Darth Vader cannot be left out of a conversation about iconic Hollywood villains simply because, well, simply because he is THE Darth Vader. Voiced by James Earl Jones in the Star Wars franchise, the antagonist’s name is enough to send a chill down our spines even after all these years. That’s how you know Hollywood hit the ball out of the park with the villain.
However, Darth Vader isn’t the only iconic villain the late James Earl John Milius’ Conan the Barbarian, brings a far worse villain to the screen, someone even the legendary Darth Vader would want to run and hide from.
Darth Vader’s Got Nothing on James Earl Jones’ Thulsa Doom
We rarely get to see an actor play two iconic villains in his lifetime and leave a mark on the industry. However, James Earl Jones was living proof that this is totally possible. Thanks to his commanding presence and resonant voice, Jones did justice to both Darth Vader and Thulsa Doom and how.
While it’s true that Darth Vader is right up there with Voldemort and The Joker when it comes to iconic Hollywood bad guys, we find it rather unfair that Jones’ Thulsa Doom often goes unmentioned. After all, the guy was straight out of our nightmares and worse than Anakin Skywalker himself, if we may say so.
Conan the Barbarian is all about Conan (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and his need for revenge after Thulsa Doom, the leader of a snake cult, kills his parents. Throughout the 2-hour mark, Thulsa Doom makes it known that he is not your average villain who is going to be defeated with ease. He makes Conan’s life a living hell.
Not only does he kill Conan’s parents and their entire tribe, but he also pushes the young boy into slavery. Unfortunately for the protagonist, his troubles don’t end there as Thulsa Doom continues to shower him with his wrath even when he’s all grown up.
What sets Thulsa Doom apart from Darth Vader is that while the latter isn’t afraid to strike down those who come his way, the former makes it his life’s mission to torment one guy, mentally and physically, pulling him by his hair to the breaking point. He has him crucified to a tree as predatory birds pick on his flesh, all while he is still alive and awake.
He kills Sandhal Bergman’s Valeria, someone Conan had grown quite close to. Clearly, physical torment isn’t enough for Doom. He can also hypnotize his prey to make them dance to his tune making him an enemy you just don’t want to have.
All in all, while Darth Vader’s torment is more formidable and direct, Doom uses all kinds of means to get under his enemy’s skin. Whether it’s psychological manipulation, cult control, or dark sorcery, Doom’s wrath knows no bounds. Darth Vader might be scary when it comes to being a physical and authoritarian menace but Doom knows how to break his foe’s body and soul into a million tiny pieces.
How James Earl Jones Got the Role of Thulsa Doom
One look at the villain and you’ll realize that Jones was practically made for the role. The way he brought it to life was something otherworldly and it stands as one of his best works throughout his time in the film industry.
So, the question is, how did Jones land a role that would be the perfect example of his versatility? Well, according to the actor himself, he didn’t think there was any particular reason why he should have gotten the role of Doom in the first place.
However, when director John Milius gave him a shot, everything fell into place perfectly. In an interview with Pride Magazine back in 2011, Jones stated,
Regarding Conan—first of all, there was no particular reason I should have played Thulsa Doom. It was John Milius’s idea. He had written a lot of speeches derived from the sayings of evil men throughout history, so he put a Teutonic wig on my head, placed me at the top of a canyon in southern Spain overlooking the Mediterranean, and told me to cut loose.
This was also when the namesake remake of Conan the Barbarian had just come out. Talking about whether he had seen the film or not, the actor stated that even though he hadn’t, he had no ill feelings toward it. He made it clear that if the remake was good, he’d cheer for it, and if it wasn’t, he’d still be respectful as he knew the hard work that goes into filmmaking. We could all learn a thing or two from Jones’ life.
After ruling the industry for decades, Jones passed away on the ninth of September this year in his home. He was ninety-three years old. While he may be gone from the world, his legacy will continue to live on.
Conan the Barbarian is available to watch on Netflix.
