The Hues Make the Man

We're going to go out on a limb here and say that notoriously stormy Vogue editor Anna Wintour would absolutely be on board with Darth Vader and the Emperor's fashion choices. Their all-black ensembles are chic. They're understated. They're slimming. Oh yeah, and they totally represent these two dudes' commitment to evil.

In Return of the Jedi, color reflects character. Darth Vader's and the Emperor's black wardrobes illustrates their allegiance to the Dark Side and their embrace of anger, hatred, and aggression—pretty gloomy concepts, no?

Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi, on the other hand, are decked out in brown: It's warm and earthy, signifying their link to nature and the connectedness of all things, two of the Force's most important ideas.

Now what's the deal with Luke? Does his all-black outfit mean he's secretly Team Dark Side? Nope, but it does signify two other important things: First, it illustrates the bond he has with his father. Whether they like it or not, Luke and Darth Vader are eternally—and even telepathically—linked.

Second, Luke's murky color palette echoes the conflict brewing within him. The Force is strong in him, and the Emperor's doing all he can to lure Luke to the Dark Side. In other words, Luke has more pressure on him to "Just Say No" than a high school student at Coachella. The dark color of his clothes represents not only his maturity, but also the fact that being an adult means making some super-tough choices.

Accessorize It!

While we're dishing on the symbolism of color when it comes to intergalactic fashion, let's take a moment to talk accessories: You're never fully dressed without your lightsaber.

Darth Vader's burns red, reflecting his hot temper and bubbling rage. In contrast, Luke's lightsaber glows Yoda-green, mirroring his commitment to the Jedi values of peace and harmony. When these two men finally come to blows on the Death Star, their neon blades light up the room in a colored clash of ideologies. It's like an intergalactic game of "Red Light(saber), Green Light(saber)"—Luke means go and Vader means stop.

Home Sweet Home

However, there's more to the symbolic use of color in Return of the Jedi than just the main characters' sartorial selections. It also extends to their environments. The Death Star is sterile and cold, just like the villainous guys who call it home and want to use it to take over the galaxy. The Empire sees the world in black and white—the Dark Side and the Light—and its stark interior decorating choices reflect its rigid, uncompassionate view.

The Ewoks' home planet of Endor, on the other hand, is a nature nerd's paradise: all warm browns and verdant greens. It makes sense, then, that the Rebels fit right in and find both safety and some important new allies on the forest moon. The lush, hospitable surroundings on Endor reflect the importance the Rebel Alliance puts on selflessness and community.