Darth Vader (2020) #43
THE ROOT OF TREASON
As Lieutenant Commander Enric Pryde and other Imperials continue their duties across the galaxy, Imperial Administrator Sly Moore has secretly been putting together a group of defectors to stand against the Empire.
Her crew already consists of Admiral Corleque and Governor Tauntaza, but she has now begun to convince Vader and his new team of corrupted rebel cyborgs to join her….
Writer: Greg Pak
Artist: Adam Gorham
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Colorist: Federico Blee
Cover artist: Leinil Francis Yu
Editor: Mark Paniccia
Release Date: February 14, 2024
In one of the most intriguing twists in recent Star Wars comics storytelling (which is saying a lot as all titles have been running in high gear for a long time now), the Schism Imperial is not only separating the wheat from the chaff, but it’s also positioning itself to become a major thorn in the side of the Emperor. We open on Coruscant ‘a month ago’, as Admiral Corleque, Agent Fabarian, Governor Tauntaza and Council Member Xanto all stand before the desk of Sub-Administrator Sly Moore as she charges them for their respective transgresssions, all of which somehow involve Lord Vader. Their only recourse; a direct meeting with the Emperor, something Xanto readily agrees to, but this is no normal meeting to punish transgressors. This is to see who is ready to join the Schism, as as we see Xanto electroshocked to a crisp we watch as Tauntaza, Fabarian and Corleque take their lumps in the form of demotions and orders to bide their time and wait for the right moment. Corleque becomes a shuttle captain, while Fabarian carries out menial record keeping tasks. Tauntaza is demoted to cleaning down filth-ridden buildings, until the sudden arrival of Lord Vader, and believing he is there to kill her she fights in her impressive mech-armour until Vader ignites his blade, sliceiing the armour down and pulling her from what is left of it.
She’s angry, confrontational, and tells Vader to end it but Moore intercedes – it’s a test, Vader has joined the Schism. He tells Tauntaza he showed her his power so she knows what’s in store should she betray him, but her reply is telling; yes, he could easily kill her, but why should she believe he can kill the Emperor, a stronger Sith with more control over the Force. Vader walks away just as one of his team, a cybernetically controlled warrior with a droid processor embedded in his neck breaks free of the signal and attacks Vader, only for the chip to reconnect and the warrior to fall passive.
We switch to somewhere on the Outer Rim, where we find a facility that has completed its work on a Death Machine capable of draining all life within a hundred kilometer radius. Kitster is heading up the team and tells the Rebel general present he and his team are done, but the general wants them to stay, to be sure it works when suddenly they are under attack and Vader – in one of the most impressive entrances in a comic panel for a long time – stands at the door, kills the general with his saber as his troops take down the Rebel troops inside. He wants the Death Machine activated, and against his better judgement the doctor turns it on while Kitster is held aloft in a Force grip. We see the machine come to life, and watch as it blasts out into the woods, killing troops and presumably everything else with it.
Kitster is completely confused as Tauntaza enters the room. Vader freed Kitster from her, but now they work together, and as Kitster reminds Vader that he promised to bring order we end with Vader – Kitsters childhood friend Anakin Skywalker, don’t forget – telling Banai that order comes from power.
Wow, what an issue. Thrilling, beautifully crafted by the art team of Adam Gorham and Federico Blee, layered with enough movement to both convey the amount of time this plan has been percolating, the risks these rogue Imperials are taking and the ends to which Vader will go to position himself as strong enough to take down the Emperor. It felt like we were on the final steps towards Return of the Jedi, being in its 40th year as we were and with only a year between Episodes V and VI, but that assumption would seem to be incorrect. Clearly there’s plenty of story mileage left as Vader grows in confidence and power, and if that means more bold tales like this from Greg Pak and team then we’re 100% here for it. Fantastic storytelling.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Pak, Greg (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 23 Pages - 03/13/2024 (Publication Date) - Marvel (Publisher)
