Leader of the Contingency:
197-556: Legislative: Executive: The Galactic Empire , also known simply as the Empire , is a fictional autocracy featured in the Star Wars franchise. Introduced in the 1977 film Star Wars , it is the main antagonistic faction of the original trilogy , which also includes The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983). An oppressive dictatorship with a complicated bureaucracy,
394-556: A mass party said to represent the citizens . While other forms of European dictatorship were dissolved after World War II , communism was strengthened and became the basis of several dictatorships in Eastern Europe . Communist states became the primary model for autocratic government in the late-20th century, and many non-communist autocratic regimes replicated the communist style of government. The decline in autocracy across Western Europe affected autocratic government elsewhere in
591-905: A vote of no confidence in Supreme Chancellor of the Republic Finis Valorum . Palpatine is elected Supreme Chancellor in Valorum's place. As the Seperatists Crisis fighting intensifies in Episode II , the Galactic Senate , the legislature of the Republic, grants Palpatine emergency powers to deal with the crisis. Palpatine promise safety at the cost of individual freedoms, all while tightening his own control over every facset of society; promises to relinquish his powers once peace and order
788-407: A "layer of hate". The Emperor then orders Vader to send another Inquisitor to capture her. Later in the season, Ahsoka has a vision in which Anakin blames her for his fall to the dark side. In the season finale, Ahsoka duels with Vader inside a Sith Temple. As the episode concludes, Vader emerges from the ruins of the temple, while Ahsoka's fate is left unknown. Anakin appears in multiple episodes of
985-516: A Jedi Code prohibition against romantic relationships. Sensing that his mother is in danger, Anakin travels with Padmé to Tatooine and finds that she was kidnapped by Tusken Raiders . He locates her at a Tusken campsite, where she dies in his arms. Overcome with grief and rage, Anakin massacres the Tusken tribe. Padmé is disturbed by what he has done, but comforts him nevertheless. Anakin and Padmé then go to Geonosis to aid Obi-Wan , only to be captured by
1182-668: A bond with Padmé. Qui-Gon asks the Jedi Council for permission to train Anakin, but they refuse, concerned that the fear he exhibits makes him vulnerable to the dark side. During a conflict with the Trade Federation , Anakin helps end the blockade of Naboo by destroying a control ship. Qui-Gon is mortally wounded in a duel with the Sith Lord Darth Maul , and with his dying breath asks his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi to train Anakin. With
1379-514: A castle on the planet Vjun. Anakin Skywalker is a major character in Dark Horse Comics ' Star Wars: Republic series (1998–2006). In Boba Fett: Enemy of the Empire (1999), Vader hires Fett a few years before the events of A New Hope . In Vader's Quest (1999), set soon after A New Hope , the dark lord encounters Luke for the first time. Star Wars: Empire (2002–2005) spans from about
1576-572: A central command structure that notably coordinates the Galactic Empire's war effort. The cabinet enjoys much power within the government's hierarchy, being responsible for: sanctioning weapons programs (such as the TIE Defender project), supervising the armed forces, forming strategies and organizing expansionary or pacification campaigns. Despite this, Imperial High Command was unable to take any serious action against Rebel sympathizers with allies in
1773-497: A centralized authority. Historical chiefs often held only tenuous power over the chiefdom, but they trended towards autocracy as heterarchical governance was replaced with hierarchical governance. Early states were formed by warlords ruling over conquered territory. The first states were the city-states of Mesopotamia , which first developed around the 35th century BCE. These early states were ruled by kings who were both political and religious leaders. These were followed by
1970-460: A common method of co-optation and coercion, as they provide a mechanism to control members of the government, initiate new members, and discourage a military coup. Autocratic governments controlled through a political party last longer on average than other autocratic governments. Control over the public is maintained through indoctrination and propaganda . Autocratic governments enjoy similar levels of public support to democratic governments, and
2167-439: A country's politics, including its government's structure and bureaucracy, long after it democratizes. Comparisons between regions have found disparities in citizen attitudes, policy preferences, and political engagement depending on whether it had been subject to autocracy, even in different regions within the same country. Citizens of postcommunist nations are more likely to distrust government and free markets, directly hindering
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#17328593533442364-422: A father to a young Luke and Leia, with some scenes portraying light-hearted versions of their darker film counterparts. For example, one scene shows Vader, Luke and Leia at the carbonite freezing chamber on Bespin, with Vader pronouncing the freezer adequate for making ice cream. Vader appears in several comic books such as Marvel Comics ' Star Wars (1977–1986). In Dark Empire II , he is revealed to have had
2561-551: A form of autocracy during the interwar period . It seized power in many of these republics, particularly during the Great Depression . This saw the establishment of fascist , communist , and military dictatorships throughout Europe. The communist state first developed as a new form of autocracy following the Russian Revolution . This type of autocratic government enforced totalitarian control over its citizens through
2758-563: A form of monarchism that rejected feudalism, and Caesarism , imperial rule reminiscent of Julius Caesar. These were primarily used to define the First and Second French Empires . European monarchies moved away from autocracy in the 19th century as legislatures increased in power. In 19th century Latin America, regional rulers known as caudillos seized power in several nations as early examples of dictators. The 19th and 20th centuries brought about
2955-457: A full-face breathing mask with a samurai helmet . A 1975 production painting by McQuarrie depicts Vader engaged in a lightsaber duel with Deak Starkiller, who later became Luke Skywalker. Vader is shown wearing black armor, a flowing cape and a skull-like mask and helmet. This early design was similar to Vader's final appearance. Working from McQuarrie's concepts, the costume designer John Mollo devised an outfit that combined clerical robes,
3152-663: A funeral pyre. As the Rebels celebrate the destruction of the Death Star and the fall of the Empire, Luke sees Anakin's spirit appear alongside the spirits of Obi-Wan and Yoda . The first film of the prequel trilogy, The Phantom Menace (1999), takes place 32 years before Star Wars . Anakin is a nine-year-old slave living on Tatooine with his mother Shmi . He is a gifted pilot and mechanic, and has built his own protocol droid, C-3PO . The Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn meets Anakin after making an emergency landing on Tatooine with Padmé Amidala,
3349-489: A government's actions and its citizens' rights to sort democracies and autocracies. These attributes might include enfranchisement , freedom of expression , freedom of information , separation of powers , or free and fair elections, among others. Both the choice in attributes and the method of measuring them are subjective, and they are defined individually be each index. Despite this, different democracy indices generally produce similar results. Most discrepancies come from
3546-488: A leader amongst themselves, such as in an electoral monarchy . The creation of a constitution is another common measure used by autocrats to stay in power; as they are able to draft the constitution unilaterally, it can be tailored to suit their rule. Autocratic government has been central to political theory since the development of Ancient Greek political philosophy . Despite its historical prominence, autocracy has not been widely recognized as its own political theory in
3743-463: A lightsaber duel. After placing a tracking device aboard Han's ship, Vader locates the Rebel base on Yavin 4 . When the Rebels attack the Death Star, Vader pursues Luke in his TIE fighter . Before he can shoot Luke down, Han intervenes and sends Vader's ship spiraling off course, which allows Luke to destroy the Death Star. In The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Vader becomes obsessed with finding Luke, who
3940-409: A limited ability to check the power of the autocrat, though these are not usually formed through free and fair elections . These legislatures may also be prone to corruption and can be influenced by the autocrat in exchange for preferential treatment. Other institutions, such as an independent judiciary or an active civil society , may also limit the autocrat's power. Some autocracies emphasize
4137-594: A more democratic government, if the national government has limited control over a specific area or its political conflicts. Autocracies impose few to no limits on the power of the autocrat, and any formal institutions that exist create only limited accountability. To maintain power, an autocrat must have the support of elites that hold influence in the country and assist the autocrat in carrying out their will. The amount of direct control that an autocrat wields in practice may vary. As an autocratic government solidifies its rule, it develops stronger institutions to carry out
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#17328593533444334-512: A more public presence and leads the Imperial forces, acting as a personification of the Galactic Empire's power. By the time of Episode IV – A New Hope , the faction has transformed into a fully autocratic regime, though it is opposed by the insurgent Rebel Alliance . The completion of the Death Star , a planet-destroying battle station, allows Emperor Palpatine to instigate a self-coup , dissolving
4531-402: A motorcycle suit, a German military helmet , and a military gas mask. The prop sculptor Brian Muir created the helmet and armor. The sound of Vader's breathing was created by the film's sound designer, Ben Burtt , using modified recordings of a scuba breathing apparatus. The sound effect is trademarked at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office . Lucas has provided differing accounts of how
4728-405: A negative connotation. Many attempts have been made to define the political structure of autocracy. It traditionally entails a single unrestrained ruler, known as an autocrat, though unrestrained non-democratic rule by a group may also be defined as autocratic. Autocracy is distinguished from other forms of government by the power of the autocrat to unilaterally repress the civil liberties of
4925-620: A playable character for a limited time in Disney Magic Kingdoms . A bird version of Vader appears as a playable character and a boss in Angry Birds Star Wars and its sequel . Star Wars: Lords of the Sith was one of four canon novels released between 2014 and 2015. In it, Vader and Palpatine find themselves hunted by revolutionaries on the planet Ryloth . The 25-issue Marvel comic series Darth Vader (2015–2016) focuses on
5122-424: A powerless symbol that exists only as an illusion of representation. Senators with no dedication to Public Service were easily bribed or coerced into being an assembly line that rubberstamped Palpatine's policy; the remaining Senators who actually cared about the people, were spied upon, arrested, extorted, assassinated, or otherwise made to disappear. Instead Palpatine appointed Governors to oversee all Star systems in
5319-470: A ruling family rather than a single autocrat. This has been the case of most monarchies. Such arrangements allow for royal intermarriage , which can join autocracies together through dynastic unions . Personalist dictatorships may also give significance to the ruling family through a cult of personality , such as the Kim family of North Korea . The earliest autocracies, such as chiefdoms , formed where there
5516-529: A separate narrative universe. Vader is featured prominently in novels set in the Star Wars universe . In the 1978 novel Splinter of the Mind's Eye by Alan Dean Foster , Vader meets Luke for the first time and engages him in a lightsaber duel that ends with Luke cutting off Vader's arm and Vader falling into a deep pit. Shadows of the Empire (1996) reveals that Vader is conflicted about trying to turn his son to
5713-689: A slave and his mother's traumatic death. In The Unifying Force (2003), Anakin tells his grandson Jacen Solo to "stand firm" in his battle with the Supreme Overlord of the Yuuzhan Vong . Upon the release of the prequel films, the Expanded Universe grew to include novels about Vader's former life as Anakin. Greg Bear 's 2000 novel Rogue Planet and Jude Watson 's Jedi Quest series chronicle Anakin's early missions with Obi-Wan, while James Luceno 's 2005 novel Labyrinth of Evil , set during
5910-455: A stalemate; both Jedi are forced to go into exile. Grievously wounded, Vader is rescued by Palpatine and fitted with cybernetics and a black suit of armor with a life support system. After Padmé dies giving birth to twins, Yoda and Obi-Wan decide to separate the children – Luke and Leia – in order to hide them from the Sith. Luke goes to Vader's stepfamily on Tatooine , while Leia is adopted by Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan . Having "won"
6107-588: A state ideology, this may be used to justify the autocrat's rule. This is most common in communist or ethnonationalist governments. Autocracies with unfair elections will cite election results to prove that the autocrat has a mandate to rule. Some autocracies will use practical considerations to legitimise their rule, arguing that they are necessary to provide basic needs to the population. Autocracy encompasses most non-democratic forms of government, including dictatorships , monarchies , and dominant-party regimes . Monarchies were common in medieval Europe, but in
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6304-417: A state ideology. These include most traditional monarchies, military dictatorships, theocracies , and dominant party states. An absolute autocracy may be referred to as despotism , in which the autocrat rules purely through personal control without any meaningful institutions. These were most common in pre-industrial societies, when large bureaucracies had not yet become standard in government. Sultanism
6501-430: A state's status as autocratic is not a significant indicator in whether it is supported by its citizens. Autocrats often appeal to the people by supporting a specific political, ethnic, or religious movement. The different forms of autocratic government create significant variance in their foreign policy. Overall, autocratic governments are more likely to go to war than democratic governments, as citizens are not part of
6698-472: Is Svarthöfði , which means "black-head". The films Swiss Family Robinson (1960) and Battle of the Bulge (1965) influenced the original Star Wars trilogy, but Lucas's publicist has denied that Anakin Skywalker was named after Ken Annakin , the director of those films. The original surname of Anakin and Luke was "Starkiller", and it remained in the script until a few months into filming Star Wars . It
6895-477: Is a system of government in which absolute power is held by the ruler, known as an autocrat . It includes some forms of monarchy and all forms of dictatorship , while it is contrasted with democracy and feudalism . Various definitions of autocracy exist. They may restrict autocracy to cases where power is held by a single individual, or they may define autocracy in a way that includes a group of rulers who wield absolute power. The autocrat has total control over
7092-644: Is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise. He was first introduced in the original film trilogy as one of the leaders of the Galactic Empire . The prequel trilogy chronicles his transformation from the Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker into the Sith Lord Darth Vader. His metamorphosis begins when he is lured to the dark side of the Force by Chancellor Palpatine , who later becomes
7289-819: Is a type of personalist dictatorship in which a ruling family directly integrates itself into the state through a cult of personality , where it maintains control purely through rewards for allies and force against enemies. In these regimes, there is no guiding ideology or legal system, and the state serves only to bring about the leader's own personal enrichment. Other descriptors, such as tyranny and absolutism, may also be associated with variations of autocracy. Though autocracies often restrict civil and political rights , some may allow limited exercise of some rights. These autocracies grant moderate representation to political opponents and allow exercise of some civil rights, though less than those associated with democracy. These are contrasted with closed autocracies, which do not permit
7486-449: Is controlled through indoctrination and propaganda , and an autocracy may attempt to legitimize itself in the eyes of the public through appeals to political ideology , religion, birthright , or foreign hostility. Some autocracies establish legislatures, unfair elections , or show trials to further exercise control while presenting the appearance of democracy. The only limits to autocratic rule are practical considerations in preserving
7683-496: Is exactly what the mastermind of this heist Luthen Rael wanted. As portrayed in the animated series Star Wars Rebels and The Bad Batch , the Empire explores ways to weaponize Force-sensitive kyber crystals , which are sacred to the Jedi and are at the core of every lightsaber . They mine for kyber crystals across worlds, but are thwarted twice in securing massive crystals by the Ghost crew and Saw Gerrera . On Jedha , however,
7880-484: Is greater for appointed successors over hereditary successors, as hereditary successors are often younger and less influential. Other autocracies have no appointed successor, and a power struggle will take place upon the death or removal of the autocrat. These methods of succession are a common distinction between monarchical rule and dictatorial rule; monarchies use an established system of succession such as hereditary succession, while dictatorships do not. Autocratic rule
8077-401: Is greater inequality and less social cohesion . Autocracies formed under these conditions are often more volatile for the same reasons. Autocracies face challenges to their authority from several fronts, including the citizenry, political opposition, and internal disloyalty from elites. As autocrats must share their power with the state's elites to see their will carried out, these elites are
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8274-565: Is known to or guessed by only a very few figures in the regime's upper echelons, such as Governor Tarkin. The Imperial Inquisition, or Inquisitorius, acts as an extension of the Sith Order and its Force-attuned operatives, the Inquisitors, are routinely given control of Imperial Military assets to hunt down the Jedi Knights that survived the initial purge. The Inquisitors' lack of proper rank within
8471-645: Is like the Roman political figure Augustus Caesar, in that Augustus manipulated the Roman Senate as Palpatine did with the Galactic Senate; he legitimized authoritarian rule by saying that corruption in the Senate was hampering the powers of the head of state; he pressured the Roman Senate to give him extraordinary powers as Consul of the Republic to deal with a crisis and he falsely claimed that he would rescind those powers once
8668-409: Is most unstable during succession from one autocrat to another. Orders of succession allow for more peaceful transition of power, but it prevents meaningful vetting of successors for competence or fortitude. When rule passes between autocrats, the incoming autocrat often inherits an established bureaucracy. This bureaucracy facilitates the transfer of power, as the new ruler gains immediate control over
8865-450: Is necessary to avoid competition among the members of the dominant coalition, who then will credibly commit to cooperate and will form the state. There is great variance in the types of states that become autocratic. Neither a state's size, its military strength, its economic success, nor its cultural attributes significantly affect whether it is likely to be autocratic. Autocracy is more likely to form in heterogeneous populations, as there
9062-423: Is no longer in their interest to support the autocrat. Overthrow of an autocratic government purely through popular revolt is virtually nonexistent throughout history, but popular support for democracy is a significant indicator of challenges to autocratic rule. Modernization and increased wealth are often associated with stronger support for democracy, though failing to provide these things also reduces support for
9259-578: Is now a Rebel commander. Vader's forces assault the Rebel base on Hoth , but the Rebels escape. Vader convinces the Emperor that Luke could be a valuable ally if he were turned to the dark side of the Force. Vader hires a group of bounty hunters to follow Luke's companions, and compels the Cloud City administrator Lando Calrissian to set a trap for them. After Han, Leia, Chewbacca and C-3PO arrive, Vader tortures and freezes Han in carbonite and gives him to
9456-509: Is pregnant. Although initially excited, Anakin soon begins to have nightmares about his wife dying in childbirth. Palpatine appoints Anakin to the Jedi Council as his personal representative, but the council is suspicious of the Chancellor. They decline to grant Anakin the rank of Jedi Master and instruct him to spy on Palpatine, which upsets Anakin. Later, Palpatine reveals to Anakin that he is
9653-518: Is restored. His first executive order is to create a massive army of clone troopers . His second executive order was to conscript the Jedi as commissioned officers of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) armed forces; by seizing influence over the Jedi Council, Palatine indirectly has complete Command over the GAR. His third executive order is to nationalize the military-industrial and financial sectors to finance
9850-408: Is still alive. Vader begins hunting Obi-Wan , which eventually leads them to duel again. Although Vader initially overpowers his former master, Obi-Wan recovers his strength and wounds Vader multiple times. He slashes open Vader's helmet to partially reveal his face, then leaves him, weakened and wheezing. Flashback sequences in the series depict Anakin training under Obi-Wan in the years preceding
10047-462: Is the Chosen One. Even when Anakin turns into Darth Vader, he is still the Chosen One." Hayden Christensen said of Anakin: "He believes that he's the Chosen One. He's not doing wrong things knowing that it's having a negative impact. So there's that sort of naivety to him ... and it makes him more human in a lot of ways." Lucas later clarified that the plot element of Anakin's virgin birth
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#173285935334410244-517: Is the military, which includes the Imperial stormtroopers, a massive fleet of about 1,000 Star Destroyers , a couple of Super Star Destroyers, and the Death Star , a moon -sized superweapon capable of destroying entire planets. Plans for the Death Star first appear (in universe chronology) in Attack of the Clones and construction begins at the end of Revenge of the Sith . Summarized measures set forth by
10441-471: Is the most prominent Grand Moff, having suggested the creation of the role and thus holds the distinction of being the first. In the series Andor , the Galactic Empire is depicted as arbitrary and cruel in its rule over ordinary people, particularly when it comes to certain agencies such as the Imperial Security Bureau (ISB), which acts as a secret police force. In the latter part of the series,
10638-407: Is voiced by Kirby Morrow in several television productions. Matt Lanter provides the character's voice in video games and in various television productions, including The Clone Wars , Rebels , Forces of Destiny and Star Wars: Tales . Lanter also voices Anakin in the film version of The Clone Wars . During the second-season finale of Rebels , Lanter's voice is sometimes blended with
10835-558: The Etruscan civilization were often ruled by tyrants, though myth and historical revisionism later re-imagined these tyrants as kings with hereditary succession. The Roman Republic introduced the concept of the Roman dictator who would be temporarily invested with unchecked power to restore stability during periods of crisis. This temporary dictatorship was eventually subverted by Julius Caesar when he became dictator for life in 44 BCE, ending
11032-672: The Galactic Republic at the end of the Clone Wars orchestrated by the Republic's Supreme Chancellor, Palpatine . Palpatine is also secretly the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, who masterminds the war to destroy the Jedi and restore the Sith to power. Palpatine falsely accuses the Jedi of causing the secessionist Clone Wars to weaken the Republic and gain power. He manipulates the Galactic Senate into using clone troopers created during
11229-631: The Roman emperor . This was adopted in Old Russian as samod′rž′c′ and then modern Russian as samoderžec . In the 18th century, the title for the Russian emperor was translated to authocrateur and then autocrateur in French, while it was translated to Autocrator and then Autokrator in German. These terms were eventually used to refer to autocratic rulers in general. The term has since developed
11426-465: The U.S. Marine Corps with their own separate divisions. The Stormtroopers operate in conjunction with the Army Ground Troopers and Navy Marine Troopers—who were used as garrison forces—to reinforce and hold defensive positions until the regular military arrived. When not in their signature white armor, stormtrooper officers wear black uniforms. After the formation of the Empire and the purge of
11623-643: The dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, most dictatorships have been characterized as authoritarian rather than totalitarian. Autocracy comes from the Ancient Greek auto (Greek: αὐτός ; "self") and kratos (Greek: κράτος ; "power, might"). This became the Hellenistic/Byzantine Greek word autocrator (Greek: αὐτοκράτωρ ) and the Latin imperator , both of which were titles for
11820-435: The regime . Autocrats must retain control over the nation's elites and institutions for their will to be exercised, but they must also prevent any other individual or group from gaining significant power or influence. Internal challenges are the most significant threats faced by autocrats, as they may lead to a coup d'état . Autocracy was among the earliest forms of government. It began as despotism , which existed throughout
12017-407: The selectorate to which autocrats are accountable. Totalitarian autocracies have historically engaged in militarism and expansionism after consolidating power, particularly fascist governments. This allows the autocracy to spread its state ideology, and the existence of foreign adversaries allows the autocrat to rally internal support. Autocratic regimes in the 21st century have departed from
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#173285935334412214-508: The 13th century as monarchs sought larger advising bodies that were representative of the kingdom. European nations moved away from feudalism and towards centralized monarchy as the primary form of government in the 14th century. Absolutism became more common in European monarchies at the onset of the 16th century as the continent struggled with weak leadership and religious conflict. Legislatures during this period were often tailored to enforce
12411-482: The 2004 DVD release. When The Phantom Menace was being developed, hundreds of actors were auditioned for the role of young Anakin before Jake Lloyd was cast. Rick McCallum , the film's producer, said that Lloyd was "smart, mischievous and love[d] anything mechanical—just like Anakin." When casting the role of 19-year-old Anakin for Attack of the Clones , the filmmakers reviewed about 1,500 candidates before selecting Hayden Christensen. The Canadian actor reprises
12608-404: The 2008 animated film The Clone Wars , set shortly after the events of Attack of the Clones , Yoda assigns Anakin an apprentice, Ahsoka Tano . Anakin is at first reluctant to accept this responsibility. He calls Ahsoka "Snips" for her "snippy" attitude, while Ahsoka refers to him as "Skyguy". After earning Anakin's respect during a dangerous mission, Ahsoka joins him on a quest to rescue Jabba
12805-596: The 2019 virtual reality series Vader Immortal . Matt Sloan voices the Sith Lord in both video games and television productions. Both Spencer Wilding and Daniel Naprous portray Vader in Rogue One , with Jones providing the voice. Jones also voices Vader in the Star Wars Holiday Special (1978) and the animated series Star Wars Rebels . In September 2022, it was confirmed that Jones would retire from voicing
13002-560: The Battle of Endor (4 ABY). The Imperial Army was the ground based force. Imperial Army enlisted soldiers wore gray uniforms with a mandarin collar and four pockets along with chest pieces similar to Stormtroopers but in black. Corporals displayed their rank on one of their shoulder pauldrons with a single white diagonal stripe. They also wore a gray Imperial kepi or Imperial Combat Helmet Imperial Stormtrooper Corps (ISC) are elite corps of rapid response all-environment shock troops —organized like
13199-668: The Clone Wars, as well as a newly minted Vader carrying out the massacre at the Jedi Temple. Hayden Christensen portrays Anakin in Ahsoka (2023), which takes place after the original trilogy. Anakin appears in spirit-form to his former apprentice Ahsoka in the World Between Worlds, an ethereal realm that exists outside of time and space. He leads her through visions of their shared past together, including her training, their battles during
13396-529: The Clone Wars, depicts Anakin battling Separatist commander General Grievous . In Luceno's Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (2005), set a few months after the events of Revenge of the Sith , Vader disavows his identity as Anakin as he hunts down surviving Jedi and cements his position in the Empire. In the Dark Nest trilogy (2005), Luke and Leia uncover old recordings of their parents in R2-D2's memory drive; for
13593-610: The Clone Wars, her departure from the Jedi Order and his fall to the dark side. Industrial Light and Magic used " de-aging " technology to make the 42-year-old Christensen appear younger. Vader is featured in the three-episode virtual reality game series Vader Immortal , which is set between Revenge of the Sith and Rogue One . The first episode became available with the launch of the Oculus Quest virtual reality headset in May 2019, while
13790-511: The Clones and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith . Palpatine's ascension came with the final layer of poison instilled into a governmental system on the brink of collapse. Because of the hubristic Jedi, the corrupt senate and a civil war, Palatine was seen by many as a savior and is easily able to take near-complete control of the Republic. In Episode I: The Phantom Menace , amid a trade dispute and invasion of his homeworld of Naboo , Senator Palpatine convinces Queen Padmé Amidala to call for
13987-585: The Emperor and the Commander-in-Chief on all martial-related matters. Other members included the Grand Admirals, a cadre of the 12 highest-ranking naval officers that helmed large Imperial fleets and policed Imperial Space; Grand Admiral Thrawn , the commander of the 7th Fleet, is the most famous of their number. Aside from the Imperial Ruling Council and Imperial High Command, power resides in
14184-460: The Emperor down a reactor shaft to his death, but is mortally wounded in the process. Luke carries him to a docking bay, where Imperial forces are evacuating in the face of a Rebel assault. At Vader's request, Luke removes his father's mask and looks upon the face of Anakin Skywalker for the first time. The redeemed Anakin Skywalker encourages him to go and tells him that he has saved him, before peacefully dying. On Endor, Luke burns his father's body on
14381-488: The Emperor's will throughout the galaxy. The Empire's central warship cadre is well structured and uniformed, but the Imperial Navy suffers against strike craft, largely due to the inadequacies of its own starfighters and point defense. The Empire's focus on size, firepower, and terror comes at the expense of a well-balanced fleet. After its defeat at the Battle of Endor, the Galactic Empire splits up into warring factions, and
14578-421: The Emperor, Vader refuses. At the end of the film, Vader boards a Rebel flagship and kills several Rebel soldiers as he tries to recover the stolen Death Star plans. Vader's role in the film was different in early versions of the story. In Gary Whitta 's original pitch , the Sith Lord appeared on Scarif and slaughtered a Rebel blockade. In another early storyline, Vader killed Krennic for his failure to prevent
14775-571: The Emperor. The five-issue series Obi-Wan & Anakin (2016) depicts the lives of the two Jedi between The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones . Between 2017 and 2018, Charles Soule wrote a prequel-era series, also called Darth Vader (sometimes subtitled Dark Lord of the Sith ). It begins immediately after Vader wakes up in his armor at the end of Revenge of the Sith and explores his emotional transformation upon learning of Padmé's death, his adjustment to his mechanical suit, how he creates his red-bladed lightsaber, and his hunting of Jedi in
14972-477: The Emperor. After a lightsaber battle with his former mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi , Vader is severely injured and is transformed into a cyborg . He serves Palpatine for over two decades, hunting down the remaining Jedi and attempting to crush the Rebel Alliance . When Palpatine tries to kill Vader's son, Luke Skywalker , the Sith Lord turns against his master and destroys him. Vader is the husband of Padmé Amidala ,
15169-402: The Empire uncovers a surplus of kyber, with which they power the Death Star. The Death Star, a moon-sized battle station with sufficient firepower to destroy an entire planet, is designed to be the ultimate weapon of the Empire's power. Tarkin, the station's commander, demonstrates that power in A New Hope when he destroys Alderaan as a show of force. In the film's climactic scene , however,
15366-517: The Empire's officers wear—as well as the Imperial officers' cap resembling the field caps historically worn by German and Austrian troops. In addition to Nazi Germany, there was also at least one portion of the Galactic Empire that was based on the Soviet Union , which is the various military personnel and TIE Fighters that are flying in formation as Palpatine arrives on the second Death Star in Return of
15563-476: The Empire's policy towards its citizens and therefore changed its relationship with its citizens. In 5 BBY, on the relatively unremarkable planet of Aldhani, a small Rebel team managed to infiltrate the local Imperial depository, stealing a decent portion of the sector payroll. This created a massive Imperial overreaction, increasing their security spending and draconian law enforcement policies, making all future rebellious activity even more costly and difficult, which
15760-630: The Empire's willingness to kill loyalists on Alderaan, along with millions of innocents, just to prove a point to a rebellious Senator. Tarkin's Doctine, meant to perpetually "tighten the noose" and instill fear of being killed for engaging in Rebellion, eventually get overridden by people realizing that no one was actually safe. After the Battle of Yavin , Vader's special powers as Commander-in-Chief are increased by Palpatine, granting him full command over all other officials and officers to ease his campaign against
15957-667: The Galactic Empire is a dictatorship based on rigid control of society that dissolved a previous democracy and is led by an all-powerful supreme ruler. The Empire, like the Nazis, desires the creation of totalitarian order and utilizes excessive force and violence to achieve their ends. The title of the Empire's main soldiers, the stormtroopers , is somewhat similar to the name given to Adolf Hitler 's Sturmabteilung (SA, "storm department") paramilitary bodyguards. The visual appearance of Darth Vader in his all-black uniform combined with his fanatical obedience to Palpatine has allusion to
16154-471: The Galactic Empire seeks the rule and social control of every planet and civilization within the galaxy , based on anthropocentrism , nationalisation , state terrorism , power projection , and threat of lethal force. The Galactic Empire's rise was not a violent takeover by force, but rather a calculated dismantling of the Galaxy's most powerful institutions by rewriting constitutional foundations, controlling
16351-563: The Holocron from Cal Kestis , who barely manages to escape. Vader returns as a boss in the sequel, Jedi: Survivor (2023), where he leads an Imperial assault on a Jedi hideout on the planet Jedha . He duels Cere Junda, whom he manages to slay after a prolonged battle. Both Vader and Anakin are playable characters in every Lego Star Wars video game . Vader is a playable character and a boss in Disney Infinity 3.0 , and can be unlocked as
16548-503: The Hutt 's infant son, Rotta. Her impetuousness both annoys and endears her to Anakin, and he develops a friendly affection towards her. In the standalone film Rogue One (2016), set immediately before the events of A New Hope , Vader summons the weapons developer Orson Krennic to his castle on Mustafar. He confronts him about his handling of the Death Star project and the destruction of Jedha City. When Krennic asks Vader for an audience with
16745-640: The Imperial Senate and transferring power to Praetor -officers called Imperial Moffs, such as Grand Moff Tarkin . The Galactic Empire collapses after the events of Return of the Jedi. Its remnants form the First Order in the sequel trilogy , set 30 years later. Star Wars creator George Lucas sought to make the First Galactic Empire aesthetically and thematically similar to Nazi Germany and to appear to be fascist . Similar to Nazi Germany,
16942-484: The Imperial Senate's sessions. Amedda functions as an intermediary for Palpatine, managing his schedule, screening his calls and contacting other Imperial dignitaries and officers on his behalf. The Imperial Ruling Council also keeps tabs on the progress of the Imperial Military and delivers news from Imperial High Command to the Emperor. The Emperor leaves the actual martial management to Imperial High Command (IHC),
17139-564: The Imperial Senate, such as Senator Mon Mothma . The Imperial Security Bureau (ISB) is the politically aligned and indoctrinated civilian intelligence branch of the Galactic Empire that is charged with matters of internal state security and law enforcement, being analogous to the Gestapo or the Schutzstaffel , as well as the KGB . The ISB was not a national agency, but a part of COMPOR ( Commission for
17336-461: The Imperial Senate. The group works closely with the Council of Moffs and notifies the Imperial Ruling Council on important developments. Imperial High Command's overseer is Darth Vader - also a Sith Lord - who relentlessly pursues the fledging Rebel Alliance, in addition to quelling insurgencies and purging the last of the Jedi Order. As Emperor Palpatine's second-in-command, Vader is treated with almost
17533-722: The Imperial Starfleet along with it. While much of the remnants of the Imperial Navy are later reunited under impressive Imperial commanders, the military organization ceases to exist shortly after the death of the Emperor. Specific responsibilities of the Imperial Navy include defending Imperial citizens from space-based threats (such as pirates, smugglers and rebel contingents), enforcing Imperial will, and overseeing commerce through customs and blockade operations. The Imperial Navy also performs orbital bombardments and transports major ground force deployments, supporting them with space, orbital, and aerial support. Imperial Navy officers wear
17730-507: The Inquisitor program. Its final arc, which depicts the construction of Vader's fortress on Mustafar, implies that Palpatine used the Force to conceive Anakin in utero , as some had theorized that Revenge of the Sith indicates. A Lucasfilm story group member later clarified that "This is all in Anakin's head". A five-issue limited series titled Vader: Dark Visions , was released in 2019. Vader Down writer Jason Aaron wrote part of
17927-695: The Jedi . According to Lucas, the ceremony for the Emperor's arrival was inspired by October Revolution Day military parades in the Soviet Union. Lucas has also indicated that the Galactic Empire's struggle against a smaller guerilla force was inspired by the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War and his surprise at how relatively few people spoke up against the war. Palpatine's rise to power has been related to political strongman of Augustus Caesar , Napoleon Bonaparte , and Adolf Hitler . Palpatine's consolidation of power and declaring himself emperor
18124-489: The Jedi . Lucas chose to have a different actor provide Vader's voice, because he felt Prowse's West Country English accent was inappropriate for the character. The director originally considered Orson Welles for the role, but selected James Earl Jones instead after deciding that Welles's voice would be too recognizable to audiences. Jones initially felt his role was too small to warrant recognition, and he chose to be uncredited in Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back. He
18321-422: The Jedi Council, weakening the Senate and the appointment of loyal Governors . At its peak, the Galactic Empire sprawls over much of the known Star Wars galaxy, which consists of millions of star systems and billions more fringe colonies, shipyards, fortress worlds, and outer territories. The Empire's origins are depicted in the prequel film Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), where it replaces
18518-572: The Jedi Order in a galaxy-wide slaughter, while sending Vader to kill everyone in the Jedi Temple and assassinate the Separatist leaders. Vader then immediately ends the Clone War by transmitting deactivation codes to all Seperatist droids in galaxy. Two remaining Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda , mount a counterattack. Obi-Wan defeats Vader and leaves him for dead, but Yoda's duel with Palpatine ends in
18715-445: The Jedi in the Jedi Temple, including the younglings. After learning what her husband has done, a distraught Padmé travels to Mustafar and pleads with him to abandon the dark side, but he refuses. Believing that Padmé and Obi-Wan are conspiring against him, Vader uses the Force to strangle his wife into unconsciousness. He then engages Obi-Wan in a lightsaber duel that ends with Obi-Wan severing his limbs and leaving him for dead on
18912-524: The Jedi, Palpatine declares martial law throughout the galaxy. Those in hiding, or attempting to either flee from or oppose the New Imperial Order, are subject to persecution or death. This is the start of the bloody decades-long Galactic Civil War fought between the Empire and the Rebel Alliance . As portrayed in the live-action series Andor , one single moment in Galactic history completely changed
19109-422: The Jedi. However, when Jedi Master Mace Windu confronts Palpatine, Anakin comes to Palpatine's aid and helps him kill Windu. Desperate to save Padmé, Anakin pledges himself to the dark side of the Force and becomes Palpatine's third apprentice, Darth Vader . Palpatine declares the Jedi to be traitors, providing "irrefutable evidence" that they were the masterminds behind the Clone Wars, and all but exterminates
19306-613: The Preservation of the New Order ); Palpatine's own political party. Because the ISB is so directly connected and fanatically loyal to Palpatine, there are no checks and balances to their power as they did whatever Palatine wanted them to do. Consisting of several supervisors overseeing multiple sectors, they are charged with matters of counter-terrorism, criminal investigation, internal affairs , state security, state-sponsored propaganda and ensuring
19503-542: The Rebel threat after the Inquisitor is killed. In the second-season premiere, Vader orchestrates the murder of Imperial Minister Maketh Tua, who tried to defect to the Rebellion, and confronts the two Jedi Kanan Jarrus and Ezra Bridger . When Vader attacks the fleet of the Phoenix Squadron, he discovers that Ahsoka is still alive and has joined the Rebel Alliance. She is overwhelmed when she recognizes Anakin under
19700-545: The Rebellion. In The Empire Strikes Back , Vader becomes obsessed with finding the Force -sensitive Luke and leads his stormtroopers to attack on the Rebel base on Hoth , but the Rebels escape. Vader would continue to systematically and ruthlessly dismantle Alliance assets, and to hunt for Luke in the process, forcing Alliance survivors to abandon all static bases and regroup with Alliance HQ and remain nomadic. Autocracy List of forms of government Autocracy
19897-466: The Rebels from stealing the Death Star schematics. Anakin is featured in all seasons of The Clone Wars (2008–2014, 2020), set between the events of Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith . As a Jedi Knight, he leads the 501st Legion on missions with both his master Obi-Wan and his apprentice Ahsoka. Some of Anakin's actions taken out of concern for Ahsoka violate the Jedi code, such as torturing prisoners who may know her location. Throughout
20094-423: The Republic; these Governors, later known as Imperial Moffs, report directly to Palpatine and were appointed without a vote or approval from any Senators. This effectively sidelines the Senate leaving it unable to influence how the Galaxy is actually governed. The Old Republic symbolisms were discarded on favor of the Imperial crest; an emblem which itself comes from the vendu galactic roundel symbol. Originally this
20291-663: The Roman Republic and ushering the creation of the autocratic Roman Empire . Several early military dictatorships formed in East Asia during the post-classical era . These include the rule of the Goguryeo kingdom by Yeon Gaesomun in 642, the Goryeo military regime beginning in 1170, and the shogunate in Japan between the 12th and 19th centuries. Parliamentary monarchies became common in
20488-470: The Senate are founding members of the Rebel Alliance , a guerrilla army dedicated to overthrowing the Empire and restoring the Republic. With the end of the Clone Wars, the purge of the Jedi Order and the formation of the First Galactic Empire, Palpatine rules with absolute power as Emperor. Between the events of Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope , Palpatine rules the galaxy from the confines of his heavily guarded Imperial Palace on Coruscant . Coruscant
20685-418: The Sith (2005) is set three years after Attack of the Clones . Anakin, who is now a Jedi Knight and a hero of the Clone Wars , leads a mission with Obi-Wan to rescue Chancellor Palpatine from the Separatist commander General Grievous . The two Jedi again battle Count Dooku, whom Anakin overpowers and then slaughters at Palpatine's urging. Anakin returns to Coruscant to reunite with Padmé, who tells him she
20882-553: The Sith Lord Count Dooku . Facing execution, Anakin and Padmé profess their love for each other. They are saved from death by an army of Jedi and clone troopers , led by the Jedi Masters Mace Windu and Yoda. Anakin and Obi-Wan then confront Dooku, but he defeats them both and severs Anakin's arm. After being rescued by Yoda, Anakin is fitted with a robotic arm and marries Padmé in a secret ceremony. Revenge of
21079-550: The Sith Lord Darth Sidious, the mastermind of the Clone Wars. He suggests that Anakin can prevent Padmé's death by using the dark side of the Force. Anakin reports Sidious' treachery to Windu, who confronts and subdues the Sith Lord. Desperate to save Padmé, Anakin betrays Windu by cutting off his hand, which allows the Sith Lord to kill him. Anakin then betrays the Jedi by pledging himself to the Sith, and Sidious dubs him Darth Vader. On Sidious' orders, Vader slaughters all
21276-588: The Sith Lord in the aftermath of the Death Star's destruction, as well as his life after learning about his son's existence. The series takes place parallel to the 2015 series Star Wars , in which Vader and Luke meet; the two series have a crossover titled Vader Down . A continuation series set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi debuted in 2020. The first few issues focus on Vader exacting revenge on those who concealed Luke; he also visits Padmé's tomb on Naboo and encounters her handmaidens. A subsequent story arc depicts Vader being tested by
21473-617: The Tarkin Doctrine: The Imperial Naval Command (INC), also referred to as the Imperial Starfleet, is the foremost military arm of the Galactic Empire in charge of maintaining security, peace and order in the galaxy. Led by Darth Vader, it absorbed the military forces of the Galactic Republic after Emperor Palpatine's declaration of the New Order. At its peak, the Imperial Navy fields millions of warships, including an estimated 25,000 Star Destroyers, fulfilling
21670-534: The United States. In France, Vader's name was changed to Dark Vador ( pronounced [daʁk vadɔʁ] ) starting with the original film. Although the names of some other characters have been reverted to the English versions over the years, Vader is still referred to as Dark Vador in recent French-language Star Wars media. The title "Darth" has been replaced with "Dark" for other Sith Lords as well. In Italian-language editions of Star Wars films, Darth Vader
21867-529: The ancient world in the form of chiefdoms , city-states , and empires . Monarchy was the predominant form of autocracy for most of history. Dictatorship became more common in the 19th century, beginning with the caudillos in Latin America and the empires of Napoleon and Napoleon III in Europe. Totalitarian dictatorships developed in the 20th century with the advent of fascist and communist states. Since
22064-535: The animated web series Forces of Destiny (2017–2018). Hayden Christensen portrays both Anakin and Vader in the 2022 miniseries Obi-Wan Kenobi , set a decade after Revenge of the Sith and 9 years before A New Hope . The series reveals that for a decade after their duel on Mustafar, Obi-Wan believed his fallen apprentice to be dead. While attempting to draw Obi-Wan out of hiding, the Imperial Inquisitor Reva Sevander tells him that Anakin
22261-487: The armed forces, as well as their reliance on "occult" ways, earn the ire of the standard officers. The Inquisitorius was founded by the Emperor and is governed by the Commander-in-Chief, but the agency is virtually led by a Grand Inquisitor who defers to both. In Star Wars , the Tarkin Doctrine was the plan presented by Tarkin himself to Palpatine in 18 BBY that outlined the Empire's goal and structure: bringing order to
22458-401: The artist Ralph McQuarrie to create conceptual images for the characters. For Vader, Lucas asked McQuarrie to depict a "very tall, dark fluttering figure that had a spooky feeling like it came in on the wind." Because the script described Vader traveling between spaceships, McQuarrie suggested that he should wear a space suit. Lucas agreed, and McQuarrie created Vader's iconic mask by combining
22655-554: The autocracy takes to retroactively extending the sentences of prisoners, moving prisoners around to different facilities after they are due to be released, euthanizing labor camp prisoners when they become too ill to work, not permitting defendants in criminal cases to present a defense, and committing mass murder when its officers feel they are losing control of a situation. It also engages in torture of subjects of interest and carries out arbitrary executions for political purposes. ISB agents are assigned to spy on political dissidents in
22852-452: The autocrat's will. These institutions are necessary for maintaining control and extracting value from the state , but they can also serve as checks on the autocrat. Autocrats must also balance the affiliation that regional elites have over their jurisdiction; too little can prevent effective rule, while too much may cause the elite to favor the region's interests over the autocrat's. Some autocracies incorporate an elected legislature that has
23049-402: The autocratic regime. Popular revolt is most likely to occur during periods of reform. Government reform can provide an impetus for stronger opposition, especially when it does not meet expectations, and it can weaken the centralization of power through poor implementation. When revolt appears likely, an autocrat may grant civil rights, redistribute wealth, or abdicate from power entirely to avoid
23246-412: The banks of a lava flow, where he catches fire and sustains severe burns. Sidious finds the barely-alive Vader and takes him to Coruscant, where his mutilated body is covered in black armor that keeps him alive. When Vader asks if Padmé is safe, Sidious lies to him and says that his strangulation killed her, which causes Vader to scream in anguish. At the end of the film, Vader supervises the construction of
23443-467: The black-uniformed Nazi Schutzstaffel (SS). According to a Lucasfilm-authorized source, Darth Vader's relationship with Palpatine is akin to SS leader Heinrich Himmler 's relationship with Hitler. The uniforms of Imperial military officers also bear resemblance to uniforms used in Nazi Germany, as well as 19th century Polish ulans (mounted lancers)—who wore tunics, riding breeches, and boots like
23640-402: The bounty hunter Boba Fett . When Luke lands on Cloud City to help his friends, Vader overpowers him and severs his hand. He tells Luke that he is his father, and tries to persuade him to join the dark side and help him overthrow the Emperor. Horrified, Luke escapes through an air shaft. Vader telepathically tells Luke that it is his destiny to join the dark side. Vader and the Emperor supervise
23837-430: The character. His voice was digitally recreated by the company Respeecher for use in the series Obi-Wan Kenobi , and he later signed over the rights to his voice for future Star Wars productions. Near the end of Return of the Jedi , Luke removes Vader's mask. Although Prowse had portrayed the Sith Lord throughout the trilogy, the filmmakers wanted a more experienced actor to play the unmasked Vader. Sebastian Shaw
24034-482: The collapsing Galactic Republic ; the rise of the empire wasn't sudden but instead unfolded gradually, step by step with one power grab after the next. However, its seeds of decadence are planted and nurtured by the Sith over a period of centuries, that bore fruit during the Clone Wars , the epic war between the Republic and the separatist Confederacy of Independent Systems (CIS) depicted in Episode II: Attack of
24231-603: The composition of the American revolution , with the rebels mostly Americans". Note : All dates in this article are in the BBY/ABY format. This is a fictional in-universe dating system centred on the Battle of Yavin in Episode IV: A New Hope in which the first Death Star is destroyed. BBY is Before the Battle of Yavin ; ABY is After the Battle of Yavin. The Galactic Empire is born out of
24428-459: The conclusion of The Clone Wars . The Sith Lord makes minor appearances throughout the first season, and plays a larger role in the second season. At the beginning of the series, he leads a squad of Force-sensitive Imperial Inquisitors who kill Jedi and Force-sensitive children. He dispatches the Grand Inquisitor to hunt a Rebel cell on Lothal , and later arrives personally to deal with
24625-455: The conflict to purge the Jedi. After engineering these threats, Palpatine reorganizes the Republic into a state meant to "ensure the security and continuing stability, and a safe and secure society": the Galactic Empire, with himself as Emperor. The Senate overwhelmingly supports this decision and lauds his apparent resolve, bravery, and selflessness. With Emperor Palpatine keeping mostly to the shadows, his Sith apprentice, Darth Vader maintains
24822-400: The construction of the second Death Star in Return of the Jedi (1983). Believing there is still good in his father, Luke surrenders to Vader in an attempt to bring him back from the dark side. Vader takes his son to the Death Star and brings him before the Emperor, who attempts to seduce him to the dark side. Luke lashes out at the Emperor with his lightsaber, but Vader blocks his strike, and
25019-494: The council's reluctant approval, Anakin becomes Obi-Wan's apprentice. Palpatine, the newly elected Chancellor of the Galactic Republic , takes an interest in Anakin and his career as a Jedi. Attack of the Clones (2002) is set ten years after The Phantom Menace . Anakin has grown powerful but arrogant, and believes that Obi-Wan is holding him back. After rescuing Padmé from an assassination attempt, he travels with her to Naboo as her bodyguard. They begin to fall in love, despite
25216-629: The crisis was over; and, as with the transition of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire , Augustus, like Palpatine, relied on his strong control over military force. Many Imperial officers speak with the Received Pronunciation accent (known in-universe as Coruscanti ), and Irvin Kershner "deliberately cast British actors as the high-rank imperials for The Empire Strikes Back to mirror
25413-718: The dark side, and knows deep down that he still has good in him. Vader's supposedly indestructible glove is the MacGuffin of the young-reader's book The Glove of Darth Vader (1992). Anakin Skywalker's redeemed spirit appears in The Truce at Bakura (1993), set a few days after the end of Return of the Jedi . He appears to Leia, imploring her forgiveness. Leia condemns Anakin for his crimes and banishes him from her life. He promises that he will be there for her when she needs him, and disappears. In Tatooine Ghost (2003), Leia learns to forgive her father after learning about his childhood as
25610-440: The decline of traditional monarchies in favor of modern states , many of which developed as autocracies. The upheaval caused by World War I resulted in a broad shift of governance across Europe, and many nations moved away from traditional monarchies. Most European monarchs were stripped of their powers to become constitutional monarchs , or they were displaced entirely in favor of republics . Totalitarianism first developed as
25807-505: The destruction of the Empire. Unwilling to embroil himself in the day-to-day running of the Galactic Empire, the Emperor leaves the mundane work to the Imperial Ruling Council (IRC), an advisory body with whom he confers on vital affairs of state. The group is made up of Imperial Advisors, "yes-men" who serve as ministers and counselors. The spokesman of the Imperial Ruling Council is the Grand Vizier Mas Amedda, who attends most of
26004-487: The early state not as a single ruler, but as an organization formed by many actors. They describe the process of autocratic state formation as a bargaining process among individuals with access to violence. For them, these individuals form a dominant coalition that grants each other privileges such as the access to resources. As violence reduces the economic rents , members of the dominant coalition have incentives to cooperate and to avoid fighting. A limited access to privileges
26201-434: The empire collapses, some former ISB officers, such as Moff Gideon , become warlords and part of the Imperial remnants. Outside the formal chain of command , the Galactic Empire's reins are de facto held by the Sith, a cult of Force-wielders - called Sith Lords - that call on the dark side in their plot to dominate the galaxy and destroy the Jedi. Both Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader are part of this cult, although this
26398-618: The end of the fourth millennium BCE. China has been subject to autocratic rule almost without interruption since its ancient feudal society was replaced by the Qin dynasty in 221 BCE, and even its feudal government had stronger elements of autocracy than other instances of feudalism. The early Chinese philosophy of Confucianism emphasized the importance of benevolent autocratic rule to maintain order, and this philosophy heavily influenced future Chinese thought. City-states in Ancient Greece and
26595-468: The exercise of civil liberties within the autocracy, choosing under what circumstances they may be exercised, if at all. Governments may also blend elements of autocracy and democracy, forming an anocracy . The concept of autocracy has been recognized in political philosophy since ancient times. Autocrats maintain power through political repression of any opposition and co-optation of other influential or powerful members of society. The general public
26792-417: The exercise of these rights. Several forms of semi-autocratic government have been defined in which governments blend elements of democracy and autocracy. These include limited autocracy, semi-autocracy, liberal autocracy , semi-liberal autocracy, anocracy , and electoral autocracy . These governments may begin as democratic governments and then become autocratic as the elected leader seizes control over
26989-404: The father of Luke and his twin sister Leia Organa , and the grandfather of Ben Solo (later known as Kylo Ren). David Prowse physically portrays Vader in the original trilogy, while James Earl Jones provides his voice in all of the films and some television series. Sebastian Shaw portrays Anakin in Return of the Jedi (1983), while Jake Lloyd and Hayden Christensen portray Anakin in
27186-473: The film and the 2008 television series The Clone Wars . David Prowse, a 6-foot-6-inch (1.98 m) bodybuilder and actor, portrays Vader in the original trilogy. Prowse was originally offered the role of Chewbacca, but turned it down, as he wanted to play the villain. Bob Anderson , a former Olympic fencer, portrays Vader during lightsaber fight scenes in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of
27383-404: The final scene of the series finale, which occurs after Revenge of the Sith . He investigates the crash site of a Venator -class Star Destroyer, which was demolished during Order 66 . Finding one of Ahsoka's lightsabers among the wreckage, he assumes that his former Padawan has perished. Vader appears in the animated series Star Wars Rebels (2014–2018), which takes place fourteen years after
27580-416: The first Death Star alongside Sidious and Tarkin. Anakin's voice is heard briefly in the third film of the sequel trilogy, The Rise of Skywalker (2019), set 31 years after the events of Return of the Jedi . During Rey's confrontation with the resurrected Darth Sidious, she hears the voices of various deceased Jedi, including Anakin. He encourages her to return balance to the Force like he once did. In
27777-563: The first empire, the Akkadian Empire , when they were conquered by Sargon of Akkad in the 24th century BCE. The blending of autocratic rule with religious significance continued under the Akkadian Empire, as the king Naram-Sin of Akkad was the first of several kings to be recognized as a god over the following centuries. Ancient Egypt also existed as an autocratic government for most of its early history, first developing states at
27974-423: The first time, they see their own birth and their mother's death, as well as their father's corruption to the dark side. In Bloodlines (2006), Han and Leia's son Jacen—who has turned to the dark side—uses the Force to envision Vader slaughtering the children at the Jedi Temple. Vader also appears in a series of tongue-in-cheek children's books by Jeffrey Brown . In Brown's series, a hapless Vader sets out to be
28171-429: The following decades. In the 2010s, the concept of "autocracy promotion" became influential in the study of autocracy, proposing that some governments have sought to establish autocratic rule in foreign nations, though subsequent studies have found little evidence to support that such efforts are as widespread or successful as originally thought. Darth Vader Darth Vader ( / d ɑːr θ v eɪ d ər / )
28368-404: The galaxy and restoring rule of law to sectors overtaken by piracy and organized crime , ending destructive conflicts through grand strategy and military doctrine , a plan for maximizing social control and propaganda , maintaining economic order and increasing security in the Galactic Empire. Tarkin believed the chief factor that contributed most to the demise of the Republic was not, in fact,
28565-456: The galaxy into regions, we, The Empire, actually achieve a unity previously absent; where once our loyalties and allegiances were divided, they now serve one being, with one goal: a cohesive galaxy in which everyone prospers. For the first time in one thousand generations our sector governors will not be working solely to enrich Coruscant and the Core Worlds, but to advance the quality of life in
28762-519: The greatest threat to the autocrat. Most autocratic governments are overthrown by a coup , and historically most have been succeeded by another autocratic government, though a trend toward democracy developed in 20th century Europe. These new governments are commonly a different type of autocracy or a weaker variant of the same type. While popular support for revolution is often necessary to overthrow an autocratic government, most revolts are accompanied by internal support from elites who believe that it
28959-419: The hands of " Praetorian administrators" ( planetary governors) that form the Council of Moffs. The cabinet is composed of 20 Moffs ( sector governors) and their superiors, the "Grand Moffs" (oversector governors), all of whom answer directly to the Emperor. The Moffs are senior officials who held the governorship over Administrators of minor provinces and commanded a Sector Fleet-size imperial armed forces at
29156-737: The historical precedent of direct rule in favor of institutions that resemble those of democratic governments. This may include controlled liberties for citizens such as the formation of opposition parties to participate in unfair elections . Elections provide several benefits to autocratic regimes, allowing for a venue to restrain or appease the opposition and creating a method to transfer power without violent conflict. Many autocrats also institute show trials to carry out political repression rather than carrying out direct purges. This may be done to more publicly discourage future dissidents. Prior to this trend, autocratic elections rarely invited public participation. They were instead used by elites to choose
29353-662: The institutions that threaten his goals. He orchestrated his own kidnapping by the Separatists by leaking classified information, and thereby bringing the war to the Capitol, Coruscant , to further spread terror. The Jedi are overstretched across the galaxy trying the end the war; they distrust Palpatine's motives, fearing he has come under the influence of a Dark Lord of the Sith named Darth Sidious. Their concerns are shared by several loyalist senators trying to preserve democracy, who suspect Palpatine may not return his emergency powers once
29550-417: The king's will but not challenge it. This was sometimes justified through the divine right of kings, particularly in the kingdoms of England and France. The French Revolution marked a significant shift in the perception of dictatorship as a form of tyrannical rule, as revolutionaries justified their actions as a means of combatting tyranny. In Europe, the original forms of dictatorship were Bonapartism ,
29747-590: The last was released in November of the same year. The series was later released for the Oculus Rift . In August 2020, all three episodes were released for PlayStation VR . Vader makes a brief appearance at the end of Jedi: Fallen Order (2019). He kills the Second Sister for her failure to secure a Jedi Holocron that could lead the Empire to a number of Force-sensitive children. He then attempts to personally take
29944-499: The line "Obi-Wan killed your father" instead of "No, I am your father." Only the director, the producers, and Mark Hamill knew the actual line, which was dubbed in later by Jones. Prowse did not know the real line until he viewed the finished film. Hayden Christensen portrays Vader in Revenge of the Sith , while Brock Peters provides his voice in the Star Wars radio series . Scott Lawrence voices Vader in video games, including
30141-671: The long-term economic prosperity of these nations. Xenophobia is generally more common in post-autocratic nations, and voters in these nations are more likely to vote for far-right or far-left political parties. Many democracy indices have been developed to measure how democratic or authoritarian countries are, such as the Polity data series , the Freedom in the World report, and the Varieties of Democracy indices. These indices measure various attributes of
30338-508: The measurement of anocratic governments that blend democratic and autocratic traits. The concepts of tyranny and despotism as distinct modes of government were abandoned in the 19th century in favor of more specific typologies. Modern typology of autocratic regimes originates from the work of Juan Linz in the mid-20th century, when his division of democracy, authoritarianism, and totalitarianism became accepted. The first general theory of autocracy that defined it independently of other systems
30535-402: The miniseries Darth Vader: Black, White & Red , an extension of a Marvel event highlighting fan-favorite characters. Following the acquisition of Lucasfilm by The Walt Disney Company in 2012, most of the licensed Star Wars Expanded Universe material produced between 1977 and 2014 was rebranded as Star Wars Legends and declared non-canon to the franchise. The Legends works comprise
30732-423: The modern era dictatorship is the most common form of government globally. Autocratic governments are classified as totalitarian when they engage in direct control of citizens' lives, or as authoritarian when they do not. Totalitarian governments do not allow political or cultural pluralism . Instead, citizens are expected to devote themselves to a single ideological vision and demonstrate their support of
30929-546: The most common claim of legitimacy is birthright in an autocracy that uses hereditary succession. Theocratic governments appeal to religion to justify their rule, arguing that religious leaders must also be political leaders. Other autocrats may use similar claims of divine authority to justify their rule, often in absolute monarchy . This includes the Mandate of Heaven in ancient China and the divine right of kings in 17th century England and France. When an autocratic government has
31126-415: The name "Darth Vader" originated. In a 2005 interview with Rolling Stone , he claimed it was a modified version of "Dark Father." On another occasion, he said it was inspired by the phrase "Dark Water". It is also possible that "Darth Vader" originated from the name of Gary Vader, a boy who went to high school with Lucas. The names of various Star Wars characters have been altered in countries outside
31323-695: The nation without having to conquer its people or win their popular support. Autocrats may claim that they have legitimacy under a legal framework, or they may exert influence purely through force. Opinion on whether an autocratic government is legitimate can vary, even among its own population. An autocracy's approach to legitimacy can be affected by recognition from other nations. Widely accepted autocratic governments are more able to convince their own populations of their legitimacy. Less widely accepted autocracies may rally internal support by attributing their lack of recognition to malevolent foreign efforts, such as American imperialism or Zionism . Historically,
31520-587: The nation's institutions and electoral process. Conversely, autocratic governments may transition to democracy through a period of semi-autocratic rule. Autocracy has been the primary form of government for most of human history. One of the earliest forms of government was the chiefdom that developed in tribal societies , which date back to the Neolithic . Chiefdoms are regional collections of villages ruled over by tribal chief . They are an emergent form of governance, originating from societies that previously lacked
31717-458: The people and to choose what liberties they may exercise. It is distinct from democracy and feudalism , and modern autocracy is often defined as any non-democratic government. As with all forms of government, autocracy has no clearly defined boundaries, and it may intersect with other forms of government. Though autocracy usually encompasses an entire country, it can sometimes take place at subnational or local levels, even in countries with
31914-485: The political loyalty of citizens to the Galactic Empire. Each supervisor had at least one ISB attendant assigned to them that helped them do their duties. Veteran Colonel Wullf Yularen acts as ISB's main figurehead and spokesman, answering to the likes of Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader and Amedda. Towards the end of the Galactic Empire's reign after the death of Emperor Palpatine, ISB officers were entrusted with carrying out Operation Cinder . When that operation fails and
32111-421: The prequel trilogy, with Christensen reprising the role in the series Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022) and Ahsoka (2023). In the standalone film Rogue One (2016), Vader is portrayed by Spencer Wilding and Daniel Naprous. The character also appears in novels, comics, and video games. He has become an iconic villain of cinema. As part of the development for the original Star Wars film , George Lucas hired
32308-399: The queen of Naboo . Qui-Gon learns that Anakin was conceived without a father and can see the future. He becomes convinced that Anakin is the "Chosen One" of Jedi prophecy who will bring balance to the Force. After winning his freedom in a podrace wager, Anakin departs the planet with Qui-Gon to be trained as a Jedi, leaving his mother behind. During the journey to Coruscant , Anakin forms
32505-446: The regime and prevent the loss of power. This repression may take place implicitly by coercing and intimidating potential opposition, or it may involve direct violence. Autocratic governments also engage in co-optation, in which influential figures are provided benefits by the regime in exchange for their support. Coercing these elites is usually more efficient for the autocrat than intimidating them through violence. Political parties are
32702-598: The role in Revenge of the Sith and in the series Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka . His performance in Revenge of the Sith garnered him a nomination for the Saturn Award for Best Actor , while his portrayal of Anakin in Obi-Wan Kenobi earned him the Saturn Award for Best Guest Performance in a Streaming Series. Anakin is voiced by Mat Lucas and Frankie Ryan Manriquez in the 2003 animated micro-series Clone Wars , and
32899-470: The same deference as his master and has his personal battalion and armada- the 501st Legion and "Death Squadron", respectively - at his beck and call. Imperial High Command maintained a number of subdivisions, each charged with directing the naval, ground and intelligence assets of the Imperial Military. The most important of these were the Joint Chiefs, an executive group of senior officers who advised both
33096-727: The same standard uniform that their Army counterparts use but is colored grey, and both services use colored chest plaques to denote rank. The Imperial Starfighter Corps (ISC) was the starfighter pilot branch of the Galactic Empire. Although the Corps was a component of the Navy, most pilots were assigned to ground operations with the Imperial Army. Imperial starfighters include TIE (Twin Ion Engine) fighters, TIE interceptors, TIE Defenders, TIE Brutes, TIE strikers, and TIE bombers. The Corps were scattered after
33293-428: The script, Anakin had several reasons for turning to the dark side, including his sincere belief that the Jedi were plotting to seize control of the Republic. Although he retains this belief in the finished film, Lucas's changes emphasized his desire to rescue Padmé from death. Thus, in the theatrical version of Revenge of the Sith , Anakin falls to the dark side primarily to save Padmé. Anakin's apprentice Ahsoka Tano
33490-474: The sector level. The Grand Moffs are among the Galactic Empire's top figures, being on equal-footing with the Grand Vizier and the Commander-in-Chief and having been similarly appointed by the Emperor himself. The Council of Moffs works closely with Imperial High Command and is therefore able to dispose of the Imperial Military's assets to enforce the Emperor's authority in its "provinces". Governor Wilhuff Tarkin
33687-451: The series there are references to Anakin's eventual fall to the dark side, including visions of his future as Vader and his disillusionment with the Jedi Council after they wrongly accuse Ahsoka of bombing the Jedi Temple. While Ahsoka is later forgiven after the true culprit is found, she nonetheless chooses to leave the Jedi Order. Dooku's death at Anakin's hands during Revenge of the Sith is references by Obi Wan. Anakin appears as Vader in
33884-481: The society that they exploit through taxation and other seizure of resources, as opposed to the bandits in stateless societies that have no incentive to improve society. This creates a Pareto efficiency in which both the autocrat and the subjects benefit over the alternative. Douglass North , John Joseph Wallis, and Barry R. Weingast describe autocracies as natural states that arise from this need to monopolize violence. In contrast to Olson, these scholars understand
34081-414: The star systems that make up each sector — keeping the spaceways safe , maintaining open and accessible communications , assuring that tax revenues are properly levied and allocated to improving the infrastructure . The plan which Palpatine ultimately had implemented in its entirety contained three main principles: territorial consolidation, rapid communication, and coercive diplomacy . Tarkin's concept
34278-441: The state ideology through political engagement. Totalitarian governments are revolutionary , seeking radically to reform society, and they often engage in terror against groups that do not comply with the state's vision. Totalitarianism is associated with communist states and Nazi Germany . Authoritarian governments maintain control of a nation purely through repression and controlled opposition rather than mandated adherence to
34475-464: The station is attacked by Rebel starfighters who have come into possession of the station's blueprints. The battle ends with the Death Star's destruction at the hands of Luke Skywalker , which is the Rebel Alliance's first major military success against the Empire. Politically, Alderann's destruction was a watershed moment for most Imperial Loyalists, many whom would later defect to the Alliance; it revealed
34672-405: The threat of violence. Some autocracies use hereditary succession in which a set of rules determines who will be the next autocrat. Otherwise, a successor may be handpicked, either by the autocrat or by another governmental body. Pre-determined successors are incentivized to overthrow and replace the autocrat, creating a dilemma for autocrats wishing to choose a successor. The threat of overthrow
34869-432: The time, and they frequently destroyed the records that did exist. Study of citizen support for autocratic government relative to democratic government has also been infrequent, and most studies conducted in this area have been limited to East Asia . Collection of information on autocratic regimes has improved in the 21st century, allowing for more detailed analysis. Autocratic government has been found to have effects on
35066-497: The two of them duel once again. As Luke regains control of his emotions, Vader senses that he has a sister, and threatens to turn her to the dark side if Luke will not submit. Enraged, Luke overpowers Vader and severs his hand. The Emperor then betrays his apprentice by ordering Luke to kill Vader and take his place, but Luke refuses. Enraged, the Emperor begins torturing Luke with Force lightning , leading to Luke begging his father to save him. Unwilling to see his son die, Vader throws
35263-520: The voice of James Earl Jones. Vader was introduced in Star Wars (1977) as a cyborg commander serving the Galactic Empire. He and Grand Moff Tarkin have been tasked with recovering architectural plans for the Death Star battle station, which were stolen by the Rebel Alliance. Vader captures and interrogates the Rebel leader Princess Leia, who has sent the plans to Vader's former master Obi-Wan Kenobi. During Leia's rescue by Obi-Wan's allies Luke Skywalker and Han Solo , Vader strikes down his mentor in
35460-460: The war , but rampant self-interest, which left the body politic feckless and corrupt. Consider the self-interest of the Core Worlds, unwavering in their exploitation of the Outer Systems for their resources; the Outer Systems themselves, undermined, by their permissive disregard of smuggling and slavery; those ambitious members of the Senate who sought only status and opportunity. By partitioning
35657-511: The war effort. He intentionally prolonged and exploits the Clone Wars to amass unprecedented political power, using his apprentice Darth Tyranus , Head of State of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, as a pawn to keep everyone distracted and focused on ending the war. By the time of Episode III , he is effectively a dictator who overstayed his term limits; he exploits the people's fears, systematically rewrites constitutional laws and crushes
35854-469: The war ends. These senators set into motion plans that will eventually lead to the creation of the Rebellion . The film eventually reveals that Palpatine and Sidious are one and the same, and Palpatine engineered the conflicts as a false flag . Palpatine reveals himself as a Sith Lord to Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, promising to save Padmé, Skywalker's secret wife, from dying in childbirth as Anakin has foreseen. Skywalker reports Palpatine's true identity to
36051-432: The war, with GAR liberators occupying every known Star system, Palpatine orders them to permanently annex planets, suppress the sectors and subjugate the people. Secured in his power and position, with no one left stop him, Palpatine reorganizes the Republic into the Galactic Empire, with himself as Emperor for life. He moves on to his final political opposition, the Senate; rather than dismantling it outright, he reduces it to
36248-629: The way that democracy has. Autocratic government is generally considered to be less desirable than democratic government. Reasons for this include its proclivity for corruption and violence as well as its lack of efficiency and its weakness in promoting liberty and transparency. Historically, data on the operation of autocratic government has been limited, preventing detailed study. Study of postcolonial autocracy in Africa has been particularly limited, as these governments were less likely to keep detailed records of their activities relative to other governments at
36445-405: The world through colonization. Societies without a state were readily colonized by European nations and subsequently adopted democracy and parliamentary government after it became common in Europe. Regions with historically strong autocratic states were able to resist European colonization or otherwise went unchanged, allowing autocracy to be preserved. The strength of autocracy in global politics
36642-447: Was a symbol of unity and non-confrontation; Palpatine would pervert this peaceful symbol by removing two spokes from the wheel; similar to how Hitler took the swastika from ancient Eastern religions like Hinduism and Buddhism . The Senate, now known as the Imperial Senate, nominally continues to exist, though it is virtually powerless. Palpatine dissolves the Senate (off-camera) in A New Hope after discovering that several members of
36839-515: Was called Dart Fener ( pronounced [ˌdar(t) ˈfɛːner] ) starting with the original trilogy. In 2004, the dubbing director for the Italian-language version of Revenge of the Sith (2005) asked Italian fans to decide which name to use in the film; the Italian name was chosen. However, the name was switched to "Darth Vader" for The Force Awakens (2015). In Iceland, Darth Vader's name
37036-460: Was created by Gordon Tullock in 1974 through applied public choice theory . At the end of the Cold War, Francis Fukuyama 's theory of the end of history became popular among political scientists. This theory proposed that autocratic government was approaching a permanent decline to be replaced by liberal democracy . This theory was largely abandoned after the increase in autocratic government over
37233-501: Was dropped due to what Lucas called "unpleasant connotations" with Charles Manson , who became a "star killer" in 1969 when he murdered the well-known actress Sharon Tate. Lucas replaced the problematic name "Starkiller" with "Skywalker". The Phantom Menace introduced the possibility that Anakin could be the Chosen One of an ancient Jedi prophecy, who is destined to bring balance to the Force. Lucas stated in an interview that "Anakin
37430-459: Was finally credited in Return of the Jedi in 1983. When filming the scene in The Empire Strikes Back in which Vader confesses he is Luke's father, Prowse was given modified dialogue to read that did not exist in the script. He was known for repeatedly leaking information to the public, and the filmmakers wanted to keep Vader's revelation a secret until the film was released. Prowse was asked to read
37627-579: Was introduced in Timothy Zahn 's then- canon novel Heir to the Empire . It made its film debut in the special edition of Return of the Jedi . Inspiration for the world-spanning city came from 1940s science fiction works, especially Isaac Asimov 's Trantor . Visually, it resembles the Art Deco skyscrapers of Manhattan . Star Wars Battlefront II (2017) depicts Palpatine as intentionally having no clear line of succession, desiring either immortality or
37824-433: Was introduced in the 2008 animated film The Clone Wars . Giving Anakin responsibility for a Padawan was meant to place the character in a role that forced him to become more cautious and responsible. It was also meant to provide him with insight about his relationship with his own master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and show how their relationship matured. Anakin's relationship with Ahsoka was seen as an essential story arc spanning both
38021-402: Was meant to align the character with heroes from mythology in general and not specifically Jesus . After completing principal photography for Revenge of the Sith in 2003, Lucas made changes to Anakin's character by rewriting his turn to the dark side. He accomplished this through editing the principal footage and filming new scenes during pickups in London in 2004. In previous versions of
38218-454: Was previously no centralized government. The initial development of an autocracy is attributed to its efficiency over anarchy , as it provides security and negates internal divisions. Mancur Olson introduced the term "stationary bandits" to describe the method of control associated with autocracy, as opposed to the "roaming bandits" that dominate anarchic society. Under this definition, autocrats as stationary bandits see long-term investment in
38415-405: Was selected for the role, which appears as "Anakin Skywalker" in the credits. Shaw's presence on set was kept secret from all but the minimum cast and crew, and Shaw was contractually obligated not to discuss any film secrets with anyone, even his family. In the final scene of the film, Shaw portrays Anakin's Force spirit . His likeness in this scene was replaced with that of Hayden Christensen in
38612-422: Was significantly reduced at the end of the Cold War with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, but it saw a resurgence over the following decades through regional powers such as China, Iran, Russia, and Saudi Arabia. The fall of totalitarian regimes led to authoritarianism becoming the predominant form of autocracy in the 21st century. Political repression is the primary method by which autocrats preserve
38809-441: Was that rule could be established and maintained "through fear of force rather than force itself", and he believed grand displays of power—when combined with oppressive means of terrorizing communities—could suppress dissent and crush any would-be rebellion. This Doctrine became the Empire's core military doctrine of peacekeeping , internal security , counter-insurgency , and state terrorism -philosophy. The instrument of this power
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