Remember what it felt like when you saw the major plot twist in The Empire Strikes Back? Nobody expected Darth Vader to reveal that he is actually Anakin Skywalker, father of Luke Skywalker. Not even George Lucas, as the first draft of the film's screenplay confirms the Star Wars creator had a different backstory in mind for the villain.
Lucas had famously stated that he knew all along that Vader would be revealed as Luke's father. However, ScreenRant reports that the first draft for Empire written by the late Leigh Brackett revealed that Anakin was already dead and even appeared as a Force ghost to Luke. Interestingly, the script confirmed that Anakin and Obi-Wan Kenobi were the ones who reached out to Luke while he was on Dagobah.
An excerpt from the script reads as follows:
This is certainly an interesting revelation. However, it's still possible that Lucas hasn't told Brackett about his plans for Darth Vader just yet. Even in 1977, Lucas was already very secretive. Unfortunately, Brackett never got to learn the truth about Anakin. She passed away in 1978 shortly after giving the draft to Lucas.
What do you think about Anakin and Darth Vader being two different people? Let us know in the comments below.
Related: George Lucas' Original Star Wars Script Reveals Luke And Leia Weren't Supposed To Be Twins