Darth Vaderis no doubt one of the most intimidating characters in all ofStar Wars, but how much does he really tower over his adversaries? Darth Vader is one ofStar Wars’most powerful Sith, and he truly does inspire fear in those who oppose him. In fact, this is true even outside ofStar Warsmovies and TV shows.
Hilariously, Obi-Wan Kenobi actor Ewan McGregor admitted that when he first saw Darth Vader in his suit in real life while shootingObi-Wan Kenobi, he was genuinely afraid. Clearly,Darth Vader is domineering both in-universe and in real life. Given that, it begs the question: what is Darth Vader’s actual height?
Star Wars Theory Reveals The Real Reason Darth Vader Died In Return Of The Jedi (Not Palpatine)
Although it seemed Darth Vader died due to Palpatine’s Force lightning, this Star Wars theory suggests the truth might be a bit more complicated.
Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader
From the very beginning ofStar Wars, Darth Vader has been a dark and looming figure. In fact, before the incredible reveal that Darth Vader was really Luke Skywalker’s father inThe Empire Strikes Back, it wasn’t entirely clear that he was human. If anything, Vader seemed more like a robot, particularly given his labored breathing and his chestplate full of bright buttons.
However,the fact that Darth Vader was human made him even more terrifying, especially before it was revealed that his suit was life-sustaining (which wasn’t fully revealed untilStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith). Given Vader was human, however, he really had two forms: his pre-Revenge of the Sithhuman form and his Dark Times suited form. The Vader suit surely gave Vader a height advantage, but by how much?
How Tall Was Anakin Skywalker Before He Wore Darth Vader’s Armor?
Even before donning the Darth Vader suit, Anakin Skywalker was quite tall. In the prequel trilogy, Anakin’s height is easy to identify, as he was played by Hayden Christensen, who is 6'0". Presumably, this means that,prior to his unfortunate fate on Mustafar, Anakin stood about 6'0" tall.
Of course, Obi-Wan Kenobi then cut off both of Anakin’s legs, which makes it difficult to estimate, based on Anakin’s original height, how tall he was in the suit. However, Christensen was one of manyactors who played Darth Vader. In the originalStar Warstrilogy, Darth Vader was played by David Prowse, at least physically. George Lucas ultimately decided to have Vader voiced by James Earl Jones and therefore had him dubbed.
Given Vader’s boots and helmet, it’s safe to assume that, ultimately, Darth Vader was nearly 7 feet tall.
Prowse stood at an impressive 6'6" outside the suit. Given Vader’s boots and helmet, it’s safe to assume that, ultimately, Darth Vader was nearly 7 feet tall. As a point of comparison, General Grievous, who seems downright colossal in the prequel movies, is estimated to be about 7'1".
In light of Darth Vader’s height, it’s unsurprising that characters inStar Warsand the actors playing opposite Darth Vader find themselves intimidated by the Sith Lord. It’s no doubt genuinely terrifying to see a seven-foot-tall villain wielding a red lightsaber heading in one’s direction. WhileDarth Vaderisn’t the tallest villain inStar Wars, his staggering height surely adds to the terror he inspires in his foes.
