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Darth Vader just does not get on with the rank and file of Imperial officers. In fact, we see him either assault, kill or threaten as many of them as we do members of the Rebel Alliance: Admiral Motti in the briefing room on Death Star I, Admiral Ozzel on the bridge of his Star Destroyer Executor, Captain Motti on the bridge of the Avenger and then his threats to Moff Jerjerrod (who is obviously just a little terrified of him) on the second Death Star and finally his destruction of the Emperor himself.

Vader's execution of admirals and captains of the Imperial fleet is in many ways a precursor to the fulfilment of the prophecy that he will bring balance to the Force (which he eventually does by throwing Palpatine down the ventilation shaft on the second Death Star). By comparison, he only really kills the rank and file of the Rebel Alliance, whilst decimating the Imperial high command from within. On some level we might surmise that Vader kills so many Imperials because they are his real enemy, but that he does so under the self-delusion that they have failed him. For one thing we can definitely say that it didn't matter that Admiral Ozzel came out of hyperspace too quickly. The Rebel Alliance were already alerted to the Empire's presence when they discovered the Imperial Probe Droid. Vader kills Ozzel for something that wasn't his fault.

In fact, there is a cut scene from The Return of the Jedi which explicitly touches upon the lack of trust between Vader and the Imperial officer class. Vader is truly the enemy within and perhaps Palpatine is blind to Vader's being hell bent on taking out as many Imperial officers as he can get away with. Vader's Rebel death count is noticeably small for someone with such a fearsome reputation and includes: Obi-Wan, a couple of Y-Wing pilots, an X-Wing pilot over Yavin and the strangulation of Captain Antilles. That's three low to mid-ranking Rebels plus Obi-Wan compared to four high ranking Imperials plus his threats to the others. If he's bringing balance to the Force he's doing it by taking out both sides bit by bit.

By comparison with Anakin's killing spree at the end of The Revenge of the Sith, Vader's body count is noticeably low throughout the Original Trilogy movies. In The Revenge of the Sith he massacres younglings at the Jedi Temple, murders all the Separatist leaders and decapitates Count Dooko. The scale of his atrocities reduces in each film, from massacre in Revenge of the Sith, to serial killing in A New Hope, to the odd killing in The Empire Strikes Back to a body count of one in The Return of the Jedi. His capacity for anger and malice steadily diminishes from its crescendo at the massacre in the Jedi Temple onwards.

It is also of note that it is Vader who prolongs Leia's life in A New Hope. Whilst Tarkin signs Leia's death warrant, Vader gives her a reprieve when he suggests that 'she may yet be of some use to us'.

This pattern has of course been notably shaken by Vader's killing spree in Rogue One, when (during the chase to retrieve the Death Star plans) we see Vader slicing his way through numerous Rebel Fleet Troopers. I feel uneasy about this scene as it gives Darth Vader a vitality which he is most definitely lacking throughout the Original Trilogy and which he is also lacking right at the start of A New Hope which begins within hours of the end of Rogue One. In short, Vader's killing spree in Rogue One creates a continuity problem.

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All Star Wars action figures, vehicles, collectibles and Star Wars toys shown on this website are the 3.75 inch scale and from my own private Star Wars collection unless otherwise stated. Where possible original vintage accessories have been used but in some instances I have placed Kenner Star Wars figures with either reproduction weapons and accessories or for Hasbro figures close approximations have been used. This is mostly the case for modern Star Wars lightsabers where the correct item can be very difficult to identify on some ocassions. Vintage Star Wars action figures are shown with their original weapon or accessory when I have them. When a vintage Kenner action figure is shown with an accessory which is not original I have tried to point this out where possible.

All of the Star Wars action figures shown were purchased second hand, usually incomplete, and in bulk. They have been reunited with their original weapons and accessories where we could get hold of them.

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