Darth Vader Using Anakin's Voice Raises Big Questions About His Injury

While Darth Vader usually needs his helmet, the Force may have strengthened his weak physical abilities to allow him to speak as Anakin in Kenobi.

Darth Vader Using Anakin's Voice Raises Big Questions About His Injury

Warning! SPOILERS for Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 6.

While Darth Vader speaking with Anakin Skywalker’s voice added to the emotional impact of the Obi-Wan Kenobi finale, it also created some questions. Throughout Obi-Wan Kenobi, the former Jedi Master had been struggling with his past. Reva, the Inquisitor, only made this worse when she revealed Anakin’s true fate and transformation into Darth Vader. With this knowledge, Obi-Wan knew he would eventually have to face both Vader and his own failures.

This led to the final showdown between Obi-Wan and Darth Vader in the Obi-Wan Kenobi finale. Although Obi-Wan initially struggled, nearly getting buried alive, he found motivation by remembering Leia and Luke. With new energy, he was able to face Darth Vader and even slice his mask open. To Obi-Wan’s horror, this allowed him to see Anakin’s face for the first time since their duel on Mustafar in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. As Darth Vader spoke, his voice repeatedly switched between his signature mechanical tone and Anakin’s voice, sometimes even mixing the two. Although still heartbroken, this allowed Obi-Wan to find closure by finally talking with Anakin about his fall to the dark side.

However, hearing Darth Vader use Anakin’s voice did raise some serious questions about how Vader was able to speak so clearly. After his battle with Obi-Wan on Mustafar, Anakin’s vocal cords and lungs were scorched by lava. Due to this, Darth Vader had to wear an iron lung with tubes connected to a voice synthesizer inside his mask. Using this technology, Darth Vader could speak with a deep, synthetic voice. Still, this does not explain how Vader was able to talk with a mixture of Anakin’s voice and the artificial one. Darth Vader may have been able to do this due to the way that his mask was cut and the influence of the light side of the Force.

One reason Darth Vader could speak with Anakin’s voice was that he could talk without the mask. In Return of the Jedi, Darth Vader, redeemed as Anakin, was able to have a short conversation with Luke before dying on the second Death Star. The problem with Vader trying to speak on his own was that he could barely manage a whisper due to the damage to his vocal cords. To make him sound more intimidating, Vader needed to speak through his helmet, which was specifically designed to invoke fear. When Obi-Wan cut Vader’s mask, he happened to partially slice through the voice synthesizer. With part of his face and mouth exposed, Obi-Wan was able to hear Anakin’s weak voice as long as he spoke quietly. However, whenever Darth Vader tried to raise his voice, his helmet had to amplify it, blending the natural and artificial voices.

In addition, the light side of the Force may have affected Darth Vader’s voice. Although Vader was committed to the dark side, there were times during his conversation with Obi-Wan that he almost seemed to be Anakin again, struggling with his past as well. During these moments, Darth Vader sounded more like Anakin, which may have represented the light side creeping back into him. Emperor Palpatine even suggested this later, sensing that Darth Vader might be conflicted about his feelings toward Obi-Wan. Although Vader denied this and later killed Obi-Wan in A New Hope, Luke also sensed conflict in Vader and ultimately helped him return to the light side. In this way, the Force may have strengthened Darth Vader’s weak physical abilities to allow him to briefly speak as Anakin again in Obi-Wan Kenobi.