Rogue One: A Star Wars Story fills in the gaps of Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope by showing how an unlikely band of rebels successfully got the top-secret Death Star plans to Princess Leia. The movie introduced complex and layered heroes, like Jyn Erso, and explored how they survive in a galaxy almost fully controlled by the Empire. One of the film’s most memorable aspects was a climactic hallway massacre, where Darth Vader uses his lightsaber and the Force to terrify and decimate an unlucky group of rebels. But while there is only one person on the screen, it was actually a team that brought the iconic Sith Lord to life.
In the original Star Wars trilogy, Darth Vader was a tag-team effort by actor David Prowse providing the onscreen presence and James Earl Jones lending his voice to the role. However, the early films feature far less intricate lightsaber choreography than what is shown in more recent films. As a result, there wasn’t much extraneous movement needed on Prowse’s part. For Rogue One, Vader is faster and more brutal, demanding more than one man to wear the suit. This is where actor Spencer Wilding and stuntman Daniel Naprous come into the picture.
While his face may not be recognizable, Spencer Wilding’s roles are undoubtedly more well-known. Wilding’s credits include the mean guard who takes Peter Quill’s Walkman in Guardians of the Galaxy and the minotaur in Wrath of the Titans. In his many years of work, Wilding makes heavy prosthetic acting look like a walk in the park. His 6′ 6″ stature also makes him the perfect fit for Emperor Palpatine’s deadliest apprentice.
The hallway scene in Rogue One also features some of Darth Vader’s most intricate saber skills yet. In canon, his lightsaber style is modified to compensate for his immense strength due to his cybernetics. However, he also strikes with even more power and uses another’s attack against them. Daniel Naprous is no stranger to bringing small intricacies to life in amazing choreography, thanks to his work on Game of Thrones, Wonder Woman and Wrath of the Titans. With Naprous, Vader was able to back up all of his threats from the original trilogy and turn into an unstoppable menace, making the terror in the eyes of the rebels believable.
While James Earl Jones has always been the voice of Vader, Naprous and Wilding brought a ferocity to the character that has made his action scene in Rogue One go down in history as one of the greats. The film also marks his fifth film appearance since his return in 2005’s Revenge of the Sith, where Hayden Christensen wore the armor. Christensen will also be reprising the role in Disney+’s upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series. For now, it’s unclear if Naprous or Wilding will also return to help bring the action scenes to life.
Whether or not the duo returns to the Star Wars universe for future outings as the Dark Lord, their impact on the franchise will not be forgotten. Thanks to them, fans can see how far Anakin fell to the Dark Side since Revenge of the Sith through his ruthless aggression against the rebels. It’s become hauntingly beautiful and shows how much more Darth Vader still has to offer in live action.
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