The Darth Vader action figure from Kenner’s 1978 Vintage Collection initially retailed for $1.99 and was part of Wave 1 of the series. Like the Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi figures from the same period, this Darth Vader figure was one of only three figures that came with a double telescoping lightsaber. This accessory featured a two-stage lightsaber where a thinner blade would slide out from a thicker base, attempting to replicate the lightsaber activation in the films.
However, due to the delicate nature and the cost of production, Kenner eventually switched to a single-piece lightsaber design. The original double telescoping lightsabers are now extremely rare and sought after by collectors. Authentic Kenner lightsabers can be identified by their specific color, level of transparency, molding marks, lettering inside the hilt, and fluorescence under a black light, which are not present in reproductions.
Darth Vader would come with either a Single Piece Lightsaber or the much rarer Double Telescoping Lightsaber.