Summary:
Darth Vader is an impressive and oppressive force, yet even he has faced challenges over the years. For example, threats to power were made by those within the Empire. Careful planning and the use of resources can protect his position - and his plans.
One such resource is the young Doctor Aphra, a talented thief with extensive knowledge of both archeology and droids. He will use her and her knowledge to take out those in his way.
Review:
Here marks the end of the (well, this) Darth Vader series. It was a good run, and overall, I really enjoyed it. This series could be read as a standalone or alongside the main Star Wars plot. The whole series, from start to finish, occurs between A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back, and until now, I hadn’t really thought about what occurred in that time span.
The artwork was fantastic, as with the previous volumes. The artists used darker tones to help build tension, which was undoubtedly effective.
There are a couple of scenes that will end up impacting a larger chunk of Vader’s plot, though oddly, the focus isn’t really on them. The Astarte Twins finally made their move. In case it surprised anyone, that move cost them dearly. Well, it cost one of them dearly. I’m sure the other one will be back shortly, so it’ll be interesting to see where that leads.
The other bit was at the end, with Vader trying to find information about where Aphra went. As it turns out, the investigator Darth Vader has been working with is actually competent (he knew that would be the case), and he figured out the connection between Vader and Aphra. He may or may not have Aphra in his possession; that one I’m less certain about.
Speaking of Aphra, though, BT -1 and Triple 0 (who are great comedic relief, if I may say so) are not with her, nor do they seem to care what happens to her. Having read Aphra’s standalone comic, I know that changes; I just don’t know when or why. I’m sure the fallout for that one will be interesting, however, and I am looking forward to seeing it.
The series made several serious attempts at showing Vader’s feelings and motivations, probably more so in this volume than the others (specifically when he got shut down). I can’t pretend that I feel a newfound sympathy for the guy (I love to hate him too much for that), but it does give me a new level of appreciation for what he’s gone through and what he’s still going through.
Quite a lot occurred in this volume (they had to wrap up all their plots, after all) and in a short span of time at that. Vader, as usual, did what he does best: hunt and destroy (though I’m sure he wouldn’t use those terms). I won’t say too much on the matter, as I don’t want to give spoilers. I was fascinated by the Detective’s choice, however. I sincerely didn’t see that coming. That alone almost makes me wish there was a follow-up comic for him (even just a single issue) so I could see what brought him to that point.
Even though they’re not the namesake of the series, I truly believe that Beetee, Triple Zero, and Aphra really made the series what it is. The murderous insanity that the droids bring to the mix is the much-needed comic relief. Aphra’s witty and chatty personality helps to balance out Vader’s sullen silence. Add in the fact that her main motivation is simply to survive, and well…you have dramatically different characters interacting with one another. I’m still absolutely stunned at how she could trick Darth Vader. Part of me wonders if she truly did…is there any chance he’s just letting her think she tricked him? Could he have not wanted to kill her but had to have her believe he was willing to do so? I suppose we’ll never know, but it sure is interesting to think about.
Highlights:
Star Wars
Doctor Aphra
Bot Chaos
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Reading updates
- Started reading
- 21 December, 2024: Finished reading
- 21 December, 2024: Reviewed