Darth Vader conveys a determination to strike fear into everyone he encounters. He is not known to fear anyone in the galaxy. Yet, Vader feared two people–Obi-Wan and Sidious. He feared them not because of their powers but because of his psychological state of mind.
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Vader Feared Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan was the first person that Vader feared but not because of Kenobi’s fighting skills. Vader feared “losing to him and not getting the revenge” he so desperately sought after his duel on Mustafar. We can recognize that Anakin-Vader’s loss “traumatized” him and struck a dread of not only losing again but not becoming as powerful as he could have been.
With this perspective, we also see how Vader became obsessed with tracking Obi-Wan down. The top post on this discussion recognizes that obsession, which served as “a never-ending source of hatred” for Kenobi. We add, though, that Vader’s hatred was laced with fear, and both emotions drove his “manhunt”.
In the Obi-Wan Kenobi series, we saw how this led to Vader confronting Obi-Wan and realizing his fears. Fans remember this scene as a climactic re-match between the two, with Vader declaring that Obi-Wan would die. It seemed that would be the case too, as Vader aggressively took the lightsaber duel to Obi-Wan.
Yet, Obi-Wan managed to battle back and put Vader on his heels, pushing him toward one of his two greatest fears. Then, Vader reached into his hate-anger and turned the fight back on Kenobi and used his Force powers to send him tumbling into a pit and bury him. This was the moment of Vader’s fear crystalizing, and he may just well have overcome it.
As we know, though, Obi-Wan managed to survive, bombard Vader with boulders, and slash Vader to a point where his helmet was cracked. When we saw Vader’s face, it reflected a culmination of all his fear-anger for Kenobi.
Even after Vader finally defeated Obi-Wan in A New Hope, a new fear may have arisen. Since Obi-Wan did not die but vanished into the Cosmic Force, Vader was left “confused and shocked” and in a new state of fear.
Vader Also Feared Darth Sidious
We may think that Vader feared Sidious because of the latter’s Force powers. Yet, that would not be the case. Vader feared because of his dependency on Palpatine. Anakin-Vader had already lost Padme and his mother, and Sidious was his sole supporter. In essence, Vader was defined by his relationship with Sidious and feared the loss of that connection.
This article explores these psychological dimensions in context of how Vader “recommitted himself” to Sidious after his loss to Obi-Wan in the Kenobi series. We could claim that Vader is partially a victim of “battered-person’s syndrome” and feels “helplessly” bonded to Palpatine. So too does Vader exhibit “codependency” in his attachment and obedience to Sidious.
We may think this codependency arises from Vader’s physical condition and his reliance on his life-support system. After all, Vader is in a somewhat vulnerable state, which may make him fearful of the Emperor, as some pointed out in this discussion. Yet, the primary root of Vader’s fear for Palpatine seems to be psychological.
The second part of this video reveals how Vader feared losing Palpatine as a major psychological driver. The reasoning is that without Sidious, Vader “would have nothing left” and be left purposeless. Collectively, we see Vader’s fear arising from a psychological imbalance that leaves him dependent on Palpatine and viewing him as the only source of meaning.
However, Vader does act against this combined fear. In the comics, Vader tried to challenge and overthrow Sidious. This article comments on Vader’s “most explosive attempt to stand up to him” in Darth Vader #11. Yet, Palpatine easily subdued this threat because his power was enhanced by Vader’s hatred for him.
In turn, Sidious continued to inflict “suffering on his apprentice”, which furthered Vader’s hatred-fear dynamic, bowing him to follow his master.
Vader Feared Obi-Wan and Sidious
Vader feared two people who most influenced his life. Because of his defeat to Obi-Wan on Mustafar, Vader became enwrapped in a hatred-fear complex that undermined his otherwise invincible outer bearing. Similarly, Vader was held prisoner to his dependency and hatred-fear of Sidious, undoing his efforts to challenge his master.