Star Wars: Five Weird Facts About Fortress Vader
Fortress Vader, the Sith Lord’s personal residence, has one of the weirdest and most Sith histories the galaxy has ever seen.
Darth Vader has his own castle. Any why wouldn’t he? He’s got a lordly title after all. But Fortress Vader is no ordinary estate, even by the already pretty weird Star Wars standards. What kind of a place would Darth Vader call home?
Location, Location, Location
For starters, Fortress Vader is located on scenic Mustafar. You know Mustafar. That volcanic hell planet where the infamous “I have the high ground… you were my brother, etc.” conversation happened. Also where Anakin Skywalker burned off most of his body and finished becoming Darth Vader. That Mustafar. Personally I’d think this planet would be a bit traumatic to set up my home on, but Vader is a different sort.
The Specific Location Has History
Not only scenic, but historically significant as well, Vader chose the location for his castle carefully. Fortress Vader was built on the site of a Sith Temple that’s gone by the time The Clone Wars happened. That temple, and Vader’s castle, both sat above a Sith Cave that is still there. This acts as a Vergence or a Nexus, concentrating energy from the Dark Side of the Force and was once believed to hold the secrets to eternal life.
Vader Visited This Spot Himself
Shortly after the rise of the Galactic Empire and becoming an official Sith Lord, Vader visited this cave himself. Not quite yet house hunting, he used the dark energy of the cave to “bleed” a kyber crystal in order to make his own red lightsaber. First introduced as a concept in 2016’s Ahsoka novel by E. K. Johnston, “bleeding” kyber crystals was the process of pouring rage, hate fear, pain, into a crystal until it resonated with the dark side of the force. Some Sith took crystals from Jedi lightsabers to bleed. It’s possible to heal these crystals, but Vader didn’t seem interested in that part of the process just yet.
The Castle Was Designed By A Ghost In A Mask
Did you ever hear the Tragedy of Darth Momin the ghost in a mask?
Darth Momin was a Sith Lord and artist who built a super weapon, lost control of his own power, destroyed his physical body, and left just his consciousness to haunt his mask. Many years later Darth Sidious found Momin’s mask in the Jedi Archive and gave it to Darth Vader as a gift. Vader allowed Momin to posses a Mustafarian so his consciousness could gain a new physical form and then Darth Momin designed Fortress Vader.
Fortress Vader’s Design Channels The Force
Built out of obsidian by Vader himself on a Nexus, Fortress Vader was designed specifically to channel the power of the Force and open a door to the Dark Side. The tower served as a conduit for the Dark Side, and giving Vader a way to channel all of his pain and rage into focus. After his death, the tower became a pilgrimage site for those drawn too interested in the Sith Lord’s legend.
What’s your favorite weird fact about Fortress Vader? Which palace would you built your planet on if you had the chance? Did a ghost in a mask design your house? Let us know in the comments!
May The Force Be With You, Adventurers!
