Darth Vader's New Look (Rebels)

Why did Dave Filoni change Vader's mask for his depiction in Star Wars Rebels? Why is Darth Vader perpetually scowling? IMO, it makes him a parody of his true self ---- a caricature and far less intimidating than his original look. It's decisions like these that make it hard for me to get onboard the Filoni train and appreciate Rebels as canon.

Compare this:



With this:

 

I would but I can't see the first image.

 

You know, this could always be discussed in the other dedicated Darth Vader thread for Rebels.

 

This (new image --- right hand side):


with this:



or this:

That thread seems focused on Darth as a character in teh Rebels storyline ---- this is a thread dedicated to his new look --- the artistic choices made for his depiction in the show. Merge it with the main thread if need be, but it felt like a separate topic for discussion.

 

I prefer the film shot for sure. Likewise the red eye holes in Rebels are silly. Red and black do not equal 'evilness' people.

 

The key with the new look is in the brow ---- the brow of the mask is much more pointed for the Rebels Vader vs all other canon Vader masks. It is like they decided to go with the earliest Ralph McQuarrie take on Vader, which was scrapped for a more neutral mask facial feature expression:





vs




It's a creative decision I can't stand behind and find very distracting. Don't mess with Vader's iconic look. Leave that for things like the Star Wars comic series that was based on the original Lucas story of Starkiller and used the old Ralph McQuarrie concept art.

 

I don't really see it as it being a new look. It's just what the animation style looks like. Tartakovsky's Clone Wars was pretty stylized as well. It would be another story if they changed it for a live action movie. In any case I don't really mind.

I'd suggest uploading pictures to imgur before posting them here. That way you can be sure they're displayed properly and they'll also give you convenient thumbnail options so you won't have to post several big pictures.

 

Think it's more the cartoony, exaggerated style in general more than a specific-to-Vader design choice to be honest. This is also a Vader who is in full 'kill everyone, eternal rage' mode rather than the more conflicted tragic Vader he later became and whilst he obviously cannot physically emote via a mask/helmet it serves to display his mood. Granted that it's a pretty out-there design and not for everyone, but I am digging it.

 

I like the new look, but its not explained well since his outfit matches neither his ROTS costume(which was an upgrade from the ones in OT) or the one he wore in ANH. Filoni I think explains it that Vader has different sets of outfits, pretty much like Grievous had endless spare parts, or Kroenen from Hellboy has different masks/helmets. Maybe Vader by the end of this series gets his armor replaced from taking damage.

 

While I think Filoni is just making it up as he goes to try to explain away his erratic/inconsistent decisions and art styles, I do hope that your last sentence occurs in Rebels. It is the only saving grace for this art choice, and I personally wouldn't mind the decision nearly as much if this ends up being the excuse. It would be a clever way to include McQuarrie's original art design while still staying true to the OT and PT Vader looks. Here's to hoping that Ahsoka is responsible for this change of wardrobe in the Season 2 finale.

 

I know I've seen a lot of people going "Awesome! McQuarrie Vader!", but I just can't get behind it. It just looks so cartoonish and silly. I would have much preferred the classic helmet.

 

Regards to Vader having different outfits, I forget who pointed it out here on the forum but they did note that Vader's outfit changed slightly even between movies in the OT.

 

This thread will probably get a lock, anywayz,

I think they did a great job on his look and I hope we could see much of darth vader's movement while saber fighting.

 

Wow, there's just no pleasing you, is there?

 

??????

 

People can have there own likes and dislikes

I don't like Ashoka

 

I love the new Vader look. It's just stylized for the cartoon, and it's extra fun because it takes inspiration from old concepts.

If they wanted to change how his mask actually looked in the films then I'd be upset about the change, but I've no problem with it if they want to stylize him in animation. He looks angry and scary, it's a good look.

 

I don't like lots of the looks they have been doing in Rebels. Overall, I prefer The Clone Wars styles a lot more. Vader looks silly in this. At first, when I saw his red eyes, I was like "wait, did he always have those and I just never realized it?" I mean, it looks okay, but it's just not... Vader-ish. Sure, it's a "kid's show", but if they want to match The Clone Wars and potentially do even better, recognizable-by-teens-and-adults mature themes would help. I don't see how this look of Vader can have a mature theme... y'know?

 

Darth saxman whats with your obssession with Filoni being the cause of everything you don't like?"I don't like it so filoni did it!"

 

I don't like the Rebels Vader look as much as the film Vader helmet. I like that with the film helmet I could never get a read on Vader. With the Rebels helmet, he always looks angry.

 

He's is supposed to be angry, and he feeds off it for strength and Force power anyway. ESB and ROTS he had better helmets. ROTS was designed better. The only thing I dont like about Rebels Vader is that he looks like a pin head underneath and he's too skinny.

 

It's terrible. Just terrible.

I mean, look at what they did to the guy:







Nah, but truth be told, I am on record as not being a big, big fan of Vader's look in the Season 1 finale.

Why's that?

I'm with those who feel he just looked too skinny; his head too small.


That's one issue. But like most of us, the first thing to stand out to me was that helmet.


I get why they did what they did. One, it's a stylized look. But more, the show is, from the ground up, based on the look of Ralph McQuarrie's designs.

And though I truly love the McQuarrie influence in the show (I think it was a terrific decision), the character of Darth Vader is so gosh-darned ingrained in our collective consciousness, that anything which veers quite so much from what we're used to seeing in the films (beyond just the more subtle differences between each iteration of the armor) is likely to jar at first.

And given the choice, I think that I probably would have genuinely appreciated something more true to the design seen in the films.

I almost even think that if they'd just stretch the image a little wider (and yes, maybe make the eye lenses a darker red), that it might look a lot better:


But you know what?

By this time next year, we'll all have likely seen enough of Vader in Rebels to grow so accustomed to the change that we won't even think twice about it.

 

I don't like Vader's "new" look. It just looks wrong. They should have tried to make him look more like he does in the films.

 

I liked Vader's look in the older Dark Horse Infinites Empire Strikes Back.

 

I prefer the Ralph McQuarrie old design.

Makes Vader more creepy.