It's hard to find a more well-known movie villain than Darth Vader. Six movies told the tragic tale of Anakin Skywalker's fall to the dark side and eventual death at the hands of Emperor Palpatine. The original trilogy, comprised Episodes IV, V & VI. The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith are the three prequel films. Using canon sources and some dialogue from the movies themselves, we can work out exactly how old was Darth Vader when he died.
How Old Was Darth Vader When He Died?
Anakin Skywalker, after being redeemed, was only 45 years old when he let Luke take off his mask, but there were various factors that made him appear much older. Vader's unmasked part in the movie was played by Sebastian Shaw during filming.
Shaw was in his late 70s at the time & his advanced age shows in both Vader's appearance and voice. As time went on, a canonical justification for Vader's aging appearance was added in the form of the Prequels.
The transformation from Anakin Skywalker to Darth Vader occurred at an early age, but the injuries he endured were so severe that they permanently affected his personality. During their combat on Mustafar, he & his former master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, were both severely injured.
His injuries necessitated a life-support system to be integrated into his signature black suit, and he would spend the remainder of his days there. It's possible that his appearance changed slightly during the years he spent in this costume.
Vader's menacing black outfit is the only part of him we see during the majority of the Original Trilogy, save from a quick glimpse of the back of his head in his meditation chamber. Also, everyone's favorite unmasking scene from Return of the Jedi.
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Knowing he was about to die, he requested Luke to take off his mask and helmet at the end of Return of the Jedi.
How Old Was Anakin When He Became Darth Vader?
Anakin Skywalker, a teenage Padawan of the Jedi Order, would later become the evil Sith Lord Darth Vader. He was just 22 years old when he underwent this metamorphosis; yet, his betrayal of the Jedi Order was a long time in the making, despite the appearance of a sudden shift.
At the age of nine, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi came across Anakin. While Jinn was sure he was the Chosen One destined to restore harmony to the Force, Master Yoda told him it was too late to start training.
Kenobi was promoted from Padawan to Knight after Jinn's death. Despite Yoda's repeated misgivings, the Jedi Council granted him permission to train Anakin. After ten years of training as a Youngling and Padawan, Anakin became a full-fledged Jedi Knight at the age of 19—smack dab in the middle of the Clone Wars.
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For the following three years, he served the Republic valiantly as a Jedi General, preparing Padawan Ahsoka Tano for battle. While he had much success on the surface, he struggled within and frequently clashed with other members of the Jedi Council.
Who Voiced Darth Vader?
Darth Vader's voice has always been an integral part of conveying the character's dread and the actual weight he carries, and this is no exception. Darth Vader's voice in Obi-Wan Kenobi was provided by James Earl Jones, thus it is instantly recognizable and stays true to the character's sound from prior iterations.
Some fans hoped Jones would return for more episodes, while others thought someone else would take over voicing Darth Vader. In case the instantly recognizable noises weren't enough, the credits for Episode 3 of Obi-Wan Kenobi clarify that Jones is, in fact, voicing Darth Vader.
