Comic Review: Darth Vader (2020) #38

As Vader’s eyes reflect the purplish glow of the Spark Eternal’s possessed droids, he’s surrounded by the carnage wreaked by the hive mind in Yu & Gho’s direct cover. It’s a chilling scene of the metal coming for the flesh and the threat posed to the Sith Lord who straddles both worlds. Casanovas’ variant is similarly creepy as at first glance it just looks like a lineup of friendly droids – until you look at their possessed, purple eyes. And keeping up the theme of nightmarish droids is Gist’s anniversary variant as two battle droids corner a worried looking Padmé Amidala.

With the Spark Eternal ever hungry and growing more restless with each droid mind it consumes, it is determined to find a path into the flesh of organics. Yet its previous experiments have failed drastically and so it has set its sights onto someone who is machine and man. Darth Vader. As the Sith Lord fights the possessed droids aboard the Executor, the Imperial fleet draws closer. If the ship cannot be saved, then it will be destroyed. But who is in more danger – Vader or the surviving officers?

As the remaining officers on the Executor stave off the droids overtaken by the Spark Eternal, barricading themselves off or engaging the droids directly in combat, the fleet draws closer. A Super Star Destroyer is the biggest ship in the Imperial Navy, so it’s not going to be easy to take down. However, the officers on the Star Destroyers are aware of the political games played within their ranks and suspect that Mas Amedda’s orders may be to serve his own agenda. Pak’s giving such an interesting insight into the Imperials in Darth Vader (2020) #38 and showing a much more human side to the galaxy’s villains.

Rather than fire on the Executor straight away, the higher-ranking officers belay Mas Amedda’s orders, intending to see if they can reestablish communications with the rogue ship. It’s an interesting tactic because many Imperials don’t care about the troopers, pilots, and officers that serve the Empire. Every order is a chance for a promotion. Yet Admiral Corleque hopes to give any survivors a chance, showing a great deal of camaraderie. While the Imperials are often the faction that fans love to hate, there’s a lot more to them. Not everyone who served the Empire was necessarily a bad person.

Their plan is to send some troop transports over to evacuate survivors, brilliantly illustrated by Ienco to be similar to those used by the First Order in The Force Awakens, but with a bit more of a brutalist, Imperial aesthetic. It’s a good plan – except that the transports are full of KX droids. As soon as they get on board the droids are overrun, only adding to the fire that Vader’s trying to put out.

For anyone who has played Jedi: Fallen Order, then they’ll know what it’s like trying to fight off dozens of KX droids and might even sympathise with Vader. Even with a lightsaber they are not easy enemies to defeat! This fight looks absolutely incredible across multiple panels, each KX droid a dark, menacing presence on the pages. With their long limbs and humanoid proportions, there is something truly creepy about these droids, which Ienco has captured perfectly.

It’s only down to the tireless efforts of Zed and Vader’s droids that the Executor has any chance. These droids display a lot of self-awareness and would easily fit in amongst the host of Ajax Prime if they didn’t serve the Sith instead. Vader’s fighting to protect Zed and give him time to fix the failsafe that will terminate all the droids on the Executor. Including themselves. It’s a selfless act of bravery from Zed (and not something the Imperials really deserve) that either suggests his programming is for utmost loyalty or that he doesn’t want his brethren to suffer as a hive mind.

With lightsaber battles across the halls of the Executor and some dramatic Imperial bridge scenes, there’s a balance of action and nostalgia throughout the artwork in Darth Vader (2020) #38. Ienco brilliantly suggests the different scales of the fleet, dwarfing the Imperial Star Destroyers compared to the Executor, which is particularly effective for the chilling ending scenes. 

Although it’s not quite as dark as the previous issue, Pak continues to set a gloomy tone for the Dark Droids crossover with Darth Vader (2020). Although the Executor has been saved, it’s come at a terrible cost. Now that the Empire is aware that something is wrong with the droids, will the fleet commanders do anything? Or are they willing to ignore the risk of the Spark Eternal? Vader seems unperturbed by his fight with the hive mind, but the Spark Eternal is certainly not done with the Sith Lord.