Warning! This post contains spoilers for Darth Vader #50
one of Darth Vader Best lines in the Star Wars Kanon was just used against him by his own master, Emperor Palpatine. As seen in the latest issue of Marvel’s Darth Vader series that has been ongoing since 2020, it is revealed that the titular Dark Lord of the Sith was at his most powerful just before the events of Return of the Jedi. However, Palpatine proved that all that power meant that Vader was also at his most vulnerable.
In Marvel Darth Vader #50 By Greg Pak and Raffaele Ienco, Vader finally has all the power needed to move against his master. Armed with a cyber electro-staff and a cyberite shield to uniquely channel the Force, Vader’s strength is also augmented by power sourced from an entire planet’s drained life force. As such, Vader lays waste to all the Stormtroopers and Sith Eternal Cultists Palpatine sent to bring his apprentice down. however, The entire confrontation between Vader and the Emperor was all part of Palpatine’s plan, including a key moment in which Vader’s master evokes a key line from his past:
Quoting what has become one of Vader’s most popular lines since it was first uttered in the comics back in 2015, Palpatine turns Darth Vader “Fear and the Dead” Line in something much more compromising for the Dark Lord of the Sith.
Darth Vader’s original “Fear and Dead Men” quote explained
From Marvel’s “Vader Down” event
When Marvel was still out Star Wars Comics set between A new hope And The empire strikes backThe end of 2015 saw the epic Vader down Crossover event between the flagship Star Wars series and Darth Vader. In it, Luke Skywalker successfully brings down Vader’s TIE Advanced, effectively stranding the Dark Lord on the planet of Vrogas Vas without Imperial support. Facing an entire platoon of Rebellion soldiers on his own who tell the Sith Lord they have him surrounded, Darth Vader counters with one of his darkest and most badass lines: “All I’m surrounded by is fear. And dead people.”
Not only does Vader go through the Rebel forces as if they were nothing, but he nearly killed Leia Organa if it wasn’t for the intervention of Karbin, a cyborg who was positioned as a potential replacement for Vader (and arranged the entire Rebel trap in a bid to eliminate Vader and win Palpatine’s favor). While the remaining rebels and his son finally retreat and flee the planet as a result, Vader Down Is still one of the most impressive battles of the Dark Lord that was just punctuated by this epic line.
Vader’s new weapons amplified his powers
As well as his hatred
Jump forward to the end of the year between Empire strikes back And Return of the JediAnd Vader’s epic line is now proving to be less empowering than it was on Vrogas Vas. As Palpatine pointed out, Vader’s amplified powers now mean he feels the fear of the people he’s slaughtering to an even greater degree.. Not only does he feel their fear and terror, but also the full scope of their emotions, who they were, and who they could have been if Vader hadn’t wiped them out.
Palpatine exposes the weakening truth that the one whom Vader hates most of all is Vader himself…
To that end, the price of all this new power is the overwhelming surge of emotion that is both internal and external. Naturally, the primary emotion felt by Vader is hatred, although Palpatine breaks his apprentice’s false belief that the Emperor is the one Vader hates the most.. Instead, Palpatine exposes the weakening truth that the one whom Vader hates most of all is Vader himself.
Palpatine is even more powerful than Vader in the dark side
Use his hatred against him
Despite all his new power, Vader was overwhelmed by his own self-hatred when Palpatine emerged the stronger of the two Sith. Punishing his apprentice with Force lightning, Palpatine confirms that he allowed Vader to gain all the power just so he could learn the dark truth once and for all. Vader was never going to become more powerful than his master (at least where the dark side was concerned).
Kneeling before Palpatine, Vader submits to the Emperor once more, explaining his defeated spirit as seen in Return of the JediAs well as proving that the Dark Lord was only ever going to defeat Palpatine of the Light. Regardless, The fact that Palpatine was able to turn and twist one of Darth Vader’s more powerful lines and moments from the past is a testament to his own greater power in the dark side of the Force. As such, this issue impressively enhances both the past and the future when it comes to Vader’s overall Star Wars arc in the comics.
Darth Vader #50 is now on sale from Marvel Comics.