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This is something that I've actually wondered for probably years and most recently has returned to the forefront of my mind in the recent weeks due to the release of Revenge of the Sith, and that is what is the Galactic Empire's official version of the origin of Darth Vader.

Yeah, we all know that he really was Anakin Skywalker who fell from Jedi knighthood to join Darth Sideous as his Sith apprentice, but who is he according to the Empire? Has his official origin ever been documented in any of the EU literature or WEG/WotC materials, either as detailed accounts or just snippets of information?

And are there any of you out there who have any ideas or theories of your own regarding Lord Vader's origins according to the Empire?

He is Darth Vader Dark Lord of the Sith. The emperor's enforcer

I suspect they say he's a Jedi Knight who stayed loyal to the Galactic Republic against the treachery of the Jedi Order, and who was grievously wounded by traitorous Jedi in combat.

I recall from somewhere that Darth Vader was touted as the one true Jedi who stayed loyal to the Emperor while the rest betrayed the Empire.

I think it was in Wedge's Gamble, but I can't remember for sure.

He's Darth fucking Vader. Does he NEED and explanation?

The question is, how is he explained to people, even if it's just to the more important people in Imperial society? I imagine he is explained to such people as others have described. If ordinary people know of him at all, to them he's some sort of boogeyman, a powerful Imperial enforcer you don't want to have knock on your door late at night. Most people probably don't even know he has anything to do with the Force, any more than they know the Emperor does.

Yeah, that's pretty much more or less exactly what I'm getting at. I suppose that some stuff might come out of the EU in the upcoming months and years as they flesh out the III-IV decades.

Luceno is writing a book Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader that ought to explain Vader's official Imperial origin and answer how much the general public knew about Vader and the Emperor being Sith Lords.

In Shadows of the Empire Xizor seemed to have some vague knowledge of who Darth Vader used to be but that might have only come about because he had heard that Vader was looking for his son, Luke Skywalker.

Clearly Xizor wasn't your average Emperial citizen. His informational gathtering resources were immense.

Kuja wrote:I recall from somewhere that Darth Vader was touted as the one true Jedi who stayed loyal to the Emperor while the rest betrayed the Empire.

I think it was in Wedge's Gamble, but I can't remember for sure.

You got it, when Wedge and his team are going through some museumy thingy. Vader is the last of the "true Jedi Knights".

Tsyroc wrote:In Shadows of the Empire Xizor seemed to have some vague knowledge of who Darth Vader used to be but that might have only come about because he had heard that Vader was looking for his son, Luke Skywalker.

Clearly Xizor wasn't your average Emperial citizen. His informational gathtering resources were immense.

Actualy he knew exactly who Vader was. According to the book, he was right next to the Emperor when he was talking to vader in TESB. Of course how offical that is now, is unclear. Thanks to the rewrite of that scene.

But it was the first time Xizor heard about Luke and he instantly figured out who he was. He was also able to pick up from Vaders voice that Vader had no intention of killing Luke.

Darth Fanboy wrote:

Kuja wrote:I recall from somewhere that Darth Vader was touted as the one true Jedi who stayed loyal to the Emperor while the rest betrayed the Empire.

I think it was in Wedge's Gamble, but I can't remember for sure.

You got it, when Wedge and his team are going through some museumy thingy. Vader is the last of the "true Jedi Knights".

And they aranged the displays to subtlety suggest that while Vader was the last true Jedi knight (no mention of Luke) any other Jedi who existed, they would be heirs to the corrupt tradition that had the order betray the Republic.

Crap, everyone else has already mentioned most of what I was gonna say, but here's some info you guys may have forgotten. The Imperial Museum in Wedge's Gamble seemed to suggest that the Jedi started becoming corrupt when they started accepting non-humans into their ranks. We all know that is complete BS, but that explains it all for the average citizen.

On a similar note, the museum tells an "official" version of the battle of Endor, with the Emperor going to destroy a Rebel Death Star.

The last of the true Jedi seems to ring true, as we see Grand Moff Tarkin explaining to Vader (who at the time feels the presense of his old master) in Episode IV that the Jedi are extinct and Vader is all that is left of their religion.

You know, i imagine many citizens view Darth Vader and his closer minions as sort of a Gestapo or secret police. I mean like brownshirts or something. Probably folks like Xizor too, thought of as a sort of secert police/brownshirt faction.

Now i dont read a lot of EU so i dont know and this may be wrong, just a thought that came to me.

In all likelihood, people don't know anything about the Sith. Remember that Obi-Wan told Luke that his apprentice was named "Darth Vader." Luke obviously didn't know that "Darth" is a Sith title or that Sith lords receive their Sith names; they are not born with them. Otherwise he would've asked who Darth Vader was before he joined the Sith.

Now that I think about it, that could be one reason Palpatine dropped his "Darth Sidious" moniker. Having the galaxy ruled by Darth Sidious and his right-hand man being Darth Vader would've clued people into them being in some sort of exclusive club. So Palpatine just becomes the Emperor, and Vader's the only Darth walking around, therefore people think that "Darth Vader" is really his actual name.

In all likelihood, people don't know anything about the Sith. Remember that Obi-Wan told Luke that his apprentice was named "Darth Vader." Luke obviously didn't know that "Darth" is a Sith title or that Sith lords receive their titles; they are not born with them.

Now that I think about it, that could be one reason Palpatine dropped his "Darth Sidious" moniker. Having the galaxy ruled by Darth Sidious and his right-hand man being Darth Vader would've clued people into them being in some sort of exclusive club. So Palpatine just becomes the Emperor, and Vader's the only Darth walking around, therefore people think that "Darth Vader" is really his actual name.

Also there might some people that, do know the Sith (and are high in the imperial hierarcy (like the officers in the DS)) so hiding the fact you are a Sith Lord has it's benefits.

Reading through the first volume of Star Wars: Empire (set shortly before ANH) earlier today at B&N, which seems to indicate that at least (some) Moffs and Grand Moffs were aware about Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine's status as being Sith Lords, and that they're related to but different from Jedi, although they seem to view it as a religion and don't seem to have much of an idea as to what a Sith actually is.