CAN VADER ABSORB BLASTER BOLTS?

THE CLAIM:

Lord Vader can't absorb the energy from blaster bolts with his hand; he only deflects them.

THE TRUTH:

"I find your lack of faith, disturbing..."

In "The Empire Strikes Back", Han Solo draws on Vader and pops off several shots. Vader calmly holds up one hand, then another, and intercepts the bolts. SW fans say Vader absorbed the bolts, much like Yoda absorbed the Force lightning thrown at him by Count Dooku in "Attack Of The Clones".

VS Trekkies, however, say that Vader merely DEFLECTED the bolts.

Well, as the evidence shows, he did a mixture of BOTH. One thing is clear, however, the first shot Solo fires is absolutely ABSORBED. Below are three consecutive frames:

The first frame shows Vader intercepting Solo's blaster bolt

The second frame shows conclusively, that Vader ABSORBED that blaster bolt.

Vader then releases the energy from the bolt in the third frame.

Vader then redirects this energy into the wall near Solo, not with a VISIBLE bolt like a lightsaber would do, but with an invisible bolt of energy. QED.