Warning: SPOILERS for Darth Vader #1
Darth Vader may be the star of his new comic book, but it's the secrets of Padmé Amidala that fans are going to be talking about after the first issue's shocking twist... revealing Padmé's story may not be over at all.
The new Darth Vader comic series, like Marvel's main Star Wars comic, is launching a new chapter in the movie timeline, telling new stories set in the immediate fallout of The Empire Strikes Back. For Darth Vader, it means Greg Pak and Raffaele Ienco are revealing what the Sith Lord did after facing his son on Cloud City and having his invitation to the dark side refused. The story begins with a previously unseen mission for revenge against every person who "made Luke Skywalker weak." And in Darth Vader #1 that path begins by stepping back into the life of Anakin Skywalker -- bringing Vader face to face with his beloved Padmé. Literally.
The final page bombshell is sure to go down in history as one of the biggest Star Wars twists ever, but the mystery surrounding it begins much earlier in this debut issue. Early previews allowed fans to see Vader return to Luke Skywalker's home on Tatooine, and face the flood of memories -- of his mother, his wife, and his son -- but it's the truth about Padmé's successful delivery and death that draws Vader back to Coruscant.
Revisiting the home Anakin and Padmé shared (for what is almost certainly the first time since his rebirth as a Sith Lord), Vader finds no evidence of Padmé's return. Movie fans know Padmé never got the chance to return home, but all Vader knows is that a surveillance camera has been placed in his former home to watch for any visitors. Giving him his first real lead... and the first clue to a brand new mystery in the Star Wars saga.
The mystery was alluded to by editor Mark Paniccia (via StarWars.com) who promised fans that Darth Vader's new comic would lead him to "a terrible and inevitable encounter with someone he should never have crossed." That is an understatement, to say the least, and one that writer Greg Pak also couldn't resist teasing before readers had any idea who he was referring to:
In the wake of Empire Strikes Back, Darth Vader’s on a terrifying mission to destroy everyone who hid his son Luke from him. But in the process, he uncovers a shadow from his past that he’s absolutely not ready for... The entire creative team is bringing everything they have to this story and I can’t wait for you to discover the shocking truth behind these images.
That "shocking truth" is dropped on readers like a bomb, when Darth Vader traces the surveillance device back to its owner. An owner that should be impossible, but is recognized by Vader instantly.
Yes, Vader ends up face to face with Padmé Amidala, alive on a distant world, issuing orders on a mission of her own. The truth of Vader's investigation is as shocking as the storytellers said it would be, but the truth of Padmé's reveal may be explained by yet another shocking truth next issue. Needless to say, Star Wars fans won't want to miss out on this new Darth Vader series, so don't waste time in seeking out a copy of your own at your local comic book shop.
- STAR WARS: DARTH VADER #1
- Written By: Greg Pak
- Covers By: Raffaele Ienco, Inhyuk Lee
- “JOIN ME, AND TOGETHER, WE CAN RULE THE GALAXY AS FATHER AND SON!” THE TRAGEDY OF DARTH VADER CONTINUES! In the shattering climax of The Empire Strikes Back, Darth Vader infamously reveals his true relationship to Luke Skywalker and invites his son to rule the galaxy at his side. But Luke refuses -- plunging into the abyss beneath Cloud City rather than turn to the Dark Side. We all remember Luke’s utter horror in this life-altering moment. But what about Vader? In this new epic chapter in the Darth Vader saga, the dark lord grapples with Luke’s unthinkable refusal and embarks on a bloody mission of rage-filled revenge against everything and everyone who had a hand in hiding and corrupting his only son. But even as he uncovers the secrets of Luke’s origins, Vader must face shocking new challenges from his own dark past.
Star Wars: Darth Vader #1 is available now.
Source: StarWars.com