Comics Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith #7-12: The Dying Light/ Legacy's End (6/6 Released)

Jocasta you fool...

 

This issue was amazing, I loved it. The Vader series is quickly becoming my new favorite series from Marvel, keep up the great work.

 

I really enjoyed this issue. It was nice to see the early interactions between Vader and other Imperials (not knowing how to address him) and where he fit into the Imperial hierarchy. This has consistently become a series that I am craving the next issue.

 

Guys, how incredible was that scene of Vader meditating? I did not expect it at all and I was blown away by the incredible imagery!

 

This tale really deserves a lot more time to breath; really wish it had more than four issues. Imagine a Dark Times-length series with Jocasta as its protagonist.

 

It was an okay issue. Some great stuff in it, but also some turn off moments.

Things I liked:

Spoiler

- The Grand Inquisitor.
- Jocasta looking for the holocron with the Force sensitive children data.
- Coruscant police in action and not completely incompetent Imperials. Such a rarity in the new canon, and always appreciated.
- Vader meditating. That was awesome. (Also was that Vaneé? I kinda hope not, because I still wish for a proper introduction of him, not just “he exists already” like Soule did with the Inquisitors).
- The art is still the best thing about these series. It just looks gorgeous.
- Palpatine is still great, and so far the best written character in this series. So well written, I find him the most likable character. I also appreciated that he has actual depth, interesting motivations and a personality that goes beyond "being angry" and "not being angry", unlike a certain other Sith here.

Things I disliked:

Spoiler

- Jocasta. I thought her lack of self-control felt weirdly out of character, for someone who is supposed to be a mature, experienced Jedi. I like flawed Jedi, but this was over the top. Jocasta Nu doesn’t feel like the type of person who go on a psychotic rage just because someone is reading “her” books.
- The beginning. I thought for a moment we were back to flanderizing Vader, though fortunately it didn’t stay that way. But It seems that that Vader’s character development will be just Vader learning how to kill less? Sidious is actually trying to make him less of a one-note psychopath? Makes you wonder if he really is the less evil of the two Sith, because here it kinda looks like the opposite.
Moreover, this kind of Jason-like portrayal kinda takes away the emotional impact of the final act of Lords of the Sith. In LotS, Sidious is coaching a still-reluctant-to-kill-needlessly Vader to be more Sith, more evil; here he is coaching Vader to be…less evil? It’s just bizarre.

 

I loved the fact that since he's missing his limbs, there's nothing there in the force as well.

 

Agreed wholeheartedly. It was way over-the-top and really need more explanation. Or just better writing. We are supposed to believe this woman was on the Jedi Council and charged with safeguarding the Order's secrets? She's barely able to control her feelings. Much preferred the subtle and nuanced failings of the Jedi seen in Purge and Dark Times. Jocasta was acting nonsensical.

 

Spoiler

As for your last point, I was wondering similar things. But then it occured to me that this was maybe a necessary stage every newly-crowned Darth has to go through? Vader in ROTS showed very little self-control, he was basically consumed by the dark side. The Dark Side is extremely addictive and overwhelming so maybe it takes training and a whole lot of will-power to get it under control. It seems to me that even Sidious himself succumbed to it in his final years.

I'm willing to wait and see how it progresses, I do hope he doesn't stay at the "Jason-stage" forever, that would make me drop the book for good because that's not Vader.

 

I'm anticipating Vader's introspection in this series. It is the perfect time to show Vader's internal struggle, especially this soon after ROTS. He still contemplated his past deeds to a degree in Lords of the Sith, and he finally overcame (almost) all of it in the 2015 Vader series. It would be a missed opportunity to not depict that here.

 

Marvel editors Heather Antos and Jordan White discuss Darth Vader #7 and #8.

Spoiler

So the next arc is about someone targeting Vader, interesting.
Another Jedi survivor maybe?

 

My guess is that

Spoiler

it's Maul.

Gesendet von meinem SM-J510FN mit Tapatalk

 

Several teases by the Marvel team in the video.

Spoiler

By the end of this arc Vader will get something iconic to his character. So, he'll construct his lightsaber hilt?

ETA: A small clarification on something by Charles Soule on Twitter (in case someone was confused when they read issue #8)

Spoiler

https://twitter.com/CharlesSoule/status/931284351991496704[/spoiler]

 

I knew it! Awesome to see this confirmed.

 

Spoiler

I thought they captured Jocasta's personality very well, considering we didn't get a whole lot in the canon movies.

She was very dismissive of OB1 asking a very basic question. She was almost the Anakin version of knowledge. Her offense to OB1's question was essentially "Don't underestimate my knowledge. It is supreme." And OB1 was very respectful in his question. The Grand Inquisitor was essentially wiping his butt with "her books".

But would she do something impulsive and put the "larger task" in jeopardy? That is exactly what she did with OB1. Perhaps this impulse reaction is what led to library duties instead of field duty in the first place?

 

Spoiler

As for who is targeting Vader in the next arc, I wouldn't be surprised in the least if it was Quinlen Vos. Seems in character for his canon portrayal, and indeed even his legends character admits he would have done just that (Or more generally he would have gone after the Sith, as he didn't know about Vader at the time), if not for his family. Canon Vos has no Family as of now, and was completely dedicated to wiping out the Sith in Dark Disciples. He makes the most sense to me, unless they still have plans for him. You never know.

 

Spoiler

As for who's targeting Vader, I'd bet on this fine gang



Just kidding, that would be five months too soon.

#darktimescanonforever

 

"Have you seen him? The Emperor? Outwardly he looks withered...ancient. That was our mistake...inside he is coiled fury...limitless rage. Like fire of lightning...or a crushing ocean of hate. No one can withstand him-or stand up to him. But we learned that too late."



With the advent of the Inquisitors it's unlikely we'll see any Jedi survivors being turned to the Dark Side. Which is too bad, because I loved the idea of characters like Sadhett. When faced with the overwhelming truth of the deception of the Clone Wars and the sheer power of the Sith, he simply gave up and joined the Dark Side.

 

Damn, those panels look amazing. I've read them 100 times, and I'm still awe struck like it's the first

I can't think of a reason why Sahdett or a character like him (i.e. an Order 66 survivor turning to the Dark Side) wouldn't fit in canon.

First, the Inquisitorious existed in Legends too, and clearly, Sahdett's presence didn't mess anything in that continuity.

Second, maybe Palpatine turned him and assigned him a mission to test him first, and maybe integrate him within the Inquisitorious later? This would apply equally in Legends and canon.

Third, maybe Palpatine assigned him a mission to test him and if he would succeed, then maybe he would keep him as a dark side agent ala Mara Jade (a concept currently not canon, but not one that wouldn't fit), or maybe consider him as a replacement for Vader? The latter makes sense both in Legends and canon, as that is a Sith thing to do, and Palpatine was disappointed with Vader's failure on Mustafar (as confirmed in canon in 2015 Vader issue #1). And as stated in Dark Times, Sahdett had quite a reputation as a fighter. He wasn't an average Jedi, so it wouldn't be surprising if Palpatine would consider someone like him as an alternative to Vader.

Or fourth, Palpatine did what he did to Sahdett and the other Jedi just for the sake of it, because he is a sadist, so no special explanation necessary.

I believe you can explain/rationalize this in a very organic way both in the context of Legends and canon.

 

I know this comic series explains the origins of the Inquisitors, but I really hope to see Palpatine approach them and offer them a place by his side. Like maybe during Order 66 or Operation Knightfall he finds them or they find him and just talk about dark side stuff.

 

Possibly stupid question: Why does the lightsaber Vader uses in this series look different than the one he's known for using?

 

Because its not his lightsaber (not truly at least). He took it from a Jedi named Kirak In'fila (or however his name is typed), corrupted its kyber crystal and kept it. It was hinted that we will see him construct his own hilt by the end of this arc.

 

Right. OK. Thank you. That all makes sense and sounds familiar now. Thanks!!

 

I know a lot of people didn't like Jocasta's lack of self-control but I think I'll give her a pass. She's survived the purge, as far as she knows almost everyone she's ever known is dead. That kind of survivor's guilt can weigh on anyone's mind, even a Jedi Master, and make them act out of character. Plus there are Sith in the Jedi Temple and her library. She basically looked like she as about to fight Obi-Wan for suggesting that something might be missing.
I'm interested to see where this storyline goes.

 

Jocasta sounds more like a Warcraft Paladin than a Jedi ("By the Light!" ) but I should stop whinging, the ship has clearly sailed.

I largely enjoyed the rest of the issue. The insight into Vader's meditations was lovely.