10 Things That Darth Vader Would Have Been Arrested For On Earth
In the history of the movies, there have been few villains as iconic, and terrifying, as Darth Vader. With his black costume, his wheezing breath, and his ability to command the Force, he is the embodiment of sinister power. Even during his days as Anakin Skywalker, he showed time and again that he was capable of acts of great brutality, particularly whenever he felt that he was threatened.
Thus, it’s worth taking a look at the many things that he did during his time in the Star Wars series that would have led to his arrest on Earth.
10 Torturing Leia
Princess Leia is one of the most iconic characters in the entire Star Wars universe, especially since she endured quite a lot during her fight for the Rebels. In particular, she was tortured by Darth Vader as he sought information from her regarding their ultimate plans. While this was in keeping with his service to Palpatine–who was never known for his mercy or compassion–it’s exactly the type of thing that would lead to his being arrested, and probably jailed, by the authorities on Earth.
9 Kidnapping Leia
Torturing Leia wasn’t the only thing that Darth did to one of the Rebels’ most important leaders. In fact, he outright kidnapped her, keeping her prisoner while he tried to get more information out of her. On the one hand, of course, this demonstrates Vader’s approach to any problem, i.e. to try to bludgeon it into submission through whatever means necessary. On the other, it’s also an act that would have inevitably resulted in arrest, since kidnapping and forced imprisonment are both crimes here on Earth.
8 Genocide The Tuskens
While he still went as Anakin Skywalker, Anakin was sometimes able to keep his more violent impulses under control. One notable exception was his wholesale slaughter of the Tusken Raiders that had, to be fair, killed his mother. His actions no doubt appear justifiable to some, but in another light, particularly after the events depicted in The Book of Boba Fett, it’s very easy to see how they could be understood as an act of genocide according to the laws of Earth.
7 Treason For Betraying The Jedi
Though they are hardly perfect, the Jedi are still some of the most laudable individuals in the Galaxy, and there are many of them that are incredibly good and powerful people. As one of them, Anakin owed them a debt of loyalty, but that didn’t stop him from falling victim to the blandishments, lies, and deceit of Palpatine.
This was bad enough even by the laws established in the Galaxy, but on Earth it would probably have resulted in his being arrested, and possibly even executed, for the crime of treason.
6 Murder Of Obi-Wan
The friendship between Anakin and Obi-Wan is one of the most important in all of Star Wars lore, and it is also one of the most tragic. Even though it was clear that their friendship was going to end in one or the other of them dying, it was still quite shocking when Obi-Wan sacrificed his life during his famous duel with his former student. Obviously this was necessary to push Luke in the right direction, but that wouldn’t stop the authorities of Earth from arresting Vader and holding him accountable for his actions.
5 Mass Murder Of The Younglings
There have been many shocking moments in the history of Star Wars, but arguably one of the most disturbing was Anakin’s slaughter of the younglings in the Jedi Temple. Obviously this was horrifying in and of itself, and it’s a crime that is a permanent stain on his reputation.
In the world and legal systems of Earth, however, it’s fairly certain that Anakin would not only be arrested for this act, but that he would also face the full force of the criminal justice system.
4 Assassination Of Palpatine
Palpatine is without a doubt one of the most powerful figures in the entire Star Wars Galaxy, and he is as evil as he is powerful. As he shows time and again, he is willing to destroy anyone and anything that stands in his way. As a result, Vader’s decision to turn against him and throw him into the reactor is an act of liberation and one of the most exciting moments in the movies. However, on Earth such an act would most likely be seen as assassination, and as laudable as it is he would no doubt still be punished.
3 Malicious Wounding Of Luke
There are many famous duels in Star Wars, but one of the most vital is that between Luke and Vader, where each of them is forced to confront something about the other. In addition to being very exciting and full of high drama and action, it also includes a moment where Vader severs Luke’s hand. It is a moment heavy with symbolism, but in the more realistic world of Earth, Vader would be arrested for what is very obviously a grievous act of assault against another person.
2 Domestic Abuse Of Padme
Even though Star Wars has many great relationships, it has to be said that that between Padme and Anakin isn’t one of them. Theirs is a fundamentally toxic relationship, and it only gets more so as the series goes on, and it reaches its nadir when Anakin Force chokes Padme, an act that ultimately leads to her death. In addition to being a horrific ending to their tragic romance, it is also an act that would earn Anakin an arrest warrant on Earth for, at the very least, domestic violence.
1 Dueling Obi-Wan
In the Star Wars universe, dueling with lightsabers is clearly one of the tried and true methods for resolving differences of various sorts. That is certainly the case with Anakin and Obi-Wan, and the two engage in quite a few duels of various sorts. While this makes for very exciting viewing, it is also true that, on planet Earth at least, Anakin would be placed under arrest, since dueling is illegal in many different places.