# Speaking of Darth Vader's corpse... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 29, 2014, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-darth-vaders-corpse/705876 "2014-11-29T05:41:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-darth-vaders-corpse/705876/1 "2014-11-29T05:41:27Z")
In Return of the Jedi, Luke drags Vader’s corpse back to Endor, then lobs it onto a funeral pyre. As you will recall, Vader’s corpse was still wearing his really cool Darth suit. My question: wouldn’t Vader’s suit be non-flammable? I mean, with the technology evident in the Star Wars universe, wouldn’t something like that be simple? And yet, a simple blaster shot could drop a Stormtrooper, so maybe not so simple. Did the Ewoks have to run Vader’s suit through some chipper afterward? ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-darth-vaders-corpse/705876/2 "2014-11-29T09:51:21Z")
I assume the suit and implants/prosthetic simply survived the fire, with only the organic parts being burned away. Who knows what happened to it, but I doubt it contained anything sensitive except as a symbol. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-darth-vaders-corpse/705876/3 "2014-11-29T10:46:09Z")
As a kid, I did not understand cremation as a funerary practice. When Luke was burning Vader, I thought to myself “What the hell? They just reconciled. Luke brought out the good in his father. Now he’s going to torch his father’s body!?!?!?” My brother also did not understand cremation as a funerary practice. Together, we reasoned that Luke was only burning the Darth Vader suit- the _bad_ part of his father. His father’s body, we reasoned, must have gotten a proper respectful burial. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-darth-vaders-corpse/705876/4 "2014-11-29T10:58:23Z")
I would expect the armour to be fire _resistant_. To things like flash burns and oh say the banks of a lava river. Not to be able to spend hours in a pyre. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-darth-vaders-corpse/705876/5 "2014-11-29T14:22:51Z")
The process of burning Vader’s suit releases special chemicals which transform his physical appearance from Sebastian Shaw to Hayden Christensen. It takes a long time, though – about twenty years, give or take. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-darth-vaders-corpse/705876/6 "2014-11-29T15:09:29Z")
Since the armor isn’t capable of stopping blaster bolts, it’s probably not fireproof, either. I think it’s just waterproof; you never see a Stormtrooper drown, after all. That must be why the trash monster let Luke go. Heck, the stuff doesn’t even stop blunt force trauma–Ewoks were beating them down with sticks. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-darth-vaders-corpse/705876/7 "2014-11-29T16:54:16Z")
What’s left of the suit is radioactive bits scattered about the wasteland that is Endor. Nothing lives on that polluted, lifeless rock. And the people rejoiced. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-darth-vaders-corpse/705876/8 "2014-11-29T17:31:41Z")
You’re venturing into science fiction logic in regards to a fantasy film. The scene is there for purely emotional reasons. Its like pointing out that blowing up the second Death Star would have rained massive debris down onto Endor killing everyone. It is outside the scope if the film’s reality. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-darth-vaders-corpse/705876/9 "2014-11-29T17:52:18Z")
Not that that keeps people from writing about it: [STAR WARS: Endor Holocaust](http://www.theforce.net/swtc/holocaust.html) ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-darth-vaders-corpse/705876/10 "2014-11-29T18:43:07Z")
The armor seals the flavor in, doesn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-darth-vaders-corpse/705876/11 "2014-11-29T22:14:05Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > The armor seals the flavor in, doesn’t it? Yub yub. Gunda! ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-darth-vaders-corpse/705876/12 "2014-11-30T13:44:40Z")
While scanning thread titles, I first read this one as Spanking of Darth Vader’s corpse… That’s a whole 'nother corner of the Internet. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-darth-vaders-corpse/705876/13 "2014-11-30T15:16:12Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > While scanning thread titles, I first read this one as > > Spanking of Darth Vader’s corpse… > > That’s a whole 'nother corner of the Internet. I’m sure there must be hours of strange p0rn devoted to it in some dark corner of the internet, perhaps near the wookie fisting section. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-darth-vaders-corpse/705876/14 "2014-11-30T16:40:12Z")
So, which is the funnier image, Vader fisting Chewbacca, or Chewbacca fisting Vader? ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-darth-vaders-corpse/705876/15 "2014-11-30T17:02:02Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > So, which is the funnier image, Vader fisting Chewbacca, or Chewbacca fisting Vader? I don’t think Vader has an anus/rectum, thanks to the trip to lava land. So, it defaults to Vader fisting Chewie. I think the hairballs at the end would probably make even the coldest Sith Lord gag, no doubt culminating is a little vomit porn, though the mask will bring certain difficulties to it. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-darth-vaders-corpse/705876/16 "2014-11-30T19:04:54Z")
[Chewie likes the idea!](http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/underwire/2013/02/chewie.jpg) [Vader is ready for something different.](http://captionincluded.com/media/uploads/477be26678.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Recusant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@Recusant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Recusant)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-darth-vaders-corpse/705876/17 "2014-11-30T21:09:08Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Since the armor isn’t capable of stopping blaster bolts, it’s probably not fireproof, either. I think it’s just waterproof; you never see a Stormtrooper drown, after all. That must be why the trash monster let Luke go. Heck, the stuff doesn’t even stop blunt force trauma–Ewoks were beating them down with sticks. Actually, the armor _is_ capable of stopping blaster bolts- remember the scene in episode 5 when Vader pulls a “talk to the hand” when Han shoots him? You don’t give the Emperor’s right hand the same crappy armor you give the run-of-the-mill cannon fodder. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-darth-vaders-corpse/705876/18 "2014-11-30T21:16:22Z")
> [@Recusant](#): > > Actually, the armor _is_ capable of stopping blaster bolts- remember the scene in episode 5 when Vader pulls a “talk to the hand” when Han shoots him? You don’t give the Emperor’s right hand the same crappy armor you give the run-of-the-mill cannon fodder. I thought was just the Force. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-darth-vaders-corpse/705876/20 "2014-11-30T21:38:01Z")
Vader has a 479 number? Who knew. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-darth-vaders-corpse/705876/21 "2014-11-30T22:17:06Z")
> [@sparky\_1](#): > > Vader has a 479 number? Don’t underestimate the 4s. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/speaking-of-darth-vaders-corpse/705876.md?page=2)