If the battle in which he is taking part in is immense then how could the injuries in that picture not be credible? Let’s say if a ship he was on crashed and he came out looking like that; wouldn’t that circumstance be a good reason for the so called “XTREEEMMMNESS”?
No, it wouldn’t. That’s my whole point. The “injuries” aren’t credible because there are no injuries. If his armor was blown apart like that, he would be too. It’s way past the point of suspension of disbelief to think his armor and suit could be THAT SEVERELY DAMAGED without it also causing Vader himself great bodily harm. His shoulder should be torn to pieces in that picture. And he should be dying or dead without his mask.
I haven’t gotten to watch Rebels yet so I can’t comment on it. But the type of thing I had in mind when saying I like the idea of him having to replace damaged pieces is more like things we see in the films. He took a lightsaber hit on the shoulder so the shoulder pads get replaced. He got a robot hand cut off - new hand and new gloves. Maybe he fought a Jedi and had his head slammed into a concrete wall or something else really hard that dented or even cracked the helmet/mask (but didn’t utterly destroy it or rip it from his head). Maybe someone hits and smashes one of his light up belt thingies with a blunt weapon. Maybe someone grazes him with a flame thrower and torches part of his cape and leather suit. Stuff like that.
This statue from sideshow is kinda more in line with my ideas:
