Warning: Contains spoilers for Star Wars: Darth Vader #50! Darth Vader is easily one of the most iconic Sith Lords in the history of Star WarsRight up there with the likes of Emperor Palpatine himself. However, this should not suggest that Darth Vader is just like every other known Sith Star Wars Canon, as he is very different from them in one major way. and now, Star Wars Fans are shown just what the difference is with Darth Vader’s defeat of Palpatine, who reveals the one word that defines his life as a Sith.
in Star Wars: Darth Vader #50 by Greg Pak, Raffaele Ienco, Luke Ross, Paul Fry and Adam Gorham Darth Vader has finally gathered all the strength he needs to challenge Emperor Palpatine. Vader’s story was the slow process of accumulating allies, weapons and power for the sole purpose of killing Palpatine. Sick of the games his master continually plays with his life, Vader is still trying to recruit Luke Skywalker to lead the galaxy by his side in Episode VVader figures now is the best time to eliminate their competition.
If Darth Vader wanted to even have a chance against Palpatine, let alone defeat him, he first needed to recruit allies like the MAR Corps and the Schism Imperial, which gave him foot soldiers that he could use to pick up immensely powerful weapons. These weapons included a cyber-powered Zuli shield and electrostaff, with the added upgrade of power cells derived from the energy of an entire planet, which he plugged directly into his suit. Now, Vader has followers, he has weapons, and he has power, all of which amount to him being ready to face Palpatine.
When the two Sith Lords finally fight, Darth Vader hits Palpatine with a blast from his cyber-powered weapons (the same energy source used to power the Death Star), and he literally tears Palpatine to shreds. Before learning that Palpatine does, in fact, have the upper hand, Vader (and readers) believes he has been defeated. However, his victory is not a satisfying one, as there is only one word that echoes through his mind as he watches his master die: “Hate“.
Darth Vader’s life as a Sith is filled with nothing but hate
Some Sith seek power, influence and legacy, Darth Vader only has hatred
Historically, the one thing Sith crave more than anything is power. Darth Sidious himself is a perfect example of this, viz Palpatine committed terrible atrocities On a cosmic scale for the sole purpose of ruling the galaxy. Plus, every terrible thing Sidious did only strengthened his connection to the dark side of the Force, which incentivized him to continue. Darth Vader, on the other hand, turned to the dark side (and stayed) for a completely different reason.
Although it is true that Anakin Skywalker accepted the dark side for the sake of power, he only sought the power to save Padmé’s life after constant, hellish visions of her death (that Palpatine implanted in his mind). That’s why, when he found out that he was the cause of Padme’s death, Darth Vader didn’t return to the light for ten years, because he instead clung to the one emotion that he was completely preoccupied with: hate.
There is nothing left in Darth Vader except hate.
There is nothing left in Darth Vader except hate. Hatred of the Jedi for betraying him, hatred of Palpatine for corrupting him, and – most of all – hatred of himself. Even when he thought he killed Palpatine in this issue, Darth Vader’s inner monologue said it all: “hate you Hate… me. hate me Hate“.
Darth Vader has no great ambition. No true philosophy or ideology. He’s just trapped in a swirling hell of his own creation, stuck in hatred, raging against his life.
Fighting Palpatine isn’t the first time Darth Vader has called upon his hatred to strike down a powerful Sith
Star Wars Tales #9 “Dead” by Ron Marz and Rick Leonardi
In the Legends story “Resurrection”, Darth Vader is summoned to a strange world where a dark side cult calls upon ancient magic to resurrect Palpatine’s original apprentice: Darth Maul. The cult believed that Darth Vader was not a true Sith, since he was once a Jedi. They thought Darth Maul was more suited to rule the galaxy at Palpatine’s side, so they held a fight to the death to prove just that.
While Maul came close to killing Vader and reclaiming the position he was robbed of all those years ago, Darth Vader claimed victory after he stabbed Darth Maul in the stomach with his own torso. As he lay dying, Darth Maul asked Vader, “What could you hate enough… to destroy me?“To which Vader replied,”himself“.
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“Resurrection” may not be canon, but it perfectly articulates the source of Darth Vader’s power, and Star Wars: Darth Vader #50 just did the same. Darth Vader doesn’t want to rule the galaxy, he doesn’t even want power for its own sake. His strength in the dark side is a byproduct of the one thing that defines his life as a Sith: hate—and Darth Vaders defeat of Emperor Palpatine Prove it.
Star Wars: Darth Vader #50 by Marvel Comics is now available.