Darth Vader’s face was revealed several times in Star Wars. The first time it was fully uncovered was at the end of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. His face was mysterious and scary, and it was shown to be damaged, burned, bruised, and his head was bald. The revelation of his face came when Luke Skywalker took off the mask.
One of the most iconic villains in the history of the screen, Darth Vader, came initially as Anakin Skywalker, who was one of the main protagonists of the prequel of the Star Wars trilogy. However, he was lured to the dark side, and in a fight against his former mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, he was burnt and injured, so much so that he now needs his armor to survive. It was after this that he became Darth Vader, and he continued to keep his face under his helmet.
Why Does Darth Vader Wear a Mask?
Darth Vader wears a mask because of the damage he suffered during his fight with Obi-Wan Kenobi on Mustafar. The damage was so severe that Anakin suffered from fourth-degree burns and lost his legs and his organic arm. The burns he sustained were serious to caused damage to his internal organs.
He came very close to losing his life before he was rescued by the Emperor and was treated. This turned him into Darth Vader, one of the worst villains ever. After this, he was forced to continuously wear his armor to help him stay alive.
His mask and the entire helmet are very important because they serve to help him breathe following the tragic event on Mutafar and to also keep his head together. His mask houses his respiratory system, which helps him to breathe. Also, it has lenses that help his weakened eyesight to see things properly. Another reason why Vader wears his mask is that it helps in regulating his body temperature.
What Does Darth Vader’s Real Face Look Like?
The first time his face was revealed, it was obvious that it was severely burnt, and at some point, the burns began to heal a little, but the damage done from the fight remains evident.
For a man who is supposed to be in his mid-40s, the face of Darth Vader resembles that of an old man following the traumatic event he suffered. As a result of all the damage he sustained, Darth Vader wears a robot-like armor which, although it looks only like a costume, serves for much more than that.
What Happened to Darth Vader’s Face?
As stated, the face of Darth Vader was damaged in his fight with Obi-Wan Kenobi. The fight was an iconic one as although Anakin was the stronger of the two, Obi-Wan understood his strategies, and that gave him the upper hand on the volcanic planet.
The damage that he got made it impossible for him to allow his face to be without the mask because it became the sustainer of his life, and the face was disfigured so much that it was not comfortable to see.
Can Darth Vader Survive Without His Mask?
No, Dart Vader may not survive without his Mask. Even though the movie does not explicitly state what would happen to him without his mask, it is easy to understand that he is now one with the mask following the fight.
However, it is clear that without his mask, he may suffocate since it is important in helping him breathe following the damage caused to him. The mask, or helmet as the case may be, has the important purpose of helping him breathe so that when he takes it off, it becomes a problem. It is severe that even when he sleeps, he has to do that with his mask and helmet.
The mask, together with his helmet, also has some components that help his brain to pass commands to his senses and other body parts, including his limbs, so his senses may fail just as his body parts, and that may lead to his death.
Generally, his mask is the most important component of his armor. The only time he can risk being without it is in his meditation chamber, which is the only place where he gets to defy death.
Darth Vader Unmasked: Who Is Under The Mask of Darth Vader?
You would think that it was only one person that was under the Darth Vader mask, but it was never that way. There was more than one person, and the voicing was done by a different person.
The main man who was behind the Darth Vader mask was Dave Prowse. He has the role in the original trilogy Star Wars. While he played the role, he did not do the voicing, The actor revealed that he never knew his voice was dubbed until after he completed the film was out. The man behind the voice was James Earl Jones.
The man who played Dart Vader was born David Charles Prowse on 1 July 1935. He was an English bodybuilder and weightlifter before he became an actor. His career spanned from 1967, when the 6 foot 6 inches tall bouncer-turned-actor took part in Casino Royale, to 2010, when he appeared in The Kindness of Strangers. Although he had many films to his credit, it was his role as Dart Vader that he became famous.
Bob Anderson also played the role, although in a very limited capacity. He became Dart Vader for the stuntman and did his thing in the Star Wars trilogy as a fight arranger, stuntman, and stunt double, all taking the role of Dart Vader. The unfortunate thing for him was that he did not get the credit for the role.
Sebastian Shaw became the next man to appear as Darth Vader. This happened when the bruised face of the terrific villain was revealed when his son, Luke Skywalker, took off his helmet. Needless to say, the face was digitally altered to get the needed effect.
Apart from the aforementioned, there are others that took the Darth Vader role in some releases after the original trilogy, as well as in games under the franchise. They include C. Andrew Nelson, Scott Lawrence, and Hayden Christensen, among others.
