Darth Vader (2020) #44
SOLDIERS FOR THE SCHISM
Sly Moore’s Schism Imperial, a covert group of Imperials determined to overthrow the Emperor, has continued to grow. Darth Vader has now joined the ranks, returning to an Outer Rim planet where Kitster’s team continued to assist the Rebel Alliance with the Death Machine confiscated from Governor Tauntaza.
All the while, the M.A.R. Corps, a team of machine-augmented rebels, has been brought under the control of Darth Vader, to be used for his dark purposes….
Writer: Greg Pak
Artists: Adam Gorham, Paul Fry
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Colorist: Federico Blee
Cover artist: Leinil Francis Yu
Editor: Mark Paniccia
Publication date: March 13 2024
While the concept of the Schism Imperial is clear enough, the layers that underpin it are classically complicated, and as we enter the 44th issue of the 2020 volume of Darth Vader we open with some of those complications. We rejoin a member of the Schism in the past as we watch Fabarian fight droids during the droid scourge incursion of Coruscant, and see as Protocol 23 is activated and the entire city sector erupts in flame, killing the droids and countless civilians with them. Fabarian survives and injured and clearly in shock he looks up to the rooftops far above and sees the fluttering cape of Lord Vader, and with that we move forward in time as we see Fabarian – demoted as he was to the role of Assistant Data Processor – sent to meet the powerful and influential Baron Slandarv. His error; forgetting to rescind a speeder ticket for the Baron, and we see the rotten rod of power as Slandarv has Fabarians role taken away from him, and as he is uncermoniously dumped back onto the Coruscant streets his superior gloats at his misfortune.
We finally arrive at ‘now’ as Fabarian arrives to meet with the rest of the Schism as Vader waits nearby. Sly Moore senses his discomfort, and Fabarian explains why; how he was there when Protocal 23 was activated, how children died, and how he knows the order came not from Vader but from Palpatine. He also voices his concern that Vader is still compromised by the Scourge, but Vader explains how he erradicated the Scourge – any actions are entirely of his own free will.
Fabarian is shocked to see the Rebel M.A.R Corp, co-opted by Vader and fitted with Imperial chips, meaning their minds are their own, but are controlled by the chips to do Vader’s bidding. Governor Tauntaza is present having her own exo-suit refitted, but Fabarian isn’t there just to watch. It turns out his firing at the behest of Slandarv was a ploy to gain access to the Barons facility, where he learned the Baron had been secretly constructing a new, even more powerful Battle Droid. Fabarian believes the Baron will cut a deal, given the worker housing that surrounds the factory, but Vader has no time for that, instead entering by force and slicing through the droids.
Fabarian is once again face to face with Slandarv, who is first surprised to see him again and demands to know why he is there, until Vader walks into the room. Vader has the droid army reprogrammed to obey him rather than the Emperor, but Slandarv swears his loyalty to Palpatine and his security men provide cover for him to escape, followed by Fabarian. They face off, Slandarv explaining that the room they are in would be the only area to survive should he detonate the factory, and the workers with along it. That’s enough for Fabarian who ends Slandarv in blaster fire.
Suddenly we see both Sly Moore and Vader struck with tremendous pain and we learn that their telepathic sensitivity can ‘hear’ the M.A.R Corp and their pain, trapped behind the Imperial firewall of their implanted chips. Tauntaza doesn’t understand how it hasn’t affected Vader as badly as it has Moore, but Vaders droid reveals that the dark lord does feel the pain, far more than Moore because of his power in the Force, but that he likely doesn’t care about their pain.
We wrap the issue back on Coruscant as Moore stands before Palpatine, explaining Vaders plan. Vader knows she is there, and Moore explains to Palpatine that should she deceive either of them she would be dead. Palpatine tells her how she understands the Sith, and that Vader should be allowed to gather his strength as ultimately it will serve him and we finish with a familiar face from recent issues and The Rise of Skywalker, Enric Pryde who joins the Schism.
Another engrossing issue as the power base of Vader develops under the flag of the Schism Imperial while we watch from the perspective of Fabarian, seemingly low on the totem pole of power but with a unique point of view and pertinent questions. Does he serve the Schism, or Vader? A relevant question should the situation turn sour, but the revelation that Palpatine knows everything – of course he does – is a neat twist as he allows his apprentice the scope to find himself again after recent set backs and believe he has the power to overthrow him when Palpatine knows he still holds all the cards and has the dominant power. Great artwork by Adam Gorham and Paul Fry compliments Greg Paks usual high quality in storytelling as we continue this long road to Return of the Jedi.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Pak, Greg (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 23 Pages - 04/10/2024 (Publication Date) - Marvel (Publisher)
