Darth Vader might have been played by two people in the original trilogy, but Hayden Christensen will solely play Darth Vader for his role in Obi-Wan Kenobi. But as Obi-Wan once said, “He’s more machine, now, than man.” And in fact, the role will be closer to James Earl Jones’ part than it will be to the one Christensen played as Anakin in the prequels. He will have to attune his character appropriately because he has big shoes to fill when stepping up to Jones. Not to mention, the Darth Vader we saw in the original movies was played when Jones was at the height of his Shakespearean training.

There are many reasons for fans to be apprehensive about Christensen taking on this role, even if it is technically meant for him. One worry is that he might not be able to bring the necessary gravity to Vader’s character due to his performance in the prequels. But it’s important to remember that the prequels were hindered primarily by the writing and not necessarily by their performances. And perhaps it will be refreshing if Obi-Wan Kenobi is determined to use the prequels as its ethos and see the same person with a familiar voice play that role. Perhaps it will make the dark transformation more real for all of us.

Playing Anakin vs. Playing Vader

Vader Revenge of the Sith
20th Century Fox

Darth Vader is quintessentially different from Anakin Skywalker. Obi-Wan’s attitude from the original trilogy tells us that, so the show’s staff will have to write this in. We can anticipate that somewhere, Obi-Wan will have this dramatic realization that his former apprentice can’t be saved, and he will have to let Anakin go. But before that, we will have to see Anakin prove his transition to Obi-Wan and show him that he has foregone any sense of mercy or kindness he had as a Jedi.

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Remember that it has been ten years since the events of Revenge of the Sith, and Anakin will be far past any doubt he may have felt while learning the ways of the dark side. He will be fully adapted to his machine form and able to use the dark side well. His whole personage should have changed, straight down to his core. The Anakin we saw in the prequels was filled with an intense doubt in the disciplines of the light side of the Force, even if it wasn’t written into the script well. More importantly, Anakin displayed a fierce desire to use the Force to get what he wanted, specifically to save Padme.

After her death, those feelings were channeled into finding and destroying the Jedi as a form of misguided revenge. Vader has completely turned on his old friends and loved ones. It’s merely this feeling of hate that sustains him. Over ten years, the character’s motivation has changed, along with his appearance and voice. He might even have a different backstory based on what this new identity has been through over ten years. He is, quite simply, an entirely different person.

Hayden Christensen's Star Wars Redemption

Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
20th Century Fox

It’s important to remember that it’s not Christensen’s fault that the prequels weren’t well received. Some fans may rush to throw him under the bus just because he was technically the main character, but the problems of those films were bigger than any one actor. And when you look closely at the prequels, it’s hard to tell whether Lucas is telling Anakin’s story or Obi-Wan’s.

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This is just one problem of many that led to a diverse array of issues that the movie has. Christensen was just reading the lines he was given and doing what he was told. It would have been impossible for his performance to have saved those movies unless he had improvised whole new scenes.

Hayden Christensen is a solid actor with more movies than Star Wars under his belt. And, because he is a professional actor, he will bring that experience to bear in any future roles he plays. Don’t forget -- it hasn’t just been ten years in movie time. Revenge of the Sith premiered seventeen years ago. That experience must amount to something. Also, some distance from the original prequel writers must help as well.

For how the Kenobi series has played so far, it at least seems better than Attack of the Clones. Darth Vader is being made out to be far more menacing than we’ve seen him before, and if the end scene from Rogue One is any indication, he is a much more violent and challenging foe than we are used to seeing.

Hopefully, Hayden has learned from the mistakes of the prequels and grown over the years. Believe it or not, Obi-Wan Kenobi could be a chance for all of these characters to redeem themselves, and there’s nothing more exciting than an epic reveal. We’ll just have to wait and see.