An official preview for Marvel Comics' Star Wars: Darth Vader #18 confirms the one thing Vader is obsessed with above all else as Supreme Commander of the Imperial Forces: order. It is order that drives the Dark Lord as he begins hunting down members of the criminal organization known as Crimson Dawn.
Written by Greg Pak and illustrated by Leonard Kirk, Darth Vader #18 hits shelves this Wednesday, Dec. 1. Set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, the comic ties into the upcoming five-part limited series Star Wars: Crimson Reign by Charles Soule and Steven Cummings, which follows the character Qi'ra (of Solo: A Star Wars Story fame) during her time as the leader of Crimson Dawn. Crimson Reign #1 goes on sale on Dec. 8, one week after Darth Vader #18.
"Lady Qi'ra not only insulted the Empire, but challenged it, too," the official synopsis for Darth Vader #18 reads. "In the end Darth Vader showed her criminal organization the Empire is not to be toyed with. But now fearful whispers echo in every corner of the Empire -- Darth Vader is on the hunt, searching for anyone with any connection to the criminal organization known as Crimson Dawn. How deep has Crimson Dawn infiltrated and is it worth the wrath of Vader?"
The issue opens with Vader thinking back to the ending of Empire, in which his son, Luke Skywalker, refused to join his cause of bringing "order" to the Galaxy. "Order," Vader says to himself. "Order." He continues, "In this fight, my master [Emperor Palpatine]... you have brought only chaos. Punishing the most loyal... while all else falls to pieces. Now... with or without my son... I will bring order..."
STAR WARS: DARTH VADER #18
- GREG PAK (W) • LEONARD KIRK (A) • Cover by AARON KUDER
- LUCASFILM ANNIVERSARY VARIANT COVER BY CHRIS SPROUSE
- VARIANT COVER BY KEN LASHLEY
- RED REVENGE!
- LADY QI’RA not only insulted the EMPIRE but challenged it, too. In the end DARTH VADER showed her criminal organization the Empire is not to be toyed with.
- But now fearful whispers echo in every corner of the Empire – Darth Vader is on the hunt, searching for anyone with any connection to the criminal organization known as Crimson Dawn.
- How deep has Crimson Dawn infiltrated and is it worth the wrath of Vader?
- 32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
- Star Wars © Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All rights reserved. Used under authorization. Text and illustrations for Star Wars are © 2021 Lucasfilm Ltd.
Long before he became Darth Vader, Anakin Skywalker seemed to believe in order by any means necessary. "I don't think the system works," Anakin confesses to his wife-to-be, Padmé Amidala, in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones. "We need a system where the politicians sit down and discuss the problem, agree what's in the best interest of all the people and then do it."
Padmé retorts, "That's exactly what we do. The trouble is that people don't always agree." Anakin then declares, "Well, then, they should be made to." Padmé comments that Anakin's proposal "sounds an awful lot like a dictatorship," to which Anakin replies, "Well, if it works." Even still, this preview illustrates just how obsessed with "order" Vader is, showing that he actively resents the Emperor for undermining it -- not to mention lengths that he is willing to go to in order to maintain it.
Written by Greg Pak and illustrated by Leonard Kirk, Star Wars: Darth Vader #18 goes on sale Dec. 1 from Marvel Comics.
Source: Marvel Comics