Star Wars Officially Brings Back One of Darth Vader’s Greatest Legends Titles

As important as Darth Vader may be to Star Wars, he’s always had a strange role in the Empire. He doesn’t fit in the Empire’s hierarchy; even Vader’s Inquisitors largely sit outside the chain of command. When he’s introduced in the first Star Wars film, Imperial leaders openly mock him for his “sorcerer’s ways” and his “sad devotion to that ancient religion.” They seem to have known he was a Sith Lord, but they certainly don’t give the impression of fearing him. Only Grand Moff Tarkin shows Vader the respect he’s due.

In truth, this was probably be design. Most Sith ascribe to the Rule of Two, training their apprentice to one day supplant them. Palpatine, however, had no intention of ever being replaced; instead, he searched for ways to cheat death (including cloning, via “Project Necromancer“). Without a set place in the hierarchy, Darth Vader lacked the power base to become a challenge. But he did have one title, as Cavan Scott’s Terror on Mustafar reminds us, bringing back one of Vader’s greatest Legends titles.

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Darth Vader is the Emperor’s Fist

Darth Vader is known throughout the Empire as the Emperor’s Fist. It’s the perfect title for the Sith Apprentice, whose main role was to act as Palpatine’s enforcer. The Emperor tended to reserve Darth Vader for those who crossed him, who earned his displeasure and who needed to be kept in line. Vader’s primary mission was to hunt and kill Order 66 survivors, but he was also sent against civilian targets; he plays this role in Lamar Giles’ fantastic Bad Batch novel Sanctuary, and in the Star Wars: Outlaws game.

As the Emperor’s enforcer, Darth Vader has full authority to commandeer whatever resources he feels are necessary. He can occupy entire planets if he so chooses, as seen by the end of Maul – Shadow Lord. But he has this authority, this power, simply because of his relationship with Palpatine. He is the fist, but the Emperor is the one who chooses how to deploy it. The title stresses how dependent Darth Vader is on Palpatine, how carefully Darth Sidious had ensured he was contained and controlled. It’s an absolutely genius title.

The “Emperor’s Fist” title was common in the Star Wars Expanded Universe, and has been on the outskirts of canon since Disney acquired Lucasfilm back in 2012. It’s now made a full return in Terror on Mustafar, where it is implied to be a common title used for Vader across the Empire. Understandably so; Palpatine would consider it the perfect description of Darth Vader’s role, one that stressed his limits as well as his power. After all, if Vader is the Emperor’s fist, how powerful is the Emperor himself?

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