The death of James Earl Jones touched many people around the world, and that included a lot of Star Wars fans who mourned the loss of the man who lent his voice to the character that has defined the saga across decades, Darth Vader. For that reason, it is not surprising that someone has come up with a beautiful piece of artwork in tribute to not only Jones, but to many of the other Star Wars icons that have been lost through the years.
Jones passed away on September 9 at the age of 93, having spent almost 70 years entertaining and enthralling audiences with his presence on stage and screen. However, as the voice of Darth Vader, Jones found himself becoming a pop culture phenomenon overnight.
As fans joined actors such as his Star Wars co-star Mark Hamill in paying tribute, one piece of artwork shared online depicts Jones on a heavenly plane, holding the mask of Vader, being flanked by actors such as Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness, Kenny Baker, Christopher Lee and many more who have been a part of the Star Wars franchise and are sadly no longer with us. As an extra touching addition, the picture also features the two men who brought Vader to life on screen in the original trilogy, David Prowse and Sebastian Shaw. Check out the piece below.
The Legacy of Star Wars Lives On Thanks to Many Actors
When Star Wars debuted in 1977, the sci-fi saga it ushered in was instantly a hit thanks to a combination of George Lucas’ vision and the actors he chose to appear in the movie. Although Jones did not physically embody Vader on-screen, the idea of the character being without that dominant voice is something that doesn’t bear thinking about.
Like many others who have been part of the franchise since its inception, Jones played an integral role in the success of Star Wars. Darth Vader is not only regarded as the greatest Star Wars villain, but one of the greatest villains of all time. While Prowse was the man who provided the physicality of Vader in the original trilogy, along with Shaw’s memorable appearance as the unmasked Anakin Skywalker in Return of the Jedi, the character could quite easily have been just another bad guy if not for Jones’ contribution.
While it is unclear whether Darth Vader will appear again in the Star Wars saga, Jones signed over his voice likeness to Lucasfilm and Respeecher, who were responsible for recreating his voice for use in the Disney+ Obi-Wan Kenobi series, to be used for future Vader appearances across multiple mediums. While the use of technology to resurrect deceased stars has been a subject of much debate recently, it seems that Jones lasting gift to fans was the knowledge that if Vader does make another appearance in the future, he will still bring that instantly recognizable voice with him.
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