Darth Vader is the villain in Star Wars. That’s not up for debate. Sure, over the course of three movies he is ultimately redeemed. And yes, through later movies and TV shows, those choices are somewhat humanized. But none of that can change that Vader violently murdered many, many people and then became the right-hand man of a genocidal maniac intent on bending the galaxy to his will.
Earlier this year, a leading Border Patrol agent posted a video from the end of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, depicting his team as Vader, slicing up helpless Rebels each named as a perceived problem: “Fake News,” “Fentanyl,” “Gang Member,” etc. The implication is the Border Patrol, like Vader, is a hero, saving the U.S. from all these problems. The actual problem, however, is Darth Vader isn’t a hero. He is, in fact, killing the characters who are fighting against evil and tyranny.
That was released in May of this year and, this week, was featured in a segment on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver about “Immigration Enforcement.” Oliver joked about the video, saying, “OK, if I may quote an insufferable man on a first Bumble date, ‘Have you ever seen Star Wars?’ Because that’s pretty famously the bad guy. Imagine how morally bankrupt you have to be to watch the most famous villain in cinematic history murdering a bunch of people, some of whom are literally begging for help, and think ‘He is so us!’”
But that’s not the wild part. The wild part is Oliver’s show reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment on the video and actually got a response. “Not to spoil the plot, but as any Star Wars fans knows, Darth Vader is also Anakin Skywalker,” the DHS statement read. “I don’t think DHS has to regale the American public on the heroism of Skywalker, they know.” You can watch Oliver deliver this news at 18:33 below.
Outside of the wild stretch of assuming the American public understands that Darth Vader is Anakin Skywalker and that Skywalker is a hero, there is a lot to unpack here. First of all, I would love to have them “regale the American public on the heroism of Skywalker.” Was it when he killed a bunch of kids? Force choked his wife? Cut off a man’s head with two lightsabers? Or are they actually, somehow, referring to his heroic exploits during The Clone Wars animated series? In that show, yes, Anakin was a hero, but it doesn’t change what happened next. You know, the subjugation of the entire galaxy through terror and violence. Also, we’d venture to guess most people who aren’t Star Wars fans don’t know about any of that.
Also, on an even nerdier note, is “they know” an Empire Strikes Back reference? It sure feels like it. Also, why is “spoiling the plot” something they’re worried about? Maybe be less worried about spoiling the plots of the most famous movies of all time and more worried about being just and human to American immigrants?
The U.S. government has a long history of not really understanding Star Wars going back to Ronald Reagan’s use of the term in his defense platform. But this instance has to be one of the oddest and funniest.
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