A Star Wars cosplayer has perfectly captured the terrifying energy of Darth Vader. From his first introduction in the franchise, Darth Vader has been considered to be one of cinema’s most menacing and powerful villains. Darth Vader’s power in the dark side of the Force is evident from the start, particularly when General Tarkin taunts him on the Death Star for having such faith in something that the rest of the galaxy had largely forgotten. This cosplay encapsulates Vader’s power and might that are fueled by the dark side.

Cosplayer Darth Burkhard took to Instagram to show off his amazingly detailed Vader cosplay.

The cosplay is remarkably intricate and accurate to Vader’s suit in the movies, right down to the red lightsaber casting light on the smoke drifting around the floor of what looks to be Vader’s ship or throne room. The caption, “You are brave to appear here in my fortress! Unfortunately, it will be your last brave act….” perfectly captures the chilling way Darth Vader would interact with even his boldest adversaries.

Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader

Conceived by the will of the Force itself, Anakin Skywalker was the prophesied Chosen One, destined to bring the Force into balance. Anakin struggled to balance competing attachments to the Jedi Order and his wife Padmé Amidala, and ultimately fell to the dark side, becoming Darth Vader. For years he served as Palpatine’s right hand man, but he was ultimately redeemed by the faith of his son, Luke Skywalker. Now a Force Ghost, Anakin continues to act as an agent of balance.

Cast

Bob Anderson
, Hayden Christensen
, James Earl Jones
, Matt Lanter
, Matt Lucas
, Jake Lloyd
, David Prowse
, Sebastian Shaw

Movies

Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope
, Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back
, Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi
, Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones
, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

TV Shows

Star Wars: The Clone Wars
, Star Wars Rebels
, Obi-Wan Kenobi
, Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi
, Ahsoka

Darth Vader’s Power Makes An Incredible Arc In Star Wars

Star Wars' Darth Vader wielding his red lightsaber, surging with dark side energy.

Despite his insecurities, Anakin Skywalker had an arrogance that fueled him in battle. Time and time again, Anakin is shown to struggle with his pride and anger, usually fueled by the pressure he felt from his possible role as the Jedi’s Chosen One. By the time Anakin became a Jedi Knight, his short fuse and pride would clash with the Code he was trying so hard to live up to. When he fell to the dark side, those traits would only serve to make him more powerful when he no longer needed to keep them in check.

Anakin wanted to become a Jedi to make the galaxy better, but his anger and hate grew with his power, eventually driving him into the arms of Palpatine and the dark side. As Darth Vader, Anakin’s hatred would become even more focused. Free of his desire to impress or protect anyone, Vader fully surrenders to the power of the dark side, making him focused on vanquishing any enemy. Whether he’s actively battling someone or simply intimidating a subordinate, Darth Vader’s fearsome demeanor is one of Star Wars’ most iconic elements.