Darth Vader is a fictional character from the Star Wars franchise. The character is the main antagonist of the original trilogy and, like Anakin Skywalker, is the main protagonist of the prequel trilogy. Star Wars creator George Lucas has collectively referred to the franchise's first six episodic films as "the Darth Vader tragedy." [3] He has become one of the most iconic villains in popular culture and has been included among the best villains and fictional characters in history.