Marvel’s Star Wars: Darth Vader 22 comic preview

Star Wars: Darth Vader #22 releases today, and with it comes the promise of another huge reveal.

Recent issues in Greg Pak’s ongoing Darth Vader story have tied in to the comic’s first arc, which introduced The Phantom Menace and The Queen’s Hands Trilogy’s Sabé to the world of Star Wars comics. After revealing to Luke Skywalker that he was his father, Darth Vader embarked on a secret mission to his late wife Senator Amidala’s Coruscant apartment to discover the truth behind his son’s birth.

Vader found evidence leading him to the planet Vendaxa, where he encountered a small militia of Naboo led by the queen’s former handmaiden Sabe, whom he briefly mistook for Padmé. The two formed an uneasy alliance over the course of several comic issues, which ended in the militia, known as the Amidalans, attacking Vader at the site of Padmé’s grave. Vader spared the handmaidens, and they have been absent since.

However, during the Crimson Reign crossover, it was revealed that Sabé has not given up her mission to avenge Padmé, and has joined the newly reformed Crimson Dawn led by Qi’ra. Joining forces with recently revealed Crimson Dawn members Sub-Administrator Sly Moore and Sith Assassin Ochi of Bestoon, it’s clear Sabé has big plans for the Dark Lord of the Sith.

In issue #21, Darth Vader learned of Sabé’s plans through Lieutenant Grapa, who admitted to the slaughtering of the Naboo militia moments before being killed. The Dark Lord, knowing of Ochi’s betrayal, followed him to Naboo in order to take advantage of Sabé’s new position.

In a preview released by Marvel on Wednesday, Darth Vader pilots his imperial shuttle to the planet Naboo. Vader lands the ship at the site of his battle with the Amidalans, and uses the force to throw both Sabé and Ochi into a group of local beasts to test their mettle.

Darth Vader asks Sabé why she believes in Crimson Dawn, to which she replies she does not, and she merely infiltrated them. Vader asks her if she had hoped to serve the Empire, but Sabé says no, because the Empire serves chaos. Vader is taken aback, and says only “Chaos?” This very well could be Darth Vader questioning the role of the Empire in the galaxy for the first time.

Mere months away from the events of Return of the Jedi, Darth Vader has a long way to go to become the redeemed man he is in the movie’s closing moments. Could this be the start of that journey? With a synopsis teasing a shocking reveal that cuts to the core of Darth Vader’s heart, it seems that Greg Pak will be setting the scene for Vader’s transformation back to the light side of the Force.

Darth Vader (2020) #22 is available now wherever you get your Star Wars comics.

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