Darth Vader with Vader. The original design of Darth Vader's costume did not originally include a helmet. The idea that Vader should wear a breathing apparatus was first proposed by concept artist Ralph McQuarrie during preproduction discussions for "Star Wars" with George Lucas in 1975. In an interview with "Star Wars Insider" Magazine, McQuarrie stated that Lucas's artistic direction was to portray a malevolent figure in a cape with Samurai armour. "For Darth Vader, George [Lucas] just said he would like to have a very tall, dark fluttering figure that had a spooky feeling like it came in on the wind." McQuarrie
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace Lucas decided the movies would work best as a trilogy. In the final act of the trilogy's final episode, "Return of the Jedi", Vader is ultimately redeemed through an act of sacrifice for Luke. This was in 1983, more than six years since the release of "Star Wars". Lucas admitted to being "burned out" and announced he would take a break from working on the saga. Throughout the 1980s, George Lucas remarked he had no desire to return to "Star Wars" and had unofficially canceled his sequel trilogy by the time of "Return of the Jedi". Because Lucas had developed