Anakin Skywalker was only in his 40s during Return of the Jedi, so does he looks significantly older when he's finally unmasked? Debuting as Darth Vader in 1977's original Star Wars film, the character is one of the most iconic villains in pop culture. So, when his real origin as the father of Luke Skywalker was revealed in the sequel The Empire Strikes Back, audiences were naturally eager to learn more about his story before becoming Emperor Palpatine's right-hand man.
However, the public had to wait for almost two decades before George Lucas and Lucasfilm delved deep into Anakin's backstory in the prequels. But, as part of the Return of the Jedi's arc, the threequel built on the revelation that Darth Vader was once a Jedi who was lured to the Dark Side. After years of serving the Empire and Darth Sidious, his son's unwavering faith in him was what ultimately pushed Vader to the path of redemption. Unfortunately, it came with a price; saving Luke meant sacrificing his own life.
Before they forever said goodbye to each other, however, Luke wanted to see his dad's face without the helmet. From there, Return of the Jedi revealed the mighty Darth Vader was just an old man who was highly dependent on his suit to function. This isn't much of a problem considering how badly injured Anakin was following his duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi on Mustafar in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. The issue is that Vader seems to look so much older than his actual age in Return of the Jedi. For context, the character was born in 41 BBY and died 4ABY, so he was around 45 years old during the movie. The obvious explanation comes down to poor overall planning. While James Earl Jones voiced Darth Vader and David Prowse played the villain in costume, Lucasfilm brought in Sebastian Shaw for the unmasking scene. At this point, the English actor was already 78 years old. Clearly, he was miscast for the role and this highlights how little of the overall story was planned out.
In terms of narrative, Anakin looking old and ravaged under his suit visually emphasized that much of the power Darth Vader exuded was just from his projection. The fallen Jedi was already strong with the Force, so even if he wasn't physically agile anymore due to the wear and tear his body had endured over the years, he was still able to present himself as a daunting presence within the Empire and around the galaxy. Being intimidating also helped him preserve this illusion, as almost no one knew what shape he was in beneath his armor. It was only in Return of the Jedi (at least in the original Star Wars trilogy) he's seen without his helmet, revealing that amidst his frightening aura and strong Force powers, he's not nearly as formidable as he was perceived to be.
Looking back, this age discrepancy is easy to notice, especially since the full backstory of Anakin Skywalker was laid out in the Star Wars prequels. But back when Return of the Jedi was first released, this was an inconsequential detail. Even now, die-hard fans would argue that this doesn't matter. The unmasking of Darth Vader in the film, which marked the first and last time his son saw his father's face, remains one of the most emotional moments in the franchise.
