The Only Two Officers Who Saw Vader Unmasked and Survived

Most of the time, we don’t see many characters — especially Imperial officers — ever getting a glimpse of Darth Vader’s real face. Whenever they did encounter him, it was usually to receive orders… or to meet a quick death at the end of his Force choke.

But out of all the officers who served under him, there were two rare exceptions. These men not only saw Vader’s face behind the mask but also managed to walk away alive.

It is generally true that most who glimpsed the Dark Lord unmasked did not live to tell the tale. His true identity and scarred appearance were secrets he guarded closely. Yet these two officers stand out as the only ones to survive such an encounter.

1. When Piett Entered Vader’s Quarters

The first moment in Star Wars canon where an Imperial officer sees Darth Vader without his helmet and survives comes from none other than Admiral Firmus Piett, a familiar face from the Original Trilogy.

This event is told in the canon anthology Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back, in the short story “For the Last Time.”

The scene takes place shortly after the moment we all remember from The Empire Strikes Back, when Vader executes Admiral Ozzel with a Force choke while Piett stands nearby. Not long after, Piett returns to Vader’s chamber to deliver a prepared report on the Rebels. What he doesn’t realize is that Vader is not yet fully armored when he arrives.

As Piett steps into the chamber, he sees Vader slowly lowering his helmet into place. For just a few seconds, Piett catches a glimpse of the man beneath the mask:

“The shiny black helmet descended over Lord Vader’s head… or what remained of it. Raw, wrinkled skin was streaked with red veins and painful looking welts.” 

 “It was only a few moments. Seconds, really.”

Rather than terrifying him outright, the sight leaves Piett with a grim new perspective. The story describes his reaction:

“He’s a walking corpse, Piett thought, and the words reminded him of Ozzel, his body writhing at his feet, eyes bulging, tongue lolling, trying to gasp out words but unable to form a single sound other than that weird, sputtering choking noise that sometimes woke Piett at night.”

For Piett, this moment strips away some of Vader’s mystique. He now understands that beneath the armor isn’t just a Sith Lord — but a broken, suffering man whose rage and power are fueled by pain.

However, that fleeting sense of pity vanishes the moment Vader turns his chair to face him. By then, the helmet is secured, the armor complete, and the terrifying presence of the Dark Lord restored. Still, for Piett, the experience leaves a lasting impression. Instead of fear, he feels something unexpected — pity for the man inside the machine.

The story concludes with Piett presenting his report on the Rebels, his loyalty intact but his perception of Darth Vader forever changed.

2. The Day Lieutenant Gregg Walked In on Vader Unmasked

In the previous story, we saw how Admiral Piett caught only a brief glimpse of Vader unmasked — and even then, it was mostly from the back of his head. This time, however, a junior officer had a far more direct encounter. Lieutenant Gregg accidentally came face-to-face with Vader’s fully revealed face — and against all odds, he lived to tell the tale.

This story comes from the Star Wars: Dark Times comic series published by Dark Horse. If you want to trace the details yourself, Gregg’s arc begins in Dark Times – Out of the Wilderness, where we first see how he earns Vader’s trust.

In that storyline, an assassin named Falco Sang infiltrates an Imperial Star Destroyer and kills a prisoner whose information could have led Vader to the surviving Jedi, Dass Jennir. Thanks to Lieutenant Gregg’s efforts, Vader manages to capture Sang alive and decides to use him as a tool in his continuing hunt for Jennir.

Gregg appears again in Dark Times – Fire Carrier, where he aids Vader in tracking Jennir through Sang. By the time of Dark Times – A Spark Remains, Gregg finally secures the crucial information he needs. With Palpatine’s guidance, he learns Jennir’s exact location.

Eager to prove himself, Gregg rushes straight into Vader’s chambers to deliver the news. But when he enters, he is stunned to find Vader with his helmet removed. For a brief moment, Gregg sees his master’s face in full — scarred, burned, and far removed from the image of the unstoppable Sith Lord that most officers knew.

Even so, Gregg doesn’t falter. He quickly reports Jennir’s location. Vader, seemingly unconcerned that Gregg has seen his true face, focuses only on the hunt. He orders Gregg to ready a Star Destroyer so they can move out at once.

In the final arc, Vader does confront the Jedi — though Jennir ultimately manages to escape. Gregg, however, survives his rare glimpse at Vader’s unmasked face, making him one of the very few officers in the Empire to do so.