Many would agree that Darth Vader is one of the iconic villains not just in the Star Wars universe, but in the entire movie industry. The menacing Sith Lord is a main staple of the Skywalker Saga, and the villain's story has been well chronicled throughout the longstanding narrative.
The original trilogy managed to showcase Vader at the height of his power, while the prequel trilogy highlighted the backstory of how a young Jedi in the form of Anakin Skywalker fell to the dark side. One of the key figures that helped shape the story of Anakin was his wife, Padmé Amidala. The tragic love story between Anakin and Padmé was well-chronicled throughout the prequels, and this particular storyline helped flesh out Darth Vader in more ways than one.
A previously-released comic book issue featured the long-awaited reunion between the two lovers albeit in a different situation. Vader was shown finding the final resting place of Padmé in Naboo, marking the first time that the villain comes face to face with his beloved after the events of Revenge of the Sith . And now, a new preview teases what's to come ahead of the fateful encounter.
CONFIRMATION
Star Wars released an exclusive preview of Marvel's Darth Vader # 5, and it shows Darth Vader coming face to face with the grave of his one true love, Padmé Amidala.
The preview also included the synopsis of the latest issue, teasing that Vader came to Naboo "in search of answers" while also "discovering the truth" about the fate of Amidala:
For Darth Vader, it has all led to this.
The Sith Lord, obsessed with discovering the truth about the fate of Padmé Amidala and exacting revenge on those who hid Luke Skywalker from him, has come to Naboo in search of answers. There, he finds the tomb of his wife from a life long gone — as well as her loyal handmaidens. In StarWars.com’s first look at Marvel’s Darth Vader #5, Vader finally stands before Padmé’s final resting place…
The cover art of Marvel's Darth Vader # 5 was also unveiled, and it highlights the duality of Vader and Anakin Skywalker. The cover art was made by In-Hyuk Lee while the comic was written by Greg Pak and artist Raffaele Ienco.
To hype up the release, Star Wars also included a slew of comic panels. The first panel shows Vader trying to desecrate the remains of Padme before being stopped by one of the handmaidens of Amidala.
The second panel features several flashbacks of Vader's memories of Padme, leading the villain to reflect about the lost time with his beloved.
The next panel shows Vader finding out a "med implant" within the remains of Padme, and it appears that the Sith Lord will trace it back to its origins.
The last panel shows the handmaidens of Amidala trying to map out a plan to stop Vader, but the villain isn't threatened by the challenge.
The comic will officially arrive on September 16 , and fans can now pre-order it .
WHAT THIS MEANS
Even though the Skywalker Saga came to close last year during The Rise of Skywalker , several gaps within the narrative are still being told in different mediums, and this bit about Darth Vader finding out Padme's grave is a prime example of that. It's clear that Vader is a fan-favorite, and knowing more stories like this about the villain should help fans understand his motivations.
The current Darth Vader comic book run is not just a simple dive from the villain's past. Based on the previews that surfaced, this narrative should give fans a glimpse of the sympathetic nature of Vader while also hinting that there is still light within the villain's Dark Side. This particular aspect aligns with the timeline of events within the Skywalker Saga since this specific comic book run is set after the events of Empire Strikes Back and before his redemption during Return of the Jedi.
It remains to be seen how the conflict between Naboo's forces and Darth Vader will play out during the narrative, but this goes to show that Padme's influence over Vader is still apparent even after her demise.
