– Spoiler Review –
With Sabé at his side and the Force unbound due to the events of Hidden Empire, Darth Vader #33 (Vol. 3) finds the titular Sith Lord coming to an understanding about what’s next for him and his new sidekick. Find out why I’m intrigued by the shifting focus in the review below!
And the end of the last issue, we saw the start of the effects of the Force Wave on Darth Vader begin to manifest and this issue doesn’t quite pick up there, instead showing us how it’s manifesting in others, like Sly Moore and Emperor Palpatine himself. The Force Wave is exactly that, one that brings immense power as the wave comes in, but as the wave goes out, it silences the Force, a reaction to the destruction of the Fermata Cage while it was open, as seen in Qi’ra’s comic swansong Hidden Empire. Whereas Palpatine gleefully unloads the unlimited power while the Wave is cresting, he senses Vader is afraid of it, unwilling to use it as willfully as he does. This is where the issue brings us back to where the last ended, as Sabé tries to save the Imperials around Vader as he begins to explode outwards with the excess energy he has no control over. She seals him off from the rest of the ship as his radiating power causes him to tear a hole in the side of the Destroyer, venting him to space. Realizing the threat he poses to everyone and everything, she heads out in a shuttle to pick him up and jumps into hyperspace. They barely make it where she’s taking them, as the shuttle breaks up in atmosphere due to his lack of control of the outbursts, and they crash into the planet’s sea together. When she wakes up, she explains to him she took him to such a remote planet because there’s no one he could harm, though he point he could harm her. And then he suggests this isn’t his trial, but hers. How?
I will say I was a little confused how he arrived at such a conclusion, as he’s literally bursting with the Force as the Wave comes in and she’s not, but I will say I almost didn’t care because focusing on Sabé is something I’ve been wanting more from this series since she returned. Last issue peeled back the veil just enough to explore why Sabé made the choice she did, to abandon her handmaiden sisters and join with Vader instead, but it felt like the tip of the iceberg of her story now rather than a satisfying ending. As Vader has his outbursts, the mantra keeps coming back to him, how hate can lead to suffering…but he also hears Palpatine’s version, hate leads to power. Fear. Anger. Hate. Power. Suffering. These are the words which continue to ring around in Vader’s head throughout the issue. He’s made his choices in the past, but has Sabé truly made the choice? Now she’s with him, if she’s to go the whole way with him, she has to make a choice, though I’m not sure if its how to use his hate or how she’s supposed to proceed. Either way, is the hate for power or for suffering? How will Sabé choose? Or will she take a third option he can’t quite fathom? With Sabé at the forefront and making such a decision, it leaves me interested to see how the series handles her going forward, especially as Return of the Jedi continues to loom larger and larger over the events of the comics.
Joining the series on art is Adam Gorham, while colorist Federico Blee and letterer Joe Caramagna remain. Gorham’s work seems tailored for Vader’s exploding Force problem, the big waves of destruction and debris making it feel like a giant bomb has gone off, but for all the large bluster one of my favorite panels was the one of Vader floating in space after losing control and being jettisoned out of the Destroyer. It almost feels peaceful, the way he’s laying back like he’s relaxing like someone would on a beach, but here he’s basking in the silence, the calm space has washed over him instead of the Force exploding from him. Blee’s colors start to blend him into the starfield, as if he’s slowly become one with it, the glowing behind his helmet like the color of water washing over him. Caramagna’s word bubble is off to the side, like a minor reminder of the galaxy still out there and Vader can’t escape it, Sabé calling out his name. I also really loved the sequence after she picks him up from space, as he starts to unleash again, pieces of the shuttle beginning to break off as they jump to lightspeed, it getting worse once they arrive and begin to plummet to the planet, followed by her donning a parachute with wings, diving after Vader, them grasping one another’s hands and intertwining as they crash into the water. There’s little to no dialogue, the SFX appears here and there for great effect (loved the “FWOSH” as her wing suit expands), and there’s a great sense of speed with the all the background lines and flapping material, while the scale of the scenes only ratcheted up the peril they faced. The final page was also a stand out, Sabé hanging in the middle of it as visions surround her, of power and hate, of the power she could have wearing the commander’s helmet or even holding Vader’s (which is close to a vision from the Revelations one-shot from last year), or still being a shadow with images of Padmé’s funeral or her dressing as the Queen (as seen on the cover), while the final one has her drowning in skulls. What does it all mean? What’s power and what’s hate? And is either the right answer?
Here are a few other things:
- If all holds true, we’ll have the next issue of the series out…next week! Very rare, but I like the idea we’ll get more details on Sabé’s trail so soon!
- After this, we’ll see Vader reteam with Doctor Aphra and even the murderbots, Triple-Zero and Bee Tee, bringing things full circle from his first comic series in 2016! Afterwards, the comics slip into the next crossover, Dark Droids, a horror-focused event.
- Last week started the other Vader comic, Darth Vader: Black, White & Red, an anthology of sorts with one reoccurring story in each of its four issues, joined by two different ones from unique creative teams. The first issue had some really standout work, especially from Peach Momoko’s surreal story, but we’ll see if the overall series can overcome some Vader fatigue for fans like me.
Darth Vader #33 (Vol. 3) sees Vader bursting at the seams with the Force but it wants to switch the focus on Sabé instead, something I’m looking forward to.
+ Sabé looks to be the big focus going forward
+ Vader basking in the emptiness of space
– Left me a little confused how this is her trial
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website on Twitter @MynockManor and Instagram @mynockmanor.
DARTH VADER (VOL. 3)
Dark Heart of the Sith: #1-5 — Into the Fire: #6-11 — War of the Bounty Hunters: #12-17 — Crimson Reign: #18-22 — The Shadow’s Shadow: #23-27 — Return of the Handmaidens: #28-32 — Unbound Force: #34