Take off the Mask

The masks we wear, tangible or intangible, have many uses. The tangible masks protect us from physical harm or hide our identity. We may wear them for fun, as part of a costume. They serve many purposes and come in a plethora of shapes, sizes, and appearance.

We wear the intangible masks to hide our pain and sorrows, or protect insecurities and darkness, from the rest of the world. We may wear them to exude confidence or “grin and bare” to satisfy the constant demands of life and convince others that we’re alright. They represent what we wish we could be or hide who we truly are.

Star Wars contains stories of masks worn and worshiped. We see these masks on display throughout the saga. I will share a few…

Darth Vader

You cannot mention Star Wars and masks in the same sentence without paying respects to the Dark Lord, himself.

While he didn’t begin his Sith apprenticeship with a mask, it became a necessity following his defeat at the hands of Obi-Wan. His mask carried many representations. Aside from the necessity to live, Vader’s mask shrouded his shame. The dark façade hid the physical scars from his mortal wounds inflicted by his former master, and yet the shame, wasn’t from the battle alone. Much of his wounds could be seen in his eyes, windows into his soul. His pain resonated in through his eyes. He had done heinous, unspeakable acts. The faceless mask hid a lost soul in the abyss of darkness, consumed by fear, anger, obsession and grief.

While the mask of Vader hides his shame, it also was his shame. The Emperor used the mask as a manipulation tool to cast a shadow of unworthiness on his apprentice. The mask became a constant reminder of his inadequacies as a dark lord, shaped by his master. The mask, along with his suit, now represented the leash of authority his master held over him.

It wasn’t until his son guided him to the path of redemption, that he removed the mask to reveal a tragic, dying man. The love of his son, for his son, wiped his slate clean and destroyed the dark mask he wore. For a moment, Anakin looked upon life without shame or grief. Removing the symbolic mask, he saw his destiny clearly – his son.

Darth Vader: Luke… help me take this mask off.
Luke: But you’ll die.
Darth Vader: Nothing can stop that now. Just for once… let me… look on you with my OWN eyes.

Vader’s mask would eventually come to be a symbol of strength to someone else.

Kylo Ren

Unlike his grandfather, Ben Solo didn’t need the mask to prolong or preserve his life. In fact, it was his grandfather’s mask that provided strength, and a call to power, for the young man. He worshiped its power and richness with an uncanny obsession.

The gifted, young force-user, chose his own mask, in reverence of his grandfather. Ben carried the weight of heinous acts against a generation of Jedi. His mask hid the pain and shame of a fallen son. Additionally, it represented strength and a way to hide his insecurities. By wearing it, he felt comfortable and confident. When he wore the mask he was a sinister, powerful being, that spread fear in the hearts of those who stood in his way. Not a weak, disturbed young man. His mask symbolized containment of his power and the ability to control his feelings and destiny.

In the final moments of Han Solo’s life, he called to his son to “take off the mask”, that he “[didn’t] need it anymore.” For a moment, Kylo Ren removed the façade and became Ben Solo. The symbolism that followed, is uncanny. He dropped the mask to the ground. It landed with a heavy thud, a symbol of the weight of his pain, inner torment, and suffering. He was now vulnerable and weak.

In that moment, father and son could connect through the windows of the soul, and see into each other’s heart. While he eventually killed him, Ren saw, and perhaps felt, his father’s love one last time.

Stormtroopers / Clone Troopers

Troopers’ masks are worn for safety, security and information gathering as they carry out their missions. But, as we learn when Captain Phasma chastised Finn, masks represent so much more. Masks represent conformity, while removing the element of individuality. For the Clones, it not only protected them, but also stood as a symbol of their complete alliance to the mission at hand. For Stormtroopers, it symbolized abandoning a former life in submission to a greater cause.

First Order troopers were pulled from their family at a young age. When donning a mask, identity is lost and the soul of individuality no longer exists. They become faceless, soul-less soldiers – raised to do one thing.

One trooper, FN-2187, in a moment of self discovery removed his mask, a symbolic acceptance of his unique individuality. He made a choice to leave behind a life and reality he lived in. Interestingly enough, it was the blood of a comrade on his mask that lifted the shroud that hung over him. He removed his mask and discarded the fake façade in favor of a new path.

We encounter masks everyday. As we saw with each of the masks above, if we look beyond the mask or remove it, we will find our true selves and perhaps understand those around us a little more. Take off the mask, and see what’s inside.

There are more masks, I haven’t mentioned, in the Star Wars Universe – Boba Fett, Jango Fett, and Mandolorians for starters. Who are your favorites?

The Cantina Cast

The wretched hive your Jedi Master warned you about!

 

Alan “Jedi” Zaugg is the host of and as well as managing editor of He’s a passionate Star Wars and NBA fan, and overall sports enthusiast. He enjoys reading, writing, illustrating, and spending time with his family in addition to a myriad of other projects that keep him busy. He also writes fantasy and science fiction in his spare time. You can follow him on Twitter: