Faktaboken Star Wars (canon) är tydlig på Anakin / Darths tillstånd efter hans ikoniska kamp med Luke. Han är död.
With Anakin's death, the last remnant of the Sith is no more, The man who helped destroy the Jedi Order has also ended the Sith, bringing balance to the Force as prophesied years ago.
Anakin's armor is empty - After his death he passes into the Force, as Obi-Wan and Yoda did before him.
Den nya (och helt kanon) Disney junior novellisation är också ganska otrevlig om ämnet.
When he looks back down, his father is dead. But Luke keeps his promise. He will not leave his father. He stumbles toward the distant shuttle, staggering under the weight of this giant half-metal man who wrought so much evil.
Leave him there, you want to shout to Luke. He’s the bad guy! The villain! Just leave him and get out of there before the whole Death Star blows up!
Som är den officiella Starwars.com eventgalleri för Return of the Jedi.
Realizing he cannot be saved, Vader asks Luke to remove his mask so that he may look upon his son with his own eyes. Luke insists that he must save him, but Vader — Anakin — affirms that he already has. Luke's father dies as the Death Star begins to come apart around him. Luke moves toward a shuttle, his only means of escape.
Vi ser honom kort därefter som en Force Ghost, ett tillstånd som är oförenligt med livet.
