Welcome to this Wisecrack Edition on The Philosophy of Darth Vader, where we explore the philosophical origins of one of the most tragic arcs in cinema history. What ultimately turns the innocent Anakin Skywalker into the Dark Lord of the Sith is something we all confront: a paralyzing fear of death. Anakin must choose between two competing ideologies when faced with the impending death of his loved ones – The Sith way, or the Jedi way. From Buddhist texts to Pulitzer Prize-winning discourses on death anxiety, we dive deep into one of the most iconic characters to ever grace the silver screen.