A deep dive into Darth Vader’s mechanized body and helmet and fully realize in 3D! Enjoy! Darth Vader’s suit followed an ancient Sith tradition where the warriors of the Dark Side of the Force would clad in heavy armors, and because of this, it also incorporated many aspects of Sith alchemy to help with Vader’s weakened physical strength and vitality, after his near-fatal duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi. The helmet is the most important part of his suit. The obvious purpose it serves is to help Vader breathe, but it’s far more complex than that.

The helmet is made up of three parts; a protective neck gaiter, the primary mask, and the outer shell. Designed to be intimidating and to strike fear into the opponent, Darth Vader’s helmet is a combination of both Sith tradition and technology, custom-fitted to Darth Vader’s head, and designed to be removed as needed to show his face. The gaiter helps support Vader’s neck, has a nutrient feeding tube, and this is also where his iconic and booming voice is processed and projected. The mask is the most intricate part of the helmet.