Before Andrew Morgan’s subtle but cool-looking Vader costume change was making the rounds online, and even before Disney had its eye on snatching up Lucasfilm, an alternate chapter of “Star Wars” lore unfurled in the “Infinities” version of “Return of the Jedi.”
The story was told in a comic book series equivalent to Marvel’s “What If…?” which explored deviations from the original film series. In this issue, Vader is forced to face both Luke and Leia (Carrie Fisher) on the second Death Star instead of just his son. Reunited with his children, the encounter leads Vader to reclaim his old name of Anakin Skywalker and join the Rebel Alliance with an all-new, all-white life support suit replacing his iconic black outfit before heading off to take down the Emperor alongside his family.
Of course, given that this was a tale set in an alternate timeline (and before the big Disney merger), the events of “Star Wars Infinites” are not canon, but it’s interesting to know that there is a glimpse of what the galaxy far, far away could look like had Vader lived. With the Skywalkers reunited, they wouldn’t have ruled the galaxy as father, son, and daughter, but might have been able to bring balance to it — with Vader sporting a cool-looking new wardrobe as a bonus.