Summary
It’s no secret thatDarth Vaderhad the ambition to eventually overthrow Emperor Palpatine and assume superiority over the Empire and the Sith. Fans also know that Vader wishedLuke Skywalker, his son, would become his apprentice and rule the galaxy alongside him. However, the Sith Lord’s desires may not have been as selfishly motivated as originally expected.
Star Wars: Darth Vader#48 – written by Greg Pak, with art by Raffaele Ienco – follows Vader and Luke in some of the final moments of the Galactic Empire immediately precedingReturn of the Jedi.Vader has had visions of what is to come and knows the ultimate confrontation with Skywalker and the Emperor is on the horizon.
Variant Cover Artist:Jeremy Wilson
While it’s well known thatLuke Skywalker rejected his father’s offers to completely give in to the dark side of the Force,it’s been revealed that Vader had been training his son from a distanceto prepare him for what was to come.
Luke Skywalker Faces the Biggest Test of His Yellow Lightsaber Era - Harnessing the Dark Side
Luke Skywalker’s ‘Yellow Lightsaber Era’ in Star Wars canon is coming to an end, and with it, his apparent venture into the ways of the dark side.
Marvel’s Star Wars Comics Reveal Insights Into Darth Vader’s Intentions For Luke Skywalker
Star Wars: Darth Vader#48 – Written By Greg Pak; Art By Raffaele Ienco; Color By Federico Blee; Lettering By Joe Caramagna
In the final days of the Empire, as Luke explores the true balance between both sides of the Force, even he finally understands the sliver of selflessness behind Vader’s intentions.
Darth Vader, more than anyone, is intimately aware of just how insidious Darth Sidious really is. As a boy, Anakin Skywalker waschosen by Sheev Palpatineto be groomed into the perfect apprentice. AfterSkywalker’s ascension to Darth Vader, he quickly became acquainted with the cruelty his master possessed. To maintain his power over the galaxy, and his rule as master of the Sith, Palpatine kept a choking fist around his apprentice, inflicting severe emotional and physical pain at every opportunity. Vader knows that if the Emperor ever controlled Luke, he would have to endure the same hellish fate.
As a result, the Sith Lord’sintentions towards his son are not merely motivated by power. When Darth Vader learned he had children, a brief glimpse of Anakin Skywalker returned and changed his trajectory within the fate of the Empire. Vader isn’t so selfishly motivated that he would turn his son over to the dark side simply for power, but to prepare Luke for theinevitable confrontation with Darth Sidious. In the final days of the Empire,as Luke explores the true balancebetween both sides of the Force, even he finally understands the sliver of selflessness behind Vader’s intentions.
Luke Skywalker
The son of Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala, Luke was brought up on the desert planet Tatooine. Initially mentored by Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke fired the fateful shot that destroyed the Death Star, and he became a rebel hero. Despite the fears of Obi-Wan and Yoda, Luke’s faith in his father was proved well-founded when Vader returned to the light. With the Emperor defeated, Luke dedicated himself to bringing back the Jedi; his first attempt ended in tragedy due to Palpatine’s manipulations, but Luke’s legacy lives on in Rey.
Luke Skywalker’s Relationship With The Force Is More Complicated Than “Light Side/Dark Side”
Vader Was Another Pivotal Mentor For Luke
The Sith Lord, after every horrific act he has ever taken against Luke and his allies, finally reveals that his cruelty comes from a place of love. This final act signifies Darth Vader’s inevitable rebirth as Anakin Skywalker.
InStar Wars: Darth Vader #48,Vader’s slow corruption of Padme’s closest handmaiden, Sabé, is supposed to have been the final push to turn Luke toward the dark side. However, when Luke once again rejects the power of the Sith and spares Sabé, he acknowledges that he is not a paragon of the light, and seems okay with it. While Vader may have never fully turned his son, his constant stream of threats meant to spur Luke’s darker emotions did well prepare the young Jedi for his final confrontation against thetrue embodiment of the dark side.
Meanwhile,Vader continues to expose his true feelingsabout his son when a rogue group of treasonous Imperials decides to kill Luke. Vader bursts into a rage, proclaiming that “he is not ready,” and lethally turns against his allies to protect his son.The Sith Lord, after every horrific acthe has ever taken against Luke and his allies, finally reveals that his cruelty comes from a place of love.This final act signifiesDarth Vader’sinevitable rebirth asAnakin Skywalkerand his own journey to find balance in the Force, just as his distant training has done the same forLuke Skywalker.
Cover Artists:Leinil Francis Yu and Romula Fajardo Jr.
Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader
Conceived by the will of the Force itself, Anakin Skywalker was the prophesied Chosen One, destined to bring the Force into balance. Anakin struggled to balance competing attachments to the Jedi Order and his wife Padmé Amidala, and ultimately fell to the dark side, becoming Darth Vader. For years he served as Palpatine’s right hand man, but he was ultimately redeemed by the faith of his son, Luke Skywalker. Now a Force Ghost, Anakin continues to act as an agent of balance.
