Review: Darth Vader #37 – The Scourge of the Droids Overtakes ‘The Executor’
Darth Vader #37 not only continues the journey of Darth Vader recovering his connection to the Force, alongside his new army of droid assassins, but constitutes a new chapter in the evolving plot of the Scourge of the Droids, the menacing entity introduced in Dark Droids 1. The Scourge will serve as the crisis for the big Dark Droids comic crossover event, including issues from Doctor Aphra, Star Wars, and Bounty Hunters.
This issue really amps up the intensity of the emerging threat, which comes into play during such a crucial time period between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Tensions between the Empire and the Alliance are at an all time high, and the Scourge poses a threat to both sides. Exploring Vader’s connection to the Force at such a pivotal junction, and his relationship with the machine that makes him whole makes for exciting storytelling.
It is also refreshing to see a story that fleshes out the relationship between the droids and the organics they serve, and more specifically the operation of their programming against their own wills and desires which have always shone through in different capacities. After reading this issue, it is clear the Scourge is going to pose a huge galaxy wide threat, worthy of its crossover event.
As such, a full appreciation of this issue definitely requires a read of Dark Droids #1, which gives you an introduction to the Scourge.
Spoilers ahead…
The Scourge was created from a combination of the Spark Eternal and the consciousness of deadly High Republic droid, Ajax Sigma. As the Hidden Empires crossover event explored, the Spark Eternal was an artificial intelligence created by the dark side cult, the Ascendant to destroy the Sith.
In Dark Droids #1, the Scourge infected an Imperial security droid on Amaxine Station, spreading throughout Imperial ranks and resulting in the horrific hijacking of a Star Destroyer, with the newly infected droids killing all on board. Our beloved mouse droids were modified to become vectors for the Scourge and unleashed upon the galaxy.
This issue shows the next stage of the Scourge’s spread throughout the Empire. The target: Darth Vader’s personal flagship, the Executor, known for its very satisfying end on the surface of the second Death Star in Return of the Jedi. Droids on the super star destroyer have already been corrupted by a carrier mouse droid, their eyes coloured a distinct purple. Purple in Star Wars has been known to reflect the merging of both the light and the dark side, the mixing of red and blue. Perhaps this is intended to demonstrate its lack of allegiance to either.
Star Wars fans are known for falling in love with our droids, but from EV-9D9 mercilessly tormenting other droids in Jabba’s Palace all the way to the introduction of the murderous Triple Zero and BT-1, we have seen something incredibly terrifying in the prospect of truly malevolent and ruthless droids out to destroy organics. The Scourge arc is a horror story, and personally I am living for it.
The droids trap Admiral Piett (who always seems to be caught in the middle of things) and his remaining crew in the bridge, to lure Darth Vader back to the ship. Vader meanwhile is still struggling to reclaim his strength on Mustafar, training with his recaptured droid assassins.
The character of Arex is perhaps my favourite of this issue. Remembering the earlier Darth Vader comic series detailing his journey just following the events of Revenge of the Sith, Arex was a Jedi training droid who served Master Infil’a, a banished Jedi eventually killed by Vader, but not before the latter was dealt a devastating blow, requiring him to use Arex’s parts to mend himself.
It is beautifully symbolic that Arex, who is physically a part of Darth Vader, pushes him toward the practices of the Jedi and the way they used the light side of the Force. It is a physical representation of the remaining part of Anakin Skywalker, the pull to the light buried deep within.
Mas Amedda contacts Vader and alerts him of the danger on the Executor, but remains concerned about his abilities. ZED-6-7 promptly hangs up on him mid-sentence, and he has my utmost respect for it. ZED-6-7 remains Vader’s personal cheerleader as they board the ship, destroying everything in their path with the help of Vader’s Zaly Shield. This makes for some incredible artwork, where it is clear that the shield was made for Vader’s hands.
To shut down the droids, Vader must repair a command line using the Force, just like he repaired himself long ago with Arex’s parts. This task is symbolic for multiple reasons, as Anakin Skywalker was ‘good at fixing things’. Arex urges him to remember the words of the Jedi, and ultimately, he does. He remembers Qui-Gon Jinn’s words to him as a child and those of Obi Wan Kenobi before the Clone Wars. We get a gorgeous image from the Obi Wan Kenobi series released in May 2022, with that symbolic red and blue contrasting light.
The memories quickly turn sour as he recalls what perhaps can be seen as the worst days of his life – the death of his mother, and the preface and aftermath of that fateful duel on Mustafar. As expected, this does not end well for Arex, who is destroyed in mere moments. Vader chooses to succumb to his rage, facing the alternative of taking down the overwhelming army of corrupted droids one by one.
We are left on a cliffhanger as Mas Amedda, receiving a report from the bridge, orders Admiral Corleque and his star destroyers to destroy the Executor and stifle the threat. Obviously, we know that the Executor will not be destroyed just yet, but the question remains as to how the Scourge will be stopped.
Overall this issue did its job of turning up the heat for the crossover and while its symbolism was heavy-handed, it was so completely justified. I am excited to see where this crossover event will lead considering the challenges it poses ahead.
Make sure to check out our reviews of Dark Droids #1 and Darth Vader #37.
Rating 8/10
Rosalie Lambert is a law student from Australia with a deep love for Star Wars, fantasy, and epic stylistic storytelling. Growing up in the country, Rosalie has always loved nature and outdoor activities, and has a passion for human rights and social justice that she wants to work towards in her field of study.
