– Spoiler Review –
Narrative threads from the sequel trilogy coalesce in Legacy of Vader #8, as the Knights of Ren and their new leader come to terms with what happened to the group and how they can change their lot going forward.
No one’s done more work with the Knights of Ren than Charles Soule, from The Rise of Kylo Ren series to their involvement with Qi’ra and her schemes, so it seems fitting he’d be the one who helps weave their presence, and lack thereof, in the sequel trilogy together with what’s come before and what is yet to come. While seemingly a big part of Kylo’s time in the sequel films, the Knights aren’t really featured much until The Rise of Skywalker, though a small Force vision to Rey in The Force Awakens revealed Kylo’s deadly time with them. So why all the hubbub and barely much use of them in the films? Legacy of Vader #8 is bogged down a smidge due to the narrative heavy-lifting Soule does to make it all work, but what we learn fits snugly and fleshes out more than expected. The Knights tell their new leader Tava Ren about what happened to them after the events of The Rise of Kylo Ren, starting with how Kylo led them on some good times, killing and pillaging, but Kylo grew more distant and disinterested as time went on, until he started taking them on purposeful missions and less of their usual pillaging. After several of those, including us finally seeing the mission that Rey saw in her Force vision, Supreme Leader Snoke arrives and basically tells Kylo it’s time to move on, the Knights served their purpose on Kylo’s path, and orders the First Order to kill them, though they manage to escape and have been running ever since. It makes sense why they aren’t with Kylo in TFA or The Last Jedi, while issue #8, and #9, seem part of the story which will explain how they end up working for him again by TRoS. The Knights of Ren’s time with Qi’ra, where they muck up her plans by betting on Palpatine in the long run, already explained their allegiance to Palpatine and their betrayal of Kylo after he turns to the light side by TRoS, so I appreciate Soule filling in this story to build more cohesion and nuance to those events.
Enjoyment of this issue doesn’t stem only from filling in missing pieces or seeing new lore from the sequel trilogy era, but also from what it tells us about Kylo and the Knights themselves. For the Knights, what we see here fits with their mindset even back during the Imperial era, as they were growing tired of their missions for Qi’ra and not just out pillaging, to the point they betrayed her in hopes for a better time under Palpatine. They enjoy living up to their reputation and under Kylo they had some of their best times, but once Snoke was aiming Kylo’s control of them, they grew less enchanted with their leader. Once Snoke ended Kylo’s time with the Knights and sent the First Order’s might against them, it broke the roving band of warriors and they’ve lost their knack for being as deadly as their reputation says, hence why Tava wants to change their fortune. As for Kylo, it’s nothing direct, but his sully demeanor despite the Knights’ happiness with his leadership shows how fractured inside he is, foretelling how killing his father will only widen it, and how Snoke aka Palpatine guiding him on missions helps mitigate these ruminations, for now. Without these bigger influences in his life, we’ve seen in Legacy of Vader already that Kylo alone means he either must keep moving, finding the next distraction, or else the past, and what he’s done to it, will catch up with him and tear him apart inside.
As for Tava Ren, we don’t learn much about her though, we do see her pull off some skillful moves in the opening, but we do know she wants to solve the Knights’ problems and get them back to their former glory. Going directly to Kylo, claiming to be at his service, is an interesting way to get close and I wonder what she has up her sleeves next…does she plan to kill him or see if he’s the more worthy leader, or is fighting him to the death the only way, in her mind, to prove that? The biggest surprise with Tava Ren comes on the final page however, as she takes off her mask and, besides the big, flowing red hair we already saw sticking out from her helmet, it’s revealed she has the same markings on Ren’s helmet, the leader Kylo killed, on her neck!!?! How?! Did she find his helmet and mark herself? Does whomever hold the Ren gain said scar in some way? Just when Soule lets us think this will be a simple showdown, there is more mystery to be had!
The flip-flopping art team for Legacy of Vader means we’re back to Stefano Raffaele as artist, while the steady colorist Nolan Woodard and letterer Joe Caramagna remain! For the flashbacks as the Knights tell Tava their story, I adored the coloring change used to make it distinct and old-timey compared to the crisper present set scenes. It’s not just nice on a purely visual level, but it adds a sense of grandeur to the events, making them almost feel larger than life. The panel of Snoke sending the might of the First Order on the Knights, where he’s standing next to Kylo, his Praetorian guards behind him, stormtroopers rushing in, is one of my favorites of the issue. His giant ship hangs in the sky above them, even bigger lightning crackling around it, like fingers closing the net around them all, the blue of the sky and the strikes, as well as how Snoke’s word bubble rest between the destruction he’s sending at the Knights, aid the sense there’s no escape, there’s nothing beyond, making for a chilling scene even if I’m okay if the Knights died right then and there. Our look at Vandor early in the issue, previously seen in Solo: A Star Wars Story, high up in its mountains held some cool looking vistas and designs. I particularly was drawn to the monastery where Tava’s taken the Knights to rob, as the double dome tops, which look like drum symbols, right down to the gold-like color, reminded me of early concept art for Luke’s Jedi Temple in the sequel trilogy, while the crisscrossing stones of its interior invite thought, like they are puzzle pieces to arrange as you contemplate whatever is these monks contemplated. How humble those rocks look compared to the ornate, extremely detailed carved gold door to their vault says a lot about the monks to some degree, being modest about their wealth, though one has to wonder if out of fear for something like this or because they just don’t want people to know. As for Tava, her mask reminds me of a cat’s face, especially in close-ups, with thin, almost judgmental eye slots, with two red glowing spots, the little horns like spiky ears, and the overall shape of the face gives animal-vibes.
Here are a few other things:
- Tava Ren’s time in the series looks to end with issue #9, but that’s no guarantee she’ll be dead, as Soule often finds a unique third answer. After Tava, it looks like Kylo gains access to Vader’s Castle on Mustafar, much like he tried in issue #1, though the experience is teased to be a trippy one, given the solicitation for November’s issue #10 and an early solicit for December’s issue #11.
- Also out the same day as this issue is the start of a new 5-issue miniseries, Han Solo: Hunt for the Falcon! I’m going to review the start though won’t again until the miniseries ends (which is likely in January if there are no delays), but I will say now (as I’m still working on the review though I’ll update here once it’s out) I loved the thematic juxtaposition of Han in this era being so focused on the past being better than the present, trying to relive his glory days, while his son Ben is so focused on killing the past.
Legacy of Vader #8 might feel bogged down due to filling in some vital background, but it’s worth it for how it expands what we know and what we know about them, while Tava Ren presents an interesting mystery for next issue!
+ Knights, Kylo, and Tava delight
+ Filling in some narrative gaps…
– …yet heavy lifting slows things down
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him and the website on Bluesky.
LEGACY OF VADER REVIEWS:
Reign of Kylo Ren: #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 | #6 — Vol. 2: #7