The Imperial March
"The Imperial March," also called "Darth Vader's Theme," is a recurring musical theme of the Star Wars movies. It was composed by John Williams and first appeared in the film The Empire Strikes Back. The theme is based on the well known funeral march from Chopin's Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor and on "Mars, the Bringer of War" by Gustav Holst.
One of the best known symphonic movie themes, it is a classic example of a leitmotiv, a recurrent theme associated with characters or events in a drama. "The Imperial March" is the theme music that represents the authoritarian Galactic Empire/Legends. As Anakin Skywalker/Legends is stripped of all individuality, he, in essence, becomes one with the Empire as Darth Vader; hence the reason the march is often associated with him as well. "The Imperial March" represents all that is the Empire; therefore, it is nearly equivalent to a galactic anthem. To the Galactic Empire, "The Imperial March" represents strength, order, and control. However, to the Rebel Alliance, it is symbolic of tyranny, oppression, and hate.
Although played by an orchestra on the movie soundtrack, it is often played by brass bands; military bands are particularly effective in delivering the theme's martial stance. "The Imperial March" was also played by No Doubt at some of their live concerts.
On a few occasions, "The Imperial March" has been used to introduce Mr. Burns on the television series The Simpsons. Additionally, it has been used as a background musical piece by radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh when discussing subjects relating to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. In some National Hockey League games, the music is used at the beginning of powerplay opportunities. The march is used when an opponent enters the field at a Cleveland Browns, Indians or Cavaliers game. The music is also played at home games of the New York Yankees when announcing the players of the opposing team (in contrast to music heard during the Rebel Alliance's award ceremony in A New Hope being played to announce the home players).
Use
In the movies
"The Imperial March" is first heard in The Empire Strikes Back at the beginning of the film when probe droids are sent from an Imperial Star Destroyer down to Hoth. This version is played by flutes and is barely audible. The most familiar rendition of the theme first plays when Darth Vader is re-introduced as Death Squadron/Legends assembles. It is played throughout the film nearly every time the Death Squadron or Darth Vader appears, most notably during the track "The Battle of Hoth" as the Executor is seen approaching Hoth and as Vader enters Echo Base after the battle. It is then used in the beginning of "The Asteroid Field" as the Millennium Falcon tries to evade the attacking Star Destroyers and, in a more powerful form, during "Han Solo and the Princess" as the Death Squadron blasts its way through the asteroid field and as the Executor emerges from the asteroids. Later the tune is shortly heard during the end of "The Training of a Jedi Knight," as the bounty hunters assemble on the Executor, "Yoda and the Force" when Captain Needa departs the Avenger to apologize to Darth Vader, and "Imperial Starfleet Deployed" as the Falcon is seen hanging on the back of the Avenger's command tower. Then, in a more dramatic form, it was played during the duel between Vader and Luke, known as "The Clash of Lightsabers," when Vader uses the Force/Legends to throw objects at Luke. It also appears in "Rescue from Cloud City/Hyperspace" when Darth Vader reveals to Luke that he is his father.
It is used in a powerful form in Return of the Jedi, when Emperor Palpatine is seen arriving on the second Death Star. As Luke unmasks Vader at the end of Jedi, the theme is carried somberly by high-range strings; as Vader dies, the tune is heard one last time as a dirge played by the harp.
In the Expanded Universe
The soundtrack to Shadows of the Empire by Joel McNeely samples a small part of "The Imperial March" in the "Night Skies" theme. Here, it is played as a contemplative piece, designed to show Darth Vader mulling over information about the Falleen Prince Xizor and feeling that his son is close by in Imperial Center.
In Star Wars: Rogue Squadron a more synthetic and somewhat eerie version of "The Imperial March" is played during the battle with Kohl Seerdon. Several bits were more ominous during the World Devastators' rampage over Mon Calamari.
The theme can be heard in the musical piece John Williams created for Star Tours, by the same name.
In-universe
- In A. C. Crispin's book The Paradise Snare, it's slyly hinted that "The Imperial March" is "the martial theme of the Imperial Navy." The link is made more explicit in the audio book edition, when the cue is actually used.
- Leonis Murthé hums "Dum Dum Dum, Dum-te-Dum, Dum-te-Dum" as he uses his lightsaber on a "patient" in Boba Fett: Agent of Doom.
In popular culture
- A muzak version of "The Imperial March" is used as elevator music on board the Death Star in the Family Guy episode Blue Harvest, which is a parody of A New Hope and derives most of its plot from the film.
- The New York Yankees plays the theme when presenting players from the opposing team when at Yankee Stadium.
- In The Simpsons, "The Imperial March" is occasionally used to introduce Mr. Burns.
- In an episode of The Big Bang Theory, Raj plays "The Imperial March" while entering a comic-book store to show that he is "awesome and to be feared."
- The Crossbone Vanguard theme from Gundam F91 is based on "The Imperial March," mostly because the creator of the anime movie Tomino really liked Star Wars.
- The symphonic metal band Epica made a cover of "The Imperial March" on their 2009 live album The Classical Conspiracy.
- Before being replaced with a new theme around mid-2010, "The Imperial March" was the opening theme song (played at the "top of the hour") for The Alex Jones Show. While the theme played, an announcer said:
- "Big Brother, mainstream media, government cover-ups. You want answers? Well so does he. He's Alex Jones...on the GCN Radio Network. And now, live from Austin, Texas...Alex Jones."
- Parts of this theme are still played in the aforementioned The Alex Jones Show at the "top of the hour" and after returning from commercial breaks.
- The Montreal Canadians Hockey team play "The Imperial March" whenever they have a power play at games.
- Certain NPCs in The Witcher PC CRPG can be heard whistling the theme.
- In 2012, Volkswagen teased a Super Bowl commercial where a chorus of dogs barked the march, each dressed up as different characters in the films.
- Ryan Bader has used a remixed version of the theme as his entrance music at UFC 144.
- In 2007, the Band of the Welsh Guards notoriously played the Imperial March to greet Saudi Arabian King Abdullah when he visited the UK on a controversial state visit.
- An episode of The Big Bang Theory titled "The Cooper/Kripke Inversion" includes the theme as Sheldon's "I'm unhappy and about to destroy the planet" music. Similarly, Raj Koothrappali briefly played the Imperial March theme when entering the comic book store in the beginning of the episode "The Excelsior Acquisition".
- The first TV trailer for the 2013 Japanese superhero crossover movie Kamen Rider × Super Sentai × Space Sheriff: Super Hero Taisen Z opened with a brief piece of music highly reminiscent of "The Imperial March" to introduce another space empire, Space Shocker.
- In Robot Chicken: Star Wars, during the segment where Luke Skywalker and Palpatine have a Dozens battle, the fight had in the background music a Hip-Hop version of "The Imperial March."
- In an episode of Chuck titled "Chuck Versus the Last Details", Morgan Grimes is tasked with going undercover at an auction of assassins and crime bosses bidding on a lethal weapon. He and Chuck Bartowski hum the Imperial March to get the former into the mindset of playing a bad guy, and the official instrumental kicks in as Morgan enters the auction room.
Appearances
- The Paradise Snare
- Star Wars: X-Wing
- Star Wars: Rebellion
- Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back (First appearance)
- Star Wars: TIE Fighter
- Shadows of the Empire soundtrack (Sample only)
- Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
- Boba Fett: Agent of Doom
