Recent Star Wars video games have continued a humorous trend of portraying Anakin Skywalker, later Darth Vader, as a boogeyman-like figure, a notion further embraced by Star Wars: Galactic Racer.
This portrayal stems from the idea that Anakin, while a powerful Jedi, is terrifying to ordinary individuals, a concept notably highlighted in Rogue One's climactic scene where Darth Vader is depicted as an unstoppable force against common soldiers. Since that film's release in 2016, subsequent games have consistently featured moments that underscore Anakin's legendary and fearsome reputation across the galaxy.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order depicted this through a brutal encounter with the Second Sister, who is ultimately dispatched by Darth Vader. Vader's presence alone makes the environment hostile, and his power renders the protagonist Cal Kestis's abilities useless, forcing a desperate flight.
In Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, a similar confrontation occurs with Jedi Master Cere. What initially appears to be a direct battle is revealed to be a psychic vision imprinted on Cere's corpse, showcasing Vader's overwhelming might even in a spectral manifestation.
Star Wars Outlaws presents Anakin as the hidden power behind a crime lord, Sliro Barsha. When Vader intervenes, he demonstrates his absolute authority over Sliro with a simple gesture, causing the protagonist Kay Vess to experience profound fear and insignificance.
Star Wars: Zero Company also positions Anakin as a demigod-like figure, dwarfing the capabilities of the game's titular company.
However, Star Wars: Galactic Racer offers a unique take on this trope. The game, set decades after the Battle of Jakku, features legendary podracer Sebulba. In Act 3, Sebulba recounts a tale of a single human who possessed the supernatural talent to pilot a podracer and even defeat him: a nine-year-old Anakin Skywalker. Sebulba, still haunted by this memory decades later, speaks of the event with the hushed reverence one might reserve for a folktale character. The humor, according to the notes, lies in the lingering terror a nine-year-old boy can inspire in a seasoned, arrogant racer even after the fall of the Empire.