QUESTION
Which one of these movie villains is not like the others:
A) Dr. Evil
B) Darth Vader
C) Emperor Palpatine
D) The Joker
E) The Wicked Witch of the West

ANSWER
B) Darth Vader


Darth Vader is easily one of the top 10 movie villains of all time. He's scary! But why do so many people find him scary? I personally never found him scary. Even when I was a kid, he didn't bother me. The Wicked Witch of the West and Cruella DeVille both scared the bejeezus out of me!

Why?

For the very reason that Darth Vader does not scare me.

What about Palpatine? He was really scary when I saw him on the big screen at age 9 in ROTJ. He cackled his way right into my nightmares.

Dr Evil isn't scary, you say? Well, "being scary" is not the thing that these other villains have in common. But he does share the one common element with answers A, C, D & E that eliminates Vader.

So I've arrived at The Joker. Have you figured it out yet what they have in common? Come on.... you can do it, I know it.... I'll give you 5 more seconds....



Time's up:
Dr. Evil, Emperor Palpatine, The Joker & The Wicked Witch of the West all have a maniacal laugh! And Darth Vader does not.

Darth Vader is one of the baddest on screen villains of all time and yet he does not have an evil laugh like the rest of the ones on my list. So how can he remain such a feared character without a laugh?

Perhaps that's the secret. The other characters prove their insanity by laughing the way they do. While Vader remains cool & collected all the while plotting the takeover of the galaxy. Isn't that more frightening? That he is totally in control of his mental facilities and yet is capable of committing some pretty atrocious acts against humanity?

It's almost expected that the bad guy will be a tad bit crazy, it's what propels them to super-villian status much quicker. No remorse. No second thoughts. But Vader? He's completely sane - his turn to the dark side not a product of being crazy, but a product of being overly in control.

Vader is not defeated by Luke in ROTJ, is he? He isn't so blinded by his power & insanity that he makes a stupid mistake - that's not why he ends up with a missing hand at the end of their duel. He's bested in battle because Luke is truly the better warrior. He doesn't cackle as he throws Palpatine down the exhaust shaft. In fact, isn't Palpatine just laughing his butt off the whole time he's electrocuting Luke?

This one little detail gives us quite a deep insight into Vader's character. He's not a crazed maniac terrorizing the galaxy. This is why he's able to come back from the dark side.

So the next time you're watching a movie & you see a bad guy without a crazy laugh, let me know if he ends up coming around in the end.

As for me..... all I have to say is: mwahahahaha!!!