Disney is going to ruin the franchise? Would you like to see Vader return as a villain or hero? Should it be the original Vader or clone created by the Emperor?
Check out our list for potential plots for Episode VII here and watch the complete saga on Blue-Ray trailer below...
