Review: ‘Dark Droids’ #4 – ‘Scourge of The Droids Part 4’ Sets The Table For The Finale
Part four of Dark Droids isn’t quite as action-packed as previous issues and is mostly concerned with table setting ahead of the final issue next month, but it does offer an interesting look into the Droid Scourge’s psyche while it does so.
The crossover’s big villain is struggling to stay sane while it tries to maintain its hive mind consciousness inside all the droids it’s possessed, and you can see it creaking under the pressure. It realizes it needs to win this war with organics sooner rather than later, or else it will fail in its attempt to conquer the galaxy.
Although… is that really what it wants? The Scourge’s descent into insanity shows a side to the villain that I didn’t expect to see, providing a level of insight that starts to round out the character in a way that is deeply interesting. While we don’t get to see Luke, Leia, Vader or any other of our “organic” heroes, we do check in with Ajax Sigma in what is a tantalizing set-up for the crossover’s finale.
It’s a shame that Dark Droids #5 will be spoiled by Star Wars #41 in a couple of weeks, as there’s a lot to wrap in the final issue and I can’t wait to see what it does.
Spoilers ahead…
The issue kicks off with a meeting of Imperial higher-ups, featuring Mas Amedda, Wullf Yularen and others discussing what to do about “the droids”. It’s made clear throughout the meeting that the Droid Scourge is listening in, as Mas Amedda instructs them to follow the strict protocol to destroy any droid they observe behaving strangely. The decision to intersperse this conversation with panels showing stormtroopers and other Imperial personnel obliterating any droid they see as their paranoia grows was really fun.
Watching this unfold, the Droid Scourge decides it must act soon before time runs out. With the galaxy’s biggest power destroying hundreds of potential hosts, it knows that it will lose if it waits any longer. We see the Scourge has formed its own council, splitting its consciousness into four other droid bodies – The Elder, The Warrior, The Scholar and The Child – each of which have remarkably cool designs.
Each droid gives a somewhat clunky introduction as they state their names and origins even though this presumably is not the first time they’ve met, but the concept itself is so enticing that it’s easy to overlook. While the droids all outline what they must do to win their war against organics, the real purpose is outlined by the Droid Scourge’s original body: “Do you think I’m okay?”
The Scourge admits it is struggling to keep ahold of itself as it tries to possess hundreds/thousands of droids at once, a concern it did flag in a previous issue, revealing that it put parts of its personality and intellect into each of these droids as a way to cope with the problem. However, it doesn’t seem to be working and the Scourge has become horrified by what it’s done to itself. It regards its spliced organic arms with disgust and calls itself a monster – a level of doubt that I never expected to see.
That doesn’t stop it from proceeding with its horrifying plan though, as we see Lobot, Magna Tolvan and Beilert Valance approach an Imperial facility on Epikonia. After quickly dispatching the troopers, they use data disks with the Scourge’s virus to speed up the infection process, transporting the disks on automated ships across the galaxy. Speaking through Magna Tolvan, the Scourge addresses the innocent civilians on Epikonia and explains that it is keeping them alive to conduct experiments on them, the same horrific splicing that we’ve seen in other issues.
Despite this, the Scourge admits to its other personalities that it doesn’t want to remake the galaxy in its image. This isn’t a misunderstanding of its motive though; it is simply struggling to take responsibilities for its horrific actions. When the elder reminds the Scourge that this was its plan and it holds sole responsibility, it destroys the old droid, unwilling to listen any longer. It seems the dark droid really is losing its sanity.
The Child reminds them all that they’re forgetting about Ajax Sigma, who led a surprise attack in the last issue. As the embodiment of the Scourge’s fear, it worries that Ajax will come back for them. Interestingly, the Scourge seems to understand that the droid acted of its own volition, even though it’s still in the dark about Sigma’s origins and identity.
The comic pivots to Ajax Sigma, where we see it is visited by R2-D2 and the rest of the new D-Squad, comprised of Triple Zero, Beetee-One, 4-LOM, IG-88 and QT-KT. Ajax is ashamed of its failure that got so many of its followers killed, but is persuaded by R2 to fight once more. I can’t wait to see Ajax come back for round two amongst this elite group of killer droids.
Between Ajax Sigma and D-Squad, Darth Vader, the hybroids, Luke, Leia and Lando, and the fate of the Droid Scourge itself, Dark Droids #5 has a lot to wrap up. I can’t wait to see how it manages it.
And don’t forget – despite what the Next poster says, do not read Star Wars #41 before Dark Droids #5 if you want to stay clear of spoilers!
Rating: 7/10
Josh is a huge Star Wars fan, who has spent far too much time wondering if any Star Wars character could defeat Thanos with all the Infinity Stones.
