Padmé Amidala’s legacy saves Darth Vader in Darth Vader’s most recent issue. The event takes place before the Return of the Jedi. Darth Vader, who counts Sabé, the former Queen’s Shadow, among his allies, has been trying to eliminate an allegedly corrupt Imperial governor with connections to the Crimson Dawn crime gang. Sabé must make a major decision in the wake of the fight in the Star Wars galaxy.
Previous in Darth Vader by Greg Pak, the Dark Lord has been uncovering the Crimson Dawn agents operating at various levels of the Imperial government. He has also recruited Sabé as one of his operatives (even though she tried to kill him at the start of this series set after Empire Strikes Back). Sabé has been listening to a recording of Padmé’s last words since they met. She has never stopped hoping that her husband will change. Knowing this information and the hidden fact that Vader was originally Anakin Skywalker, Sabé cautiously investigates Padmé’s claims.
In the latest issue of Darth Vader, #27, the Dark Lord has put himself in harm’s way to save Sabé, all while fighting a corrupt governor with cutting-edge weaponry and experimental technologies (including the Star Wars equivalent of Iron Man’s Hulkbuster armor). As the governor’s mobile fortress crumbles around Vader, severely injuring the Dark Lord’s armor, she tries to escape. In this way, Sabé is given a chance to finally complete her original hidden purpose as the Queen’s Shadow after Padmé’s death by eliminating the disabled Sith lord. Sabé is inspired to save the Dark Lord for the sake of her queen’s hope and love for him. Eventually, she provides him with the assistance he would not have otherwise received.
A scene shows Sabé helping the Dark Lord out of the debris. Meanwhile, Vader’s droid reveals that the governor was not working for Crimson Dawn but was receiving her orders straight from Emperor Palpatine. This suggests that Sabé and Vader will clash with the master of the Dark Lord in future issues. Furthermore, since Palpatine is aware of Sabé and Vader’s desire to protect her because of her link and resemblance to Padmé, it’s highly improbable that the former Queen’s Shadow would survive the experience.
For what it’s worth, the latest Star Wars episodes have made it quite clear that Padmé occupied much of Darth Vader’s mind during the original trilogy. She was most probably the driving force behind his efforts to bury his time as Anakin, so stifling the anguish that fed his dark side hatred. In this new issue, however, Padmé’s memory and legacy were instrumental in sparing his life. It will certainly impact when the Dark Lord approaches his redemption in Return of the Jedi. Issue #27 of Darth Vader is available now.
