Darth Vader’s reputation as one of the most powerful Force s in the galaxy is somewhat retconned in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. Anakin was one of the most skilled fighters in the galaxy, and his fall to become Darth Vader seemed to make him more powerful in some respects. Yet, the Sith Lord is not without his weaknesses, and Jedi: Survivor puts them on display.
[Warning: This article contains spoilers for Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.]
Vader previously appeared at the end of Jedi: Fallen Order and his power was on full display. He easily defeated Cal and Cere, and the two just barely managed to escape the Sith Lord. It was an incredible display of Vader’s strength that befits his reputation as the most feared fighter in the galaxy. Vader returns for a cameo in Jedi: Survivor, but the result is quite a contrast with the previous game.
Darth Vader Feels Kind Of Weak In Jedi: Survivor
After being tipped off about Cere Junda’s whereabouts, Darth Vader appears in the latter half of Jedi: Survivor to personally deal with the Jedi in hiding, however, it doesn’t go as well for him as it did the first time. Despite his apparent power and strength advantage, Cere holds her own against Vader and he isn't so hard to beat. She manages to weaken him severely and gets a chance at a final, fatal blow but is tragically cut down by a swift move from Vader. He only barely survives the fight, staggering away in pain. It’s a far cry from his dominance displayed in Jedi: Fallen Order, but there may be a reason for Vader’s weakness.
Darth Vader’s Cameo In Jedi: Survivor Is Underwhelming
One possible explanation for Darth Vader’s somewhat shocking lack of power comes from Jedi: Survivor’s placement in the Star Wars timeline. The story takes place in 9 BBY, which is the same year that the Obi-Wan Kenobi series is set. It isn’t precisely stated if the game takes place before or after the show, but evidence points to Jedi: Survivor’s events occurring in the months just after Obi-Wan Kenobi. With this in mind, Darth Vader is still dealing with his defeat at the hands of Obi-Wan, after which he would understandably be angry and bewildered, making him more prone to rash decisions.
Anakin was always disposed to hasty actions bolstered by his overconfidence. His first duel with Count Dooku is a perfect case in point. Therefore, it would make sense why Darth Vader wasn’t at his best in his fight with Cere in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. Perhaps Vader thought he could score an easy win that would boost his ego after a crushing defeat, but he rushed in, not expecting Cere to have grown more powerful since their last encounter. This defeat is undoubtedly a knock against Vader’s fearsome reputation, but it further illustrates the shortcomings of the dark side of the force.
