How tall is Darth Vader? Darth Vader Height, Age, Weight and Much More

How tall is Darth Vader? Darth Vader Height, Age, Weight and Much More
How tall is Darth Vader? Darth Vader Height, Age, Weight and Much More

Introduction

Darth Vader is a character who has attracted endless attention and interest from fans of the series, and he’s certainly an imposing figure – but that may leave you wondering how tall he is, how old he is, and how much he weighs.

There’s a lot of dispute over Darth Vader’s height, with many sources claiming slightly different numbers. All agree that he is over 6 feet, but estimates range between 6 foot 7 inches and 6 foot 9 inches, with some sources even claiming that he is 7 feet. It’s possible that the discrepancies come from different actors taking the role, but overall, 6 foot 9 is his canonical height.

How Tall Is Darth Vader?

Darth Vader
Darth Vader

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly how tall Darth Vader is supposed to be, as this character has been portrayed by multiple actors over the years, which has led to a wide variety of estimates.

However, there’s no doubt that Darth Vader is supposed to be a tall and imposing figure. When actors who were much shorter took on the role, camera angles were specifically adjusted to make these individuals look taller.

One example would be Bob Anderson, who is 6 foot 1 (1 meter 85 cm). He did many of the battle scenes and a lot of the stunt work for Darth Vader in both The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, and he looks significantly taller than 6 foot 1 as a result of the camera angles. 

This demonstrates that the creators consider his imposing height to be an important feature. No matter how you look at it, there’s no question that Darth Vader is intended to be a tall individual.

It’s also worth noting that the tallest actor to play Darth Vader was David Prowse, who was 6 foot 7 inches (2 meters). The actor who voiced Darth Vader, James Earl Jones, is 6 foot 2 inches (1 meter 87 cm). 

Because James Earl Jones voiced him in every movie, some people use his height to determine Darth Vader’s height, but this likely isn’t how the creators envisaged him.

Canonically, Darth Vader is said to be 6 foot 9, and this leaves him towering over many of the other characters. For example, despite the fact that Anakin is already a taller-than-average individual, Darth Vader is notably taller.

Anakin stands at approximately 6 foot 2 inches (1 meter 88 cm), but that leaves him around 6 or 7 inches shorter than Darth Vader. When he turns into Darth Vader, that means he’s gaining about 6 inches of height, simply by donning Darth Vader’s suit.

How Old Is Darth Vader?

Darth Vader’s age obviously depends on the movie you are assessing. In Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Darth Vader is approximately 44 years old, and when he dies in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, he’s around 45.

We also know that Anakin Skywalker was born in 41 BBY, and met Obi-Wan when he was just 9 years old. The films then jump (with Star Wars: Episode II – Attack Of The Clones) to Anakin being 19 years old.

When Anakin turned to the dark side in Revenge of the Sith, he would have been 22 years old (in the year 19 BBY). In A New Hope, Darth Vader would have been 41, as it is set in 0 BBY.

The franchise covers many years – indeed, most of Darth Vader’s life, so working out his age in any given movie can be challenging. Most people consider Darth Vader to be around 44 or 45, however, as this is the age at which he dies.

How Much Does Darth Vader Weigh?

Again, there are some variations in the estimates about how much Darth Vader weighs. He is said to have been approximately 264 pounds (120 kilograms) when wearing his armor (which most people include, since it is a necessary part of his survival).

Prior to transforming into Darth Vader, Anakin is said to have weighed approximately 185 pounds (84 kg), but this difference can partially be accounted for by the suit.

Why Does Darth Vader Have To Be Tall?

There’s no doubt that Darth Vader’s height is a key part of his image. The creators wanted to build an archetypal villain, who is intimidating for a whole range of reasons – his height being one of them. Darth Vader’s size gives him gravity and presence in a room, and makes him seem more frightening to viewers.

Darth Vader stands significantly taller than many of the other characters in the franchise. For example, Luke Skywalker is only around 5 foot 6 inches (1 meter 67 cm), meaning he’s more than a foot shorter than Darth Vader.

Princess Leia is only 4 foot 9 inches (1 meter 44 cm), and when she stands alongside Darth Vader, you can certainly see the discrepancy. 

Even Obi-Wan Kenobi, who is taller than both of them, is significantly shorter than Darth Vader. He is approximately 5 foot 10 inches (1 meter 78 cm). That means that Darth Vader was again close to a foot taller than him.

This works well, because it makes Darth Vader seem a more threatening villain, and ensures that viewers take him seriously, especially when he is in combat with the heroes.

Furthermore, height tends to be equated with competence in some ways. It’s interesting to note that being short has often been used to discredit powerful men (such as Napoleon, Hitler, etc.), as though stature has a significant bearing on their ability.

By making their fictional character tall, the Star Wars creators avoid such comparisons, and ensure that he is taken seriously as a dangerous opponent for the main characters.

Conclusion

As you can see, Darth Vader’s height is a significant part of his character, and helps to create a sense of an intimidating, powerful individual, who is a good match for his opponents. Estimates do vary, but Darth Vader is thought to be around 6 foot 9, making him a naturally imposing figure. Camera angles have been used to maintain this appearance throughout the movies, even when actors change.

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Hi and welcome to my travel blog! Based in London, I work in investment banking in a quantitative field and although I am not part of the travel industry, I have a ton of passion for travel. My blog is a reference guide for my fellow travelers with the same passion as me. Hopefully the blog is easy to navigate and my aim is to bring the most relevant and interesting information before you begin your journey!