Darth Vader is typically seen as the strongest living Sith Lord over the course of his lifetime, with a galaxy-wide reputation that made him feared by all planets and communities.
From tearing down the wall between the living and the dead in the Darth Vader comic series, to defeating Emperor Palpatine in combat towards the end of his life, Darth Vader was a skilled and experienced Sith Lord with unique strengths in the force.
However, regardless of Darth Vader’s strength, he is still seen to lose to Starkiller repeatedly throughout their interactions; most notably at the end of Star Wars: Force Unleashed, where Starkiller uses both the force and his lightsabers to defeat the Sith Lord.
This has led to many people speculating as to why Darth Vader lost to Starkiller, or if he even lost at all.
That’s why we’ve put together this explanation for you detailing how Darth Vader lost to Starkiller, or if he lost at all.
Who Is Starkiller?
Starkiller, formally known as Galen Marek, was a force-sensitive child taken by Darth Vader after the defeat of his father, Kento Marek, on Kashyyyk. Starkiller’s power was to such an extent that Darth Vader originally mistook Kento Marek for an apprentice, sensing a force user so superior that he believed it must be Kento Marek’s master.
You can find out the differences between Starkiller and Galen Marek here.
Starkiller was then trained in the dark side of the Force by Darth Vader as his secret apprentice, helping to conduct secret operations against the Empire to allow Darth Vader to become Emperor.
Tasked with hunting down surviving Jedi during the Great Jedi Purge like the Jedi High Council Master Shaak-Ti or Jedi Master Kazdan Paratus, Starkiller grew in strength and ability as his experience increased, gradually becoming capable of easily destroying outcast Jedi leaders.
In Star Wars Legends and Canon, Starkiller is the only Jedi other than Obi-Wan Kenobi to defeat Darth Vader, making him one of the most powerful figures in the Star Wars Universe.
So, with this in mind, let’s explore how (and if) Starkiller defeated Darth Vader in Star Wars: Force Unleashed.
How did Vader lose to Starkiller?
Firstly, it’s important to note that although it is widely accepted that Darth Vader lost his fight with Starkiller, it is interesting to see how Darth Sidious was so ready to accept Starkiller as his next apprentice.
You can find out more about why Vader was so feared here.
Perhaps Darth Vader let Starkiller defeat him and take his place as the Emperor’s apprentice, to end the torment and suffering that he was exposed to. In this regard at least, Darth Vader may have won the fight in the long-term.
However, assuming that is not the case, there are 3 factors contributing to why Darth Vader lost to Starkiller, all of which are just as important as the last. Here we have compiled an analysis of why Darth Vader lost to Starkiller.
#1 Tactics
Darth Vader lost to Starkiller because Starkiller knew his fighting techniques and abilities. Following years and years of training and fighting one another, Starkiller would have naturally become knowledgeable to Darth Vader’s tactics and abilities.
For example, in their final fight in Star Wars: Force Unleashed, Starkiller was able to successfully combat and parry various moves that Darth Vader attempted.
This would have been highly important in helping Starkiller defeat Darth Vader, as it provided him with an advantage over Darth Vader – due to Starkiller’s numerous journeys without him, he would have become more skilled than his master would ever have seen.
This would be sweet revenge for Starkiller, particularly since Vader betrayed him!
#2 Strength
Another reason why Darth Vader may have lost to Starkiller could have been because of his power. Following years of training and development of his natural abilities, it is only natural that Starkiller became one of the strongest adversaries that Darth Vader ever faced.
For example, Starkiller is the only recorded force user to single-handedly bring down a Star Destroyer from the atmosphere as a supreme show of strength.
You can find out why Starkiller was so powerful here.
It would have been impossible for Starkiller to defeat Darth Vader without such strength and power, as Darth Vader was also notorious as a feared and experienced force user.
#3 Attachments
The final reason why Starkiller defeated Darth Vader may have been because Starkiller had more to lose. Although Darth Vader held a high-ranking position within the Empire, he did not have any friends or family (as far as he knew) to lose to the same extent that Starkiller had.
For example, Starkiller’s motive for fighting Darth Vader was to save his friends within the Alliance, such as Bail Organa and Rahm Kota.
These attachments would have made Starkiller’s emotions stronger and may have helped him tap into the force with a stronger focus. This would have been vital in aiding him to defeat Darth Vader as it would increase his power and ultimately provide an edge over Darth Vader in their final fight.
If you would like to learn more about the character of Starkiller, you can check out this next article here.
Are you passionate about Star Wars and want to earn some flexible income?