Description

Star Wars: Darth Vader The Dark Lord of the Sith Vol 2 – Legacy’s End                 Trade Paperback
2nd Printing
Writer: Charles Soule
Artist: Giuseppe Camuncoli
Inker: Daniele Orlandini
Colorist: David Curiel
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Editors: Heather Antos, Jordan D. White & C. B. Cebulski
Cover by: Giuseppe Camuncoli & Francesco Mattina

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…

Star Wars is an American epic space opera franchise centered on a film series created by George Lucas.  The film series began with Star Wars, released on May 25, 1977. This was followed by two sequels: The Empire Strikes Back, released on May 21, 1980, and Return of the Jedi, released on May 25, 1983. Then more than two decades after the release of the original film, the series continued with a prequel trilogy; consisting of Episode I: The Phantom Menace, released on May 19, 1999; Episode II: Attack of the Clones, released on May 16, 2002; Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, released on May 19, 2005; and finally the epic saga concluded with Star Wars: The Force Awakens released on December 18, 2015; Star Wars: The Last Jedi was released on December 18, 2017. And Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was released on December 20, 2019.

Marvel Comics proudly presents the Dark Lord of the Sith… Darth Vader.

Now… a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away… Star Wars: Darth Vader! Jocasta Nu, the Jedi Temple librarian, is making a desperate effort to gather and preserve whatever she can of the Jedi legacy after the purge. Vader and the Grand Inquisitor cannot let her succeed. They are sent after Jocasta by Palpatine, who views her as a particular threat – for her knowledge makes her almost a one-woman Jedi Order, and that must be stopped. So why has the Emperor commanded Vader to keep Jocasta alive? And what secret information will she risk everything to protect? Meanwhile, Vader discovers that an expensive bounty has been placed on his head! Who would dare try to challenge the Dark Lord’s place in the Empire? Darth Vader’s story continues!

Story/Spoilers:
First in part #7, The fledgling Empire has only just begun across the galaxy. As Emperor Palpatine firms up his grip on the reins of rulership, it falls to those under him to make sure the transition goes smoothly. Lord Darth Vader, Palpatine’s Sith apprentice, struggles to come into his own in this new Empire. Formerly a Jedi Knight known as Anakin Skywalker, Vader betrayed the Jedi Order and took the lead in their slaughter. Now, Vader has been put in charge of the Inquisitorius, a group of former Jedi fallen to the dark side. Their mission: continue what Vader began and wipe out the remaining Jedi who have thus far evaded capture….

“The Dying Light Part I”
In Coruscant’s The Works district, Darth Vader trains the Inquisitorius in lightsaber combat. He uses ruthless training methods which result in the Inquisitors sustaining serious injuries including the loss of limbs and eyes. After slicing off the Sixth Brother’s left arm, Vader demands that the wounded Inquisitor continue the fight. The Grand Inquisitor intervenes, expressing concern about Vader’s violent training methods. As the Sixth Brother limps away, Vader counter that he will teach him loss, a lesson he and the other Inquisitors will never forget. At a medbay, medical droids attended to several wounded Inquisitors including the Ninth Sister, the Fifth Brother, and the Sixth Brother. Vader believes that the Inquisitorius are not ready to hunt down and kill survivors of the Great Jedi Purge. The Grand Inquisitor disagrees, telling Vader that the Inquisitors are former Jedi. Vader disparages the Jedi Order’s defensive combat methods which are based around minimizing bloodshed. He blames this error for infecting all of the Inquisitors’ tactics. As they enter a meeting room with a holomap in the center, the Grand Inquisitor reminds Vader that the Emperor appointed him to his position and believes in his ability. Vader is unmoved and demands that the Grand Inquisitor bring his training methods to the others, warning that any Inquisitors who fail to progress will be eliminated. The Grand Inquisitor recognizes that Vader despises them but reminds Vader that the Emperor tasked them with hunt down the Jedi. Since Vader is in charge of the Inquisitorius, he reminds the Sith apprentice that their failure will reflect badly on him rather than the Grand Inquisitor. Vader admits that he despises the Inquisitorius but believes in change since all things are possible through the Force. Studying the map, Vader says that they will begin hunting Jedi Purge survivors. The Grand Inquisitor reminds Vader that the Emperor has already assigned him a list of priority targets including Yoda, Quinlan Vos, the late Kirak Infil’a, Jocasta Nu, and Ahsoka Tano. One of the targets is the Jedi archivist Jedi Master Jocasta Nu, who has been given extra emphasis for yet unclear reasons. The Grand Inquisitor is curious about how she survived but Vader reminds him not to question the will of the Emperor. If the Emperor wishes her to be destroyed, he vows that it will be done. In her hiding place, Master Nu uses a holocron to send a message to Jedi fugitives, telling them that it is up to them. A bespectacled dark-skinned human man named Gar enters the cave, expressing concern about her recording of the holocrons tiring her. Nu reassures him that she only needs to record one more before thanking him for fetching her tea. When Gar inquires about a holocron, Nu replies that it includes her last words and thoughts on the purpose of the Jedi Order including the light that it brings to the galaxy. She tells Gar to place the holocrons with the others since she has more work to do. When Gar expresses concern that Nu will exhaust herself, Nu responds that her work is not complete since she possesses knowledge of the Jedi Archives’ secrets. Before leaving, she asks Gar for some more tea. At the former Jedi Temple, the Grand Inquisitor confides in Darth Vader about his hatred for Master Nu, whom he resents for denying him full access to the Jedi Archives. He thinks that Nu believed that education was for the elite and discriminated against the warriors who put their lives on the line for the Jedi Order. The Inquisitor vows to read through everything in the Jedi Archives. Lord Vader reminds him that his task is to search the Archives for clues about the surviving Jedi including personal information and family connections. He warns the Grand Inquisitor not to fail. The Inquisitor tells him not to worry since he has waited his whole life for this. After recording her final holocron, Master Nu walks inside a waterfall which conceals a hangar containing a Delta-7 Aethersprite-class light interceptor and her astromech droid Beetoo. Gar invites Master Nu to talk over a meal but he realizes that Nu is planning to depart. Gar pleads with Master Nu not to return to the Jedi Archives and to stay in hiding. Nu explains that she has not built an Archive here but rather a school. She tells him that she has to leave in order to retrieve something. Though the mission will be extremely dangerous, she fears that letting it sit where it is would be worse. When Gar asks what is so important, Master Nu explains that the school she is building needs pupils. Back on Coruscant, Lord Vader informs the Emperor that he has implemented an aggressive training program for the Inquisitors. Lord Vader asks the Emperor why he is so interested in Master Jocasta Nu. The Emperor explains that the archivist Nu is knowledgeable about every Force-strong site across the galaxy including shrines, energy wells and ancient temples. He tells Lord Vader that Nu is the custodian of a “great treasure” hidden within the Jedi Archives that he desires. The Emperor tasks Vader with retrieving this treasure by capturing Master Nu and bringing her alive to him. When Lord Vader asks why he did not inform the Inquisitors, the Emperor says he is concerned that Master Nu will fall into the hands of non-Sith who could use it against them. While the Grand Inquisitor and the others should be aware of Master Nu, he believes they should not be informed of her importance since they are not Sith. The Emperor senses that Master Nu is trying to change the destiny of the galaxy and orders Vader to stop her scheme, emphasizing that he must save her life. Meanwhile, Master Nu lands at a Coruscant hangar in her Jedi starfighter. She tells her droid Beetoo to stay with the ship. If he is discovered, she tells the droid that it knows what to do. While she hopes that it does not come to that, the situation is dire and Master Nu reasons she has no choice. Before leaving, she attaches lightsaber to her belt. Making her way to the Jedi Temple, Nu uses a Jedi mind trick to convince several Coruscant Guards that they did not see her. She then enters the Temple through a backdoor.

Next in part #8, The fledgling Galactic Empire has only just begun across the galaxy. Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine’s Sith apprentice, struggles to come into his own in his new role. Formerly a Jedi Knight known as Anakin Skywalker, Vader betrayed the Jedi Order and took the lead in their slaughter. Now, Vader has been put in charge of the Inquisitors, a group of former Jedi fallen to the dark side. The Sith Emperor has given Vader and his new team of Inquisitors the mission of hunting down Jedi archivist Jocasta Nu. Little do they know she is aware of their plan and has a mission all her own….

“The Dying Light Part II”
Darth Vader Force chokes an Imperial Colonel until the Emperor Palpatine orders him to stop. The Emperor thanks the Colonel for his report and warns that he expects that his division will show improved performance in the weeks to come. After the Colonel leaves, the Emperor tells Vader that they are surrounded by lesser beings who only deserve their hatred and contempt. He counsels Vader that these emotions open a door to the power of the Dark side of the Force. He adds that death, rage and pain are tools of the Sith but warns Vader not to let them dominate him too much. He concludes that he does not want to rule over a galaxy of the dead. Meanwhile, Jedi Master Jocasta Nu walks through the ruined interior of the former Jedi Temple, which has been damaged by the Great Jedi Purge. Her astromech droid Beetoo contacts her to warn her that Coruscant underworld police have found their hangar. Master Nu, who had infiltrated the lightly guarded Temple, is forced to adjust her plans. The droid beeps in response, understanding her orders. One of the underworld police officers complains that this check is a waste of time. His colleague says that the sensor grid picked up a weird energy reading at the hangar. The first officer is dismissive, thinking that it is just a fluctuation in the city’s power couplings. He thinks that it would be more appropriate to send a repair droid or a technician. While the underworld police officers’ debate about the insurgent danger to Coruscant, Beetoo plugs into the Delta-7B Aethersprite-class light interceptor’s engine. Just as the police officers unlock the door, Beetoo detonates the ship, causing an explosion that seemingly destroys evidence of Master Nu’s presence. At the Jedi Archives, the Grand Inquisitor browses through the tomes. Master Nu notices him but decides to focus on the mission rather than confront the intruder. Back at the burning hangar, a Coruscant underworld police officer informs an Imperial Security Bureau (ISB) Major that they have collected most of the wreckage and those initial sensors suggest a fair-sized rhydonium-based explosion. He suspects that the rhydonium had been rigged into the ship’s fuel canisters. Another officer finds a decal bearing the insignia of the Jedi Order. While the Coruscant police officer believes that the Jedi are gone, the ISB Major explains that new directives dictate that any Jedi activity has to be reported to the Emperor’s new enforcer Darth Vader. While Lord Vader meditates in a stormy black sea while white butterflies flutter around, he is interrupted by a servant, who informs him that the ISB have reported an incident in the city possibly connected with the Jedi. Back at the Temple, Master Nu uses the Force to trigger a secret door hidden behind a bookcase. She enters a secret vault containing various relics that is guarded by the droid Cator, who has kept watch in her absence. At the ISB laboratory, the Major briefs Vader about the bombing incident, which he believes was part of a botch attempt to target the rich part of the city. He speculates that the Jedi insignia was part of a calling card meant to serve as rabble-rousing graffiti. Vader tells the Major that he is wrong. The Major attempts to reassert his authority citing his experience as an investigator. He reminds Vader that he is here by courtesy. Lord Vader uses the Force to reassemble the wreckage of the Jedi starfighter and Beetoo. This display of the Force amazes and terrifies the Major. Lord Vader tells the Major that a Jedi is lose on Coruscant and to order his teams to search every level except the former Jedi Temple. When the Major suggests that the Jedi fugitive may head to the Temple, Lord Vader responds that he will deal with the threat himself. Back at the Temple Archives, Master Nu completes her mission to obtain the Order’s database of every known Force-sensitive child in the galaxy, which is stored in a datacard. She tells Cator that the Sith have taken over the galaxy and believes that it will take the Jedi generations to depose them. However, she vows that the Jedi will return. Master Nu hopes to use the database to rebuild the Jedi Order. She thanks Cator for his service and promises to meet again. While walking through the corridors of the Archives, she tries to restrain herself from confronting the Grand Inquisitor. However, she is overcome by rage at the sight of him callously browsing through her books. Enraged, she leaps down from a balcony and confronts him with her lightsaber.

Next in part #9, The fledgling Galactic Empire has only just begun its reign across the galaxy. Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine’s Sith apprentice, struggles to come into his own in his new role in charge of the Inquisitors, a group of former Jedi fallen to the dark side. Formerly a Jedi Knight known as Anakin Skywalker, Vader betrayed the Order and took the lead in their slaughter. Now, the Sith Emperor has given Vader and his new team of Inquisitors the mission of hunting down the Jedi archivist Jocasta Nu. However, Jocasta is already upon her hunters, as she has broken into the old Jedi temple to retrieve the list of all Force-sensitive children in the galaxy. Her patience is tested, though, when an old pupil is caught dishonoring the archive….

“The Dying Light Part III”
On Coruscant, Darth Vader travels on an airspeeder to the former Jedi Temple, which is guarded by Coruscant Guards and Coruscant underworld police. Clone Commander Fox informs him that the Temple has been sealed and asks Lord Vader what are is orders. Vader says that no one is allowed to enter or leave the Temple unless authorized by the Emperor or him. Fox informs him that they have two full companies of Clone troopers plus a large contingent of the Coruscant Security Force. When Fox inquires about the nature of the threat they are facing, Lord Vader asks him whether he was involved with the implementation of Order 66. After Fox confirms this is the case, Vader remarks that he missed some. Meanwhile, Jedi Master Jocasta Nu confronts the Grand Inquisitor, demanding to know who he is and chastising him for defiling the Temple. A bitter Grand Inquisitor reminds Master Nu that she had denied his requests for access to the higher archives when he was still in the Jedi Order. After recognizing him, Master Nu denounces the Grand Inquisitor as a traitor. The Grand Inquisitor counters that the Jedi are now traitors and the engage in a lightsaber duel. When Master Nu asks if he is a Sith, the Grand Inquisitor says not yet but close enough. The Inquisitor says he relishes in using his fury to fuel his dark side powers. When Master Nu asks why he would betray his brothers and sisters in the Force, the Grand Inquisitor says that the Jedi took him from his family as a child. Exposed only to the light side of the Force, the Inquisitor believed that the Jedi had always denied him something. The Grand Inquisitor says that his emptiness has been filled by the dark side. When the Inquisitor expresses bitterness that Master Nu denied him access to the higher archives, she counters that the secrets within the Jedi Archives are deep, complex, strange and not for everyone. She explains that she denied his requests because she did not believe he was ready before hurling him aside. When Master Nu affirms her duties as a Jedi archivist, the Grand Inquisitor taunts her that the Jedi Order is gone and that there is nothing she can do to keep him from the knowledge that he desires. A skilled lightsaber duelist, the Grand Inquisitor gains the upper hand and knocks Master Nu to the ground, separating her from her lightsaber. As he prepares to strike her down with his double-bladed spinning lightsaber, Master Nu embraces her fate, saying that she is one with the Force. However, the Grand Inquisitor is stopped by Darth Vader, who blocks his blade with his lightsaber. The Grand Inquisitor demands to know why Lord Vader is stopping him from executing Master Nu. Remembering the Emperor’s orders not to share information about Master Nu’s importance with the Inquisitorius, Lord Vader merely replies that he does not wish for her to be executed. When the Grand Inquisitor demands to know why, Vader reiterates his orders. Not trusting Vader’s loyalty, the Grand Inquisitor suggests that Lord Vader deactivate his lightsaber first as a sign of trust. Vader counters that he only demands the Inquisitor’s obedience. Taking advantage of Vader and the Grand Inquisitor’s distraction, she uses the Force to hurl several holobooks at her opponents. Summoning the Force, Master Nu runs up a pillar and climbs onto the balcony. While the Inquisitor is knocked out, Vader continues the pursuit. He orders Master Nu to surrender, promising not to harm her. Through the Force, Master Nu senses that Vader is a genuine Sith who played a role in the Great Jedi Purge. Realizing that Vader wants her alive so that the Sith can obtain the secrets of the Archives, Master Nu initiates an authorization code ordering the Archives’ computers to delete all information stored on their holobooks in order to deny the Jedi Order’s secrets to the Sith. Entering the Jedi Archive Vault, Vader finds his path blocked by the security droid Cator, who recognizes him as Anakin Skywalker based on his bioscans. He tells Skywalker that his presence in the vault is not authorized and tells him to comply with Master Nu’s procedures to request user privileges. Lord Vader hurls his lightsaber but the droid intercepts it. Identifying himself as a guardian-protector of a sensitive area within the Jedi Temple, Cator says that he is programmed to defend against any threat including Jedi lightsaber attacks. Recognizing Skywalker as a Sith based on his red lightsaber he orders him to leave. Vader charges at the droid, ripping off his left arm. The droid strikes back by crushing one of his mechanical hands. Lord Vader finally destroys the droid by smashing its head with his fists. Meanwhile, Master Nu finds a lightsaber rifle within the vault and attacks Vader, knocking him to the ground. She vows that it is his turn.

Next in part #10, The Galactic Empire’s reign has just begun. Darth Vader, secret Sith apprentice to Emperor Palpatine, has been tasked with leading the Inquisitorius – a group of former Jedi fallen to the dark side, now assigned to hunt down and kill the few surviving members of their former Order. One such survivor is Jocasta Nu, former Lead Archivist of the Jedi Order. She has built a school of the Force on a hidden, faraway world, and intends to use it to teach a new generation of Jedi. But the school requires students, and so Jocasta infiltrated the ruins of the former Jedi Temple on the Imperial capital world of Coruscant, seeking a secret datafile with records of all known Force-sensitive children in the galaxy. Jocasta Obtained the datafile from its hiding place – a secret cache of ancient Force-related weapons deep inside the Temple. But before she could flee to safety, Darth Vader appeared before her….

“The Dying Light Part IV”
At the former Jedi Temple, Darth Vader orders Jedi Master Jocasta Nu to lay down her lightsaber rifle, sensing that she doesn’t want to die. Due to the dark side waves flowing off Vader, Master Nu doesn’t’ trust him and shoots at him. Knowing that Lord Vader is formerly Anakin Skywalker, she chastises the fallen former Jedi for becoming a tool of Emperor Palpatine. Nu defiantly tells Skywalker that the Sith cannot stamp out the light side since the Force is eternal and cannot be stopped as long as life exists. She says that the Force will always find new vessels and that the Jedi will rise again. Before Master Nu can fire another volley, she finds that the lightsaber rifle has overheated her lightsaber. Darth Vader calls on her to surrender, promising that she will not be harmed. However, she hurls the rifle at Vader, who deflects it with the Force. The lightsaber rifle crashes into a bookcase and explodes, blowing a hole in the wall. After stealing a green lightsaber, Master Nu descends down the Temple into the path of gunfire. Clone Commander Fox orders the squads in Quadrant Four to hold out until reinforcements arrive. Armed with the lightsaber and her Force powers, Master Nu attacks the Clone troopers and throws them off a platform. Lord Vader gives chase but comes under friendly fire from the Clone troopers, who believe him to be another Jedi. Commander Fox arrives in an LAAT/le patrol gunship and sees Nu and Vader under fire. He orders the Clone troopers to cease firing on Vader since he is one of their own. However, Lord Vader is furious that Commander Fox did not alert the Clone troopers to his presence and uses the Force to break his neck, killing him. Following a brief engagement, the Clones corner Master Nu near the edge of a platform. After Master Nu loses her lightsaber, the Clone troopers and Lord Vader attempted to apprehend her alive. In response, she throws herself over the edge in an attempt to kill herself and deny the Sith the information they desire. However, Lord Vader uses the Force to levitate her onto the platform. He then orders the Clone troopers to bring her aboard the patrol gunship. Aboard the patrol gunship, a Clone trooper hands Lord Vader Master Nu’s memory crystal. After fitting it into his belt, Lord Vader realizes that it contains a database of several Force-sensitive individuals across the galaxy including Darien Whit, Scape Loewig, Devin Hvitur, Alaytia Taverre, Kris Elioup, Annali Bissa, Nik Lowe and Jacque Porte, whom he deduces the Jedi had intended to recruit into the Jedi Order. When Darth Vader interrogates Master Nu about the list, she taunts him that he doesn’t know why his Sith master has ordered him to bring her alive. Nu tells Lord Vader that the Emperor intends to use her database to recruit more Sith. Trying to drive a wedge between Vader and the Emperor, she asks him what he wants. When a Clone trooper offers to stun the Jedi prisoner, Master Nu reveals that Darth Vader is a Jedi Knight named Anakin Skywalker. Before the Clones can respond, Lord Vader uses the Force to hurl them out of the gunship. Darth Vader blames Master Nu for the demise of the Clone troopers but she counters that they chose their own path. With the pilotless patrol ship about to crash, Master Nu accepts her fate. The patrol ship crashes, killing Master Nu but Lord Vader survives. Lord Vader informs the Emperor that Master Nu perished during an escape attempt. When the Sith Lord asks if he learned anything about Master Nu prior to her death, Lord Vader claims he learned nothing but secretly destroys the memory crystal in order to prevent the Emperor from recruiting Sith rivals. On Master Nu’s secret hideout world, her elderly friend Gar learns about her death. Following her instructions, he detonates an explosion that buries her secret Jedi academy. The comic ends with Master Nu’s passage that the Force will always find new vessels and that the Jedi will return when the time is right. Years later, Luke Skywalker discovers Master Nu’s secret academy and the holocrons within.

Next in part #11, The Galactic Empire’s reign has just begun. Darth Vader, Sith apprentice to Emperor Palpatine, has been tasked with leading the Inquisitorius to hunt down and kill the few surviving members of the former Jedi Order. After tracking Jedi Archivist Jocasta Nu to the ruins of the former Jedi Temple, Vader discovers her list of Force sensitive children in the galaxy. His pursuit to eliminate all potential threats continues. However, Darth Vader isn’t the only being on a hunt for Force sensitives in the galaxy. And he may soon find himself a target on such a list….

“The Rule of Five Part I”
On the Colonies location of Cabarria, Darth Vader and the Ninth Sister travel to an bar where there was purportedly reports of an incident involving an individual using the Force and wielding a lightsaber. The Ninth Sister asks Lord Vader why they are visiting the cantina. Lord Vader says that it is a foolish question, prompting her to clarify that she meant him. The Ninth Sister thinks this may be a false report and suggests that it is her job to verify it and that Vader’s presence is not needed. Vader counters that she should be pleased that he is here since he believes that the Inquisitorius are still not yet reader to hunt Jedi alone. The Ninth Sister quips that he is here to remind her about the loss of her eye or that he is here in case they get lucky. The Ninth Sister suggests that different Jedi may have different strengths such as lightsaber combat and manipulation. She tells Lord Vader that she has always been good at reading emotions, a strength that has grown since she has touched the Dark side of the Force. She senses that Lord Vader wants to fight another Jedi. Lord Vader orders her to remain outside on their speeder bike and not to enter unless he orders it. After Vader leaves, the Ninth Sister quips that the Sith Lord is dying to fight and dying to die. Inside the cantina, Lord Vader announces his presence to the patrons an queries about the Jedi sighting. Vader is recognized by the bounty hunter Bhada Cha who tells his daughter Chanath Cha to do her part and they will do theirs. She uses a tractor rifle to snatch Vader’s lightsaber but the Sith apprentice snatches it in mid-air. Under the guidance of her mother Ramat Cha, Chanath uses an ion grenade to destroy the lightsaber, breaking it into several pieces. The kyber crystal however falls out. The ion grenade also fries the other weapons and blasters in the cantina. From a balcony, Bhada tells everyone to stay calm because they are just here for Vader, whom he describes as a “Jedi.” Ramat adds that all of the other weapons including blasters have been fried, leaving the Cha family as the only ones with working blasters. Bhada adds that their purpose was to avoid a firefight and innocent casualties in order to take out the “Jedi.” A Twi’lek and a Mon Calamari disagree, prompting the Chas to activate their personal energy shields. As they attack Lord Vader, the Sith calls the Ninth Sister for help, saying that she is attacked by bounty hunters who have triggered an ion pulse and destroyed his lightsaber. He requests that she bring him hers but the Ninth Sister pretends that her comms unit fried, hoping for Vader to be killed in combat in revenge for her maltreatment. Meanwhile, Vader uses a table and the bodies of at least one patron to hold out against the blaster attacks of the Cha family. Concerned about the collateral damage and that their shield batteries will run out, Ramat convinces her husband and daughter to pull out. As they flee, Lord Vader retrieves his kyber crystal. The Cha family flee into the parking lot and steal a green speeder bike after holding up the Ninth Sister at gunpoint. When Chanath asks her parents whom they were facing, the Ninth Sister tells them that they will soon find out. A furious Lord Vader emerges from the cantina and accuses the Ninth Sister of fabricating a Jedi sighting and hiring the bounty hunters to kill her. The Inquisitor denies hiring assassins to kill Lord Vader, remarking that she is neither a genius or idiot. When Vader suggests it was the other Inquisitors, she reminds him that the Inquisitors used to be Jedi and that they now work for the people who killed Jedi. If he is looking for traitors, the Ninth Sister hints that he doesn’t have to look far. When the Sith Lord threatens her with her own lightsaber, the Ninth Sister tells Vader that she did not stage the assassination attempt. Lord Vader orders her to remain behind while he pursues the bounty hunters on pain of death. While Ramat drives the green speeder bike, she and Bhada debate on the identity of their “Jedi” quarry. The two doubt that their target was a Jedi since he was using the innocents as fodder. Lord Vader catches up with the hunters on a black speeder bike. He deflects Bhada and Chanath’s blaster bolts with the Ninth Sister’s lightsaber. Bhada considers using ion grenades but Chanath reveals that she left them behind. Vader manages to block their path by damaging a nearby hovertruck, causing it to crash into their speeder bike. The Cha family survive the accident due to their personal energy shields. However, they are cornered by a vengeful Lord Vader who uses the Force to levitate Chanath and holds the Ninth Sister’s lightsaber to her neck. When he demands to know who hired them, Bhada says that it was an anonymous job that they picked up through the Hunter Net. Ramat adds that they were motivated by much needed money. Vader says that is unfortunate before threatening to kill Chanath. Seeking to save her daughter’s life, Ramat offers her services as a slicer in tracing the job back. Vader demands that she does it now but Chanath’s parents request that he set their daughter free first. They threaten not to cooperate if Vader kills their daughter, with Bhada saying that she is their reason for living and that they are willing to die with their daughter. Moved by their familial bonds, Vader backs down but demands proof that they can fulfil their side of the bargain. Ramat says she can access the Hunter Net and track down the location of the system where the kill order originated. She discovers that the contract originated in Coruscant, the galactic capital. Honoring his side of the bargain, Vader releases Chanath from his grip. Bhada tells Chanath that she must leave in order to survive but tells her to swear to Lord Vader that she will take no revenge. He adds that this was just business, part of their family’s line of trade. He pleads with Chanath not to give Vader any reason to hunt her down. Ramat pleads with Chanath to make the pledge. Chanath swears not to take revenge and says that nothing happened here today. Vader accepts the deal and demands that Ramat continue with her search. While slicing through the encryption, Ramat discovers that the contract originated in the Republic Executive Building in Coruscant’s Senate District. She deduces that the kill contract originated at the top of the Galactic Empire’s hierarchy.

Next in part #12, The Galactic Empire’s reign has just begun. Darth Vader, Sith apprentice to Emperor Palpatine, has been tasked with leading the Inquisitorius to hunt down and kill the few surviving members of the former Jedi Order. After tracking a report of a supposed Force user sighting to Cabarria, Darth Vader encounters what he discovers to be a trap. Mercenaries have been given a target — and that target is a Sith Lord. Proving no match for Darth Vader, the mercenaries reveal that the hit on the Sith came from the highest order of the Imperial Capital of Coruscant. His pursuit to eliminate all potential threats continues….

“The Rule of Five Part I”
While Vader’s starship travels through hyperspace, Darth Vader’s droid informs Darth Vader that his analysis has found that the kill contract originated in the highest levels of the Imperial Executive Building, which includes the offices of Emperor Palpatine. He estimates that there is a 97% probability that the signal originated there and that there is no evidence of slicing. While Lord Vader assembles his new lightsaber, Lord Vader requests a list of all individuals with access codes to Imperial systems at Level 1A1 and above. The droid identifies seven individuals: Corin Ferro, Wilhuff Tarkin, Jer Croteau, Cassio Tagge, Joon Strephi, Tomas Azoras, and Zorta Bingan. Vader thanks the droid before igniting his new lightsaber. The Ninth Sister brings Vader’s starship out of hyperspace above Coruscant. She is relieved that their journey is coming to an end since she cannot stand Vader’s presence. However, they encounter a new problem when they are unable to transmit their authorization codes to orbital defense. Vader’s droid informs them that Coruscant Security has tagged them as an active threat and that the ship’s transponder has been identified as part of a Separatist separatist cell. Unable to confirm their ship’s identity as an Imperial ship, Coruscant orbital defense fires missiles at Vader’s ship. Realizing they are in imminent danger, Vader takes control of his starship. With Vader at the helm, they are able to dodge the missiles. Using his piloting skills, Lord Vader is able to crash-land the ship into the streets of Coruscant. Upon landing, Vader emerges with the Ninth Sister and his floating droid, and exclaims that he has had enough. At the ruined former Jedi Temple, the Emperor tells Vader that while he cannot regard his battle with Jocasta Nu a victory, he accepts that it is far from a defeat since he has managed to obtain her hoard of Jedi and Sith tools including a blue mask. Getting straight to business, Lord Vader informs the Emperor that he was the subject of an assassination attempt while on a mission with the Ninth Sister to Cabarria. He tells Vader that the contract originated from the highest levels of Imperial government. Vader takes an interest in Lord Vader’s lightsaber, which he regards as an improvement. The Emperor reassures Lord Vader that he did not issue the kill order since he would not require such indirect methods. When Vader asks if it was a test, the Emperor replies that he teaches rather than tests. Lord Vader tells the Emperor about the second attempt made on his life while returning to Coruscant. Vader opines that Lord Vader should not worry too much about the assassination attempt since men like them will always find enemies wanting to kill them. At a private room in the Uscru District’s “The Room of Masks,” two masked assassins discuss their failed assassination attempts against Lord Vader. A red-clad conspirator wearing a horned mask asks his co-conspirator who is dressed in blue and wearing a brown hood, about the identity of their target. His colleague doesn’t know. The horned conspirator grumbles that setting up the mercenary contract in the Emperor’s office failed to drive a wedge between Lord Vader and the Emperor. The hooded conspirator confirms this is the case, saying that Vader and the Emperor appear to have reach an accommodation. The horned conspirator is curious about the relationship between Vader and the Emperor. The hooded conspirator is equally perplexed, complaining that the Emperor elevates Vader out of nowhere and lets him act without any restraints. He wonders whether Vader is a servant or a bodyguard. The horned conspirator thinks that Vader is more than a servant or bodyguard since the Emperor gave him control of the Inquisitorius program. He adds that Lord Vader has to go and believes that the Emperor will be easier to manage once Vader is gone. When the hooded conspirator who is missing two fingers asks how they can eliminate such a formidable opponent, the horned conspirator thinks that Vader is merely good or lucky. He resolves to make more attempts until Vader is killed.

Unknown to the conspirators, Lord Vader is meditating through the dark side of the Force and gleans through a Force vision that one of the conspirators is Colonel Barokki, the officer he had Force choked earlier. Vader voices his suspicions about Colonel Barokki to the Emperor. Vader believes that the Imperial officers do not understand his strength and power. While Vader accepts that the Sith cannot rule over an “Empire of the dead,” he believes there must be consequences. The Emperor relents, allowing Lord Vader to punish several officers but warns him to spare Tarkin since he needs him. The Emperor summons the top members of the Imperial Officer Corps to an auditorium where he gives a speech about his vision for the Empire. Palpatine ends his speech by clarifying Lord Vader’s place in the Imperial hierarchy. He explains that Vader speaks with his voice and that a command from him is the equivalent of a command from the Emperor. He orders the officers to pass this information down to their subordinates before giving Lord Vader the floor. Lord Vader summons the Imperial officers Ferro, Bingan, Strephi, Azoras and Barokki to the front of the assembly. He tells the assembled Imperial Officer Corps that two attempts have been made on his life. While he has been unable to track down the conspirators, Vader warns that he will always survive. As punishment, he has summoned five Imperial officers at random to be executed by snapping their necks with the Force. The assembled officers watch in horror and awe at the summary executions of their colleagues. After killing the officers, Lord Vader walks off the stage. The sole remaining conspirator, who has two missing fingers, watches among the assembly. Later, while meditating through the dark side, Lord Vader breaks a transparisteel window.

… story continues in Star Wars: Darth Vader (2017-2019) Issues 13-25.  Marvel Comics

Trade Paperback reprints/collects: Star Wars: Darth Vader (2018) Issues #7-12.  Marvel Comics 

Trade Paperback is bagged & boarded and will be carefully / securely packaged then shipped via USPS Priority Mail to insure that it arrives to you perfectly and quickly.

Second Printing
Publisher: Marvel Worldwide, Inc.
Publication Date: 2020
Format: FC, 144 pages, TPB, 10.25″ x 6.5″
ISBN-10: 130290745X
ISBN-13: 9781302907457

Collectible Entertainment note: Trade Paperback is in Very Fine condition.  Very Nice!  Please See Scans!!  A must have for any serious Darth Vader and/or Star Wars collector / enthusiast.  A fun & entertaining read!  Very Highly Recommended.

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