Have you ever thought about the similarities between Frankenstein (1931) and Revenge of the Sith (2005)?
I am a big Star Wars nerd and something I love about the saga are the different types of relationships explored, both good and bad. One that has always stuck out to me is the relationship between Darth Vader and Emporer Palpatine. It is very similar to the relationship between Dr. Victor Frankenstein and his Creature.
😈 Victor Frankenstein 🔄 Palpatine
- Both are power-hungry madmen who desire power/knowledge of what others in their respective universe would deem “unnatural”.
- Each believe in the ability to bring back people from the dead and creating life from nothing. Victor Frankenstein definitely wants to show that God is not the only one who can create life, while Palpatine knew it was possible to influence the Force to create life.
- They are also both very abusive people who manipulate others to get what they want.
🧟♂️The Creature 🔄 Darth Vader
- They were forced onto operating tables to be pieced together and built out of hate and defiance.
- Each is seen as the villain in their respective stories when in reality, they are the victim. While Darth Vader does actually become the villain for a few movies, he is still a victim of Palpatine. Vader is called weak and replaceable in the comics by him. He is promised a life with his love but Palpatine knew that would never happen.
- The Creature was promised life but was denied an existence. He was seen as a monstrosity and hunted down. In the novel, he becomes articulate, knowledgeable, and far from a beast.
I am not claiming that Lucas took inspiration from Mary Shelley’s work but it is cool to point out the parallels. Do you see other horror influences in Star Wars? Please share below! 👇