In this follow-up to last week’s deep dive on Anakin Skywalker, Andrew and Ellen step into the shadow of the Empire to explore leadership lessons from Darth Vader. Ruthless yet composed, feared yet strangely effective, Vader represents the ultimate case study in control, delegation, and emotional suppression.

They debate whether Vader was, in fact, a better manager than Anakin, how his place within a structured hierarchy brought out his strengths, and why emotional detachment can look like power, but lead to failure. Along the way, they draw parallels with modern leadership pitfalls: micromanagement, authority without empathy, and the illusion of control.

Expect some surprising praise for the Empire’s organisational design, and a few crossovers into Star Trek and The Boys. Leadership may not always be a force for good—but it’s certainly strong with this one.