Jackson Free Press

Few franchises have withstood the shifts of fandom over the years as well as "Star Wars." Director and writer George Lucas created the first film, later titled "Star Wars, Episode IV: A New Hope," on an $11-million budget, and yet "Star Wars" opened in theaters in May 1977 to a then-highest-grossing initial run, totaling at about $410 million. And that doesn't include the almost yearly reissues that followed.

Lucas went on to complete the original trilogy with two more hugely successful films (1980's "Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back" and 1983's "Episode VI: Return of the Jedi"), though he left the director's seat to Irvin Kershner for "Empire" and Richard Marquand for "Return."

Then, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Lucas made a return of his own as the sole writer and director of a prequel trilogy—1999's "Episode I: The Phantom Menace," 2002's "Episode II: Attack of the Clones" and 2005's "Episode III: Revenge of the Sith."

Though not as beloved as the original trilogy, the prequels scored big numbers at the box office. Fans came in droves to watch the brash young Jedi Anakin Skywalker become one of the greatest villains in the history of cinema: Darth Vader.

Even after the prequels somewhat defanged the infamous Sith lord, the heavy-breathing baddie is still a driving force for the "Star Wars" franchise's newest addition, "The Force Awakens," which premiers Friday, Dec. 18. While the new film's main antagonist, Kylo Ren, hopes to continue in Vader's footsteps, the elder Skywalker was less of a denizen of the dark side than some may remember.

Long before he became Darth Vader, "Ani" Skywalker lived with his mother, Shmi, on the desert planet Tatooine. The two were slaves of the greedy Toydarian shop-owner Watto until Jedi master Qui-Gon Jinn and his padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi, arrived in need of parts for their spacecraft. The Jedi also traveled with Queen Amidala, who was disguised as her own handmaiden and used her real name, Padme.

Sensing young Skywalker's strong connection to a spiritual energy called the Force, Jinn made a wager for the parts and the boy's freedom. The group helped Skywalker complete his podracer, a one-man, rocket-powered vehicle, to compete in a race, which he won.

No longer a slave, Skywalker left with Jinn and Kenobi to meet the Jedi Council, who determined that the child couldn't be trained because he was too old and too easily swayed by emotions. Jinn disagreed, believing Skywalker could fulfill a prophecy and bring balance to the Force, and said he would train him anyway. But when Jinn died in a confrontation with a newly revealed Sith named Darth Maul, Kenobi was left to shepherd Skywalker.

A decade later, Skywalker reconnected with Padme after Senator Palpatine assigned him to guard her following an assassination attempt. The two began to fall in love. Then, when Skywalker had a vision of his mother in pain, he returned to Tatooine to find a tribe of Tusken Raiders had murdered her. Enraged, he entered the Raiders' camp and slaughtered them all—the first sign of the dark side within him. After nearly dying in a battle with Sith Count Dooku on the planet Geonosis, Skywalker and Padme married in secret.

A short time later, Skywalker rescued now-Chancellor Palpatine from Dooku, murdering the Sith lord at the chancellor's behest. Skywalker returned home to learn that Padme was pregnant but feared for her safety after a vision showed her dying during childbirth. He consulted Palpatine, who revealed that he was Darth Sidious, a Sith lord, and that the answer to saving his family was in the dark side of the Force. Conflicted, Skywalker reported this information to council member Mace Windu, and the two Jedi confronted Palpatine.

However, Skywalker remembered the promise that the dark side could save Padme and turned on Windu, who Palpatine then killed. As the repercussions of his actions took hold, Skywalker's emotions drove him mad. He followed his new master's order to kill everyone within the Jedi temple, including the small children training there.

Skywalker returned to Padme, who prepared to escape and begged him to leave with her, but he was certain that they would be able to overturn Palpatine, make things right and rule the galaxy together. But when Kenobi stepped out of her ship, Skywalker believed his wife and friend had conspired against him. He used the Force to choke Padme.

Kenobi jumped in to save her and reason with his friend, but Skywalker couldn't see how his fear and hatred clouded his judgment. In the ensuing fight, Skywalker fell into a lava pit and nearly burned to death. Palpatine saved his life, placing him in the iconic black suit and completing Skywalker's transition into Darth Vader.

As is the case with many great villains, though, Vader never believed himself to be evil. Throughout the original trilogy, he still held to the hope that his children, Luke and Leia, who were born as Padme died, would join him. In the final moments of "Return of the Jedi," Vader turned against Sidious and the dark side to protect his only son, completing the prophecy that rested on his shoulders since he was just a boy on Tatooine.

"Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens" opens in theaters on Dec. 18, with show times beginning on the night of Dec. 17. To check times, visit fandango.com or the theaters' websites.