Here are some of the majorStar Warscharacters who’ve filled the role of Darth Vader at one point or another - whether as the “face” of the franchise or as a villain who fits his pattern. Let’s face it, there’s something utterly iconic about Darth Vader. The Dark Lord of the Sith has a relatively minor role in the firstStar Warsmovie (later retitledA New Hope), but he became increasingly important as the franchise continued.Darth Vader essentially became the “face” ofStar Wars.
All that made recent reports that Disney consider Daisy Ridley’s Rey to be their most marketable character all the more intriguing.Rey is serving as Darth Vader’s replacement, the face of the franchise who could potentially appear in multiple movies, which fits with Ridley’s recent comments that her role and expectations are “evolving.” She’s not the first character to fill the Vader space, and she won’t be the last; here are some of the most notable attempts to date.
Appeared in
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic games
Darth Revanis, understandably, top of the list; the main character of the ever-popularKnights of the Old Republicgame, Revan has even been name-dropped in canon.The character fits the Darth Vader pattern in every way; he’s a Dark Lord of the Sith who’s noted for wearing a mask and who has a redemption story involving love. Depending on the player’s choices inKOTOR, his story ends either in the light side or the dark - but, chillingly, inStar Warslore he seems to end up as aSith Lord.
Here’s the odd thing about Darth Revan; it’s entirely possible he could become the face ofStar Warsagain. Lucasfilm officially announced the various periods of theStar Warstimelinelast year, and there are projects going ahead in every period - except the Old Republic Era. A faithfulKOTORadaptation would be an absolute hit with viewers, guaranteed to draw together various elements of the fanbase, so it’s strange to see this hasn’t happened yet.
The original Darth Vader replacement
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Solo: A Star Wars Story
Darth Maul was essentially the first proper Darth Vader replacement. He was the first new Sith to appear on the big screen since the original trilogy (which, it must be noted, had never explicitly stated evenPalpatinewas a Sith Lord). And the design was absolutely perfect; Maul’s fearsome visage was front-and-center in the prequel trilogy’s marketing, appearing prominently in the marketing forStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. Stunt actor Ray Park gave Maul stunning fight choreography, unlike anything seen before in the franchise.
There was just one problem with Darth Maul; he died too quickly. Even George Lucas himself realized Maul’s death was a mistake, and he orchestrated Maul’s resurrection inStar Wars: The Clone Wars. The former Sith Apprentice was set up as a returning antagonist inThe Clone WarsandStar Wars Rebels, and theend ofSolo: A Star Wars Storyseemed to set him up for future anthology movies.Solobombed in the box office, though, so this never happened.
Amusingly, Darth Maul could actually have been bigger. George Lucas planned him to be the main villain of hisStar Warssequel trilogy, bringing him back with Darth Talon as an apprentice. Lucasfilm chose a different direction, but it’s fascinating to imagine this particular “what if?”
The Star Wars sequel trilogy
TheStar Warssequel trilogy took the task of creating a Darth Vader replacement literally.Kylo Ren was actually Darth Vader’s grandson, and he’d dedicated his life to finishing what his grandfather had started - although it was never particularly clear what he thought that to be. He’d somehow acquired Darth Vader’s mask, and treated it like some sort of holy relic. The core problem for Kylo, though, was that he too felt the siren’s pull of the light side.
There’s a sense of irony to Kylo Ren’s story. Anakin Skywalker fell to the dark side because he wanted to save his beloved Padmé Amidala from death, and he was promised a secretForce powerthat would allow him to do so. In the end, Kylo Ren succeeded in doing what Anakin could not; he saved Rey from death, achieving this through an act of self-sacrifice that Anakin would never have considered back in the day.
Junior Jedi Knights, New Jedi Order
Anakin Skywalker’s grandchildren had troubled histories in the oldStar WarsExpanded Universeas well, always feeling as though they were overshadowed by him. This was particularly true for Anakin Solo; Leia chose the name as an acknowledgment of her father’s redemption, and never considered what a weight she’d placed on his shoulders. Anakin felt the pressure of trying to redeem his own name, and he struggled with the dark side in a powerful and visceral way.
Like his grandfather, Anakin wound up fighting on the front lines of a brutal war - in his case, theYuuzhan Vonginvasion. Greg Keyes' fantasticEdge of Victoryduology saw Anakin fall in love with fellow Jedi Tahiri Veila (Luke’s Jedi Order had a very different view on attachment in Legends), and a prophecy from Master Ikrit hinted he was destined for greatness. Instead, Anakin tragically died in Troy Denning’sStar by Star, leaving readers shocked and shaken.There were reports George Lucas had requested the character’s death, feeling two “Anakins” was confusing.
He even became a Sith Lord
Young Jedi Knights, New Jedi Order, Dark Nest trilogy, Legacy of the Force
Star WarsLegends foreshadowed Kylo Ren in an even more direct manner, though; in the person of Jacen Solo, Anakin’s older brother. Jacen was very different to Anakin, much more philosophical, and he struggled to understand the Force in light of the Yuuzhan Vong invasion. He was captured by the Yuuzhan Vong during the same botched mission that saw Anakin die, and he was subsequently tortured by Vergere - a secret Sith who had infiltrated the Yuuzhan Vong. She taught him the ways of the Potentium, a cult believing there is neither light nor dark.
Jacen was essentially the face of Luke Skywalker’s Jedi Order for several years, with Luke embracing the Potentium heresy for a time. Things took a tragic twist in the “Legacy of the Force” series, though, when Jacen learned the truth about Vergere from the Dark Lady of the Sith, Lumiya, and became the Sith Lord Darth Caedus. He was ultimately killed by his twin sister, Jaina, cementing “Fate of the Jedi” as one of the darkest arcs inStar Warshistory.
Star Wars: The High Republic
Returning toStar Warscanon, Marchion Ro is one of several characters who can be considered the face of theHigh Republic Era. It’s immediately clear he has a Darth Vader element to his design - note the iconic helmet, for example. But, that said, Marchion Ro is a very different kind of character; he’s motivated by a philosophical hatred of the Jedi, resenting their power and prestige. Marchion Ro launches a disturbingly successful campaign against the Jedi, even managing to cut an entire section of the galaxy off and establish his rule over it.
Marchion Ro’s story is still ongoing, of course, but it looks as though it will end in a very different way to Darth Vader’s. Don’t expect any redemption for this twisted villain, who is attempting to weaponize creatures that consume the Force itself. Instead, expect his story to end in outright defeat - but likely at a terrible cost, as the Jedi veer ever closer to the dark side.
Marchion Ro is really only of two “faces” of Lucasfilm’sStar Wars: The HIgh Republictransmedia initiative. The other is Avar Kriss, one of the most powerful Jedi Masters of her time. Avar has a unique relationship with the Force, experiencing it as music, and she has the power to draw the strength of all Jedi together like the conductor of an orchestra. Like Marchion Ro, she made her debut in Charles Soule’sLight of the Jedi.
Like Anakin, she feels the call of love.
Marchion Ro may be the Darth Vader lookalike in the High Republic Era, but Avar Kriss' story bears many similarities to his. She may be a Jedi Master, but like Anakin, she feels the call of love - notably for another Jedi Master, Elzar Mann. The two were something of an item back when they were Padawans, and the conflict with Marchion Ro and his forces leads to their old emotions being rekindled. Butthere are ominous hints they too are on the verge of falling to the dark side.
The greatest hero of the Clone Wars
Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, The Mandalorian season 2, Ahsoka, Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi
Darth Vader may be the face ofStar Warsmovies, but Ahsoka Tano is the face ofStar WarsTV. Co-created by George Lucas and Dave Filoni, Ahsoka was the star ofStar Wars: The Clone Wars, and her story continues on intoStar Wars Rebels. Filoni absolutely adores the character, and he was both unable and unwilling to kill her off; he literally created a cosmic realm known as theWorld Between Worldsto ensure she survived an encounter with Darth Vader.
Rosario Dawson has been cast the live-action Ahsoka Tano, making her debut inThe Mandalorianseason 2 and subsequently starring in her own Disney+ TV show.Ahsokaseason 2 will begin filming next year, continuing the story of Ahsoka’s quest in a distant galaxy, and it’s reasonable to assume it will bring her back. Dave Filoni is working on a movie that caps offThe Mandalorianera, andthere’s surely no way he can resist bringing Ahsoka on to the big screen.
The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett
The Mandalorianwas Disney+’s flagship TV show, releasing alongside the streaming platform’s launch back in 2019. It was an unprecedented hit, with Pedro Pascal’s Din Djarin immediately winning viewers over and the delightful Grogu (initially nicknamed Baby Yoda by the internet) proving a massive crowd-pleaser.The MandalorianremainsStar Wars' biggest live-action TV success, even after shows likeObi-Wan KenobiandAhsoka.
Disney has charged Lucasfilm with a pivot back to the big screen, and Din Djarin will lead the way back to theaters in 2026. He’ll star inThe Mandalorian & Grogu, an exciting continuation of his ongoing story that will surely also feature Lars Mikkelsen’sGrand Admiral Thrawn. This will essentially test whether Din Djarin has what it takes to be the new face ofStar Wars.
And that brings us up to this last entry, Daisy Ridley’s Rey, considered Lucasfilm’s most important remaining cinematic asset. Rey stood at the center of theStar Warssequel trilogy; for all the online “discourse” about her, her popularity was proven by the rapturous response to Ridley’s return at last year’s Star Wars Celebration. Ridley is the new face ofStar Wars, and several different movies will potentially feature her in one role or another. The future is undoubtedly bright for Rey!
Rey Skywalker
Daughter of a “failed” Palpatine clone, Rey became part of a mysterious phenomenon known as the Force Dyad - a vergence in the Force that bound her to Kylo Ren. Trained by both Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa, Rey fought against the First Order as an ally of the Resistance. She ultimately triumphed against Palpatine himself, channelling the full power of all Jedi.
