Review: Star Wars: Darth Vader #22

Darth Vader #22 is a battle of wills between two very different agents of order. On one side is Darth Vader who slices through everything he perceives as a competing interest within both the Empire and Crimson Dawn. On the other is Sabe, the former handmaiden of Padme, who works in a much more subtle way to engineer order through infiltration of Crimson Dawn and Vader’s headspace. This conflict is fascinating as it continues to give us a view of how Padme might have dealt with Vader had she survived.

In the middle of them is an agent of chaos, with Ochi of Bestoon crashing one conflict after another. Ochi’s role would be much more interesting if he was not such a grating character. He creates mischief without being mischievous, creates conflict without enjoying it. His motivations seem to shift from one issue to the next and readers just don’t have a stake in the story when he is present. Perhaps the upcoming novel with Ochi facing Luke and Lando will give us more insight into him but as of now it still just feels like he is poor replacement for Aphra.

The overall art on this issue is excellent with characters and action in top form, but the creatures that take up part of the issue look absolutely absurd. This issue brings all three main characters together as they arrive on Naboo. Vader has realized Sabe and Ochi are working with Crimson Dawn and he kicks them off his ship. They all descend to the surface where they fight attacking flying creatures as they discuss motivations. Vader uses the creatures as a metaphor for his plans for the chaotic elements of the Empire and Dawn to eat each other.

Sabe and Vader infiltrate a Dawn cell as Ochi visits General Romodi and prods him to attack Vader’s Bounty Hunters on Oro Sankeria. Ochi then arrives there to save the Bounty Hunters but this leaves the Crimson Dawn forces on Oro Sankeria to face off against the enemies of Vader within the Empire. Vader arrives and forces Ramodi to leave his forces in the battle. Dawners set offf a pulse bomb and the forces on both sides are killed. The Bounty Hunters, Ochi, Sabe and Vader remain and Sabe quietly reveals she knows that Vader is Anakin Skywalker.

Writing: 3.2 of 5 stars
Art: 3.6 of 5 stars
Colors: 4.0 of 5 stars

Overall: 3.6 of 5 stars

Writer: Greg Pak
Art: Raffaele Ienco
Colors: Alex Sinclair
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Author Profile

M.R. Jafri

M.R. Jafri was born and raised in Niagara Falls New York and now lives with his family in Detroit Michigan. He's a talkative introvert and argumentative geek. His loves include Star Wars, Star Trek, Superheroes, Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, Transformers, GI Joe, Films, Comics, TV Shows, Action Figures and Twizzlers.