In the 1980s, parts of the Washington National Cathedral were in the middle of construction, and the National Geographic World magazine sponsored a contest titled “Draw-A-Grotesque.” Children were asked to submit drawings of grotesques that will be added to the building, as reported by Mental Floss. Around 1,400 entries were submitted by children aged 8 to 13, and they came from 16 countries. The winner was a 12-year-old girl named Alison Garner, who drew a man with an umbrella to shield him from the rainwater. “I read that the rainwater drains out of the mouths of gargoyles, so I gave my grotesque an umbrella for protection,” she said.

Aside from Garner’s winning grotesque, runners-up were also chosen. The third-place winner, Christopher Rader, submitted a drawing of Darth Vader. “Darth Vader is a lot like a demon. He’s evil, so I thought he would be a good choice,” Rader explained. The judges agreed with Rader’s remarks and said that Darth Vader is a great representation of evil. “Centuries ago, on old cathedrals, grotesques were intended to symbolize the evil that existed outside the church. Today, Darth Vader is an excellent example of evil in our times,” a judge stated (via Gigazine).

In total, the Washington National Cathedral has 112 grotesques and gargoyles, and they offer gargoyle tours. Darth Vader is located on the corner of a gablet that sits between two pinnacles but is quite difficult to see without binoculars. 

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