Description: Darth Vader: ROTS
Prefix: SL
Detachment: Sith Lord Detachment
Context: Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

See also: ANH Vader, ESB Vader, ROTJ Vader

The 501st approval requirements are listed in black.

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. These items are also not required for 501st membership.

Also note that these two additional "certification levels" DO NOT correspond to the Advanced Standards program of the Sith Lord Detachment, and you are encouraged to visit the Sith Lord Detachment Forum for more information.

For 501st membership, only the requirements in black need to be met.

• 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 CRL is a work in progress. This costume may be approved by GMLs, but additional research should be done until the CRL is complete.
• If you have this costume and would like to assist with this CRL, please contact your detachment leader!
• Please note that the use of the word "should" below does not indicate that a requirement is optional. All instances of should will be replaced with must as this guide is completed.

The following costume components must be present and appear as described below for approval .

• The dome is gloss black and symmetrical.
• There is neither an indentation nor a sharp point in the front center of the dome brow between the eyes of the mask.
  

• 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, and allows them to be fully revealed. The brow of the dome does not contour to the brows of the mask towards the outer edges.

• When viewed from the side, the bottom of the dome should slope downward to the back and extend to the middle of the back edge of the face mask neck.
• The center ridge should be prominent from the rest of the dome and not rounded off.
• When the wearer looks up such that the neck of the mask is touching the chest armor, the very back of the dome should almost be within two inches of the cape.

• The face mask is gloss black and symmetrical.
• The lenses are flat (not bubbled) and tinted 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, black, diamond-shaped mesh is inset in both vents; additional black screen backing is used to conceal the wearer’s face further.
• The tusks are metal, silver, and have pointed (conical) tips.
• The neck of the face mask extends under the chest armor and curves at the base to rest along the base of the wearer's neck.
• No skin is visible from any angle (under or through the mask).
• Allowed (but not recommended): The tusks may have rounded (hemispherical) tips.
  

• The black paint 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.
• No neck brace should be worn with the face mask.
• Even though the dome only extends to mid neck length in the back, the back edge of the neck should still not be visible because it should be under the chest armor.

• The cape is made of black wool (or wool equivalent), one-half circle, floor length, and lined with black satin.
• The cape collar is the same material as the cape, and is two inches in width.
• A cape chain is visibly hanging from each end of the cape collar (note: the chain itself has no functionality and does not keep the cape in place).
• The cape chain is gloss black and metal with rectangular links about one-half inch in length, and is attached to the underside of the collar.
• There is no visible cape or cape chain attachment device visible when in full costume.
  

• The cape and collar should be made of wool crepe.
• The cape collar should not be visible in full costume when viewing the wearer from behind.
• The cape should be held in place by two hooks located on the underside of the ends of the collar (in line with the chain).
• The hooks should fit into slots on the chest armor near the neck.
• The cape chain should be attached near the top edge of the underside of the collar.
• The edges of the cape should drape over the shoulder bells, thus allowing them to be visible.

• The cape should be constructed in four to six panels (sections of wool).
• There should be 12 to 15 links of the cape chain showing.
• The cape chain should contour to the curve of the neck opening of the chest armor.

• The chest armor is painted in an alternating pattern of gloss black and gloss gunmetal/dark grey.
• The centermost raised section is grey, and all other raised sections are black.
• The shoulder bells are grey with black raised sections, and are each fixed to the chest armor via hinges or equivalent.
• The shoulder bells attach such that they appear as part of the armor (their shape contours to the shape of the rest of the chest armor).
• The neck of the mask sits under the chest armor.
  

• The black paint used on the chest armor should match that used on the dome and the face mask.
• Two slots should be present on either side of the neck (on the black raised section) where the cape ends so that the cape hooks can secure the cape in place.
• 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, and 2) the back of the chest armor does not stick out substantially through the cape.

• The very bottom of the chest armor differs from the Original Trilogy versions. The section starting at and between the two center-most raised black sections should be horizontal and not be a continuation of the bottom edge. Likewise, the sections to the outside of both outer-most raised black sections should level off.

• The inner robe is made of the same material as the outside of the cape.
• It is ankle length, and worn over the codpiece, but under the chest armor and belt, and the front sides are approximately three inches away from the chestbox.
• The side seams are sewn from the belt down.
• There are three pleats/darts on each side of the inner robe that run perpendicular to the belt. These pleats run from the belt to mid-chestbox level.
  

• The pleats/darts should start approximately two to three inches from the front edge of the inner robe, and be spaced one inch apart from each other.
• The arm opening should extend almost all the way to the belt.

• 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 should not be completely vertical from the belt to under the chest armor).

• The chestbox is square, satin black, and worn right below the chest armor.
• There are no visible straps since the chestbox is fixed directly to the bodysuit.
• The face of the chestbox consists of:
  • Two metal silver rods on each side that are machined as shown.
  • Three vertically stacked metal silver coin slots on the wearer's right. These coin slots blink red.
  • A green 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 constantly lit.
  • Along the bottom are four rocker switches which are mounted individually and are, from wearer's right to left, red and three grey. The red rocker switch is constantly lit.
  • There are no small metal silver switches or any text anywhere on the chestbox.
    

• In terms of width, the chestbox should extend just past the center-most black sections of the chest armor.
• The coin slots should not blink too rapidly (strobe) nor stay lit for more than a couple of seconds.

• The center of each coin slot should have square corners, and contains a semi-translucent red material.

• The body suit is made of black leather (or leather-like material), fitted to the wearer, and quilted in lines spaced 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.
  

• The body suit should be made of leather.
• It should have an unused/non-wrinkled appearance.

• The body suit should be one piece.

• The gloves are black leather (or leather-like material) and mid-forearm length.
• The upper surface is quilted in lines spaced approximately one inch apart which run parallel to the arm and start just behind the knuckles. The starting area is curved and not rectangular.
• The quilted lines on the upper surface are straight and DO NOT form a "V".
• The palm side has no quilted lines(view image).
  

• 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 long sections created by the quilted lines on the upper surface; they are not of uniform width (the outermost section is very thin).

• The quilted lines should be very finely stitched, and the upper surface should be padded minimally.
• Of the long quilted sections, four are rectangular and run parallel to the arm while the outermost two curve with the flare of the glove and still maintain a constant width. The remaining area between the rectangular and curved sections contains two more quilted lines that run parallel to the curved sections.
• The stitching on the gloves with the exception of the quilted lines should be external.
• The finger portion (not including the thumb) of the glove should be constructed in a typical glove fashion and contain three fourchettes-one between each set of fingers.

• The belt is made of black leather (or leather-like material) and is two inches wide.
• The buckle is metal, and 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 "D."
• There are five thin progressively smaller square edged cutouts (the smallest is still a rectangular cutout and is neither a circle nor a square) in a triangular formation on the wearer's right.
• 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 made of leather.
• The belt should have incised lines one eighth of an inch from the top and bottom.
• The base layer of the buckle should not be gloss black.

• The buckle should be the same size as the ANH/ESB and ROTJ buckles; the "D" is larger, thus making the back plate appear smaller.

• The belt boxes are black and centered vertically on the belt approximately three inches from the buckle, and mirror image one another.
• The belt boxes sit in the recessed areas in the top of the cod piece.
• The back side of each box is removable and meets flush with the rest of the box.
• From the center outwards each box has:
  • two opaque green square light panels (bordered by a thin raised black section) above a rectangular inset containing silver diamond-shaped metal screen,
  • a cylindrical opaque red light set in chrome housing,
  • and six silver posts with grooved (knurled) sides (in two vertical columns of three).
  • All lights are constantly lit.
    

• The belt boxes should not be metal.

• The boxes should be slightly glossed/polished.

• The lightsaber should be a Master Replicas or custom built to match the hilt used in ROTS.
• 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.
• There are no connecting wires towards the top of the lightsaber.
• There are no D-rings on the lightsaber.
• There is a device towards the base end to mount into the Covertec clip.
• The lightsaber should only be required as long as it's in compliance with the applicant’s local laws.
• The lightsaber requirement may also be waived due to availability since it was not visible in the movie.
  

• The lightsaber should be capable of being belt worn with the emitter facing downwards (detachable blade or no blade).
• The lightsaber should be a 1:1 scale of the lightsaber used in the film.

• A Covertec clip or Hasbro clip is present to secure the lightsaber.
• It is attached to the belt on the wearer's right hip.
• It is solid black in color.
  

• The clip should be a Covertec.

• 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.
• There are two recessed areas along the top for the belt boxes.
• In its center, there is a deep rectangular inset with rounded corners that is edged with rolled piping.
  

• The codpiece should be made of leather, have a stiff/smooth textured appearance, and not be thicker than one inch.
• The area of the codpiece under the belt boxes should be slightly taller than one-third of the area under the belt buckle.
• The area below the inset is rounded to meet flush with the back of the cod.

• The shin guards are gloss black.
• Each shin guard covers the leg from the ankle to the knee, and at least one half 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.
• Both shin guards are symmetrical.
  

• The boots are made of black leather (or leather-like material) with a medium gloss shine and are lace-less.
• They come to just below knee height, have a rounded toe, and a smooth textured appearance.
• There is no noticeable zipper in full costume.
• The sole of the front does not exceed one inch in thickness and the heel does not exceed three inches in thickness.
  

• The boots should be made of leather.
• The sole should not be excessive in either the front or back of the foot. It may be more than allowed in the Original Trilogy boots since the boots in ROTS had noticeable lifts.
• Internal lifts (if used) should not be noticeable.