Tools of Characterization
Characterization in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
Physical Appearance
They say the clothes make the man, but what about the sagging, 120-year-old skin and the yellow eyes? One look at the Emperor and you know he's the movie's biggest bad guy. Heroes don't skulk around in hooded black robes, perpetually hiding their faces. (They also visit the dentist occasionally.)
For the wickedest characters in Return of the Jedi, what you see is what you get. Darth Vader rules through intimidation, and he has the fearsome stature to back it up, towering over everyone in his black armor and hiding his true self beneath a skull-like mask. Similarly, Jabba the Hutt is just as slimy on the outside as he is on the inside. Stick any of Return of the Jedi's villains in an intergalactic police line-up, and they'll be identified immediately solely based on their creepy looks.
Speech and Dialogue
Both the good and the evil characters in Return of the Jedi are characterized by their speech. Take the Emperor, for example: He never passes up an opportunity to sink his corroded teeth into a meaty, malevolent monologue. Check out this villainous diatribe:
"The alliance will die. As will your friends. Good, I can feel your anger. I am defenseless. Take your weapon. Strike me down with all of your hatred and your journey towards the Dark Side will be complete!"
Anger, hate, and darkness are the Emperor's buzzwords, and he spits them out so often you might think his furious vocabulary has an evil corporate sponsorship.
In contrast, Luke preaches a near-constant message of hope. "There is still good in him," Luke says to Obi-Wan of Darth Vader, even after Obi-Wan has told Luke that he fears Vader is a lost cause, more machine than man. Later, when Luke faces Darth Vader head on, he sticks to the optimistic Jedi party line.
"I feel the good in you, the conflict," he tells Vader, unfazed by the fact that Vader's actively trying to kill him. Luke, just like the Emperor, is a broken record whose repetitive line of discourse reveals the nature of his character.
Actions
When it comes to despicable deeds, it doesn't get much despicable-er than pumping a guy full of Force Lightning. Just ask the Emperor. He takes pleasure in behaving badly, and his actions say a lot about his character—namely, that he's the meanest dude in the galaxy.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Luke and his friends are characterized by the loyalty, selflessness, and supportiveness of their actions. When Han struggles to destroy the Death Star's defense shield, does Lando freak out? Nope. "Don't worry," he tells Nien Nunb, "my friend's down there. He'll have that shield down in time." Lando has no evidence to support such a statement; he just has faith that his pal will get the job done. And he does.
In the middle, we have Darth Vader. For most of the movie, his actions—you know, like trying to cut Luke down with his lightsaber—characterize him as an unrepentant villain. However, in the film's final moments, Vader changes course. When he saves Luke from the Emperor, his characterization changes. Gone is the selfish, power-hungry Vader who ruled through fear; in his place, we find a kinder, gentler Vader.
More to the point, we find Anakin. Anakin's final actions are noble ones, as he asks to look upon Luke with his own eyes and assures his teary-eyed son that he was right about him after all.