An Epic Introduction

The segment kicks off with host Anthony Carboni hyping up the crowd to introduce the “one and only” Hayden Christensen. As Christensen makes his grand entrance, scenes from the prequels displaying Anakin Skywalker play on large screens, prompting loud cheers from an audience armed with lightsabers.

Looking Back at Revenge of the Sith

Carboni emphasizes that this year marks the 20th anniversary of Revenge of the Sith. Christensen reflects on how wild it is to think that it was “half a life away” and shares his excitement about the film returning to theaters.

The Iconic Duel on Mustafar

When asked about his memories from set, Christensen immediately goes to the iconic lightsaber battle on Mustafar. He shares that he and Ewan McGregor trained for months and wanted to do all their own stunts. They worked closely with stunt coordinator Nick Gillard to make sure the fight properly conveyed the story. Christensen mentions that it brings him great joy when fans tell him they would recreate the Mustafar duel with siblings or friends when they were kids.

Returning as Anakin/Vader

Carboni asks what it was like for Christensen to return to his role in series like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka. Christensen notes that returning was a privilege, especially getting to explore the Anakin/Ahsoka dynamic established by Dave Filoni and George Lucas. He also touches on how much fun he had getting to check off bucket-list moments by getting to step back into the suit as Darth Vader.

Lightsaber Training at Home

Christensen points out that he still practices his lightsaber skills. He jokes that before getting back on set for Obi-Wan, he and his 10-year-old daughter, who attended the event with him, used to have toy lightsaber battles in their living room to train.

A Birthday Surprise

The segment concludes with Carboni interrupting the sign-off to announce that it is actually Hayden Christensen’s birthday. The entire crowd joins Carboni in singing “Happy Birthday,” and the actor is later presented with a cake shaped like Darth Vader’s helmet, which he cuts and tastes on stage.