Costuming:SL rotj vader

Darth Vader: ROTJ

Model SL-38421, Photo by August O’Meara

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	Description: Darth Vader: ROTJ Prefix: SL Detachment: Sith Lord Detachment Context: Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi See also: ROTS Vader, ANH Vader, ESB Vader

For 501st membership, only the requirements in black need to be met. The Sith Lord Detachment defines additional, optional levels of costuming excellence. In the page below, items listed under “For level two certification” are recommended features that will greatly improve the quality of the costume. These items are not required for 501st membership, but are highly recommended. Items listed under “For level three certification” are some of the highest level accuracy features for those who strive to be screen accurate. Please visit the SLD site for more specific details.

Please note: Visit the Frequently asked questions page for information on the Rubies Supreme Vader costume. All uses of the term silver in this document imply a machined aluminum look. Weathered or used aspects referred to in text, may not necessarily be depicted in photos. Click pictures to enlarge and view details; the text only highlights the key aspects of each component.

This Visual Guide has been reviewed by the detachment staff and the LMO team and is certified for use as a minimum approval guideline for GMLs. GMLs are free to approve this costume type. This document is not intended to be a detailed how-to on costume construction; rather a visual guide to be used for 501st costume approval. Details on construction may be found on the respective costume detachment web forum. GMLs uncertain about an aspect of submitted costume shall post questions in the appropriate DL/GML peer review section of the Legion forum. Measurements given in this document are intended to be approximate and generalized; not criteria for approval. Requirements for all 501st costumes are proportional to the wearer in scale, fit and size. Text descriptions are only one part of the guideline. GMLs and costumers must consider both text and pictures (CRL and Reference) when reviewing the costume.

Required Costume Components

The following costume components are present and appear as described below.

	Dome The dome is gloss black. There is neither an indentation nor a sharp point in the front center of the dome brow between the eyes of the mask.
	OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): The black paint used on the dome should match that used on the face mask and the chest armor. The brow of the dome should sit above the brows of the mask, but still contouring to them and allowing them to be revealed. The distance between the brows should not exceed one half of an inch (½").
	OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): When viewed from the side, the bottom of the dome should slope downward to the back in order to hide the back edge of the face mask neck. The center ridge (“mohawk”) should be rounded off and not as prominent as the ridge on the ANH or ESB dome. When the wearer looks up such that the lower tubes on the sides of the mask are horizontal, the very back of the dome should almost be touching or flush with the cape.

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	Face Mask The face mask is painted in an alternating pattern of gloss black and gloss gunmetal/grey. The inset of the nose should be silver. The face mask is asymmetrical. The lenses are slightly bubbled and tinted amber/dark grey (eyes are not visible behind lenses). The lower mouth vent is triangular with rounded corners, and is roughly the size of the upper mouth vent. Large, silver, diamond-shaped mesh is inset in both vents; additional black screen backing may be used to conceal the wearer’s face further. The tusks are metal-looking, silver, and have pointed (conical) tips. There is not a substantial gap between the neck of the face mask and the top of the chest armor. The neck of the face mask should hover over the neck, or just below the neck and above the cape hook, of the chest armor. No skin is visible from any angle (under or through the mask). Allowed (but not recommended): The tusks may have rounded (hemispherical) tips.
	OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): The lenses should be tinted amber with NO reddish hue. The black and grey paints used on the face mask should match that used on the dome and the chest armor. All features of the face mask (corners, edges, etc.) should have a sharp, crisp, and non-rounded look to them besides the tubes. No neck brace should be worn with the face mask.
	OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): The eye sockets (areas bordering the lenses) should be painted black exception the bridge of the nose. On the wearer’s right, the grey section of paint directly above the cheek should come to a sharp point on the side of the nose. The small lower section of each cheek is painted black,.to contrast the cheek on the wearer’s left, and to match the cheek on the wearer’s right. The wearer’s right side of the mask is higher than the left side (asymmetrical). The neck of the face mask should hover above the top edge of the neck of the armor, nearly an inch above the cape hook, and allow the cape chain to show fully when the wearer looks straight ahead.

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Balaclava A balaclava is a black head sock/hood that is worn under the helmet and is used primarily to hide the following features: the wearer's mouth which could be seen through the mouth and chin vents, the wearer's neck which could be seen under and around the neck of the mask (especially during movement of the head), and the back of the wearer's neck/head which could be seen from the back at a low angle underneath the dome. While the balaclava is labeled as "required" merely because it is the simplest way to ensure that none of the features listed above are visible when the wearer is in full costume as well as to keep the wearer's head cool, any other items or methods that achieve the same result may be used instead of an actual balaclava.

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	Cape The cape is made of black wool (or wool equivalent) and lined with black satin. The cape should be between 200 and 220 degrees when laid out flat. On the wearer, the cape should be open from armor corner, around back, to the other armor corner. It is not open like ROTS and not closed like Rogue One. The cape is floor length. The cape collar is black leather (or leather-like material), and is one and one quarter inches (1–¼") to one and one half inches (1–½") in width. The cape is held closed with a plastic rectangular/oblong linked (Aglok) black, or dark grey chain, which is attached to the underside of the collar. The cape collar is worn such that it is not pulled under the mask thus allowing the cape chain to show. The cape chain is positioned so that there is an equal length of chain on either side of the cape hook. Most use 7 links as this keeps the cape balanced when in costume. The chain hooks attaching the chain to the cape at the collar may be seen in full costume.
	OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): The cape should be made of wool and the cape collar should be made of leather. The cape chain should be fastened in the vertical middle to the underside of the collar, and not at the very end of the collar. The edges of the cape should drape over the front corners of the chest armor, thus hiding the shoulder bells while the wearer’s arms are at their sides; the edges should not drape so far inward that they overlap onto the outermost black raised sections.
	OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): The outside of the cape should be constructed in either three, four or six panels (sections of wool). The chain should be hooked through the 5th chain link from the wearer’s right with 8 chain links showing. The cape chain should contour to the curve of the neck opening of the chest armor.

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	Chest Armor The chest armor is painted in an alternating pattern of gloss black and gloss gunmetal/grey. The centermost raised section is grey, and all other raised sections are black. There is a cape hook on the center stripe, with the hole one inch (1") down from the top of the neck. The cape hook is painted is painted the same color gunmetal/grey as the center stripe. The cape hook is approximately one inch (1") long and sits above the armor approximately one quarter inch (¼") to allow the link of the chain to hook onto it.
	OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): The shoulder bells are entirely black, and each are attached to the chest armor by hinges or are fixed to the armor to simulate hinged bells. The bells should never sink under the armor, or “hang” like ANH and some ESB. The bells should be aligned in the front with the corners of the armor. The black and grey paints used on the chest armor should match that used on the dome and the face mask. The color of gunmetal/grey used to paint the cape hook should be the same as the gunmetal/grey used on the armor. The armor should be fitted with padding if necessary to ensure 1) the bottom of the armor does not rise up substantially off the chest, 2) the back of the chest armor does not stick out substantially through the cape, 3) that the side of the chest armor and the top of the shoulder bells are almost flush. Additional Note: During filming, the paint used on the cape hook started to wear off due to the rubbing of cape chain. Depending on the scene, the cape hook ranges anywhere from being completely painted gunmetal/grey to only the lower half being painted gunmetal/grey, exposing the bronze/brass color of the cape hook at the top. As such, a completely bronze/brass unpainted cape hook does not appear anywhere on screen and has therefore been removed from the basic standard.

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	Inner Robe The inner robe is made of the same material as the outside of the cape (wool or wool equivalent). It is ankle length, and worn over the codpiece, but under the chest armor and belt, and the edges of the robe are a few inches away from the chestbox. The edges of the robe line up with the black stripe on the chest armor at the top, and the inside edge of the belt boxes (toward the buckle) at the belt. There are at least three pleats/darts on each side of the inner robe that run perpendicular to the belt. These pleats/darts can run 1) from the belt to mid-chestbox level, which causes the material above to have three folds and continue up to or under the chest armor, or 2) from the belt to under the chest armor (shown in picture). The darts/pleats are sewn from the belt to mid-chest box height; approximately four inches (4"). The pleats/darts are folded over toward the chest box and pressed down. The folded over dart/pleat should run from the belt to under the chest armor. The darts/pleats can be sewn down to give the tight pleated look, or they can be left open above the sewn dart line and folded over without sewing them down and allowed to open to be more accurate. Allowed: The side seams may be open from the belt down if the robe isn’t full enough to properly drape in the front.
	OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): The pleats/darts should start approximately one inch from the opening edge of the inner robe, and be spaced one inch apart from each other. The arm opening should be large enough for the body suit to be seen under the arm.
	OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): The inner robe should be secured firmly by the belt so that the area between the belt and chest armor stays close to the wearer and is pulled taut. The opening of the inner robe should gradually get larger as it approaches the chest armor. The edges of the robe should not be completely vertical from the belt to the chest armor. The edges of the robe should intersect the chest armor on the black stripes and intersect the belt boxes between the inside edge and the middle of the belt box.

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	Chestbox The chest box is square, satin or gloss black, and worn approximately one inch (1") below the chest armor. The black leather (or leather-like material) one inch (1") wide straps are worn over the bodysuit, but under the chest armor and inner robe, and attach to the top and sides of the chest box as shown. The face of the chestbox consists of: Two metal-looking silver rods on each side that are machined as shown, and each are bracketed at the top and bottom. The brackets at the top are black and each have an upside down “U” shaped cutout on the lower inner half of the bracket. The brackets at the bottom are bronze in appearance and bear a finned design. Three vertically stacked metal-looking silver coin slots on the wearer’s right. These coin slots blink red, and the top surface surrounding the lit portion of each coin slot is painted black. The outward-facing base of the coin slots are also painted black. A blue colored panel (upper) and a red colored panel (lower) are on the wearer’s left, and each are mounted in a raised black area slightly larger than the panels themselves. These panels are unlit. Along the bottom are four rocker switches which are mounted in a raised black section at their base and are, from wearer’s right to left, three white and one red. Small metal-looking silver switches are between each rocker, except the center rockers, and between the colored red and blue panels (three total switches). Exotic (not Aurebesh) text appears below each of the coin slots. Allowed (but not recommended): The blue and red colored panels may be lit for basic approval.
	OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): In terms of width, the chestbox should extend just past the center-most black sections of the chest armor. The straps should be made of leather. The coin slots should not blink too rapidly (strobe) nor stay lit for more than a couple of seconds. Only the two metal-looking silver switches between the rockers should resemble one another. All switches should have more of a chrome appearance as opposed to a machined aluminum appearance.
	OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): The straps should not look brand new. The flat surface that all of the accessories are mounted should be smaller than ANH/ESB. The chest box itself should be approximately six and a half inches (6.5") square. The curvature of the box edges is very close to quarter round wood trim and is a more sever curve than ANH/ESB. The black brackets should mirror image one another and should have “pins” protruding downward. The bronze brackets at the base of the silver rods are identical and have raised protrusions toward the top of the chest box on the wearer’s right. The center of each coin slot should have square corners, and contains a semi-translucent red material that is raised and not flush with the face of the coin slot.

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	Bodysuit The body suit is made of black leather (or leather-like material), fitted to the wearer, and quilted in lines spaced about one inch apart down the torso, arms, and legs. A one-, two-, or three-piece suit is acceptable. An open mesh back is also acceptable for comfort and heat dispersal. Additional Note: The body suit in the film was constructed in three pieces: A top with only the sleeves quilted, a vest, and pants.
	OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): The body suit should be made of leather. It should have a wrinkled/worn appearance.
	OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): The vest front of the bodysuit should have the look of being made from four quilted parts with the seams in the correct places. There should be a middle seam, and two other seams that are five quilted lines left and right from the middle seam. Approximately four inches (4”) below the armor one of the seams deviates and is sewn on the face of the sixth quilted line until it disappears under the armor. This creates the look of the fractional quilted line looking like the letter “V”. The left and right seams should meet the bottom of the chest armor on the inside edges of the raised black stripes on the chest armor on both sides.

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	Gloves The gloves are black leather (or leather-like material) and mid-forearm length. The upper surface has sewn lines spaced approximately one inch (1") apart which run parallel to the arm and start just behind the knuckles towards the fingers. The palm side has no sewn lines. Additional View 1, Additional View 2.
	OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): The gloves should be made of leather (more specifically, it should match the leather of the body suit). The gloves should flare out at the end opening on the outside (little finger side), but not on the inside (thumb side). There should be six rectangular sections created by the sewn lines on the upper surface; they are not of uniform width (the outer sections are smaller than the middle sections).
	OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): The sewn lines should be very finely stitched, and the upper surface should be padded minimally, if at all. The sewn lines in the flared section are stitched as a "V" turning the sixth (outermost) section into a "Y". The stitching on the gloves, with the exception of the sewn lines on the top of the glove, should be external. The top and bottom of the glove in the flared section should not be directly sewn together; an intermediate triangular section should adjoin them starting at the wrist bone. It should be approximately two inches (2") in width at the end opening of the glove. The seams on the fingers should be whip stitched.

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	Belt The belt is made of black leather (or leather-like material) and is slightly smaller than two inches in width. To the wearer’s left of the buckle, there is a Line 24 snap, often referred to as a “rivet”, “stud”, “post screw”, or “Chicago screw”. The Line 24 snap is one half inch (½") in size. The Line 24 snap is located on the horizontal centerline of the belt and the Line 24 snap should be nearly touching the wearer’s left side of the belt buckle. The gap between the Line 24 snap and the belt buckle should be minimal. The lightsaber hook is metal or metal-looking, and is painted black. It is mounted on the front side of the belt by two small rivets or screws. The top edge of the hook is located about three quarters of an inch (¾") above the bottom edge of the belt. The lightsaber hook is located on the wearer’s left hip. Allowed (but not recommended): An inside mounted ANH/ESB silver lightsaber hook will be allowed but it is not encouraged for ROTJ Vader.
	OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): The buckle is slightly smaller than the belt boxes in terms of height. The base layer of the buckle is black and rectangular. The second layer is silver and in the shape of a horizontally elongated “D.” There are five progressively smaller rectangular cutouts. The smallest cutout is a square. These cutouts are in a triangular formation on the wearer’s right. These cutouts can also be stuck on rectangular black stickers as per the original prop. The top layer of the buckle consists of a silver circle located on the center of the arc of the “D.” The belt should be worn where the bottom edge of the belt rides along the top edge of the codpiece. The silver circle of the belt buckle should align vertically with the inset on the codpiece when worn. Allowed: The cutouts on the second layer of the buckle may have rounded edges for basic approval.

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	Belt Boxes The belt boxes are black and centered vertically on the belt. The wearer’s right belt box is nearly two inches (2") from the edge of the buckle. The wearer’s left box is nearly two inches (2") away from the Line 24 snap. The belt boxes mirror one another. If removeable, the back side of each box meets flush with the rest of the box. Each belt box has, from the edge closest to the buckle: Two opaque green rectangular light panels bordered by a small black slanted bezel. These green light panels are set above a half-strip of braid-reinforced transparent hose inset in a rectangular cut out. A cylindrical opaque red light set in a very small chrome bezel. Six silver posts with smooth, not knurled, sides in two vertical columns of three. All lights are constantly lit. Allowed (but not recommended): The red light may be a small domed opaque light and it may also be set in very noticeable chrome bezel. The red light may also not contain any bezel at the base. The six silver posts may have knurled sides.
	OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): The belt box is “tapered”: the back face should be larger than the front face. The slots in the rear of the box for the belt should be taller than the belt itself. (Same boxes as ESB, but the belt is smaller than the ESB belt). Additional Notes: The belt boxes in the film were metal. Depending on the scene in the film, the belt boxes range from being clean/new to to slightly weathered. The chrome bezel is very thin and extends approximately one-eighth to one-quarter the height of the red light, and therefore is not very noticeable when the red light is lit, giving the illusion that it is not there.

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	Lightsaber The lightsaber should be a Master Replicas or custom build based on the MPP Microflash or the Heiland Synchronar 3-Cell flash handle to match the hilt used in ESB/ROTJ. The ROTJ Stunt Saber may also be used with this costume for approval. The metal has a chrome appearance. The grips extend all the way to the middle section. A lever is not present on the box on the middle section. The side bars of the box on the middle section are black. There are connecting wires towards the top of the lightsaber. The lightsaber should only be required as long as it’s in compliance with the applicant’s local laws.
	OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): The lightsaber should be capable of being belt worn with the emitter facing upwards (detachable blade or no blade). The lightsaber should be a 1:1 scale of the lightsaber used in the film. Additional note: The lightsaber in the film was slightly weathered.

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	Codpiece The codpiece is a padded-construction and faced in black leather (or leather-like material). It is worn over the bodysuit, directly below the belt, and under the inner robe. It covers the front of the groin area and extends to the hips. In its center, there is a slight rectangular inset with rounded corners that is edged with rolled piping.
	OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): The codpiece should be made of leather, have a wrinkled/worn appearance, and not be thicker than one inch. A piece of leather, or leather-like material, should seemingly emerge from the backside at mid-height and gradually become more noticeable as it becomes a "lip" connected to the bottom front of the codpiece.
	OPTIONAL Level three certification (if applicable): The inset is countersunk a bit from the face. In other words, it isn’t flush with the face of the cod. The piping around the inset starts roughly 1/2 of the way up from the bottom of the inset on the wearer’s left and ends there also. The piping overlaps itself at that location.

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	Shin Guards The shin guards are gloss black. Each shin guard covers the leg from the ankle to the knee, and at least one half of the leg when viewed from the side. The knee is shaped like a cut diamond. Below the knee are six small square protrusions in a horizontal line (three on each side). On both sides of the raised area along the center, a long "U" shaped cutout starts at mid-armor height, and gradually increases in depth. The shin guards are attached by two straps that go around the boot. The shin guards should be pushed down to the top of the boot when worn correctly.
	OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): Both shin guards should slightly contour to each leg (right and left specific shin guards). The right shin guard is taller than the left. On both shin guards, the “U” shaped cutout on the wearer's left is longer.

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	Boots The boots are made of black leather (or leather-like material) with a satin shine and are lace-less. A gloss shine is also acceptable. They come to just below knee height, have a rounded toe, and a smooth textured appearance. Not a pebbled leather appearance. There is no noticeable zipper in full costume. A zipper in the back of the boot, or completely covered by the shin, is allowable if it cannot be seen in full suitup. The sole of the front does not exceed one inch (1") in thickness and the heel does not exceed two inches (2") in thickness. An aggressive, heavy tread or lug sole is not approvable. The sole should be "flat" when viewed from the side. Note: The strap/buckle at the top is not required; this area is covered in full costume and may or may not be there based on the style of boot.
	OPTIONAL Level two certification (if applicable): The boots should be made of leather. The sole should not exceed one and one-half inches (1-1/2") in the heel or three-quarter of an inch (3/4") in the front. Internal lifts (if used) should not be noticeable.

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• This CRL is available as a PDF

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