It’s hard to picture Darth Vader, one of the most terrifying Sith to ever take power, laying down to sleep anywhere. He seems too violent and busy to have a dedicated place to lay his head.
However, Vader is no stranger to living in different homes. When he was still Anakin Skywalker he lived on several different planets and traveled all over the galaxy as a Jedi.
The truth is, we rarely see Vader resting or lounging around in the Star Wars movies. He’s always on the move, always ready to strike.
Despite becoming a Sith and serving the emperor, Vader did have places to stay when he wasn’t on a mission. We see glimpses of this in a few different Star Wars movies. But where does he rest?
To give a quick answer, Vader lives in two main places: his fortress on Mustafar and his meditation chamber on the Death Star. These two places are part of the Star Wars canon and can be confirmed in the movies.
Do you want to learn more? Keep reading to see all the details in both canon and legends.
Table of Contents
Where Is Darth Vader’s House?
Darth Vadar built a fortress on Mustafar, as seen in the scene above from Rogue One. You may remember, Mustafar was the lava planet where Padme confronted Anakin, Obi Wan fought and defeated him, and Anakin fully gave himself over to the dark side of the Force.
But why would Darth Vader want to build on the site of such horrible memories? As the second in command of the entire universe, he could buy almost anything he wanted. Why spend his time on a dreary, lava-filled planet?
There are many theories, but most fans agree that Vader lived on Mustafar because of his pain associated with the past there. That planet is a landmark for him, and it’s where Anakin really became Darth Vader.
Why Did Darth Vader Build a Castle on Mustafar?
![Darth Vader's Castle - Why Would Vader Choose To Reside On Mustafar? [STAR WARS]](https://may4bewithyou.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-youtube-lyte/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fg4juCcs3rMM%2F0.jpg)
The Star Wars comics explained that Darth Vader wanted to live on Mustafar in order to speak with the spirit of his only love: Padme Amidala. In the comic Darth Vader #22, Darth Vader tried to communicate with the spirit realm to touch base with his deceased wife.
This showed that Darth Vader continually lived in the pain of the past. He chose to live on Mustafar because of the memories that transpired there, and it continued to torment him.
Vader was more than hung up on the past: he was fueled by it. His past suffering only increased his saturation in the dark side of the Force.
As Yoda once said, fear, anger, hate, and suffering are the path to the dark side. Anakin had already followed the other steps, and so now Darth Vader was only left with suffering.
Where Does Darth Vader Rest?
Due to his physical condition, Darth Vader tends to rest in a meditation chamber. This allows him to take off his mask and rest up.
It also allows him to isolate and focus on the Force. When he’s in the meditation chamber, it is the only place he can truly be himself.
When he was in there, he could remove the mask and become more like the man he once was. Even though he was half machine, he was more human in the chamber than outside of it.
Darth Vader also had healing chambers, seen in the scene from Rogue One. Vader was immersed in some kind of water tank, presumably for health reasons.
After Anakin’s battle with Obi-Wan on Mustafar, he was left with amputated limbs and burnt skin on his entire body. That much physical trauma left Vader with a lifelong healing process.
Even his iconic mask was part of his protective suit. It wasn’t for style; it was to protect his scarred body.
When he was resting, it was common for Vader to take part in healing procedures, though we don’t get many clear glimpses of what that process looked like. However, we did see Vader spend time in this water tank and in his meditation chamber.
According to Star Wars Legends, Vader had a castle on Coruscant that he would stay at regularly, though it wasn’t elegant or homey. It was mainly filled with medical instruments needed for his health.
If you’re interested in more Legends theories on Darth Vader’s down time, you can check out this video below. While it isn’t canon, there are plenty of interesting takes in this video.
Where Does Darth Vader Stay in the Death Star?
When Darth Vader was on the Death Star, he was primarily working. However, if he needed time to recharge, he would spend it in his meditation chamber.
Darth Vader had a dedicated meditation chamber just for him on the Death Star. In fact, he’s in there with his helmet partially removed in The Empire Strikes Back.
In addition to resting in his chambers, he would also refocus on the Force. The chamber wasn’t meant for comfort as much as it was meant for practical reasons.
Conclusion
Despite Vader’s lofty position and unimaginable power, he didn’t live a very lavish life. He spent most of his time either working or in isolation, left only with his thoughts.
Darth Vader carried the pain of Mustafar the rest of his life, yet he seemed to encourage it. He wanted to remember, possibly to justify his own actions or to feel closer to the loved ones he lost there.
Even though Vader could have almost anything he wanted, any castle, any material object, even any political position, he still lived bearing the weight of the past.
He never truly rested until he brought balance to the Force and embraced the good inside of him.
Mitchell Layton is a freelance writer and touring musician living in Philadelphia. When he’s not playing guitar or writing for clients, he enjoys rewatching cult classics like Star Wars, Twin Peaks, The X-Files, and more. Mitchell has been published by sites like HM Magazine, Glassworks Literary Magazine, GameRevolution, Pif Magazine, and others.