12 Movies Where The Villain Turns Good
1. Darth Vader (Return Of The Jedi)
One of George Lucas’ greatest contributions to cinema, the strange and troubled life of Anakin Skywalker anchors much of the beloved Star Wars series. Spending episodes IV and V as the baddest baddie to’ve ever been bad, Darth Vader finds himself at a crossroads by Return of the Jedi.
Greeted by a son determined to restore the noble Jedi buried deep in his psyche, Darth Vader initially remains loyal to Emperor Palpatine. After suffering a vicious defeat at the hands of Luke, he is spared by his son who refuses to succumb to the darkness Vader himself did in episode III.
Moved by his son’s compassion and enraged at the sight of Palpatine sizzling him, Lord Vader steps in (after yelling “No!” repeatedly for all you Lucas Cut fans out there). Laying down his life to save Luke, Darth Vader ultimately lives up to Qui-Gonn’s prophecy from episode 1. Having totally wiped out the Jedi and now the Sith, Anakin had indeed restored some semblance of balance to the Force.
A major fan and pop cultural favourite by the time Return of the Jedi came out, Darth Vader becoming one of the good guys before the end was a cathartic moment for many viewers to this day.