Darth Vader (2020) #25
NO CALM BEFORE THE STORM
After listening to the plight of Kitster and Wald’s community, Darth Vader and Sabé launched an attack against the corrupt governor working with Crimson Dawn.
During the battle, Ochi of Bestoon raced in to join the fight, but in the chaos, allowed the governor to escape.
Now, an enraged Darth Vader has taken Ochi’s speeder and is pursuing the governor on his own….
Writer: Greg Pak
Artist: Raffaele Ienco
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Colorist: Alex Sinclair
Cover artist: Paul Renaud
Editor: Mark Panicci
Release Date: 20th July 2022
Be it on foot, on a speeder or through the swirls of hyperspace, there can be few things in the Star Wars galaxy as terrifying as being chased by Darth Vader, but that’s where Governor Tauntaza finds herself as she races away from the dark lord, activating a battle droids ammo pack to fire back at Vader, gifting us a splash page that would have sat gloriously in a Walt Simonson era issue. As they reach their ship and race inside they blast off, only for Vader to grab the vessel in the vice-like grip of the Force, holding it steady from escaping, which eventually they do.
It’s also worth remembering that Sabe has been placed in control as a Lieutenant Commander by the authority of Darth Vader himself, and she uses that power to order Master Assassin Ochi of Bestoon to follow her instructions as we see Vader in his shuttle travel up to the Star Destroyer of Governor Tauntaza and order the confused crew to lay down their weapons or die. Many die, but the commander of the vessel agrees to co-operate as Vader demands to know where the Governor is.
The planet under threat by Tauntaza as she drains the planet, Kitster pleads for Sabe to leave, but a team is assembled and together they take speeders to the tank-carried facility causing the storm, only for Kitster and Sabe to be pulled away by the raging storm. Meanwhile, Vader brings the shuttle in through the storm, Vader holding the ship together using the Force as it skids to the ground. Ochi greets the dark lord as they find all ground vessels have been destroyed by the governor…apart from Kitsters racer, which we end the issue with as Vader stares at it.
The various strands that Greg Pak has pulled together for this storyline have been fascinating, bringing prequel characters and storylines to the mid Empire to Jedi era, but mixed to feel fresh and vital. We’re in a really interesting era in Star Wars storytelling, as threads from all three trilogies and the High Republic are regularly mixed to tighten the connections between these epic stories. It happened to great effect in Shadow of the Sith, and has been happening here in Darth Vader for a number of months, and as the title hits its 25th issue and continues on to a 26th issue for the first time in the modern Marvel era, we can only nod in appreciation at what we’ve read and in anticipation at what’s to come.
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