Revenge of the 5th: Darth Vader may have choked a few generals but he wasn't the worst boss in the franchise

While Vader may not have been easy to deal with, at least he was a rational man who knew what he could ask of his men
David Prowse and Peter Geddis (IMDb)
David Prowse and Peter Geddis (IMDb)

Dark Lords and dictators generally make for pretty terrible employers, which is why it's always a bit shocking that their henchmen don't poison them in their sleep. Darth Vader's no different when it comes to treating his employees but he's hardly the worst boss in 'Star Wars'.

His boss Emperor Palpatine / Darth Sidious (Ian McDiarmid) was by far a worse employer, using manipulation and torture to get his way. Even the way he recruited Vader was downright evil and compared to that, Vader choking a few generals and admirals for disappointing him seems like a kindness. 

In fact, when it comes down to it, Vader always led his men into battle, fighting from the front. He did this even before his fall to the dark side and becoming evil didn't turn the powerful Sith Lord into an armchair strategist like his boss. 

Plus, as far as we know, Vader never used his mind tricks or manipulative power to get his way, relying instead on the fear and respect he commands from his employers. And he never showed any favoritism either, not even with his own son whom he willingly handed over to his boss, not to mention cutting off his hand. 

The 501st Legion, Vader's personal battalion of stormtroopers, is proof of the dark lord's command, never flinching in their loyalty to him. And compared to his grandson Ben Solo / Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), Vader was a saint. 

Like the stereotypical bad boss, Ren regularly belittled his men, threw them into danger as if they grow on trees, and never once treated them fairly. On top of that, he was a terrible strategist, prone to temper tantrums, and ultimately, a big baby. 

While Vader wasn't exactly easy to deal with, at least he was a rational man who knew what he could ask of his men and got results without whining about his failures and their insubordination like his grandson. He may not have been the best boss in the galaxy but compared to people like the First Order and the Emperor, he was an absolute pleasure to work with.

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