Darth Vader (2020) 45

Darth Vader 45 is the forty-fifth issue of the 2020 canon comic book series Star Wars: Darth Vader. The issue was written by Greg Pak, illustrated by Adam Gorham, Paul Fry, and Federico Blee, and published by Marvel Comics on April 10, 2024.

Publisher's summary

A SECRET PLAN TO TAKE DOWN THE EMPEROR! DARTH VADER has used the SCHISM IMPERIAL to secure terrible new forces, including the cyborgs of the M.A.R. CORPS and the death machine of GOVERNOR TAUNTAZA… But what treasure or horror lies within the MARTYRIUM OF FROZEN TEARS? And what cost will Vader and his allies pay to secure it?

Opening crawl

THE MARTYRIUM
OF FROZEN TEARS 
Sly Moore's Schism Imperial, a covert group
of Imperials determined to overthrow the
Emperor, has continued to grow. Darth Vader
has now joined the ranks, returning to an
Outer Rim planet where Kitster's team
continued to assist the Rebel Alliance with
the Death Machine confiscated from
Governor Tauntaza.

Fabarian then led the team to a factory
building a new type of battle droid, which
Darth Vader can use for his plans against the
Emperor's forces….

Plot summary

An Imperial Lambda-class T-4a shuttle crashes at the bottom of a mountain on the Deep Core planet Tython. Surrounded by massive bolts of lightning, Corleque was unable to pilot the ship to its planned destination higher up on the mountain. He, Agent Fabarian, former Governor Tauntaza, and Senior Lieutenant Enric Pryde, all members of Administrator Sly Moore's Schism Imperial now march through the snowy environment to their rendezvous point with Darth Vader, who expertly flies his TIE Advanced through the storm. Their long hike gives the group time to talk.

Fabarian is skeptical of Pryde's sheer admiration of Vader; the officer would seemingly do anything to serve the Sith Lord. The others in the group, meanwhile, all despise Vader. They feel that Pryde simply has not gotten the chance to see him. Pryde recounts seeing Vader on Zee-Nine City Seven when he took control of the Rebel cyborgs of M.A.R. Corps. To Pryde, his actions were an expression of fortitude, though to Fabarian, they were an act of evil.

Fabarian explains that his role in the Imperial Security Bureau was so meaningful to him because he was enforcing rules which bound members of society, which maintained order by preventing people from doing evil deeds. Pryde retorts that Vader is the only individual strong enough to weed out the rampant corruption within the Empire and restore order. Fabarian counters with Vader's order to raid Slandarv's factory on Slandarvia M-9 to steal high-tech battle droids, leading the former ISB agent to slaughter the Baron due to the lack of any rules discouraging him from doing so. He feels he was supposed to stop the Baron, not kill him.

Pryde asks if all the others are as tender-hearted as Fabarian, prompting Corleque to speak up. He tells how he served the Empire loyally until Vader infected his Star Destroyer the Unbreakable with the Droid Scourge, leading to the death of his whole crew and needing to breathe through cybernetics. In response to Pryde's rebuttal that Corleque was hunting Vader, Tauntaza explains that she was minding her own business and serving the Emperor. Nevertheless, Vader intervened by sparing her planet in an uncommon display of mercy, but soon destroyed another on his own accord. She feels Vader is weak since he is not fixed on any purpose.

In spite of the others' arguments, Pryde stands firm in his adoration of Vader and his strength. This prompts Vader, as they reach the rendezvous, to elect Pryde to enter the Martyrium of Frozen Tears, located within an ancient Jedi Temple, which they believe is laden with Rebel traps. Within the cavernous temple, Pryde tosses a rock, triggering two turrets, which destroy one another. With the temple secured, Vader and the others enter. He is approached by a silver protocol droid, which he deftly slices in two with his lightsaber.

Vader's actions awaken the Martyrium, leading Moore to be overcome by the emotions stored there in the Force by Jedi who bared their souls and sins to the kyberite located within. Among the visions of generations of Jedi, there is one who is haunted by the faces of students lost in a fire, one who experienced anger, and one who killed twelve warriors in battle. Moore does not understand how the Jedi were so distressed over these actions since they appear so inconsequential to her. When she compares that to Vader's much more numerous distasteful actions, he shoves her back with the Force, knocking her unconscious when her head hits the ground.

Vader approaches a vision of Luke Skywalker. He swings at it with his lightsaber, but the memory of the boy continues. Vader sees Luke grappling with his offer to join him when they dueled in Cloud City. When the vision dissipates, Vader orders the Schism members to collect as much kyberite as possible before destroying the temple.

Back aboard their shuttle, the members of the Schism Imperial discuss their next actions and Vader once more. The group admonishes Pryde for taking so much pride in helping Vader, when the Sith barely acknowledges the service. Tauntaza goes as far as offering Pryde the option to leave the Schism. Pryde, though, is unwilling to leave. The way he sees things, the Schism members are full of fear, which leads them to doubt. For him, however, his fear is what makes him never doubt Vader; his ability and strength of will are unshakable. To Pryde, nothing and no one could stop Vader from restoring order. In Vader's mind, however, he replays the memory of his son's anguish on Cloud City.


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Notes and references

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 Marvel-TemplateLogo Star Wars: Darth Vader (2020) #45 on Marvel Comics' official website (backup link)
  2. ↑ The events of Darth Vader (2020) 45 take place after the Escape from Cloud City and before the Rescue of Han Solo, which are dated to 3 ABY and 4 ABY, respectively, by Star Wars: Galactic Atlas.
  3. ↑ Darth Vader (2020) 45

External links

Star Wars - Darth Vader logo
Dark Heart of the Sith: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5
Into the Fire: 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11
War of the Bounty Hunters: 12 · 13 · 14 · 15 · 16 · 17
Crimson Reign: 18 · 19 · 20 · 21 · 22 · 23 · 24 · 25 · 26 · 27
Hidden Empire: 28 · 29 · 30 · 31 · 32
Unbound Force: 33 · 34
Target Aphra: 35 · 36
Dark Droids: 37 · 38 · 39 · 40 · 41
42 · 43 · 44 · 45
The Razing of Exegol: 46 · 47
48 · 49 · 50
Trade paperbacks
1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10
Related media
Darth Vader (2015) · Darth Vader (2017)
In Service to the Empire · Revelations (2022) · Tool of the Empire
The Curse · Phantom Menace Special
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