Star Wars just retold Anakin’s Tusken Raider massacre (as the lead-up to something even worse)

Warning! This issue contains spoilers for Darth Vader #50Star Wars has redefined Anakin Skywalker Tusken Raider massacre in Attack of the clonesturning it into a mere prelude for a much darker slaughter he would carry out years later as Darth Vader. In the final issue of Marvel’s canonical Darth Vader series, the titular Dark Lord has amassed all kinds of new power in a final bid to overthrow his master ahead of Return of the Jedi. As such, Vader’s killing of so many Imperial troops directly echoes his actions on Tatooine after the death of his mother.

in Darth Vader #50 By Greg Pak and Raffaele Ienco, the Dark Lord has increased his powers in the dark side with new weapons and power sources. However, all of this amplification in the Force takes a greater toll on Vader’s darkest emotions, especially his volumes of hatred. While Vader is channeling much of his hatred towards his master, the Emperor himself exposes the stark truth about his apprentice’s most powerful dark side emotion. at the same time, Vader’s slaughter of the Emperor’s Imperial forces and Sith Eternal Cultists evokes his Tusken Raider slaughter back when he was still Anakin Skywalker:

With the same lines and memories of Anakin’s confession to Padmé in Attack of the clones about what he did to the sand people, The true turmoil of Darth Vader is on full display as he utterly decimates stormtroopers and cultists alikeUnderstand those who stand in his way, and leaving in his wake, except for a frightened skeleton.

Darth Vader’s New Slaughter evokes Anakin Skywalker’s Tusken Raider Massacre

Driven by a pure and powerful hatred

in Attack of the clonesAnakin gives in to his pain and rage after his mother dies. Seeing as Shami Skywalker was captured and harmed by the Sand People, Anakin gives in to his hatred even as a Jedi apprentice, secretly killing every single man, woman and child in the village where he found his mother.. In the aftermath, the only people he ever told in the canon were Padmé Amidala and Palpatine.

to this end, To see Anakin’s verbatim confession used during this new Vader massacre decades later is quite poignant. It really highlights how much further Vader has fallen into the dark side since Tatooine. Likewise, it is also indicative of how much his own self-hatred grew in the years that followed.

How Anakin’s hatred has evolved as Darth Vader

Hates himself more than anyone else

Whether it’s the Sand Men, Storm, or Palpatine, Vader’s claims to hate them are only half true. As shown by the Emperor in this final issue (and in past issues), Vader’s strongest and purest form of hatred is the hatred he keeps for himself. As such, this is a core reason why Darth Vader was never able to defeat the Emperor using the dark side of the Force. It was only ever going to happen from a place sourced in the light, such as saving his son from the Emperor’s wrath in Return of the Jedi.

Darth Vader #50 is now on sale from Marvel Comics.