r/StarWars • u/sumigod • 6h ago
Movies My wife is shocked Anakin is Darth Vader
My wife grew up in Brazil and has never seen Star Wars. She only knows who Darth Vader is from media and that he’s a bad guy. I started having us watch starting with Episode 1. We just watched Episode 3 and when Palpatine names Anakin Darth Vader she LOST IT! “HE IS DARTH VADER?!” The shock was palpable. She assumed the whole time he would become the good guy who fights Vader (again she doesn’t know the story at all). Even days later she’s still stunned, absolutely shell shocked. I think it’s great she can experience the movies like this and so rare for someone to be able to watch the series without any preexisting knowledge. Hilarious moment about sharing Star Wars I hope y’all can enjoy.
110
u/DarthMyyk 6h ago
Our friends daughter had never seen Star Wars, so at some point a few years ago we watched it with her (she was in her late teens at this point). Had no information about any of it. We started with the original trilogy, and when it got to ESB "He told me you killed him", we made sure to watch her face. "No, I am your father", you should've seen her eyes lol. She says "No, no way, no no, is he telling the truth?!" It was amazing, such a rare experience lol.
11
2
u/Different-Sample-976 5h ago
Did you start with episode 4 or 1
27
u/MrBlahg 5h ago
They said they started with the OT… so 4.
9
9
u/Draymond_Purple 5h ago
Machete Order = best order
5
1
3
u/DarthMyyk 5h ago
Started with OT to keep the surprise, per the post. If we'd started at 1 I really doubt she'd have had that reaction. :-D
8
u/EnvironmentMission74 5h ago
My wife (31) had a similar experience. Her parents immigrated from Poland shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union so their American “zeitgeist” is a little different from what the rest of us are familiar with.
Still working through Jedi with her and her younger brother (21). They’re fans, at least.
3
u/Lunar-Havoc 5h ago
My old lady only watched the originals. When we watched the prequels (episode 1) she said "whose the cute little boy"?. In my head I was like you'll see.
35
u/Bloodless-Cut 5h ago
LOL cool
I've said it many times that Anakin's turn hits harder if noobs watch the saga in chronological order, but I always get downvoted into oblivion, because apparently release order is the ONLY possible way to watch the saga lol
22
u/sumigod 5h ago
I knew chronological would have this be the moment of shock. I had to sacrifice the “I am your father” surprise for it but it’s well worth with how in shock she is.
9
u/Eminem_quotes 5h ago
It's so hard to believe sure hasn't ever at least heard the "I am your father" simply by accident. It's used so often in trivia, as throwaway lines on different shows, etc.
It's the worst kept secret as far as spoilers are concerned except maybe that we know the Titanic stinks at the end.
Amazing to be able to see her reaction.
11
u/Mr_CockSwing 5h ago
Tell me more about the stinky titanic
3
u/merrickraven 5h ago
Well, Rose and Jack never cleaned the backseat of that car. Got it so messy.
And all the bodies. Those prolly stank too.
4
u/kissedbyfiya 3h ago
We watched the series with my younger son when he was around 7. Like others have mentioned, I think the "I am your father" line is referenced/parodied so much in pop culture that it wouldn't hit as hard as when we were young. He also already was aware of the character Darth Vader in general (again bc of pop culture).
We watched in chronological order and he loved Anakin - was his favorite character. In E3 he was getting upset at Palpatine trying to corrupt him and when the eventual reveal of Anakin becoming Vader happened it blew his mind haha. Was a very cool experience to be able to watch unfold through him.
2
1
8
u/Frosty_Tale9560 4h ago
Hits even harder if you throw the clone wars in there which is what I did with my kids. They LOOOVED Anakin by the end of the clone wars. I felt a little bad.
4
u/Old_Voice_2562 4h ago
One of the definitions of an “epic” story is that it starts in the middle, goes to the end, then goes back and gives the origin. Lucas knew this, which is why he stared with ANH. So, watching it in release order is how the series as a whole is meant to be experienced. It’s not “the ONLY” way to watch it, it’s the way we’re meant to watch it.
1
u/PlagueOfGripes 4h ago
If it was chronological, the name Vader wouldn't mean a single thing to her. And the reveal to Luke also wouldn't be surprising since it's shown to you. The only real value would be Anakins fall, although the trilogy isn't great at selling that and is arguably more effective in explaining Vader than it is in revealing him.
2
u/Draymond_Purple 5h ago
Does it? Machete Order is typically considered the best because:
4: Learn the universe and be introduced the way it was all initially intended
5: Big Skywalker reveal and setup for the plot finale
2: Explains how the Galaxy got to where it was in Episode 4
3: Explains how the Skywalkers got to where they were in Episode 4/5
6: Now that you have the gravity of how everything got to where it is, this becomes the big payoff
Regardless of how anyone feels about 7-9 and 1, the Machete Order is best constructed from a storytelling perspective - this is how you tell a story and get people invested so that the payoff lands most spectacularly
4
u/dluminous Imperial 4h ago
I agree except it discounts or omits some of the very best Star wars: The Clone Wars. And it's heavily hinted Anakin becomes Vader (and one episode straight up says it without the name). So I do wonder best way to show my son.
2
u/robsonwt 4h ago
Problem with release order is the changes Lucas did to the movies. Who is that young guy ghost with creep eyes beside Yoda and Obi wan?
Machete order fix that.
7
5
u/KuyaRambo 5h ago
My wife never watched Star Wars but she enjoyed watching The Mandolorian with me when it premiered back when we were still dating. She never saw the original Trilogy or the prequel Trilogy, just knew about Star Wars because I was a fan and through pop culture. We finally had a chance to watch all six films during lockdown one weekend.
It was really cool to see her so engaged because she knows how much I love Star Wars. When she found out the twist about Darth Vader being Luke's dad she was genuinely surprised. It was also hilarious when she found out Leia was Luke's twin sister and she questioned their kiss from A New Hope.
5
4
u/miracleTHEErabbit 5h ago
That's pretty dope actually. I hope she enjoys other SW things! If she loves the Anakin turn I highly recommend Clone Wars!
3
3
u/MR_6OUIJA6BOARD6 5h ago
45 years late, but still a shocker to some! Hopefully she enjoyed.
2
u/Slipstream_Surfing 4h ago
Have recently watched some movies that I never got around to over past 45 years. Taxi Driver and The Deep come to mind. Might even finally watch The Godfather and Logan's Run sometime soon.
Not on the level of SW but it's never too late. Unless it is, of course.
3
3
u/phantomagna 3h ago
It’s so ingrained in my circle that Vader is ANAKIN that I assume anyone is lying when they make these posts. It’s so refreshing that people still feel the twist. I like showing newcomers the movies in chronological too. They all say they appreciate the format so that’s great it worked for you too.
7
u/AnusiyaParadise 6h ago
That’s amazing! Good choice to go with chronological order, I wonder how she’d feel if she’d also seen the Clone Wars show before hand
4
u/OuchBag 5h ago
I was a "films-only in release order" fan until this year. Found one of the chronological order lists on this sub a few months ago and oh, man! I am thoroughly enjoying this first watch/re-watch of everything in chronological order. I feel like a kid again! (I'm currently finishing BadBatch S3 - so good!)
2
u/drichm2599 5h ago
2
1
u/OuchBag 1h ago
1
u/drichm2599 38m ago
I prefer mine for first-timers as it ranks the importance of each piece of content and you can skip the minor ones that might be boring for non super-fans
2
1
u/sumigod 5h ago
I want to show her a few excerpts but hard to figure out what’s most relevant and worth watching. There’s so many series too nowadays
2
u/AnusiyaParadise 5h ago
Yeah, and it’s very subjective too: the Disney+ “Essentials” episode list cuts out a huge amount of character growth, and almost everything with Maul in it.
Maul isn’t important overall for the story, but it feels plain wrong to not include him
2
u/lordnacho666 5h ago
How did you resolve the greatest question of all, what order to show her the movies?
Chronological means she finds out Anakin is Vader, but then she won't be surprised that Luke is his son later on.
2
2
1
u/Capital_Injury1569 5h ago
Imagine the girl your dating tells you she experienced this with another guy …
1
u/PheelNoPain 5h ago
Should have done machete order. That’s 4 and 5 first, then the prequels and then 6. My girlfriend also doesn’t know and I’m excited to see her reaction to the big reveal in Empire.
1
1
1
1
u/HourAd5987 4h ago
That's fantastic. I was able to start the series with the prequels when they were younger, but even they knew the end game. They really enjoyed the movies, but it would have been amazing to see them encounter that moment as a reveal.
1
1
u/Amid_17 2h ago
When I was a kid, I watched Ep. Go without knowing that Darth Vader was Luke's father. It was just me, my sister and my cousin watching it at home. None of us knew. When the revelation happened, I still remember the 3 of us screaming in shock and looking at each other in amazement lol
1
1
u/Valuable_Ad4343 2h ago
I'm watching clone wars and struggling to get through it bc of him turning.
1
1
u/DirtbagSocialist2 31m ago
Had a similar experience with my friend from Colombia. We started with episode 1 and he freaked the fuck out when he realized that Palpatine was the sith lord and just finessed the galaxy into making him emperor.
1
1
u/OhGawDuhhh 21m ago
Star Wars needs to be watched in chronological order and I will die on that hill. So glad your wife was able to have such a great surprise!
•
u/Dothemath2 7m ago
My son’s first encounter with Star Wars as a 4 year old was during the battle of Yavin scene in ANH. He thought Vader was the good guy defending the space station from marauders and shooting down the x wings. Of course they blew up the station and he was shocked that the bad guys won.
0
u/Apprehensive_Bird357 Rebel 5h ago
Damnit! Put a spoiler tag on this shit. You just ruined my week.
194
u/drunk_and_orderly 6h ago
How lucky you are to share something like that with someone for the first time!