Was Darth Vader's costume unique in the world of SW?

[drquest]

I felt the end of ROTS, when Vader nearly died and the Emperor had him rebuilt would have been so much better if the suit would have been an early version of what we know as Darth Vader. The Emperor coughed up a suit within a couple of hours and poor Vader spent the next 20-25 years in the same suit. It would have been cooler to use an early McQuarrie design I think.

[Gorn Captain]

Wouldn't a giant Darth Vader mask in the jungle look like the legion of doom headquarters rising out of the swamp on Superfriends? Super cool, I mean?

The way I see, it would be like the skull cave on Kong's island...

[Gorn Captain]

It certainly kept him alive (like an "iron lung" kind of machine), but I'm doubtful that, upon seeing Crispy Anakin, The Emperor instrucked his crew to quickly make a cool mask.
So it seems to be a combination of existing hardware (like a TIE fighter pilot's suit), and a symbolically evil looking face mask (like the Japanese mempo mask).
But was this mask unique, or can we expect other Sith Lords to have one as well?

[GaryPlaysWithDolls]

Wouldn't a giant Darth Vader mask in the jungle look like the legion of doom headquarters rising out of the swamp on Superfriends? Super cool, I mean?

[Nostalgiabuff]

no, Darth Maul had more of a flowing black pants and robe thing going on. the vader suit is designed to keep him alive. it is all pressurized and air tight. without it he cannot survive. it is not just the mask with the breathing apparatus.

[jayraytee]

I always thought the helmet and chest box were his life support and unique. The black outfit to me was always a Sith version of the Jedi Robes, Darth Maul wore sort of similar black stuff under his robe didn't he?

[jwyblejr]

Seen something similar in one of the more recent Star Wars games,can't remember which one.

[rche]

Always thought the helmet was integral to his life support and was unique. The cape,robes, gloves, boots, etc were more along the lines of the 'sith' uniform if there was such a thing.

[Nostalgiabuff]

I believe the suit, was designed to keep him alive, in light of his severe burns and injuries. as to the mask, that is a good question. in the real world it was based on a samurai helmet, but in the mythology of SW, I do not know if that has ever been addressed

[Gorn Captain]

I've always believed Darth Vader's helmet at least is some kind of ancient Sith design meant to inspire fear. I just can't see Palpatine playing the role of fashion designer in coming up with it on his own.

I always imagined some ancient Sith temple in a jungle somewhere being a massive stone structure of Vader's face, with vines growing all over it. How cool would it be for some Jedi to find that?

Hmmmm....I sense a new painting coming out of this.

My Jedi senses tell me you are on to something.
Sort of Indiana Jones meets the Dark Side...

[enyawd72]

I've always believed Darth Vader's helmet at least is some kind of ancient Sith design meant to inspire fear. I just can't see Palpatine playing the role of fashion designer in coming up with it on his own.

I always imagined some ancient Sith temple in a jungle somewhere being a massive stone structure of Vader's face, with vines growing all over it. How cool would it be for some Jedi to find that?

Hmmmm....I sense a new painting coming out of this.

[Gorn Captain]

I was wondering, did the Emperor have a custom suit made for Anakin (taking into account his "toasty" condition), or is this a suit that already existed?

If it already existed (like a TIE fighter pilot suit), could we see more Sith Lords in future movies, with very similar looks?
This may have already been addressed in books and comics, but I'm not up to speed on those.

So could we see Vader-like villains in Eps 7-9?