Darth Vader hunts down his own Inquisitors in this week’s DARTH VADER #20 as Charles Soule continues his legendary portrayal of the most ruthless Sith Lord in the galaxy while shedding some light into the mind and ”Soule” of Lord Vader.
WRITTEN BY: Charles Soule
LAYOUTS BY: Giuseppe Camuncoli
FINISHES BY: Daniele Orlandini
COLORS: Dono Sanchez-Almara and Erick Arciniega
LETTERS: Travis Lanham
WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
DARTH VADER #20 SPOILERS TOO!
To see what happened the last issue, click on the writer’s name below.
Summary
After letting Eeth Koth’s wife escape, Darth Vader tracks down the Inquisitors that allowed this to happen and kills them. Vader states, ”I removed the infection before it could spread.” In addition to killing his Inquisitors, Vader cut a swathe through all of Coruscant. So, the Emperor offers the Sith Lord a planet to control and take his Inquisitors to, so this never happens again. Vader decides Mustafar will be the planet he will rule and manipulate. We’ll have to see how he shapes his fortress next issue.
Lost and Out of Control
Soule does a fantastic job of depicting Darth Vader’s rage and reveals to readers all that the Sith Lord has left in this world. Soule presents Vader as a lost, scarred man, that has been tragically warped by the Emperor throughout the years. Even after Darth Vader extinguishes the flame of almost every last Jedi in the galaxy, he still craves death, destruction, vengeance, and killing. Soule gives readers a Vader that will never be able to have peace and makes fans feel compassion for the villain.
After all his Inquisitors have done for the Republic, Vader decides to hunt two of them down for letting Eeth Koth’s wife escape. Even though the two Inquisitors took the baby, it still wasn’t good enough for Lord Vader. Soule writes the two Inquisitors on the run (and in love) from the Sith Lord questioning what they did to cause Vader’s wrath. The uncertainty of the Inquisitors drives home Soule’s point further that Darth Vader is so mentally lost, confused, and filled with so much hate.
The Emperor is a $&@!
My favorite part of the issue is when Soule shows readers exactly how a powerfully strong Jedi could be manipulated and twisted down a disgusting path of vengeance and destruction. On page 17, the Emperor mind $&@!’s Vader by showing him Padme’s Royal Vessel that Emperor ”douche bag” saved just to continue to put the Sith Lord in his place.
Take a step back and think about how cunning Palpatine is throughout this issue, as well as the entire mythos. Darth Vader just went off the rails, destroyed half of Coruscant, and did it all because he was genuinely lost and without direction or focus. Vader’s task was to kill all Jedi, and he feels that’s accomplished. So, what’s next? Realizing that his star pupil is off the rails, Palpatine shows Vader the ship. The purpose was to dig up old memories, refuel the fiery anger inside, and redirect his Sith Lord before his apprentice lost his mind.
Soule ultimately shows readers a great life lesson. Power and strength aren’t everything. Think of the most powerful heroes throughout comics. Whether it be Captain America or Superman, at some point, mistakes will be made, and evil will consume them. However, when that happens, who will be the person whispering behind the scenes? I feel the Emperor knows Darth Vader could take him down at any time. So, he continues to remind him of his place, rehash his past, and make his apprentice unstable. Soule gives readers a behind the scenes look at what makes Palpatine such an evil prick while hammering home a concept as old as history itself.
The Art
Giuseppe Camuncoli’s layouts are so thorough and extensive while Daniele Orlandini’s finishes add so much extra depth to the issue. Camuncoli and Orlandini make characters like Darth Vader seem so realistic and substantial. Dono Sanchez-Almara and Erick Arciniega’s colors are incredibly vivid, sharp, and striking. Also, Travis Lanham’s lettering is strategically placed in such a way to usher the reader throughout the pages masterfully. Together Sanchez-Almara, Arciniega, and Lanham make this issue quick, fast, and easy to read. This art team adds so much detail to each issue every week. Without a doubt, Camuncoli and his crew elevate this comic to one of the best in the entire galaxy. Heck, even the Rebellion would have to agree.
Should you buy this issue and/or add it to your pull list?
DARTH VADER is the best STAR WARS related book on the shelves. If you are a fan of this mythos, you’ll love Soule’s extended, in-depth, background into the Psyche of the most savage and merciless villain in the galaxy. Together with Soule, this art team is wildly impressive and spares no extra detail from well-placed shadows to tints of red bouncing off Vader’s suit. Soule’s story was nonstop action and fit within the context of the narrative to get fans and Vader to Mustafar. Readers need to buy this issue and keep it on their pull list. This is consistently in my top 5 each week.
What did you guys think of DARTH VADER #20? Comment below or hit me up on Twitter @dispatchdcu. If you would like to read more of my reviews, just click HERE!
