20
Vengeance gets a theme
Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back
Composer: John Williams
The Empire was upset.
Really, really, really upset.
Having lost their Death Star, a valuable leader, and countless resources, human and otherwise, the Galactic Empire wasn’t exactly going to sit back and let those pesky Rebels hand out medals and call it a day. They were going to strike back, and it wasn’t like that strategy was a secret—it was on the movie posters for all of us to see. The Empire had vengeance on the mind and John Williams had cooked up perhaps his most iconic theme for the occasion. Say hello to “The Imperial March” or as it’s known to you, me, and the galaxy—“Darth Vader’s Theme.”
The introduction to the piece of music is one of the best reveals for anything in the series. Characters, locations, ships. Doesn’t matter. This is up there with all of them. In 1977, film audiences were awestruck by the size of an Imperial Star Destroyer flying over the screen in hot pursuit of Princess Leia’s ship. It’s left an indelible mark, but, in The Empire Strikes Back, a collection of those ships previously thought to be gargantuan were now being covered in the shadow of something larger. As the opening strains of “The Imperial March” play, we see, for the first time, Vader’s new Super Star Destroyer command ship, the Executor. It dwarves the other ships. The ones we once thought so big. To match the moment, John Williams has given us the very sound of the oppressive Empire marching all over the galaxy.
It’s a bit weird to think that this theme wasn’t present in A New Hope. There is an identifiable Imperial motif and Vader gets quite the bellicose music cue when he struts onto the hallway of Leia’s ship, but Williams focused his themes on other areas and characters. Which makes sense from the point of view that Episode IV was about hope, heroes, and the light side winning. Vader has less than ten minutes of screen time in A New Hope. Though he is definitely positioned as the main baddie, there was just as much as a reason for Tarkin to have his own theme as there was for Vader. (Ok, that’s a slight joke, but now I want to hear “Tarkin’s Theme.” What is the sound of silently grimacing?) For Episode V, Williams was inspired by the might of the Imperial Armada even more than just Vader himself. It is “The Imperial March” to be clear. But like a lot of things in Star Wars, this theme took on a life of its own.
You can’t—and shouldn’t—separate this theme from Darth Vader or even Anakin Skywalker. It is synonymous with the Dark Lord’s evil intentions and, time and time again, is used as foreshadowing for what is to come in the troubled life of Anakin. None more powerful than when the end credits of The Phantom Menace reprises all of the first prequel’s adventurous themes before boiling down “Anakin’s Theme” to a slow, ominous thread of “The Imperial March.” It’s the monster lurking down the end of the path.
Yet, the influence beyond its original intentions doesn’t stop there. It’s such a powerful (and catchy) theme that, in keeping with time-honored traditions, Star Wars fans have brought this theme into the real world with them. It’s played at sporting events, heard during parades, appropriated by radio shows, and unless this is just me, used by ourselves. Who hasn’t hummed this song to themselves while walking into a business meeting, approaching a gym, or just when you happen to find yourself walking down a long hallway? That…that…can’t just be me, right? You get out of your car, turn the corner, and just start humming that intimidating triplet no matter who can hear you. In fact, let them hear us. This isn’t just Vader’s theme—it’s our theme! It’s about determination, purpose, and, ok, yeah, some good old-fashioned aggression. (I guess that accounts for hearing it at hockey games.) “The Imperial March” can be taken with you into any real-life situation that requires unbending strength.
You can’t do that with the “Ewoks’ Theme.”
I know. I’ve tried. The Ewoks are strong creatures, but their tremendously catchy theme sounds like a picnic. A literal sonic picnic. Vader’s theme is the sound of war, the sound of marching, the sound of a shadow spreading over the world, and it’s the unmistakable sound of vengeance. Perhaps the bigger question to ask is why Star Wars fans connect to something so…evil. That’s a conversation about redemption for another time. For now, we can all just keep humming along to our favorite villain’s theme.