Darth Vader is the real protagonist of the first two Star Wars trilogies. When taken as a whole, the six Star Wars films tell one of the most epic tales in cinematic history. Anakin Skywalker started life as a simple slave boy, eventually rising to the top ranks of an evil galactic empire, killing millions along the way, until he finally redeemed himself by destroying the emperor he served. One major reason some Star Wars fans consider the prequel trilogy a missed opportunity is because Lucas chose an actor incapable of conveying this poignant character arc: the ever-wooden Hayden Christensen. While it would be unfair to lay all the blame for the failings of the prequel trilogy at the feet of a single actor, Christensen never conveyed the emotional depth the role demanded. Christensens anti-charisma took center stage in the final two entries of the prequel trilogy, leaving audiences to endure an un-engaging central protagonist. Christensens performance, coupled with the stilted dialogue, made Vaders journey a misfire that only sporadically worked on the level Lucas intended. Now that Vaders story is complete, Star Wars can explore new storylines and characters sans Christensen. This is a definite mark in Episode 7s favor.
