Editing Darth Vader (section)

=== Original trilogy ===
{{Main|Star Wars original trilogy}}
Vader was introduced in ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' (1977) as a cyborg commander serving the Galactic Empire. He and [[Grand Moff Tarkin]] have been tasked with recovering architectural plans for the [[Death Star]] battle station, which were stolen by the Rebel Alliance. Vader captures and interrogates the Rebel leader Princess Leia, who has sent the plans to Vader's former master Obi-Wan Kenobi. During Leia's rescue by Obi-Wan's allies Luke Skywalker and [[Han Solo]], Vader strikes down his mentor in a lightsaber duel. After placing a tracking device aboard Han's ship, Vader locates the Rebel base on [[Yavin|Yavin 4]]. When the Rebels attack the Death Star, Vader pursues Luke in his [[TIE fighter]]. Before he can shoot Luke down, Han intervenes and sends Vader's ship spiraling off course, which allows Luke to destroy the Death Star.

In ''[[The Empire Strikes Back]]'' (1980), Vader has become obsessed with finding Luke, who is now a Rebel commander. Vader's forces assault the Rebel base on [[Hoth]], but the Rebels escape. Vader convinces [[Palpatine|the Emperor]] that Luke could be a valuable ally if he were turned to the dark side of the Force. Vader engages  [[bounty hunter]]s to follow Luke's companions, and compels the [[Bespin|Cloud City]] administrator [[Lando Calrissian]] to set a trap for them. After Han, Leia, [[Chewbacca]] and [[C-3PO]] arrive, Vader tortures and freezes Han in carbonite and gives him to the bounty hunter [[Boba Fett]]. When Luke lands on Cloud City to help his friends, Vader overpowers him and severs his hand. He tells Luke that he is his father, and tries to persuade him to join the dark side and help him overthrow the Emperor. Horrified, Luke escapes through an air shaft. Vader telepathically tells Luke that it is his destiny to join the dark side.

Vader and the Emperor supervise the construction of the second Death Star in ''[[Return of the Jedi]]'' (1983). Believing there is still good in his father, Luke surrenders to Vader in an attempt to bring him back from the dark side. Vader takes his son to the Death Star and brings him before the Emperor, who attempts to seduce him to the dark side. Luke lashes out at the Emperor with his lightsaber, but Vader blocks his strike, and the two of them duel once again. As Luke regains control of his emotions, Vader senses that he has a sister, and threatens to turn her to the dark side if Luke will not submit. Enraged, Luke overpowers Vader and severs his hand. The Emperor then betrays his apprentice by ordering Luke to kill Vader and take his place, but Luke refuses.

Enraged, the Emperor begins torturing Luke with [[Force lightning]], leading to Luke begging his father to save him. Unwilling to see his son die, Vader throws the Emperor down a reactor shaft to his death, but is mortally wounded in the process. Luke carries him to a docking bay, where Imperial forces are evacuating in the face of a Rebel assault. At Vader's request, Luke removes his father's mask and looks upon the face of Anakin Skywalker for the first time. The redeemed Anakin Skywalker encourages him to go and tells him that he has saved him, before peacefully dying. On Endor, Luke burns his father's body on a funeral pyre. As the Rebels celebrate the destruction of the Death Star and the fall of the Empire, Luke sees Anakin's spirit appear alongside the spirits of Obi-Wan and [[Yoda]].