His appearances in Obi-Wan Kenobi furthered the already iron-clad, immense legacy of Darth Vader, who remains not only one of the most iconic characters in pop culture but one of the greatest characters ever. There is so much to the dark lord of the Sith, having such a complex and tragic story, so much of which can be summed up by many of his memorable quotes over the years.
From speaking on his journey to and through the dark side to showcasing his nature and power, Vader has a slew of iconic quotes throughout Star Wars that sum up his incredible character.
10 No Patience For Failure
“You Have Failed Me For The Last Time, Admiral.”
As can be seen consistently throughout every medium of Star Wars, Vader looks down on just about every one of his underlings, from the Inquisitorius to the Imperial Officers, from all of whom he demands the highest of standards.
This desire for success leads to one of Vader’s best moments as he kills Admiral Ozzel. Here, Vader’s impatience is on full display, refusing to be merciful to the Admiral who failed him more than once. This moment also shows how inadvertently hilarious Vader can be.
9 Pure Hatred
“I Hate You!”
There was not much time between Anakin getting anointed Darth Vader and first getting put in the suit, but everything between those two points is intense and emotional, especially the Battle of the Heroes.
This is Vader/Anakin’s sole line in and amongst Obi-Wan’s monologue and is a powerful representation of what he has become and what Vader is. This fire of hatred burns deep in every fiber of Vader’s ironically cold being. It fuels him and makes him what he is, a being of evil for so long.
8 Limitless
“There Is Always Something I Can Do.”
Darth Vader is very aware of his power. Combine that with his faith in the dark side of the Force and the strength it can give him, and that leads to Vader seeing himself as limitless in his power, particularly in the comics.
This line comes in reply to doubts from Lieutenant Oon-ai in Darth Vader #2 (2015). It does not just sum up the confidence of Vader, though, but also how he constantly backs it up as mere seconds later, Vader takes out the droidekas and pirates with a combination of intelligence and power.
7 Relishing The Killing
“That I Can Kill You Repeatedly Is By Far Your Most Appealing Trait.”
Throughout Star Wars, whether in TV shows, movies, games, movies, and comics, Darth Vader has an insane kill count, and he seems to relish every single one of them, liking to not only kill his victims but even toy with them.
This line is spoken to Cylo, whose clones provide Vader with the opportunity to kill this hatable scientist time and time and time again. As he seems to with all his kills, Vader enjoys it in some dark, twisted way fuelled by hatred and anger. This not only sums up that murderous side of Vader but is yet another example of his evil being kind of hilarious in its darkness.
6 A Chilling Panel
“All I Am Surrounded By Is Fear And Dead Men.”
One of the best and most badass Darth Vader moments to date is his defiant triumph against legions of rebels who announce themselves as surrounding the Sith Lord, only for him to tear them to shreds in one of his most iconic comic panels.
This whole moment, this image sums up just how terrifying Vader can be as well as how little he fears people and life-or-death situations. Even with the odds stacked against him, he knows it will be no problem for him to decimate these troops. Few characters in pop culture can so consistently provide spine-chilling moments like this – with help from awesome writers, creators, and illustrators.
5 A Loyal Servant
“Kenobi Means Nothing. I Serve Only You, My Master.”
One of the many great quotes with a deeper meaning and implication in Obi-Wan Kenobi is this, which sees Darth Vader forced into letting go of his emotional pursuit of Obi-Wan.
This does not just sum up Vader in that he gave up looking for Obi-Wan for years, but it showcases his utter devotion to Palpatine, to whom he is willing to prove himself to and whose every teaching by which he will abide. On a few occasions, Vader does attempt to rebel or hit back for his gain, but he is constantly shot back down as the right-hand man of Sidious.
4 His Purpose
“Where Is Padmé? Is She Safe? Is She Alright?”
As seen in some of the phenomenal Vader-focused comics, Vader never really let go of Padmé. Not only did he think about Padmé and have visions of her, but he even joined Sabé at her tomb.
This is Vader’s first line in the iconic black suit, and that is so typical of this tragic character. All Anakin Skywalker wanted was to save Padmé. Despite being manipulated and twisted, as well as letting his emotions, passions, and fears take over him, he still held onto that goal when he fell to the dark side. Vader channeled that pain for years into the hate and anger that would make him a force of evil and destruction in the Galaxy.
3 The Iconic Twist
“No, I Am Your Father.”
The often misquoted “No, I am your father.” is one of the most important lines in Star Wars and arguably the most remarkable twist in film history. It is also a quote that sums up the character of Darth Vader in a more meta sense.
It says what Vader is, the father of Luke and Leia, but on another level, this moment is reflective of Vader himself. It is something so iconic that it transcends the film and franchise. Both Vader and this line are known worldwide by fans and non-fans alike. Everyone recognizes the name, is aware of the character, and knows the line – in some form.
2 Inciting Terror
“Then You Will Die Braver Than Most.”
Vader in Rebels is incredible, particularly in his exchanges with and episodes shared with Ahsoka Tano. Many of his lines to Ahsoka in ‘Twilight Of The Apprentice’ during their incredible fight sum up parts of his journey, but this line to Ezra embodies what Vader is all about.
The “Then you will die” has been repeated multiple times by Vader, and in this instance, so chillingly conveys the terror and sense of dread that he incites in all of his other victims. Vader will kill whether his victim fears him or not, but he knows that they are horrified by him more often than not.
1 Anakin Is Dead
“I Am Not Your Failure, Obi-Wan. You Did Not Kill Anakin Skywalker, I Did, Just Like I Will Destroy You.”
Obi-Wan’s encounter with Vader in the finale of Obi-Wan Kenobi has so many parallels with Vader’s battle with Ahsoka, not least of all the emotional weight behind it and how chilling the whole affair is. This line from Vader is one of the most heartbreaking to come from either duel.
This line lets Obi-Wan know that Anakin is gone, buried beneath the mountains of hate and anger formed by the darkness of Vader. He almost sounds proud for having rid the world of Anakin, happy to have destroyed him, and his little end quip of wanting to kill Obi-Wan shows that his pursuit of vengeance, his supply of hatred and anger, knows no end – not until the return of Anakin that is.
