Published: August 02, 2017
Rating: Rated T
Writer: Charles Soule
Penciler: Giuseppe Camuncoli
Cover Artist: Giuseppe Camuncoli
Vader’s first mission isn’t going well. The dark side is the way of power. But no one said it would be easy.
The story
The Mid Rim; River Planet of Al’doleem.
Vader and Arex lie at the bottom of the ravine. Both have sustained considerable damage and injuries during the fight. Arex taunts Vader and says the the Jedi will eventually win. Suddenly, Vader raises a hand and Arex flies through the air and the droid shatters above him. From the pile of droid parts that surround him, small parts float towards Vader’s damaged hand and slowly click in to place. Using the force, Vader is repairing his mechanical hand.
Am’balaar City.
Infil’a stands high on the walkway at the top of a dam that has a city built in to the side it. He is now back and one with the force, his Barash is now declared complete.
A female mechanic is lay under an engine while her young daughter Colli watches, Infil’a approaches asking for his ship. Mareena recognises Infil’a immediately and asks how long it has been. He confirms it has been years since he left his ship with her and asks if she still has it. She pulls back a tarpaulin to reveal a Jedi fighter and claims it will need a tune up to be ready. Infil’a is in a hurry, but Mareena will start work straight away. Infil’a explains that he felt great anguish in the force recently and this was the purge of his kind. Mareena had heard that the Jedi were traitors, but Colli says she never believed that. Much has changed during Infil’a’s Barash, but he has vanquished the Sith executioner sent to kill him. Colli looks on in awe of Infil’a, Jogg appears at the door as he’d heard voices and wondered what was happening. Infil’a reassures them that the Sith is dead and will not be coming after him there.
Deep in the ravine, Vader removes Arex’s left leg and attaches it to where his mechanical leg has been severed. He screams in pain as it connects to the fleshy stump, but now he can stand again. He reaches out with the force and his make shift weapon flies to his hand. He makes his way through the ravine.
Infil’a is helping prepare his ship as Colli watches in disbelief at the ease he manipulates such large items that her father cannot lift with just the force. Infil’a promises to return and teach her the ways of the force and to rebuild the Jedi Order on Mount Pasvaal. He drops the heavy items and runs for the door, he has sensed something in the force, but cannot be sure what it is. High above him on top of the dam is Vader beckoning Infil’a to join him.
Colli and her family have followed him, Infil’a asks them all to remain inside and for Mareena to return to preparing his ship. He reaches for his lightsaber, ignites the green blade and uses a force leap to propel himself into an attack on Vader. Infil’a’s attack is fierce and he manages to injure Vader and he falls to the ground. 3 security guards fire warning shots demanding they cease their fight on the crucial dam. They are lifted from their feet and hurtle over the edge of the dam towards their deaths, until Infil’a reaches out and stops their fall. He lowers them to safety and turns towards Vader.
Infil’a tells Vader he is a monster, he cannot disagree and with an out stretched hand he uses the force to break a habitat pod from its moorings on the side of the dam and releases it towards the ground below. Local citizens flee as the pod crashes down, Infil’a tries to counter Vader’s actions to stop the pod from causing further damage. While he is distracted Vader removes Infil’a’s lightsaber hilt from his belt and it floats to his hand. Infil’a is lifted from his knees into the air grasping at his throat. He pleads with Vader to kill him, but to spare the local people as the pod crashes down further and into the water as Infil’a has lost his force grasp.
A loud crack comes from Infil’a’s neck and the city on the side of the dam collapses into itself. His limp body floats over what remains of the city as water comes through from the other side.
Vader watches on as the city is destroyed; the Jedi he came for is dead and he now has his lightsaber.
The review
The cover is a great illustration of Vader at the bottom of the ravine. The detail is slightly different to the actual comic story, but I can forgive that for such a great piece of artwork.
Now we are really seeing Vader come into his own. Little Ani was wizard at repairing droids and other mechanical items, but here those skills are now being used to rebuild himself.
Infil’a is in some ways a guardian of the local people and their city. He has not hidden the fact that he is a former Jedi during his Barash and they seem to have taken him as one of their own. This proves to be his weakness during the battle with Vader as he is trying to protect the city and is willing to give his life to spare them
We all know that Vader has a liking to show his force powers without unnecessarily wielding his lightsaber. This is how he truly harnessed those skills in my opinion. The exacting malevolence he dishes out by destroying the city is unerringly brutal, but for him to succeed in the Emperors eyes, he must show no one any quarter.
The artwork is of a very high standard and the colours are well chosen. The depth these give each frame is excellent. The dialogue is kept simple and I like the way Colli and Infil’a interact while Mareena is preparing his ship.
Curiously he promises to train Colli, so is she force sensitive? Has she survived? Will Vader sense her ability if she has? Now that would be a twist!
Availability
This issue was released on 2nd August 2017 and is available via the Marvel App and all good comic book stores. This issue retails at $3.99.