The 10 Best Sith Helmets In Star Wars Canon & Legends

While Darth Vader may have the most iconic Sith helmet in Star Wars, these items have a much more significant history in the franchise. Vader is easily one of the best characters in Star Wars, and part of audiences’ obsession with the character has stemmed from his domineering appearance dating back to A New Hope. From Vader’s ominous breathing to his expressionless black mask, he was a true villain from the moment he arrived on the Star Wars scene.

However, Star Wars movies and TV shows have since fleshed out the legacy of the Sith considerably, revealing that, while Vader may very well be one of Star Wars’ most powerful Sith, many have come before him. This additional context has revealed that Vader’s Sith helmet was far from the first; rather, Sith have used masks and helmets with various powers throughout the Star Wars timeline and in both canon and Legends. Of all the Sith helmets in Star Wars’ canon and Legends movies, books, and TV shows, these 10 are the very best.

10 Tulak Hord’s Mask

Star Wars: The Old Republic: Shadow of Revan

Tulak Hord is a Legends Sith Lord who was terrifyingly known as the “Lord of Hate.” Hord was first mentioned in the very popular game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and he went on to appear in the game expansion Star Wars: The Old Republic: Shadow of Revan as a ghost. In addition to his strength in the Force and impressive lightsaber skills, Hord was known for his creepy black helmet.

While undoubtedly this mask served the purpose of most helmets—protecting him in battle—it was also a clear intimidation tactic. As with many Sith helmets, Hord’s entirely concealed the face underneath, making it unclear who his opponents were truly facing. While this is quite a cool Sith helmet in that regard, it lacked any additional powers, making it lower on the list of best Sith helmets.

9 The Sith Torture Mask

Star Wars: Republic (2002) #60

One of the most fascinating Sith masks in Legends was one worn not by the Sith but by their prisoners. The Sith torture masks, as they were known, were used by the Sith during interrogations, especially when interrogating Jedi. Not only did they inhibit visibility, only offering slight holes for the eyes of the prisoner, but they also channeled the dark side, preventing the Jedi wearing the hood from being able to use the Force.

Interestingly, this hood appeared in a story from the Legends comics that included two very prominent Star Wars characters. Specifically, Asajj Ventress used this mask to torture Obi-Wan Kenobi. Although this storyline was not used in the canon interactions between Ventress and Obi-Wan, nor was this artifact, it does nevertheless have interesting ties to the Star Wars canon, and it reflects the fascinating abilities these Sith torture masks had.

8 Kylo Ren’s Helmet

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Several dark side Force-users have worn masks and helmets in Star Wars movies and shows, one of the most notable being Kylo Ren. Although Kylo is not officially a Sith, his helmet is nevertheless one that is quite well-known in the franchise, and it has clear ties to Darth Vader’s helmet, making it important all the same. Kylo wore this helmet throughout most of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, only revealing his face when Rey had called him “a creature in a mask.”

While that clearly bothered him, it was an accurate description and no doubt was intentional. The mask not only hid Kylo Ren’s true identity—perhaps to prevent anyone from knowing he was Leia Organa and Han Solo’s son as much as it was to intimidate others—but also modulated his voice to make it sound much more intimidating. Sadly, the helmet was a sore spot for Kylo, as his master, Snoke, taunted him for it, calling him a “child in a mask” and implying that he was only a Vader pretender.

Regardless, this is a popular mask for good reason. It has a sleek design, using Vader’s helmet as inspiration without directly copying it, and it links Kylo Ren to the group he was truly aligned with, the Knights of Ren. The mask also got an interesting update in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker when Kylo revealed he had put it back together after smashing it during a fit of rage in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Like some other examples on the list, this mask had no additional powers, but it was important to Star Wars all the same.

7 Kallig’s Countenance

Star Wars: The Old Republic

Kallig’s Countenance is a particularly fascinating Sith mask, as, while it initially belonged to the Legends Sith Lord Aloysius Kallig, it actually changed hands multiple times. Interestingly, Kallig considered himself friends with none other than Tulak Hord, who saw Kallig as a worthy adversary, although that was precisely why Hord had him killed. Following his death, his mask eventually fell into the hands of yet another Sith Lord named Khreusis, who had stolen the mask during the Cold War with the Republic.

Ultimately, the mask was reclaimed by Darth Nox, a descendant of Aloysius Kallig himself. Unlike Khreusis, Darth Nox therefore sought the mask for personal reasons, wanting to restore the valor of the Kallig family. While the history of the mask is clearly quite complex and interesting, the mask itself is also intriguing, with a design not dissimilar to Hord’s own. Perhaps this was simply the standard at the time, but it’s obvious all the same that this mask had great significance.

6 Darth Revan’s Mask

Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic

Darth Revan is easily one of Star Wars’ most popular characters, although his story has been told almost entirely in Legends. While canon has made mention of Revan’s name, the details of his canonical story are essentially non-existent, and it remains to be seen whether that will ever change. However, both Revan and his mask are well-known and beloved in the franchise.

In Legends, Revan had a very complex history as both a Jedi and a Sith, although, notably, some of Revan’s story details were dependent upon choices players made in the various games in which Revan appeared. What is consistent, however, is the origin of Revan’s mask. Specifically, Revan found the mask, which had previously belonged to a Mandalorian female, and, following a vision of how the mask’s owner had died, Revan took the mask for himself. Interestingly, Revan vowed to keep the mask on until he got justice for the woman, revealing how complex Revan truly was.

5 The Mask Of Darth Nihilus

Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic II

Darth Nihilus is yet another ancient Legends Sith Lord to come from the Knights of the Old Republic series, and his mask is arguably the most visually horrifying of all. The white mask with vacant black eyes and red markings looks downright ghoulish, and, like Kylo Ren’s mask, this was no doubt in part meant to intimidate (or absolutely terrify) his opponents. However, Darth Nihilus’ mask has a much creepier purpose as well.

During the Mandalorian Wars, Darth Nihilus was exposed to a super weapon called the Mass Shadow Generator, which left Nihilus quite literally hungry for the Force. In addition to giving him the name “Lord of Hunger,” this need to feed on the Force had deleterious effects on his body. Nihilus therefore bound this mask, and other pieces of armor, to his body in an effort to maintain a physical body as he eroded.

If that wasn’t creepy enough, following Nihilus’ death, the mask retained multiple powers, including forcing the wearer to seek more and more power and giving the wearer dark side Force abilities. However, creepy as it may be, this is precisely why Darth Nihilus’ mask ranks so highly among the best Sith masks and helmets. Many Sith helmets in the franchise are plenty terrifying or visually compelling, but few wield such incredible power.

4 The Mask Of Viceroy Exim Panshard

Star Wars: Shadow Of The Sith

The mask of Viceroy Exim Panshard canonically came in contact with none other than Luke Skywalker. In the canon novel Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith, written by Adam Christopher, Luke discovered the mask and had a vision of Panshard creating the mask, wielding the dark side, and murdering his subjects. Luke then also encountered Kiza, a member of the Acolytes of the Beyond, who was obsessed with both Panshard and the dark side of the Force. Ultimately, Kiza died in the confrontation, but the mask possessed her corpse, continuing the battle.

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In the end, Luke not only defeated Kiza but also destroyed the mask. However, this confrontation reveals how incredible this mask’s power was. Like Darth Nihilus’ mask, it’s also clear that Panshard’s mask was quite creepy, able to possess the dead and influence those around it. Moreover, the mask was said to contain the screams of the innocent people Panshard had killed, adding to the disturbing qualities of this Sith mask.

3 Qimir’s Helmet

The Acolyte

Although the newest addition to the list of Sith helmets, Qimir/the Stranger’s helmet in The Acolyte certainly made a splash. At first, this helmet was used to entirely conceal the identity of the masked villain confirmed to be Mae’s master, but in The Acolyte episode 5, Jedi Padawan Jecki Lon managed to knock the helmet off Qimir just before her death, revealing his face. However, this mask became much more significant in The Acolyte episode 6.

In that episode, when Osha was trapped on the Unknown Planet with Qimir, it was revealed that beyond just the intimidating visage, this mask was a sensory deprivation helmet like the ones Jedi younglings used to train in the Jedi Order. It seems quite possible this helmet has another function too, though. Despite insisting she was committed to the light side throughout the episode, in the end, Osha decided to try the helmet on.

On the one hand, this may have reflected Osha’s slow turn to the dark, which was confirmed in the show’s finale. Given how drawn to the mask she was, however, it’s possible that this mask may have the ability to corrupt those around it or at least tempt them to the dark side. Interestingly, there is a precedent for this in Star Wars, and that would certainly explain Osha’s sudden decision to put the helmet on after all.

2 Darth Momin’s Helmet

Star Wars: Lando 3 (2015)

If Qimir’s helmet was confirmed to have the ability to corrupt those around it, that would mean a connection to one incredibly powerful Sith helmet in Star Wars: Darth Momin’s. The Mask of Lord Momin is a canon Sith artifact with incredible powers, as proven in its interactions with none other than Darth Vader. Just as Exim Panshard’s mask had revealed visions of Panshard’s life to Luke Skywalker, Lord Momin’s mask caused Vader to have visions of Momin’s history.

However, the mask had powers far beyond that. In fact, just as Qimir’s helmet may have, Lord Momin’s mask had the ability to corrupt those who were left alone with it, and, when worn, could possess the wearer. This easily makes this one of Star Wars’ greatest Sith masks. Clearly, the Mask of Lord Momin wielded incredible power, and it truly stands out even among the many masks and helmets worn by Star Wars’ Sith.

1 Darth Vader’s Helmet

A New Hope

Of course, the single greatest Sith helmet in Star Wars is Darth Vader’s. While Vader’s helmet might not have the incredible powers that some of the other Sith helmets do, his mask is simply too iconic to fall anywhere else on this list. In fact, the helmet is indeed so menacing that during filming for Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ewan McGregor admitted he was genuinely terrified upon seeing Darth Vader walking toward him. Clearly, Vader doesn’t need his helmet to have additional powers to achieve the domineering quality he’s known for.

Vader’s is also the first Sith helmet in Star Wars, at least in terms of release order. While Star Wars has given the Sith a much longer history now, the impact Vader’s helmet (and entire characterization) had on the Sith of Star Wars cannot be overstated. Indeed, while Star Wars has since introduced a number of incredible Sith helmets, Darth Vader’s is truly the best.