Warning: spoilers ahead for Star Wars: Hidden Empire #1!There are few beings in the Star Wars galaxy that Darth Vader doesn't hold contempt for, let alone respect. This latter category is an exclusive group, comprised of those with an understanding of the Force that rivals Vader's own and those who have proven an aptitude for achieving their goals, no matter how ruthless the means. While the efforts of the Sith and their Inquisitors have led to a sharp decline in those knowledgeable in the ways of the Force, the galaxy has never had a shortage of the ambitious or capable.
Introduced in Solo: A Star Wars Story, Lady Qi'ra is one such person. An apprentice of Darth Maul who took over his Crimson Dawn syndicate, Qi'ra has come as close as anyone ever has to toppling the Sith thanks to her hidden operatives, who have infested every major organization in the galaxy. At the same time, while Qi'ra lacks any connection to the Force, she has trained extensively in the anti-Force-user fighting style Teräs Käsi. Apparently, all of this is enough to win Darth Vader's regard.
In Star Wars: Hidden Empire #1 from Charles Soule and Steven Cummings, Qi'ra faces Emperor Palpatine as she attempts to initiate her plan to wipe out the Sith. Qi'ra strikes fear into Palpatine's heart using the Fermata Cage superweapon, but only after he first acknowledges that Darth Vader holds her in high regard, having warned his master that she is a "formidable" opponent. The Emperor doesn't heed the warning, and their encounter ends with Qi'ra forcing him to release her from a Force choke, then faking her death so she can begin the next phase of her plan against the Sith.
Darth Vader Considers Qi'ra a Formidable Enemy
But what gave Darth Vader such a high opinion of Qi'ra? By the events of Charles Soule and Luke Ross's Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters miniseries, Qi'ra had assumed full control of Crimson Dawn following the death of Darth Maul on Tatooine. Under her leadership, the resurgent Crimson Dawn hosted an auction for the galaxy's most valuable prize: the smuggler-turned-Rebel-hero Han Solo, encased in carbonite. However, the auction was an elaborate ruse to draw out and destroy Darth Vader. She then did the near-impossible: Qi'ra, without any affinity for the Force, dueled Darth Vader and survived. Trained in the art of Teräs Käsi, and equipped with lightsaber-resistant electro-blades, Qi'ra dueled Vader before ultimately choosing a tactical retreat.
Qi'ra Survived Fighting Darth Vader
The duel seems to have left an impression on Vader, who apparently returned to Palpatine and cautioned his master not to underestimate Crimson Dawn's leader - a warning which fell on deaf ears. Lady Qi'ra has now stood up to two Sith Lords and survived. Given her established lack of presence at the Battle of Endor, it'll be interesting to see what fate awaits her in her seemingly doomed plot to overthrow Palpatine and Vader. While she may not be their downfall, she'll no doubt leave them bloody and scarred before her time is up, and prove forever that while Force-users like Darth Vader may be the most powerful beings in Star Wars' galaxy, everyday people are also capable of doing the impossible.
Star Wars: Hidden Empire #2 is on sale now from Marvel Comics