Warning: spoilers ahead for Crimson Reign #2!
In a new preview for Marvel Comics' Crimson Reign, Lady Qi'ra reveals what sets Darth Vader apart from other killers in the Star Wars galaxy. While Crimson Dawn has been manipulating other criminal syndicates into warring with one another to upset the balance of power in the galaxy, the organization's true goal is to destroy the Sith Lords controlling the Empire. As a result, Qi'ra has chosen specific killers for an assassination attempt against the Emperor. However, she also confirms the type of killer she believes Darth Vader to be in this preview.
In previous Star Wars comics, Crimson Dawn made its return during the War of the Bounty Hunters crossover event. The criminal syndicate was first formed by Maul after the Clone Wars, and continued under the leadership of his second in command Qi'ra following his death at the hands of Obi-Wan Kenobi on Tatooine. The Dawn has since been reborn in the period between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, and manipulated the Hutts into striking against the Empire - a major mistake that led to Darth Vader wiping out the Hutt leadership.
Now, the new preview for Crimson Reign #2 from Charles Soule and Steven Cummings (shared by StarWars.com) sees Qi'ra selecting Ochi of Bestoon and Deathstick to assassinate key targets, choosing them due to their unique motivations behind why they kill. In her mind, the majority of killers in the Star Wars galaxy can be split into specific categories: those who are motivated by faith (such as the Jedi), those who hope their kills will improve their lives (such as bounty hunters) and those who gain a sense of joy from killing others (such as Darth Vader.) Enjoy the preview pages and the synopsis for the upcoming issue:
THE ASSASSINS! QI’RA sends two killers to do what they do best to continue with her plan to plunge the galaxy into chaos. The relentless, Force-blinded OCHI OF BESTOON and the mysterious, unstoppable DEATHSTICK each have a target, and nothing will get in their way!
While faith, hope, and joy are the three basic reasons people kill according to Qi'ra, she does note that she's chosen Ochi and Deathstick to assassinate the Emperor for their more nuanced motivations. While Ochi kills out of a sense of fear, Deathstick kills from a place of loneliness. Regardless, Vader being identified as a killer motivated by joy is a truly terrifying notion that does seem to be true prior to his redemption in Return of the Jedi.
It's fascinating to see the Jedi counted as just another type of killer, and for someone like Lady Qi'ra to so succinctly explain why Vader is scarier than any bounty hunter or assassin in a galaxy full of them. While Vader's methods and philosophy are complex, he does enjoy hurting and killing others, which leads to a level of creativity that makes him far more terrifying than any blaster-wielding killer working for credits. However, in the case of Crimson Dawn, even the fear of Darth Vader isn't enough to dissuade them from their ambitions, and Star Wars fans can see how Ochi and Deathstick fare in their anti-Empire missions when Crimson Reign #2 releases February 2.
Source: StarWars.com