Darth Vader

Darth Vader (41 BBY–4 ABY) is a fictional character in the Star Wars Universe. He is widely considered to be one of the most iconic movie villains of all time.

Talents

Darth Vader is a brilliant strategist and one of the greatest pilots in the galaxy. Vader still possesses his former persona's amazing engineering skills, having overseen the design of the TIE/Advanced fighter. His talent with the lightsaber is legendary. All of these skills, however, are secondary to his incredible mastery of the Force. He is born with the greatest known midi-chlorian count (a measure of Force-aptitude) in the galaxy, surpassing that of both Yoda and the Emperor.

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However, Lucas states that his injuries on Mustafar cost Vader much of his Force potential. Lucas claims that, as a masked and suited Darth Vader, Anakin has roughly 80% the strength of the Emperor. Had he sustained none of his injuries on Mustafar, he would have been about twice as powerful. Lucas did not specify if this meant that he'd actually lost mastery of the Force or if it was because of his inability to employ his mechanical limbs with the Force the way physical limbs could be. The Visual Dictionary of Star Wars, Episode III (ISBN 0756611288) states that his lack of physical hands is the direct reason he cannot create Force lightning, as Dooku and Sidious could. His mechanical life support system, however, is vulnerable to Force lightning, contributing to his death in Return of the Jedi.

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In The Empire Strikes Back, Vader was able to block Han Solo's blaster bolts with his hand. One explanation is that Vader used the Force while an Expanded Universe novel states that Vader's right glove was indestructible.

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Vader also appears to have great physical strength, which he demonstrates in his first and last appearances in the original trilogy: lifting a Rebel captain by the throat with one hand in A New Hope, and picking up the Emperor and hurling him to his death in Return of the Jedi. Whether these feats result from his use of the Force, or the power of his mechanical limbs, is unknown.

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Besides the life support it provides his ravaged body, Vader's armor may also offer some moderate degree of protection against lightsabers. In the climactic duel of The Empire Strikes Back, a blow from Luke's lightsaber appears to bounce off Vader's armor, eliciting a yell of pain from the Sith Lord.

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