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Who is Darth Vader?

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The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Darth Vader is a lead villain in the science fiction franchise Star Wars. He appears primarily in Star Wars (1977, retitled Star Wars: Episode IVā€”A New Hope), Star Wars: Episode Vā€”The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Star Wars: Episode VIā€”Return of the Jedi (1983). A prequel trilogy, released between 1999 and 2005, detailed Vaderā€™s descent into darkness.