Darth Vader: Issue 45: The Martyrium of Frozen Tears
What is it ? : On the world of Tython in the Deep Core, Enric Pryde, Corleque, Fabarian, Tauntaza and Sly Moore are climbing a mountain in a storm, they comment that the storm caused them to crash so they need to climb and that no one could have landed safely in the storm, only for them to see Vaders Tie Fighter landing atop the mountain.
As they climb Pryde tells them how he saw Vader deal with the MARS Corps troopers, turning them into his servants, something which has massively impressed the man. The others tell their tales of first witnessing Vader, and the evil he has made them do. Fabarian speaking about executing Slandarv instead of arresting him as a loyal office should have. Corleque speaking about his crew dying and him now needing cybernetics to breath with. Tauntaza speaking of Vader playing hero for colonists to destroy her research, only to seize it later from the Rebels.
As they reach the top of the Mountain, Vader with ZED-67 is waiting for them and orders them into The Martyrium of Frozen Tears, which none of them know what it is, but know it doesn't sound good.
Zed orders Pryde to go in first, which he takes as a sign that he is the most loyal, but Zed explains it's because he is the most disposable.
He secures the entrance and everyone enters, but Sly Moore and Vader begin seeing visions. The Martyrium is a former rebel base built inside the ruins of a Jedi Temple, and the two Force Sensitives are seeing the confessions of the Jedi who came here. The confessions are simple things, such as a Master whose Padawan fell to the Dark Side, or a Jedi who failed to save some people from a fire. Moore is effected somewhat by the emotions of these confessions, but Vader has done so much worse so isn't effected.
But ahead Vader sees one more Jedi kneeling facing away from him, and as he approaches he recognises it as his son, Luke Skywalker.
Lukes confession plays for Vader, he confesses that he met his father, Darth Vader, and that Vader offered him a place at his side to rule the Galaxy, to do terrible things together. And that he refused, But he wonders . . .
Vader orders the others to mine the Kyberite at the heart of the Jedi Temple, and then he leaves.
The others do their task, and as they leave they mock Pryde for expecting that Vader will even notice his service, but Pryde tells them that everything they've told him, of Vaders power, ruthlessness and deception means that nothing will stop him bringing order to the Galaxy.
As he flies through space, Vader calls out through the force, "Luke, I'm coming". . .
High Points : I really like the way they're using Enric Pryde, his total belief in Vader, he's a true believer, whereas the others have been bullied into service.
But I absolutely adore the confession from Luke. While it's fairly obvious that Luke is reconsidering his decision, because he thinks he could turn his father to the light side. That together if they took down Palpatine, Luke could turn the Empire into something better by being inside it, especially being at the very top of it. So he isn't sure that he made the right decision by totally rejecting his fathers offer.
But Vader can't see that, he just sees a confession that Luke perhaps wanted to stand at his side, that his dream of deposing Palpatine and the Skywalkers ruling the galaxy could come true.
Low Points : I'm beginning to tire of the other members of the Schism Imperial, who just spend all their time complaining about how hard done by they are, that Vader is evil (Really it's taken them this long to realise?).
If this come was going to really go somewhere, and reveal the foundations of the First Order lie within Pryde and the Schism Imperial, that would be interesting, but there's no way this comic is going to go there. And while I like Pryde's worship of Vader, on screen he's totally subservient to Palpatine, so there's not really any continuity of characterisation here.
So what do you really think ? : The twist at the end was outstanding, taking the comic off in a new direction which makes far more sense than recent issues with Vader gathering forces to fight Palpatine.
Final Words : I have to say I think it's obvious where the Schism Imperial goes from here, they'll take the power that Vader has been gathering, and while he's distracted by Luke, they'll make a move on Palpatine and be neutralised and probably absorbed into his plans. As with so many plotlines in this comic, it'll all come to nothing, as we know how this story ends in Return of the Jedi.
But as always, I could very well be wrong.
Score : 9.5/10
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