There is no character more iconic in Star Wars than Darth Vader. He transcends the saga as a legend in cinema history, one of the greatest villains in pop culture. For as fantastic as he is in the movies and TV shows he is in, though, his incredible character arc does not stop there. The comics delve deep into Vader's character and fill many gaps between his on-screen appearances.
Those Star Wars fans who do not care to venture into the always-expanding extended Star Wars canon miss out on a lot of fantastic stuff, and Darth Vader is at the forefront of that, with so many fascinating facts about the character and events involving him going on.
He Fought His Own Potential Replacements
Throughout the 2015 Darth Vader comic run, Vader is challenged by Cylo, a cybernetically enhanced doctor who worked on cybernetically-enhanced individuals to replace Vader as enforcers for the Empire.
It is a storyline full of fantastic moments and sees Vader have to fend off, on multiple occasions, his potential replacements. Throughout the arc, it is clear the Emperor does not care; either way, he wins. For Vader, it is a serious test, especially given Cylo's seeming inability to die for very long. Being one of the most powerful villains in Star Wars, though, Vader wins in the end.
He Went On A Mission With Sabé
Fans will remember Sabé as one of the many handmaidens of Padmé Amidala. In the 2020 Darth Vader run, she confronts Vader, and the two set out on a mission to uncover secrets of Padmé's death.
This story has some fantastic Vader moments, including vulnerable ones when he believes Sabé to be Pamdé. The mission leads them to Padmé's tomb, a poignant image. Even though Sabé and Vader do not remain allies, an inevitable outcome, it is wild seeing them team up just for a while in the name of Padmé, and, like all Vader comics, is a story prequel fans should indulge in.
He Journeyed To Exegol
After The Rise Of Skywalker, there were tonnes of questions to be answered, and many of them revolved around Exegol, the setting of a few iconic sequel trilogy scenes. Canon junkies did not have to wait too long for more content of the planet, though.
Accompanied by Ochi of Bestoon, Vader ventures through many obstacles and reaches Exegol. Released in 2021, the arc in the Darth Vader comic is full of easter eggs and secrets of Exegol. It is not exactly how fans see it in The Rise Of Skywalker, but there is plenty in place and a decent amount of theories to come out of it.
A Nurse Was In Love With Him
Despite Vader's deep-rooted love for Padmé Amidala, and despite seeing Anakin having the former Queen of Naboo fall in love with him, imagining someone falling in love with Vader is hard.
In Dark Visions #3, fans get to see what that looks like as an unidentified Imperial nurse is shown to be madly infatuated with the dark lord. It is quite sick as she is seen enjoying the intimacy of being Force pushed aside, and, of course, results in her eventual death, but it is fascinating to see nonetheless.
How He Got His Lightsaber
Darth Vader's lightsaber is one of the most iconic in Star Wars, right up there with the Skywalker lightsaber, and the story of how he crafted it gets revealed to fans in the Darth Vader: Dark Lord Of The Sith.
It sees Vader sent to hunt a Jedi whom he eventually kills, Jedi Master Kirak Infill'a, and steal his kyber crystal. Vader bleeds the crystal but has to craft his own hilt after Infil'a's was destroyed, and from there, the iconic Vader lightsaber is born. The process of building a lightsaber is always a fascinating one to watch, especially when it involves a lightsaber as beloved as Vader's and especially when it involves the sickening process of bleeding the crystal.
Tarkin Hunted Him
Vader is known for hunting and training hunters for the Empire to kill Jedi. Vader himself, though, gets hunted also, but not in the same way. He asks Tarkin to hunt him, a real proper hunt to challenge him, Tarkin obliges. It is a pretty wild Star Wars comic book storyline.
Taking place over days in the Dark Lord Of The Sith comic, Tarkin and his hunters attempt to defeat Vader, with all of them but Tarki losing their lives in the process. It is pretty brutal to see the lengths to which Vader will go during the hunt. Even when he is struck by lightning and mostly immobile, he Force chokes Tarkin, refusing to admit defeat.
True Relationship With Sidious
It is clear to audiences watching the films that Vader and Sidious are not exactly friends, but for comic fans, there is far more hatred and torture involved in their relationship than is seen on-screen.
Throughout various comic runs, 2015 and 2020's Darth Vader, Dark Lord Of The Sith, etc., the two fight one another, Vader rebels occasionally, and on numerous occasions, Sidious tortures Vader. Usually, the torture comes after failure or is for a test - like when Sidious broke Vader's body and demand he rebuilds himself -, but it showcases just how twisted their relationship is, just how much Vader is and has been manipulated. It adds further tragedy to the life of Anakin.
The Building Of Fortress Vader
Fortress Vader is an immense piece of Star Wars architecture and one that should appear more on-screen. For now, it spends the majority of its time in the extended canon, and the interesting story of its construction comes in the Dark Lord Of The Sith comic.
After being rewarded with permission to build a base, Vader selects Mustafar and chooses a specific location on the iconic planet to build it. From there, it is designed by the Mask of Momin, which possesses various individuals across various attempts to give Vader what he wants. The story grows more fascinating as Momin's power and intentions become clear, and it is far more interesting than a simple building a castle story.
His First Duel With Luke Skywalker
To most fans, Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker have their first meeting on Bespin during their epic lightsaber clash in The Empire Strikes Back. As comic fans are aware, though, they meet before this.
On Cymoon 1, in the 2015 Star Wars main run comic issues #1 and #2, Vader and Luke meet and have a brief lightsaber duel. It is a brief fight and not hugely exhilarating, but in his remarks about Obi-Wan and in about killing many fathers, Vader is badass. The encounter also sees Vader notice Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber, sparking curiosity in Vader about Luke's identity. It is always fascinating seeing two beloved characters meet for the first time, and these are two of the very best.
How He Found Out About His Son
The Darth Vader comics are a must-read for Star Wars fans. They are some of the best-written stories in the canon, and a fascinating exploration into the character, giving readers many incredible moments, including this.
After seeking out information on the identity of the young rebel, in Darth Vader 6, Vader gets some answers from Boba Fett. Fett tells Vader his name is Skywalker. Vader then reminisces about Padmé, about Palpatine's lies, and becomes determined to have Luke. The image of him having broken the glass of his ship is iconic. It is not only a beautifully crafted, wonderfully written moment, but it is one of the most crucial moments in Star Wars, and only comic fans have experienced it.