4 Facts About Darth Vader You Probably Didn’t Know

Star Wars had one of the most profound cultural impacts of any movie franchise. Even if you haven't seen the movies (and there's only a few of you out there), you know that Darth Vader reveals himself to be Luke Skywalker's father, much to his dismay. In honor of Father's Day, we compiled a list of 4 Darth Vader facts that you probably don't know. Get to know some of the finer points about this bad dad and use the promo code VADERFS to get free shipping on any Star Wars shirt for a limited time!

4. "The Imperial March" isn't played in the first Star Wars film

"The Imperial March," Darth Vader's ominous theme song, isn't heard until Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. Even the prequel trilogy contains the Imperial March during several scenes, making the first film, A New Hope, the only Star Wars movie that doesn't have the music.

3. James Earl Jones didn’t appear in the original credits

James Earl Jones lent his voice to Darth Vader (who was played on screen by David Prowse), but he felt that he didn't contribute enough to the role to warrant a credit. Jones said, "Not only did I refuse credit, I told everyone it wasn't me." He wouldn't allow his name to be added to the credits until the third original movie, Return of the Jedi. There is also speculation that Jones was convinced that the movie would flop and didn't want his name associated with Vader.

2. Darth Vader has been played by 7 different actors throughout the Star Wars Franchise

James Earl Jones and David Prowse make two, but there are still five others that have played Darth Vader throughout the Star Wars franchise. In the original series, professional fencer Bob Anderson did many of Vader's lightsaber duels, and in Return of the Jedi, Sebastian Shaw stood in for several scenes in place of Prowse. The films were later re-released with updated visual effects and scenes, which were played by C. Andre Nelson standing in. Finally, in the prequel movies, Anakin Skywalker (who later goes on to become Darth Vader) was played by Jake Lloyd and Hayden Christiansen.

1. Vader never actually says, "Luke, I am your father"

If you're a movie buff or a Star Wars geek, you've probably used the line "Luke, I am your father" on any number of occasions. While that line is pretty close to what Darth Vader says in his great reveal, it's not an exact quote. The correct line is actually, "No, I am your father," which isn't quite as quotable.
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