Review: Vader Meets the Eye in Marvel’s Star Wars: Darth Vader #8
Hello all! Hope you all are well and enjoying some of this great Star Wars content coming out! The next couple years are going to be full of Star Wars stories on screen and paper. As far as this year goes, this run of Darth Vader has been interesting to say the least. In the beginning of this run, we were able to see Vader on a mission to discover what happened to the beloved Padme. Now, the Emperor has left Vader for dead on Mustafar. It is up to him to escape, but he isn’t aloud to use the force. Rules made by his manipulative master. We left off last time with Vader beaten down and in a confrontation with bounty hunter, Ochi.
We begin on Mustafar. Darth Vader, in a battle with the bounty hunter Ochi, is trapped inside a cave. And to make things worse for him, Ochi has his lightsaber. As Ochi taunts Vader from outside of the cave, a mysterious character, an Umbaran, arrives with a group of Death Troopers. He questions Ochi why Vader is in the cave. This particular cave has another mysterious being inside of it called the Eye of Webbish Bogg. The Umbaran is none too pleased to see Vader in this cave and close to this Force-sensitive creature. He knows Vader will find the Webbish Bogg and ask it questions. Questions about his masters true intentions. Ochi is confident that Vader has no shot of escaping the cave alive, no lightsaber and unable to use the force. The Umbaran reminds Ochi this isn’t a normal person, this is Darth Vader.
We shift inside the cave where Vader is being attacked by giant flying bugs. During this, a voice is taunting Vader, questioning why he has sought him out. Vader demands to know who this being is, but it just keeps questioning him. Why was he there? Does he make his own choices? During this we see a panel of Palpatine laughing. Vader continues to battle all the different beasts that comes his way and defeats them all with his hands. Then he finds a door and pries it open. Demanding to know that the Emperor is doing in secret.
Vader enters the chamber and sees a giant creature with spider-like legs. The ground below his feet begins to break apart and he nearly falls into the lava below. During all of this we see multiple flashbacks to major events in Vader’s life. Vader then finds where Webbishg Bogg hiding and confronts it. The creature is sitting on top of what looks to be a giant head (you will have to read the issue, words don’t do this thing justice). Vader demands the creature give him the information he came for. Before handing Vader a ‘Wayfinder”, he asks him if he thinks he passed this test or failed? I’m assuming we will find out what that means later possibly?
We then see Vader back on the surface. He walks across the desert terrain to a wrecked ship. This ship was possibly Anakin Skywalkers the last time he was there. Vader sits down on the ground next to it, and as he does he hears the voice of Ochi. He has come back to finish the job and with some assassin droids. Vader openly welcomes the challenge.
Review and Rating:
Another unique and interesting issue in this run. If there’s one thing we all can see, this story has been full of flashbacks to major events in Vader’s life. Webbish Bogg is probably one of the most crazy looking characters I’ve seen in a while. Almost disturbing. Webbish Bogg was originally intended to be in a scene cut from The Rise of Skywalker, where he guides Kylo Ren to the Wayfinder to Exegol. Wonder if it’s the same Wayfinder? The scene later showed up in The Rise of Skywalker novelization, so we shall see.
Overall, another great issue in my opinion. Ready to read the next one!
RATING: 7/10
Jacksonville,FL
Star Wars has always been a big part of my life growing up and now. Books and comics are my hobby when I'm not outside or watching the Eagles play on Sundays.
