In a galaxy far, far away, there are more than a few scary stories in the Star Wars comic book universe that are perfect for reading as Halloween approaches. In a universe where a mysterious Force that has both a light and dark side exists, it should not be a surprise that the possibilities of spine-tingling tales of monsters and the supernatural could exist.
In 2018, IDW Entertainment began publishing an annual Halloween installment of stories centering around the scariest place in the Star Wars universe, Darth Vader's castle on the fiery planet of Mustafar. These stories, told with the Star Wars Adventures characters, have the right mix of scary elements, but are still all-ages friendly.
10 Star Wars: The Screaming Citadel Finds Luke Skywalker & Doctor Aphra Looking For Jedi Artifacts In The Creepiest Corner Of The Galaxy
The Screaming Citadel crossover event by Jason Aaron and Keiron Gillen is one of the most spine-tingling stories set in the Star Wars Universe. The story began with a one-shot and continued in two issues of the ongoing Star Wars and the Doctor Aphra titles. Doctor Aphra, the rogue archaeologist, convinces Luke Skywalker to go to the Screaming Citadel in search of an ancient Jedi artifact but the two meet the Citadel’s queen, who possesses hypnotic powers and has other plans.
As the two try to unlock the Citadel of Ktath’atn’s secrets and the Eternal Rur artifact, the two adventurers find themselves fighting off creepy, mind-controlling enemies, who plan to turn Luke into the hive’s “king.” The Screaming Citadel stands amongst the scariest stories in the Star Wars comic and film canon to this day.
9 Star Wars: The High Republic: There Is No Fear Pits Young Jedi Knights Against An Ancient Evil
Star Wars: The High Republic, the latest addition to Marvel’s Star Wars Universe, follows the adventures of the Jedi during the height of their power, launched with the story arc, There is No Fear by Cavan Scott. Keeve Trennis, a new Jedi Knight, learns that something is troubling her former master, the Trandoshan Sskeer while traveling with telepathically linked Jedi, Terec, and Ceret.
The Jedi encounter the wreckage of a Hutt ship attacked by the Nihil and split up to investigate as Sskeer and Ceret head to the farming colony of Sedri Minor. At the same time, Keeve and Terec take the Hutt corpse back to the Jedi base for further examination. Upon their arrival at the colony, the Jedi discover something amiss, forcing them to ally with the Hutt Cartel to stop the spread of an ancient evil.
8 Count Dooku: Prince Of Darkness Of Tales From Vader's Castle Is A Scary Homage To Christopher Lee's Film Roles
In 2018, the limited series Tales From Vader's Castle, a group of Rebels, on a fact-finding mission to the Outer Rim, are forced to land on Mustafar, the harsh lava planet where Darth Vader established his stronghold. With their starship in need of repair, the unlucky band of Rebels is forced to seek refuge in Darth Vader's creepy castle.
One of the Rebels believes that nothing good will come from checking out the castle, recounting the story of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Adi Gallia's account of a similar situation on Bray, the planet of Eternal Night. Obi-Wan and Adi run into Count Dooku and Ravna, "The Lord of Darkness," a vampire-like creature. This story is not only scary but pays homage to Christopher Lee, who played the role of Count Dooku and Dracula in the movies.
7 Tales From Vader's Castle: The Ewoks Encounter Their Own Blair Witch
As the Rebels continue to search the castle, another group member tells the story of the Ewoks and the Night Of The Gorax. The story starring a young Chirpa, the chief of the Ewoks in Return of the Jedi, and his friend Ra-Lee, return from a hunting trip. They discover that some of the baby Ewoks are missing, leading Ra-Lee to believe the Duloks.
Chirpa, Ra-Lee, and Logray, the apprentice medicine man, set out to rescue the missing Ewoks, confronting the Duloks who are to blame, only to learn that they are not the main villains or enemies at all; it is someone familiar and sinister. This story, while spooky, was also a great prequel to the Ewoks that were pivotal in taking down the Empire and the Death Star and the first appearance of Vaneé, Vader's acolyte who watches over the castle.
6 A Spider Darth Maul Is The Devil Of Junk World In The Horned Devil
The Tales From Vader's Castle returned for Halloween 2019 with Return To Vader's Castle, a five-issue series that once again told scary stories from the Star Wars universe. In the framing story, Vaneé, Vader's servant, has captured one of the Rebels from the last series and proceeds to tell him scary stories, priding himself on his ability to do so. The first issue, entitled The Horned Devil, finds a spaceship crew abandoned on the junk world of Lotho Minor that has a haunted labyrinth beneath the surface.
In the labyrinth, the crew meets the creature who haunts the tunnels, the crazed and half-mechanical spider Darth Maul. The crew captures the Sith Lord and brings him aboard their ship, almost helping him escape the planet in the end.
5 The Curse Of Tarkin Examines Who Really Is, & What Makes Someone, A Monster
In Return To Vader's Castle #2, Vaneé's captive recalls a haunting story of his own, involving Grand Moff Tarkin, whose Imperial Cruiser is attacked by a Frankenstein-like creature. As the beast tears its way through the ship, Tarkin and the Cruiser's Commander Cremp search for the monster until it is revealed that Tarkin has instead set explosives to the power core and fled the ship, with the intent of the explosion erasing his failure.
The monster helps Cremp escape before the Crusier explodes, leading to her defection to the Rebel Alliance and revealing the Grand Moff Tarkin as the real evil.
4 Shadow Of Vader's Castle Tells The Horrors Behind The History Of Vader's Time On Mustafar
The 2020 one-shot Shadow Of Vader's Castle explores the dark history of Mustafar and the events following Vader's death and the end of the Empire. As the Mustafarians celebrate their liberation, two young boys take it upon themselves to destroy the castle, knowing they will never be safe as long as Vader's Castle remains standing. As they make their way to the castle, old Mustafarian tries to stop them by recounting scary tales from the castle's history in an attempt to teach them lessons they might have to learn the hard way.
The stories the boys hear include how the fumes drove Anakin insane, Vaneé's origin, a young girl who has a run-in with the Emperor, and the fate of a scientist who tried to get revenge against Vader for the destruction of Alderaan. The issue ends with the boys failing to destroy the castle after rescuing Vaneé, who is later visited by the ghost of Darth Vader.
3 Dawn Of The Droids Is The Star Wars Homage To The Dawn Of The Dead Movies
The 2021 miniseries Ghosts Of Vader's Castle, returned to the five-issue, single-story format with the framing story surrounding the Rebels from the original series, having dreams leading them back to Vader's castle. One of the characters recounts a dream, told as a Dawn of the Dead homage in the story. The Dawn of the Droids finds Padmé, Anakin, C-3PO, Artoo, and Jar Jar arriving on the planet Rubinero to discover the city deserted.
The group splits up to search for clues as Threepio encounters a droid who turns him into a zombie-like droid. The group members meet back up and are confronted by a changed Threepio and an army of droids who attack Padmé, Anakin, and Jar Jar. The three make it back to the ship and are about to leave when they learn that they are far from being safe.
2 Something Sinister Lurks In The Depths Of The Swamp Planet Dagobah In The Danger On Dagobah
Issue #3 of Ghosts Of Vader's Castle has the Rebel Lt. Hudd, Vaneé's prisoner from Return To Vader's Castle, recounting his dream The Danger On Dagobah, which is the Star Wars take on The Creature From The Black Lagoon monster. In his dream, Hudd is accompanying Luke Skywalker on a search for ancient Jedi artifacts on the swamp planet of Dagobah.
Luke finds Yoda's house destroyed upon their arrival, and Hudd begins to flashback to his time in Vader's Castle. A swamp monster attacks the two, and Hudd and Luke become separated, and Hudd is forced to face his darkest fears. After recounting the dream, his former shipmates arrive and tell him they have to return to Mustafar.
1 Anakin Returns To Haunt The Living In The Chosen One As The Vader's Castle Saga Ends
The penultimate issue of Ghosts Of Vader's Castle, Lina Graf of the Rebel Alliance is on a mission to rescue her brother, Milo, who has been kidnapped by Vaneé, who has plans for him to become the host for Vader's ghost. As the crew travels through space, Lina is haunted by The Chosen One, the spirit of Anakin Skywalker, who tries to prevent her from disrupting Vaneé's ritual to restore him.
Lina must face the ghosts of her past in her nightmare as they approach Mustafar. Once on the planet, the crew must confront their fears and Vaneé, who is hellbent on bringing his master back.