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A deeper look at Sith Lord Darth Momin’s backstory

By C.J. Hawkings

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Darth Momin’s past has just been revealed in the latest issue of the Darth Vader comics. How did the Sith lord come to be?

We now know the origins of Darth Momin. In my previous article, he became the Sith architect whose helmet Darth Vader found in the Jedi Temple during the Jedi Purge.

In issue #22 of Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith, the mystery of Darth Momin becomes recognized as one that started with an experiment.

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The birth of Momin takes place during the Hundred-Year Darkness. When he was young, the future Sith Lord experimented with the Force using just his mind. He mutilated the family radar-cat and turned it in his first sculpture, which his mother discovered when she went in search of the beast.

As his abilities in the Force grew, Momin created more sculptures. However, he couldn’t impress other Sith with his work. Horrified scowls would cross their faces. He became imprisoned for his work though it didn’t last long.

Despite his imprisonment, Momin’s name spread through space. Shaa, a Sith Lady heard of the name and took matters into her own hands. Shaa freed Momin and made him her apprentice. Under her tutelage, Momin understood himself better.

Like every other Sith that succeeded him, Momin detested playing the role of apprentice and struck Shaa down. Unlike his Sith descendants, Momin chose not to take on an apprentice. Instead,  he created pieces of ‘art’ that he deemed decent enough for becoming a dark-side entity.

Inheriting several resources from his master, Momin designed an engine powerful enough to destroy a city. With the help of desperate acolytes, Momin created plans to use the Force to power his weapon. In doing so, the device would slow time to the point the inhabitants of Momin’s chosen planet would have expressions of horror trapped forever on their faces.

Before Momin completed his plan, the Jedi intervened. The light side of the Force forced his concentration to waver. The distraction forced the heretic to lose control of the weapon hence destroying him, leaving only his mask and his consciousness trapped inside.

Photo Credit: Giuseppe Camuncoli, Marvel Comics/Disney.

In the eyes of his fellow Sith, Momin’s methods were extreme. In their eyes, he’d become a heretic. Forbidden and hidden away, no Sith followed his example. Momin’s name became a myth and no record remained in any Sith or Jedi holocron. His sculptures became lost or forgotten.

Darth Vader found the mask centuries later during the Jedi Purge in 19BBY. Vader, who led the assault on the Jedi Temple discovered the mask’s location by accident. He desired to kill Jedi Librarian Jocasta Nu, who tried to conceal herself inside the vault. Vader informed his master Darth Sidious of the mask. Sidious asked him to collect it so it became a part of his Sith artifacts collection.

Darth Sidious examined the relic and the late Sith revealed his story to the current Sith Master. Years passed and Sidious gifted the helmet to Vader to help him in studying the Sith of the past.

Because Momin’s life-force still existed within the helmet, Lieutenant Roggo became possessed, which prompted Momin to use the Lieutenant’s body to assist in the designing of Vader’s fortress.

Vader later discovers Momin had completed his fortress design and that the dead Sith Lord had also killed Alva Brenne, the original sculptor. The former Skywalker takes the mask to a cave on Mustafar. He uses the Force to activate Momin’s spirit within the mask. In return, the mask tries to possess him except Vader resists the temptation.

Vader uses the mask to possess a Mustafarian to give Momin a new body. The ancient Sith tries to persuade Vader to use dark side energies in the cave by telling him he’ll see his late wife, Padmé again. Vader Force-choked him because he knew the dead Sith was lying to him. However, Momin assures him he’s not lying and wanted to build Vader’s fortress.

Vader allowed the structure but told Momin should he betray him, there would be hell to pay.

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As mentioned in the earlier article, after the Battle of Yavin, the helmet ended up getting stolen from Sidious’ yacht, Imperialis where it stayed for safekeeping.

Momin was extreme. No wonder the Sith tried to erase him from their history. If he had it his way, the Sith would control entire worlds and choosing to freeze people in time. Not the Sith way of life.

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