So yesterday news broke about Darth Vader being in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Given that the standalone film would take place in between the events of Episode III and moments before Episode IV, it would make some sense to at least acknowledge the Dark Lord of the Sith. But just as James Earl Jones reprised his voice role as Darth Vader in Star Wars Rebels, he is doing so once again in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

More on the story below.

When the original rumor broke, it was believed that he would appear on a hologram or on a view screen. While it is not clear how we will see him, we now know we won’t be seeing a lot of him. Here’s how Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy puts it:

While fans may know him as one of the most the menacing figures in the galaxy, it seems that he hasn’t earned that reputation in the film. The article pegs him as “a background player in galactic politics.” In layman’s terms he is a fixer, someone who is sent to handle the dirty work. They add that he is also “a breaker when he needs to be.” This makes him the perfect kind of muscle to serve Emperor Palpatine. Vader is almost a shadowy figure in the galaxy as the Rebels are unfamiliar with him, and some within the Empire regard him as a legend.

Director Gareth Edwards said:

However, there is one person within the Empire who can confirm that the legend is real, and that is Director Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn), the “ambitious officer, who’s eager to earn the favor of the Emperor – and avoid the wrath of his black-masked enforcer.”

From what we learned from yesterday’s character descriptions, those within the Empire are “conspiring to move up the ranks and sabotaging each other.” So it should be interesting to see what kind of devious moves Krennic makes in order to thrust himself above Vader’s position as Palpatine’s right-hand man. But as eager as he is to destroy the Rebel force, he knows that Vader is watching very closely.

For more on Vader, and the impact he will have on the film and beyond, check out the source link below.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hits theaters on December 16, 2016.

[Source: Entertainment Weekly]