Darth Vader is arguably the single most iconic Star Wars character, yet it’s his Jedi self, Anakin Skywalker, who is evidently more popular. Darth Vader was introduced in A New Hope, and at the time, he wasn’t Anakin; this was a decision made in The Empire Strikes Back that changed the franchise forever.
This therefore means that, of course, Anakin and Vader are one and the same, although Star Wars movies and TV shows do frequently treat Vader and Anakin as separate characters: Anakin being the Jedi, and Vader being the Sith. Particularly because Vader is such an incredible villain, one would think that he was the more popular iteration of the character amongst fans.
Yet, surprisingly, certain data indicate that it is actually Anakin, not Vader, who is the more popular of the two, which has interesting implications for Star Wars on the whole.
Anakin Skywalker Has Been Bigger Than Darth Vader Since Google Was A Thing
According to a Google Trends report, Anakin Skywalker is a higher-trending topic than Darth Vader, and that has shockingly been true for decades. In fact, in the image below, wherein blue represents Anakin Skywalker and red represents Darth Vader, it is jarringly revealed that Anakin has trended higher than Vader on Google for decades.
Given that this graph shows a range of years, beginning in 2004, it’s easy to guess what had such a massive hand in the boost in Anakin’s popularity over Vader’s: the prequel trilogy. Although the prequel trilogy faced harsh criticism and substantial backlash when it was released, these are now considered some of Star Wars’ best movies.
That nostalgia, and the prolonged interest in Anakin, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and other prequel trilogy characters, can account for some of the popularity of Anakin over Vader. It is interesting, though, because nostalgia for Darth Vader would presumably go back even further and therefore potentially be even stronger.
What’s more, Darth Vader has continued to appear in Star Wars movies and shows, such as in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, whereas Hayden Christensen’s Anakin Skywalker only returned to the franchise in Obi-Wan Kenobi, nearly two full decades after Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.
Anakin Is So Much Bigger Than Darth Vader Now
The truth is, despite Vader’s more consistent presence on screen, Anakin Skywalker has become even bigger in face and in name than Darth Vader at this point in Star Wars. In part, this is because the generation that grew up on the prequel trilogy has now come of age, and the love for Anakin (especially Christensen’s Anakin) has grown much louder.
Additionally, it’s clear that Star Wars is leaning on Anakin, not Vader, for its future. This is evident in light of both the Ahsoka season 1 finale, in which Anakin appeared as a Force Ghost, and the confirmation that Hayden Christensen is returning in Ahsoka season 2, shoring up Anakin’s continued importance.
Particularly because Ahsoka is currently the only live-action project among Star Wars’ upcoming TV shows, that is notable. Clearly, it is Anakin Skywalker, not Darth Vader, who is currently in the spotlight.
