When it comes to legendary villains in film history, Darth Vader immediately comes to mind. Whether or not you're a fan of the Star Wars films, Vader's deep voice, unique breathing, and memorable lines are instantly identifiable. His helmet is much more renowned as a piece of movie iconography. Darth Vader's helmet is the ultimate symbol of evil and dark.
When viewers first saw Darth Vader in 1977, his true face remained a mystery, and spectators speculated what the mask could be hiding throughout the Original Trilogy. At the end of Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, viewers saw the man behind the mask and the injuries he had sustained.
Since then, fans have seen more of Anakin Skywalker's burns and damage from his encounter with Obi-Wan Kenobi in subsequent Star Wars ventures. Furthermore, considering all of the automated aspects of his outfit, it's evident that Darth Vader's helmet serves a purpose other than frightening his foes. Here's a glimpse at the face behind the helmet.
Darth Vader Face Reveal
The rear of Darth Vader's head was first hinted at in Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Rear, but the first full reveal came at the end of Return of the Jedi when Luke Skywalker removed the mask. Anakin Skywalker had been clearly burned. In Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, audiences saw how the man got his burns. Those burns were quite serious, covering the majority of Anakin Skywalker's face. According to his expression at the end of Return of the Jedi, his burns had healed rather well in the 22 years since his battle with Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Recent additions like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Rogue One have shown that while Vader is not in the suit, he spends his time soaking in a Bacta tank, which reportedly heals his burn wounds slowly.
In addition to his facial defects, the harm done to his internal organs has rendered him dependent on his suit. Mustafar's tremendous heat entirely burned his eardrums, thus he heard through soundwaves delivered to the implants in his inner ears. His eyes were also seriously damaged, and the lenses of his mask filtered light rays and frequencies to allow him to see properly. But how important are the mask and outfit to his survival?
Darth Vader Face Mask
Vader's helmet houses his life-support system. It has an air pump that connects to a filtration system in the rear of the suit, which constantly circulates air through its destroyed lungs. A backup air processing filter in the mouth area of the mask also serves as a respiratory intake system.
His life support system also includes a digital control unit worn on his chest to help control his respiratory functions. From this panel, a cable enters his chest and connects to a breathing device and a cardiac regulator to keep blood flowing to his brain.
A network of tubes runs through his chest to his lungs and burnt-out throat, allowing him to breathe without this complex system for a brief period if his life support system suffers catastrophic damage.
The Sith Lord would quickly suffocate if he removed his mask. As a result, it's the most important portion of his armor. He can only breathe normally while he is in one of his meditation chambers, as seen in The Empire Strikes Back. This environment is pressured and controlled enough for him to exist without his helmet, and it's the only time he can eat regularly.
He eats outside the chamber through tubes placed into his mask. Vader's mask has been damaged, as seen in both Star Wars: Rebels and Obi-Wan Kenobi, revealing a glimpse of Anakin's face, but the breathing mask on his suit is still intact, allowing him to live. He does appear weakened as a result of these attacks, and he urgently requires mending.
