A Man Who Renamed Himself Darth Vader Lives A Surprisingly Mundane Life

 

This is Darth Mykolaiovych Vader. He was one of 42 candidates who ran for mayor of Odessa, Ukraine, in October. To get attention, he changed his name and hired a campaign team that consisted of stormtroopers and wookies. Sadly, his plans for galactic conquest were ruined when he came 15th. This is a day in the life of a real life Darth Vader as he waits for The Force Awakens.

Darth Mykolaiovych Vader, who is dressed as the Star Wars character Darth Vader, poses for a picture as he speaks with a supporter in a cafe in Odessa, Ukraine, December 3, 2015. Darth Vader was bent on galactic domination, but his Ukrainian namesake enjoys more mundane pursuits: local politics, walking the family dog and a spot of embroidery. The Ukrainian citizen, who has changed his name to Darth Mykolaiovych Vader, ran for the post of local mayor in October, his political backers dressed as Stormtroopers. In his trademark black outfit, he is a regular sight around Odessa, a major port city on southern Ukraine’s Black Sea coast. (Photo by Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)

Darth Mykolaiovych Vader, who is dressed as the Star Wars character Darth Vader, poses for a picture as he demonstrates exercises with a lightsaber in a park in Odessa, Ukraine, December 3, 2015. (Photo by Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)

Darth Mykolaiovych Vader, who is dressed as the Star Wars character Darth Vader, and people dressed as Star Wars characters Chewbacca and a Stormtrooper pose for a picture as they select products in a grocery store in Odessa, Ukraine, December 3, 2015. (Photo by Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)

Darth Mykolaiovych Vader, who is dressed as the Star Wars character Darth Vader, poses for a picture as he speaks to people dressed as Star Wars characters Chewbacca and a Stormtrooper in a cafe in Odessa, Ukraine, December 3, 2015. (Photo by Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)

Darth Mykolaiovych Vader, who is dressed as the Star Wars character Darth Vader, poses for a picture as he caresses his horse at a stabling outside of Odessa, Ukraine, December 2, 2015. (Photo by Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)

Darth Mykolaiovych Vader, who is dressed as the Star Wars character Darth Vader, poses for a picture as he rides on a tram in Odessa, Ukraine, December 3, 2015. (Photo by Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)

Darth Mykolaiovych Vader, who is dressed as the Star Wars character Darth Vader, poses for a picture as he tries to help a woman exit a tram in Odessa, Ukraine, December 3, 2015. (Photo by Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)

Darth Mykolaiovych Vader, who is dressed as the Star Wars character Darth Vader, poses for a picture as he walks his dog in a park in Odessa, Ukraine, December 3, 2015. (Photo by Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)

Darth Mykolaiovych Vader, who is dressed as the Star Wars character Darth Vader, poses for a picture as he speaks to a woman while walking his dog in a park in Odessa, Ukraine, December 3, 2015. (Photo by Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)

Darth Mykolaiovych Vader, who is dressed as the Star Wars character Darth Vader, poses for a picture as he waits for sunrise on the roof of his apartment block in Odessa, Ukraine, December 4, 2015. (Photo by Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)

Darth Mykolaiovych Vader’s Darth Vader helmet sits on a shelf among icons at his apartments in Odessa, December 2, 2015. (Photo by Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)

Darth Mykolaiovych Vader, who is dressed as the ‘Star Wars’ character Darth Vader, poses for a picture as he reads a book in bed at his apartments in Odessa, Ukraine, December 2, 2015. (Photo by Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)

Darth Mykolaiovych Vader, who is dressed as the ‘Star Wars’ character Darth Vader, poses for a picture as he pretends to clean his teeth in the bathroom of his apartments in Odessa, December 2, 2015. (Photo by Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)

Darth Mykolaiovych Vader, who is dressed as the ‘Star Wars’ character Darth Vader, poses for a picture as he dries his mask and helmet with a hairdryer in the bathroom of his apartments in Odessa, Ukraine, December 2, 2015. (Photo by Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)

Darth Mykolaiovych Vader, who is dressed as the ‘Star Wars’ character Darth Vader, poses for a picture as he takes a shower in a bathroom at his apartments in Odessa, Ukraine, December 4, 2015. (Photo by Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)

Darth Mykolaiovych Vader, who is dressed as the ‘Star Wars’ character Darth Vader, poses for a picture as he pretends to shave in a bathroom at his apartments in Odessa, December 2, 2015. (Photo by Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)

Darth Mykolaiovych Vader, who is dressed as the ‘Star Wars’ character Darth Vader, poses for a picture as he watches television at his apartments in Odessa, Ukraine, December 2, 2015. (Photo by Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)

Darth Mykolaiovych Vader, who is dressed as the ‘Star Wars’ character Darth Vader, poses for a picture as he does embroidery at his apartments in Odessa, Ukraine, December 2, 2015. (Photo by Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)

Darth Mykolaiovych Vader, who is dressed as the ‘Star Wars’ character Darth Vader, poses for a picture as he irons his cloak at his apartments in Odessa, Ukraine, December 2, 2015. (Photo by Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)

Darth Mykolaiovych Vader, who is dressed as the ‘Star Wars’ character Darth Vader, poses for a picture with a vacuum cleaner as he cleans his apartment in Odessa, Ukraine, December 2, 2015. (Photo by Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)

Darth Mykolaiovych Vader, who is dressed as the ‘Star Wars’ character Darth Vader, poses for a picture as he shows exercises with a lightsaber at a park in Odessa, Ukraine, December 3, 2015. (Photo by Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)

Darth Mykolaiovych Vader, who is dressed as the ‘Star Wars’ character Darth Vader, poses for a picture as he cooks in the kitchen of his apartments in Odessa, Ukraine, December 2, 2015. (Photo by Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)