Disney released some official high-resolution images of Hayden Christensen's Darth Vader from his cameo in Episode 5 of Disney+'s Ahsoka.
Episode 5 of Ahsoka sent the Star Wars fandom into a frenzy when it featured Hayden Christensen front and center for the first half of the 52-minute episode.
The actor shared the screen with Rosario Dawson's Ahsoka Tano in the World Between Worlds but was also showcased in flashbacks alongside a younger version of the titular character played by Ariana Greenblatt.
During his scenes, Christensen not only portrayed Anakin Skywalker but also his alter ego, Darth Vader.
Disney Releases Official Darth Vader Images
Following the release of Episode 5 of Ahsoka on the Disney+ streaming platform, Disney released a few official high-definition images of Hayden Christensen from the episode.
Even though Hayden Christensen portrayed both Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader throughout the installment, Vader in his full suit only made a couple of on-screen appearances in blink-and-you'll-miss-it moments.
However, Disney still capitalized on those moments, with some of the images offering the best looks at Vader in the suit.
One picture showcased Vader's terrifying presence as he walked through a cloud of fog from Ryloth into the World Between Worlds. In the episode, Christensen could be seen walking toward Ahsoka, but he then transitioned to Vader for a brief moment.
This gave fans a good look at the suit that was used for Ahsoka, which looks identical to the character's other appearances in Star Wars canon such as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Rogue One, and the original trilogy.
Another released image featured a close-up of Christensen as Vader out of the suit. Ahsoka is holding his red lightsaber, and the image highlights Christensen's red eyes, alluding that he is, in fact, Darth Vader.
One of the pictures also shows off Vader at full power as he uses his lightsaber in an offensive maneuver on Rosario Dawson's Ahsoka.
Disney even released a still from one of the flashbacks that took place on Mandalore. The shot features Christensen holding Darth Vader's red lightsaber as he steps toward Ariana Greenblatt's Ahsoka.
What Was Hayden Christensen's Star Wars Cameo So Important?
Many fans expressed a sense of joy as soon as they saw Hayden Christensen on-screen in Episodes 4 & 5 of Ahsoka.
The actor made his triumphant return to Star Wars in 2022's Obi-Wan Kenobi for a few brief scenes, but before that, he was unfortunately criticized by a majority of the fanbase for his acting in the Star Wars prequel trilogy.
More than anything, the side of the fandom that appreciated Christensen's portrayal of Anakin Skywalker was just glad to see him back in the franchise, but his appearance was much more important in terms of character development.
In Episode 5, Anakin told Ahsoka that he was there to teach her one last lesson and finish her training - something he never got the chance to do before turning to the dark side.
By taking her through some important moments throughout her life, he showed her why it was important for her to keep fighting - and even more important to push on so that she could eventually pass down the legacy of the Jedi to her own Padawan.
Anakin showed her the first time that she truly failed on Ryloth and then how far she had come by the Siege of Mandalore, and ultimately that she was able to succeed without him.
However, in this final lesson, he even brought out Darth Vader to prove to her that, as Star Wars has told fans many times, she needs to be balanced in the Force, and that includes holding some darkness but knowing how to control it.
Anakin was ultimately used to remind Ahsoka what he had taught her, and then, Darth Vader was used to further teach her that he hadn't given her everything yet.
At the end of the day, Anakin and Vader breathed a new life into Ahsoka, leading to her being "reborn" and ready to face her upcoming challenges.
Episode 5 of Ahsoka is available to stream on Disney+, and new episodes will be released every Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET.
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