TheStar Warsprequel trilogy explained exactly howAnakin Skywalkerescaped the clutches of slavery as a child, but the person responsible for the wrongs done to the Skywallker family never faced justice. But in a preview of the upcoming seriesStar Wars: Legacy of Vader, thehuman trafficker and junk dealer Watto finally faces Darth Vaderas he never did in the films… and looks to meet a grisly fate.
Star Wars: Legacy of Vader#2 will be published on March 12, but the bombshell has arrived early thanks to a preview shared onXby Marvel Senior Editor Mark Paniccia. Following Kylo Ren on a now-desolate Tatooine betweenThe Last JediandThe Rise of Skywalker. As Kylo Ren walks through what he calls a “nowhere planet,” the droid accompanying him explains that Tatooine was important to Darth Vader. As the desert planet appears desolate, the droid muses that Vader must have returned at some point and “taken his revenge.”That “revenge” is shown in a panel of Vader using the Force to choke Watto.
From the creative team of Charles Soule, Luke Ross, and Nolan Woodard,Star Wars: Legacy of Vaderis set to debut on February 5, and will follow Kylo Ren in his quest to reign supreme. As the grandson of Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker, Kylo Ren follows in his grandfather’s footsteps inhis descent to the dark side. Often appearing to be obsessed with upholding Darth Vader’s legacy, this new comic series looks to actually educate Kylo Ren on the true story behind Anakin’s transformation from Jedi to Sith.
What Anakin Skywalker’s Revenge on Watto Means For Vader’s Story
Darth Vader Never Forgot the Past Trauma on His Home Planet
The events ofAttack of the Clonesshow Anakin and Padme returning to Tatooine, only for Anakin to find his mother on the brink of death at the hands of the Tusken Raiders. After she dies in Anakin’s arms, an enragedAnakin slays the entire community of Tusken Raiders. Panniccia’s sneak peek ofStar Wars: Legacy of Vader#2 shows that Anakin, now Darth Vader, later returned to Tatooine to finish the revenge on his enemies that he began inAttack of the Clones.
Sorry, Kylo Ren. There’s Another Sith Who Wields Star Wars' Greatest Lightsaber
Kylo Ren’s lightsaber is easily one of the coolest ever featured in Star Wars, but there’s at least one that even better, and one Sith Lord proves it.
InThe Phantom Menace, Anakin earned his freedom from Watto by winning the Boonta Eve Classic podrace, leaving him with the choice to stay on Tatooine with his mother or join Master Qui-Gon Jinn and the Jedi Order. Ultimately, Anakin chose to pursue the path of a Jedi. And in the decades since (in both the fiction of the films and among the saga’s fans),the handling of Shmi’s enslavementhas been a topic of debate. Thankfully, Shmi Skywalker would only remain Watto’s slave until she met and fell in love with Cliegg Lars, who purchased her freedom.
Our Take: Vader’s Return To Watto Brings His Story Full Circle
While many fans who dislike Watto will find this twist a promising one to see play out in the full series, it’s the deeper meaning of Anakin (as Vader) returning to face Watto that seems the most interesting. After all, it was Anakin’s emotional tie to his mother and home planet that made him unable to fully cut emotional ties as required by Jedi training.
That same tie is what haunted Anakin’s dreams inAttack of the Clones, warning him that his mother was in grave danger. Seeing Anakin as Darth Vader back on Tatooine striking down his enemies is a full circle moment for his character’s arc that began inThe Phantom Menace. How accurate the vision will be, and the impact Vader’s vengeance will have on Kylo Ren’s own mission to"finish what he started"will have to wait until the full issue arrives on comic book shelves.
