Darth Vader (2020) #23
“THE SHADOW’S SHADOW’S SHADOW”
An epic new story begins as DARTH VADER embarks upon a new mission in partnership with a sworn enemy — but who’s leading whom to doom?
And what happens when the QUEEN’S SHADOW learns the deepest secret of the Dark Lord of the Sith?
Plus: the shocking return of a face from Vader’s most distant past!
Writer: Greg Pak
Inker: Raffaele Ienco
Colourist: Alex Sinclair
Letterer: Vc Joe Caramagna
Penciler: Raffaele Ienco
Editor: Mark Paniccia
Release Date: 1st June 2022
UPC: 75960609601502311
Reeling from the revelation that Sabè has learned Darth Vader’s true identity, issue 23 finally lays bare Sabè’s true purpose. Faced with the choice to kill Sabè or spare her Vader chooses the latter. Not only does he spare her but, in a rare moment of weakness, he asks her what she wants from him. Sabè reveals that the real reason she has been on her suicidal quest is because the slaves she freed from Tatooine on Padmè’s request are being neglected and mistreated by a corrupt governor that’s working with Crimson Dawn. The pair set off for the colony in the hopes that Vader will help bring down the self-serving governor for her people fulfilling her promise to Padmè. Vader is taken on an unexpected journey through his past as he is faced with his true identity being known and some very old friends.
This issue is a Prequel fans dream and a staggering testement to what can be achieved when the writers respect and utilise the existing canon. A lot of Star Wars stories, as good as they may be, feel isolated and singular as if they’re scared to contradict established lore or restrict future stories from being written in their respective places on the timeline. The unfortunate result of this is a disparity in character and feel from story to story. This issue takes it’s que’s from The Phantom Menace, Revenge of the Sith and even Return of the Jedi, taking care to consider the Vader we have at this point in the timeline. He’s not quite ready to throw his boss down a reactor shaft yet but he’s definitely on that path. The biggest point of reference for this story is E.K Johnston’s Queen’s trilogy building directly of Sabè’s arc in those books and where she was headed at the end of Queen’s Hope. As an avid consumer of all printed Star Wars media I really appreciate this level of detail and hope it continues moving forward.
I won’t ruin the identity of the old friends we meet in this issue but it was a surprise and one that I loved and will make this issue hard to forget.
Pak continues his trend of using single panel flashbacks to punctuate Vader’s emotional turmoil. It’s something he’s done since the first issue of his run and really sets this series apart from the other ongoing comics. Like Gillen ane Soule before him Pak very much put’s us in Vader’s head and tells the story from his perspective. Granted we get side stories that follow Ochi, Sly Moore or Sabè but the meat of these issues is following Vader himself. That’s why I think it lost it’s way somewhat during The War of the Bounty Hunters. It was used to serve someone else’s story and became more about the larger conspiracy rather than Vader’s part in events.
The conclusion of the issue is predictably ambiguous and the final panel is set up as some kind of reveal. The problem I had was that I’m not quite sure what they were revealing. I’m pretty sure the character presented isn’t someone we’ve met so it was kind of lost on me. If I had to hazard a guess I’d say it was one of the other handmaidens that now works for the Empire but I’ll admit I could be way off. Please feel free to message me via social media if you think I’ve missed something or have any theories!
The art by Raffaele Ienco is wonderfully vivid and full of personality. The emotion he manages to capture on Vader’s blank visage is impressive. The consistency of Ienco’s art has really set it apart from the Vader series’ that came before, giving it a tone that’s unique to this title.
One final note; Pak really loves his beasties doesn’t he? It feels like every other issue our anti-heroes are set up by giant monsters and Sabè whips out her giant blaster and starts mowing them down. I’m not criticising but it’s making me reluctant to consider retiring to any of these planets in the future. It feels like a rampaging pack of snaggle toothed demons around every corner and in every kitchen cupboard. Sabè must have an endless supply of energy packs!
Star Wars: Darth Vader #24 @ ForbiddenPlanet.com