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 theme is based on the well known funeral march from Piano Sonata No . 2 in B flat minor and on " Mars , the Bringer of War " by . 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 . As Anakin Skywalker 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 at some of their live concerts . For the game " " , the menu music was a " March " remix with a rock / metal flavor . In the movies ( except for " " ) , the march is played when Darth Vader appears , or when he is mentioned . On a few occasions , " The Imperial March " has been used to introduce on the television series " " . Additionally , it has been used as a background musical piece by radio talk - show host when discussing subjects relating to Soviet leader . In some games , the music is used at the beginning of opportunities . The march is used when an opponent enters the field at a Cleveland Browns , Indian 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 " " being played to announce the home players ) . Use . In the movies . " The Imperial March " is first heard in " The Empire Strikes Back " when Darth Vader is re - introduced as Death Squadron 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 " 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 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 " " , when Emperor Palpatine is seen arriving on the Death Star II . 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 . " The Imperial March " theme appears scarcely in the prequel trilogy , but is often used to hint at Anakin Skywalker ' s future as Darth Vader . Its usage increases through the trilogy . A few notes of " The Imperial March " are played in in a scene where Obi - Wan Kenobi and Yoda discuss the future of Anakin Skywalker on Naboo . The main few notes of " The Imperial March " are heard in " The Droid Battle . " It is also heard at the sinister end to " Anakin ' s Theme , " played during the end credits , along with Darth Vader ' s breathing , indicating that the prequel trilogy will show how Anakin became Darth Vader . In the next film , , " The Imperial March " is played subtly and so faintly that it ' s barely audible when Yoda senses Anakin ' s slaughter of the Tusken Raider s . The first notes of the march are heard again , slightly louder this time , after Anakin confesses the deed to Padmé . At the end of the movie , the full version accompanies the deployment of the Grand Army of the Republic , hinting at the eventual link between clone trooper s and stormtrooper s , and as Supreme Chancellor Palpatine is shown observing the deployment of the Army from a balcony , foreshadowing his becoming the Emperor . In , " The Imperial March " is first played when Anakin rebukes the Jedi Council for denying him the rank of Jedi Master , although being appointed to the Council . The track can also be heard when Anakin tells Mace Windu about Palpatine ' s true identity . It is later played when Anakin is dubbed as the Sith Darth Vader , shortly after the death of Mace Windu . " The Imperial March " is quoted when Clone Troopers find dead wookies on Kashyyyk and when Padmé confronts Anakin on Mustafar . A few notes of the " March " are played when Vader arrives on Mustafar to kill the Separatists . The piece is played more clearly during the " Battle of the Heroes " scene between Obi - Wan and Darth Vader at the movie ' s climax and in the simultaneous battle between Yoda and Palpatine . It is also played when Darth Vader receives his armor and when he looks up at the first Death Star . In , " The Imperial March " is briefly reprised when Kylo Ren confides his inner conflict to the burnt helmet of Darth Vader aboard the " Finalizer " . In " " , " The Imperial March " makes a prominent appearance during Vader ' s meeting with Director Krennic on Mustafar . A fragment of it is played at the end of the movie as well , as Vader watches the " Tantive IV " escaping from the docking bay of the " Profundity . " In , a brief reprise of the theme is heard as Supreme Leader Snoke discusses with Ren his desire to be like Vader and how he is falling short of that goal . 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 " " 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 Devastator s ' rampage over Mon Calamari . " The Imperial March " is played often during the " " game series , usually when playing as the Galactic Empire . A part of the theme is played in " " when the Doomgiver leaves the Cairn Installation and at the dark side ending of " " when Jaden Korr takes over the Star Destroyer orbiting Korriban with his Z - 95 . The theme can be heard in the musical piece John Williams created for Star Tours , by the same name . On television . " The Imperial March " is featured in a number of episodes of the animated series " " . It is also used in the opening of the " Star Wars Rebels " installment " Call to Action " as Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin visits Lothal and appears less prominently in several other installments as well . It is featured briefly but prominently at the end of " Fire Across the Galaxy " when Darth Vader appears . Within the franchise ' s new canon continuity , the song is known in - universe as " Glory of the Empire . "