Warning! Spoilers for Star Wars: Darth Vader #19
The mom of Anakin Skywalker, Shmi, is being weaponized by Darth Vader in a new comic. As the Sith reflects on his past life, his mother’s death continues to haunt him.
Greg Pak’s run on Darth Vader has highlighted many key moments in the Star Wars saga. Revisiting iconic scenes and reimagining major events, the series has been a constant tribute to the franchise, building upon lore and presenting new twists. When Anakin lost his mom in Attack of the Clones, it spurred him to embrace the dark side on go on a rampage, chopping down Tusken Raiders with his lightsaber. It was the first time that he gave into his feelings and crossed the line, hinting at his destiny as Darth Vader. By the time of the original trilogy, the Sith is still reliving such moments in Star Wars: Darth Vader #19, written by Pak with art by Guiu Vilanova, featuring a cover by Ryan Stegman.
As revealed in a preview for Darth Vader #19 on StarWars.com, the Sith hasn’t let go of his life as Anakin Skywalker. Just like Anakin often ruminated on his last goodbye to his mom, Darth Vader is thinking back to how he was unable to save her. The inciting incident led to Anakin’s choice to join the dark side and ultimately become Vader, as he couldn’t risk losing Padme in the same way. Although Vader has disregarded his past as Anakin, claiming his old self to be weak, he still remembers the life he had. The regret and anger that fueled him as a young man still burns within his mechanical self many years later, continuing to serve as motivation to bring order to the galaxy. His desire for power and control stems from Shmi’s death, as seen in Darth Vader #19 releasing on December 22.
As Darth Vader reveals his surprising self-awareness, he is turning his pain back on bounty hunter Beilert Valance. He commands the bounty hunter to follow his orders, threatening to kill those he cares about if he doesn’t listen. Through their dynamic, Vader twists his own traumatic experience to ensure that others remain subservient to his will. Like any great villain, he leverages his own pain to inflict it on others.
However, Darth Vader #19 reminds readers that the Sith isn’t evil for the sake of it. He utilizes the dark side to bring order to a chaotic galaxy. Although he uses manipulative means, Darth Vader is remembering the pain of losing his mother to bring about change through the Empire.
