Darth Vader #9

Darth Vader's fight for his life on Mustafar continues in Darth Vader #9 as the Dark Lord of the Sith stays one-step ahead of Ochi who has been joined by an army of killer droids who mistakenly believe Vader's parts are what give the Sith his power (and hope to steal a bit of that for themselves).

Despite his makeshift limbs, Vader proves more than enough for his adversaries. Armed with his lightsaber and new purpose, the arc makes yet another tie to The Rise of Skywalker with the introduction of a Sith wayfinder and Vader's discovery of the existence of the Emperor's secret facility on Exegol.

Given the issues with the plot of Rise of Skywalker, I'm not sure doubling-down on ties to the last Star Wars movie is the best choice. However, pointing the arc in that direction does offer the opportunity to explore and explain the hidden world (and its inhabitants) in ways the movie never showed much interest in doing. Are we about to learn more about the Sith?

[Marvel, $3.99]

• Title: Darth Vader #9
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Greg Pak
• Artist: Raff Ienco