One of the most important skills for a film composer to possess is to write memorable musical themes for characters, objects, or locations. When these themes return throughout a film or film series, the musical theme is called a leitmotif. The most important thing about a successful leitmotif is that it will change, adapt, and develop with the character, object, or location that it represents. In this video, we will be looking at how John Williams adapts the Imperial March in the Star Wars series, in line with Darth Vader’s story.
Vader’s story is a tragic one of a descent into evil, and ultimately redemption, and John Williams accompanied his story with one of the most famous musical leitmotifs in cinematic history: the Imperial March.
Let’s begin the story of the Imperial March by rewinding to the beginning of the Darth Vader story, and Star Wars Episode I. Anakin at this stage is not evil. He is an innocent young boy trying to make his way through a difficult childhood. John Williams responds to this by giving us the slightest hint that his future may be clouded, and for those who listen closely, some of the familiar harmonies of the Imperial March melody can be hard at the end of ‘Anakin’s Theme’.
There is one other moment in Episode I where the Imperial March is heard. As Jedi master Yoda and ObiWan discuss the training of Anakin to be a Jedi, we hear a very subtle twobar excerpt of the Imperial March’s main melody. This coincides with Yoda showing his concern that Anakin may have a dangerous future ahead of him.
In Episode II, Anakin begins to show some of the petulance and anger that will eventually lead him to fall to the dark side of the force. Whilst talking to Padme about murdering a group of sand people in revenge for his mother’s death, Anakin becomes angrier and angrier. This is accompanied first by another leitmotif – that of the evil Emperor – but then by a stronger rendition of the Imperial March. It still doesn’t reach the full power that we will see later in the story, but the foreshadowing of Anakin’s future is now clear for all to see – and hear.
In Episode III, Anakin completes his transition to Darth Vader. In a particularly poignant scene, Williams combines several leitmotifs from the film series. As Padme’s funeral takes place, with her having died in childbirth, we hear the death leitmotif in the strings. This then transitions to the Force leitmotif as the scene shifts to an Imperial Star Destroyer and Darth Vader. As the death theme is reintroduced, we also hear the Imperial March prominently. As the Imperial March enters, we also hear – for one of the first times – the signature breathing sound from within Vader’s suit. Notice how the Imperial March is sinister, yet still somehow withdrawn or apprehensive. By the end of episode III, we have not yet heard a full statement of it directly linked to Darth Vader.
Interestingly, John Williams hadn’t composed the leitmotif when the original 1977 film was released. Instead, we hear this less dramatic brass motif, in comparison to the Imperial March.
The next film in the chronological story of Darth Vader was Episode V, and it is here where the Imperial March really shines. The leitmotif in this film acts is so explicitly linked to Darth Vader’s character, that it is invariably heard whenever the character is on screen. We hear several variations of it, most notably the full militaristic rendition when we see the Imperial Starfleet at the start of the film and a slower, more menacing variation as he enters a scene.
In terms of the order in which the films were released, this was the first time cinema audiences heard the Imperial March, so it perhaps unsurprising that Williams showed off his new leitmotif in all its glory throughout the film.
So far, we have seen how Williams has hinted at Anakin’s future by weaving subtle references to the Imperial March into the first films in the saga. We then saw how the Imperial March was used in full force in the Empire Strikes Back to represent the evil persona of Darth Vader. However, it is arguably the sixth film in the film series that really highlights the genius of Williams when it comes to adapting a musical theme to fit the narrative.
At the end of Episode VI, Darth Vader is dying after sacrificing himself to save Luke’s life. As father and son are together for the last time, and Vader completes his story of redemption, Williams does something very interesting with the Imperial March.
As Vader is dying, we hear several iterations of the Imperial March melody, but it sounds like nothing we have heard so far in the series. First, we hear the melody on delicate, high strings. Then, we hear it on the ethereal, soft sound of the flute. Next, the melody is heard on the heroic French horn. Finally, in a remarkable use of instrumentation and leitmotivic adaptation, the Imperial March is heard on possibly the softest sounding instrument at Williams’ disposal – a solo harp.