Star Wars Introduces the Most Absurd Darth Vader Replacement of All Time

The role of Darth Vader is one that Star Wars continually seeks to recast. Vader is an iconic villain, leaving a lasting impact on both the franchise and the world of film. Finding someone who can embody that level of power and menace is incredibly difficult, so filmmakers have to be inventive. Kylo Ren attempted to fill those shoes in the newer films, debuting with a similar all-black outfit and voice-altering helmet in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Ultimately, though, he never quite measured up, and by the time his character tries to change, he feels like a weak copy of the original.

Several characters have tried to challenge Darth Vader, like Saw Gerrera, who became heavily augmented with machinery after opposing the Empire. Though Saw is compelling, he never felt like a true successor to Vader, largely because he was inflexible and unwilling to consider alternative, more hopeful approaches. The newest Star Wars character aiming to fill that role is different – even if they’re quite outlandish.

Star Wars’ Latest Show Returns to the Scene of the Crime

Certain locations consistently appear in Star Wars stories. Coruscant, the galactic capital, is featured in both the prequel and original films. However, Tatooine, Luke Skywalker’s seemingly unremarkable home world, appears even more often. The prequel movies spend a significant amount of time on Tatooine, and so do the Disney+ series The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. The recent animated anthology series, Star Wars: Visions, also visits the planet. In Season 3’s “Yuko’s Treasure,” the main character lives on Tatooine with his droid companion, BILY, who resembles a teddy bear.

Yuko wakes up shaken from a nightmare and wants to spend her birthday quietly at home with BILY. However, BILY needs to buy her a present. His trip outside accidentally leads dangerous pirates back to their house, putting Yuko in serious trouble. The pirates shoot BILY and kidnap him, forcing him to lead them to a hidden treasure. Yuko and her friend, Sola, chase after the pirates, facing a krayt dragon along the way. When they finally rescue BILY, he’s upset – it turns out he’s fallen for one of his captors!

BILY Embraces the Dark Side in “Yuko’s Treasure”

As soon as Sola sees BILY, he senses danger and attempts to keep Yuko from approaching. But his efforts fail, and BILY unexpectedly rises, now sporting a dark helmet and cape, and turns on the child he was meant to protect. Though he doesn’t have a lightsaber, it’s obvious BILY is imitating Darth Vader’s appearance and behavior. True to the spirit of Star Wars, the children still believe there’s good in their robotic friend and decide to see what happens.

The reappearance of the krayt dragon throws everything into chaos, and in the process, BILY loses his helmet, bringing back his human side. Yuko is thrilled, and even happier when BILY reveals the treasure her parents had saved for her. While BILY’s destructive period isn’t as long-lasting as Vader’s, his story is still quite remarkable.

Star Wars: Visions is streaming on Disney+.

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2025-11-15 22:40