Darth Vader is one of the most iconic movie villains in film history. The ominous robotic voice, the dark cloaked figure and the menacing black helmet are all elements that make the character who he is. However, concept art reveals that there almost existed a redeemed "good" Vader, who would have been more powerful than ever.
A Jedi Knight Reborn
One of the concepts for a redeemed Vader comes from the development of the video game, Star Wars Battlefront 4. The game was in development before Disney bought the franchise, so it never ended up being released. However, fans can still marvel at the possibility of this redeemed Vader and the abilities he would have had.
This Vader would have existed right after the Battle on Mustafar, so it would have been a redeemed Anakin Skywalker. Though Anakin did suffer horrendous injuries resulting in physical incapacitation, the technology presented in this suit proves he may have been even more powerful than in his actual Darth Vader armor.
First, the Vader suit that Darth Sidious crafted for him was crude, outdated and torturous. Sidious wanted Vader to remain obedient and keep Vader fuming with hatred, so to keep the Dark force power alive inside of him, his suit reflected this. Ultimately, the original suit stunted his power, keeping him just powerful enough to defeat anyone, but still kept him incapacitated enough to remain loyal to the Sith Lord. If Anakin had remained good and received the suit displayed in this concept art, it would have made him stronger, more dynamic and an even more powerful Jedi.
This suit is a huge improvement to the Vader one. There is a respiratory cowl attached to his neck, which allows him to breath and speak. Additionally, this suit has better prosthetics and mobility than the torturous Darth Vader suit. The redeemed Anakin suit would have allowed him to move more freely, and this would have given him freedom to expand on his powers.
Sith Lord Becomes Jedi Master
This Vader would have existed after the events of Return of the Jedi. If Vader had lived after Luke brought him back to the Light Side, this is what he would have looked like. Like the last piece of concept art, fans can see that his skin has grown back, as has his hair. He's sporting a neck brace with a respirator, so he can breathe and speak. The hair is supposed to be a nod to his Vader helmet, as it has the same silhouette.
This version of Darth Vader would have been the most powerful Vader imagined. First off, as stated in the previous section, this new suit would give him more mobility and allow him to perform better in combat. Beyond that, this Darth Vader would have gone through 40 plus years of Jedi and Sith training, and he would know the ways of both the Light and Dark Sides of the Force.
With this knowledge, he would have been able to expand his already remarkable Jedi abilities. Additionally, he would have likely gone on to continue Luke's training, resulting in an even stronger Skywalker bloodline and legacy. Unfortunately, this "good" version of Darth Vader never came to be, but it is still intriguing to imagine what he could have become had he been redeemed.