Did you know it would cost $18.3 million to make a replica Darth Vader suit?
Well, unless you have a cool $18.3 million lying around. The folks at Shade Station compiled the cost of Vader's suit, the majority of which goes to the $12 million base suit, as it would need to have NASA-like properties for the villain to withstand long-term exposure in space.
Most valuable Star Wars memorabilia: original Darth Vader helmet sells for more than $1 million. A Darth Vader helmet used in the filming of the original Star Wars trilogy has sold for more than $1million (£870,000), topping a list of the films' most expensive memorabilia.
The screen-worn helmet was expected to fetch $250,000 – $450,000, but soared to a final price of $1,152,000 (Including buyer's premium). The auction also included a set of Darth Vader's formidable shoulder armour, also worn by Prowse on-screen in the film, which sold for $76,800.
Original 'Empire Strikes Back' Darth Vader Costume Goes To Auction In LA
Who broke Vader's helmet first?
On Malachor, Ahsoka Tano damaged Vader's helmet and thereby learned the truth of her former mentor, Anakin Skywalker. Three years prior to the Battle of Yavin, Vader engaged in a duel against his former apprentice, Ahsoka Tano, inside the Malachor Sith temple.
The suit was finally irreparably broken in 4 ABY, when Vader absorbed Darth Sidious' powerful Force lightning in his face aboard the second Death Star to save his son, Luke Skywalker, from certain death. After Vader's death, Luke ceremonially cremated his father along with the armor on the forest moon of Endor.
The costume itself is owned by Bryce "Kermit" Eller, who landed a gig in 1977 making personal appearances as Darth Vader all over the country, from film premieres to book signings and even the 1978 Academy Awards. "Sometimes it was just going to a hospital and visiting sick kids," Eller said.
David Charles Prowse MBE (1 July 1935 – 28 November 2020) was an English actor, bodybuilder, strongman and weightlifter. He portrayed Darth Vader (voiced by American actor James Earl Jones) in the original Star Wars trilogy and a manservant in Stanley Kubrick's 1971 film A Clockwork Orange.
Sadly, Darth Vader is no longer available to Fortnite players, as he was an exclusive Page 10 reward for the Chapter 3 Season 3 Battle Pass between June 5, 2022, and September 17, 2022.
Darth Vader's suit was destroyed by Emperor Palpatine after Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back. Vader had to rebuild his suit with outdated droid parts that amounted to little more than junk.
Even without delving into material beyond the movies, discrepancies in suit design between Episode III and Episode VI reveal that there are at least four different Darth Vader suits on screen alone. As a result, it's clear that Vader had more than one suit over his various Star Wars appearances.
Star Wars LEGO sets are expensive due to licensing costs and the use of unique designs and molds. Rising prices in recent years have been attributed by LEGO to various global supply chain issues.
Darth Vader weighed 120kg (264 lbs), and most of that weight is because of the armor's steel and obsidian components. This means Darth Vader is unable to move at all at speed, and he needs the assistance of cybernetics.
His signature heavy breathing is the result of injuries sustained in his near-death battle with Obi-Wan, and one of the most recognizable sounds in the trilogy. Darth Vader, portrayed by David Prowse in Star Wars, is 6 foot 8 inches (2.03 m) tall.
During the battle, Anakin, who had been known as the Sith Lord Darth Vader, was redeemed by Luke and brought balance to the Force. However, the redemption cost Anakin his life, having been mortally wounded by the Emperor, Darth Sidious, while killing his former Master.
Why did James Earl Jones not wear the Darth Vader suit?
But when it came to creating a character, Jones gives all the credit to Prowse. For one, Prowse had to wear the mask and suit and provide all of the character's body language, something Jones would not have wanted to do. Prowse made the character physically intimidating, even while the actor's face was obscured.
The Star Wars timeline revolves around the Battle of Yavin, which serves as a reference point for the events and origins of all characters. Darth Vader spent half of his life as Anakin Skywalker before turning to the Dark Side and dying in Return of the Jedi at the age of 45.
It turns out it'd cost $18.3 million to make a Darth Vader suit, which is a pretty shocking figure. Most of that comes from the base suit, because withstanding exposure to space isn't cheap. Much like an astronaut, Vader would have to be prepared for non-earthly conditions. Another high cost: prosthetic limbs.
Vader's suit is unbearably itchy. He also has needles stuck in him all the time. The Dark Lord has claustrophobia due to his suit. The iconic "I am your father" line was initially kept secret, even from the actors.
The Skywalker lightsaber eventually fell into the possession of Maz Kanata, a friend of the Skywalker family who kept the Jedi weapon hidden in her castle on Takodana during the New Republic Era.
This served to do 2 things. One, it kept Vader in a constant state of pain, which fueled his anger and made him stronger, and 2 it served as a persistent reminder of his failure.
