See The Stunning Darth Vader Star Wars Art If He Had Lived After Return Of The Jedi
Have you ever wondered what Darth Vader would have looked like if he survived Star Wars: Episode VI—Return of the Jedi? What if Anakin had revoked the dark side, shed his black armor, and returned to his Jedi roots? Instagram artist Eamonn McCormick wondered the same thing and came up with a stunning visual representation for a post-Episode VI Anakin, which you can see below.
McCormick drew Anakin Skywalker clad in traditional brown Jedi robes. The digital painting, which McCormick started en route on a plane, looks strikingly like the iconic English actor Sebastian Shaw who played Darth Vader for the brief moment at the end of Star Wars: Episode VI when the Dark Lord of the Sith was unmasked.
Presenting an entirely innovative perspective, McCormick’s artwork envisions a redeemed Darth Vader unlike anything presented in the Star Wars universe before.
The old and wrinkled Anakin stands tall with his robotic hands folded in front of him. His eyes are filled with sadness and regret and seem to hold a wisdom one can only acquire after living through many years. He still wears the Darth Vader chest piece that keeps him alive after his near-death encounter with Obi-Wan on the fiery planet of Mustafar in Star Wars: Episode III—Revenge of the Sith.
“For the record, I think Anakin’s ending is pretty perfect as is,” McCormick said in the caption of his post. He continued to explain that, even though he drew an alternate timeline where Darth Vader didn’t die in Star Wars, he couldn’t think of any reason that would make sense on why Vader should stick around—though he could imagine the type of character the dark lord would become.
“You either die a hero or live long enough to see Kathleen Kenedy make you a villain,” one of McCormick’s followers commented on the post, referring to the president of Lucasfilm, who has been in charge of Star Wars content since 2012.
The digital painting looks strikingly like the iconic English actor Sebastian Shaw who played Darth Vader for the brief moment at the end of Star Wars: Episode VI.
Evidently, just like McCormick, the commenter is also glad Darth Vader didn’t stick around long enough to become involved in the more recent Star Wars films, as it may not have provided as satisfying an ending for the character.
Presenting an entirely innovative perspective, McCormick’s artwork envisions a redeemed Darth Vader unlike anything presented in the Star Wars universe before. Fusing elements of cybernetics with the grace of Jedi robes, this portrayal showcases Anakin’s continued reliance on technology for his existence while also allowing his skin to feel the touch of the natural world.
“You either die a hero or live long enough to see Kathleen Kenedy make you a villain.”
A comment from Eamonn McCormick’s post
In an alternate reality where Anakin Skywalker survives and returns to the light, it would make sense for him to shed Darth Vader’s armor, though he would never be able to completely rid himself of the classic Star Wars look.
Which is why McCormick showcased Vader’s ominous helmet and apparatus. These elements of Vader’s iconic look continue to cast a haunting shadow across the galaxy and remain a reminder of the atrocities the once-dark lord had been a part of.
McCormick’s exploration of what life after Sith would have looked like for Anakin is a fascinating character study of what might have been. McCormick captures the complexity of Darth Vader’s character in a single Star Wars fan art image, using his eyes to tell the harrowing story of Anakin’s life.
