The pivotal moment that turnedAnakin Skywalkerinto Darth Vader comes at the end ofRevenge of the Sith, when he is told that he accidentally killed his wife, Padmé Amidala. This conviction fueled his dark side and loyalty to Palpatine. However, the comics reveal that Vader learned the truth.
Darth Vader(2020), written by Greg Pak with art by Raffaele Ienco,delivered a gut-wrenching twist for the Sith Lord, revealing the horrifying truth that his own hands didn’t directly end Padmé’s life.
Throughout the initial issues, Vader was tormented by visions of Mustafar, the burning landscape a constant reminder of his perceived role in Padmé’s death.He carried the immense weight of guilt, believing his rage choked the life from her.However, upon discovering his son, Luke, was alive,Vader embarked on an investigationinto the details surrounding Padme’s death and learned the truth.
The Pivotal Revelation Reframes Vader’s Tragedy
Darth Vader(2020) by Greg Pak and Raffaele Ienco
The bombshell discovery of the identity of the X-wing pilot who destroyed the Death Star at the beginning ofDarth Vader(2020) sends Vader into a spiral. Everything he thought he knew for the past 19 years was a lie. His child (children, unbeknownst to him) had survived, thus leading Vader to believe that he was unaware of the true circumstances surrounding Padme’s death.Vader’s investigation takes him to Naboo, where he is confronted by Padme’s former handmaidens at Padme’s grave. The handmaidens convince Vader not to destroy Padme’s coffin in his quest, thus sending him elsewhere for answers.
Convinced (rightfully so) thatObi-Wan Kenobi played a part in hiding Luke from him, Vader manages to track the route that Obi-Wan and Padme took on her ship on the day of Anakin’s defeat on Mustafar. The route leads him to the inhabited asteroid of Polis Massa, where he finds a long-since abandoned birthing station.Though almost everything is destroyed, his droid manages to repair a memory card recording from the night of Padme’s death, showing her final words to Obi-Wan in her last moments.
While he still bore responsibility for the events leading to their fateful confrontation, the direct cause of Padmé’s death wasn’t the physical violence he inflicted.
The recording itself is proof that Vader was fed lies regarding his wife’s death, as he was led to believe she died at his hands on Mustafar when he used the Force to choke her in his anger.While Vader’s actions on Mustafar undoubtedly contributed to Padmé’s suffering, her ultimate demise came from a profound loss of will to live after witnessing his descent.The truth fuels Vader’s angertowards Obi-Wan for hiding Luke and towards the Emperor for allowing him to believe a lie for almost two decades.
This truth shattered Vader’s carefully constructed reality.The burden of his guilt shifted dramatically. While he still bore responsibility for the events leading to their fateful confrontation, the direct cause of Padmé’s death wasn’t the physical violence he inflicted.Instead, it was the sheer emotional devastation of witnessing the transformation of the man she loved into Darth Vader.
The Shattered Reality Shifted Vader’s Guilt
The Truth Exposed Lies and Unearthed More Anger Than Ever Before
The impact on Vader was profound. His self-hatred, previously focused on “killing” Padmé, morphed into a more complex and agonizing understanding. He grappled with the realization that his betrayal was so complete it extinguished her very will to live.Furthermore, this knowledge ignited a new kind of rage; a simmering resentment directed at Palpatine.Vader began to grasp the extent of the Emperor’s manipulation, recognizing how his love and loss had been twisted into a tool of control. This revelation planted the seeds of doubt and resentment that would eventually contribute to his redemption inReturn of the Jedi.
The comic series masterfully conveyed Vader’s internal turmoil through striking visuals and introspective narration.The conflict within Vader ragedas he processed this devastating information, while at the same time grappling with emotions over his and Padme’s son surviving.The truth didn’t diminish his darkness, but it reframed it, layering his grief with a bitter understanding of his profound failure and the Emperor’s cruelty.
The revelation that Vader didn’t directly cause Padmé’s death was a pivotal moment in his tragic arc. It stripped away a core element of his self-inflicted guilt, replacing it with a more nuanced and arguably more heartbreaking understanding of her demise. This moment underscored the devastating consequences of his choices and the manipulative nature of the Emperor,further illuminatingVader’scomplex journeyand foreshadowing his eventual return to the light. The comic offered a powerful exploration of grief, guilt, and the corrosive influence of the dark side through this significant revelation.
