Darth Vader’s Hidden Plan Against the Empire Is Finally Being Revealed
Star Wars comics have given Darth Vader additional reasons to turn against the Emperor. Now, the Sith’s loyalty to the Empire is being addressed.
Warning! Spoilers for Star Wars: Darth Vader #22
In recent years, Star Wars comics have given Darth Vader additional reasons to turn against the Emperor. Now, a new comic is addressing the Sith’s questionable loyalty to the Empire.
When the Emperor hired the Sith assassin Ochi of Bestoon to eliminate Vader, things didn’t go as planned. Darth Vader beat Ochi and turned him into his own personal servant, joining him on adventures and going into harm’s way whenever it was convenient. As Vader traveled to the forbidden Sith planet of Exegol, he had his first opportunity to enact revenge on the Emperor. Their battle gave him all the more reason to eventually turn against Palpatine, which had already been on Vader’s mind as referenced in The Empire Strikes Back. Originally offering Luke a place at his side by overthrowing the Emperor together, things were in motion for the student to become the master in Return of the Jedi.
However, comics have continued to expand on Darth Vader’s growth to making that decision, as his loyalty is questioned in Darth Vader #22. In a preview released by StarWars.com, the Sith is going to war against the crime syndicate Crimson Dawn, as previously seen in the limited series Crimson Reign. The issue brings up the question whether Vader is actually targeting his own Empire, with a hidden agenda. As the series teases a big reveal, Darth Vader’s allegiance at this point in the timeline could be on the table. The issue written by Greg Pak with art by Raffaele Ienco and a cover by Paul Renaud is set to release in April.
The comic is also set to feature a variant cover by series artist Ienco, and a “traitor of dawn” variant by Renaud. The title of the variant seems to similarly tease a betrayal in the upcoming issue. With the amount of characters currently associated with Crimson Dawn, there’s a wide selection of potential traitors.
Darth Vader comics have arguably made his eventual return to the light less dramatic, as he has solid motivations for turning on the Emperor even without Luke’s convincing. The right opportunity for him to betray Palpatine has yet to occur, as he lacks the apprentice he wanted to have in his son. Vader has also lost the support of Ochi, who has joined Crimson Dawn in their war against the Empire. As a rogue agent, the Sith assassin was tossed around between Palpatine and Vader, giving him cause to turn against them at any moment. Darth Vader’s allegiance has been tested many times before, and he might be learning from Ochi’s example shortly.
Source: StarWars.com