10 Best Movie Character Introductions Of All Time
5. Darth Vader (Star Wars: A New Hope)
Darth Vader is one of the most recognisable figures in global pop culture, and that isn't a status he built over time. The Sith Lord shot to worldwide super stardom the moment he stormed onto the scene in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope.
Audiences back in 1977 had never seen anything quite like this impossibly tall amalgamation of man and machine. He made an instant impression the moment he boarded that Rebel spacecraft in the opening sequence, but director George Lucas pulled every trick in the book to ensure he stood out.
The rest of the evil Galactic Empire are decked out in Stormtrooper white and military grey. Most of them barely qualify as characters, communicating almost entirely through military orders. Then in comes this imposing figure in jet black from head to toe, towering over the rest, and backed up by the dramatic Imperial March.
Make no mistake, this was a bad guy who meant business, and those who weren't bowled over there and then soon sat up and took notice when he sized that rebel trooper by the throat. By the time this scene was through, Lord Vader had already earned the legendary status he holds today.