Comic Review: Legacy of Vader #4

Striding forward with his cloak billowing behind him and lightsaber drawn, Kylo Ren is ready to conquer in Chew’s direct cover. Its limited colour palette of red and black add a sense of foreboding, hinting at the rage the Supreme Leader is soon going to turn to Naboo. Meanwhile Aspinall’s variant is far more introspective as Ren reaches out, ignorant to the manipulations of Vaneé and Hux who lurk in the shadows. And finally, Sprouse’s anniversary variant for The Force Awakens captures the furious pace of Rey and Finn trying to get to the Millennium Falcon before the First Order arrives.

Having escaped the brutal sands of Tatooine and returned to the clinical orderliness of the Finalizer, Kylo Ren looks out to the stars from the bridge of his flagship in the opening for Legacy of Vader #4. He questions General Hux on whether the Star Destroyer has enough power to ravage a planet. At first this seems like an odd question – Ren has already razed Gardulla the Hutt’s stronghold on Tatooine. But he’s turned his sights to the other key place of his past – Naboo.

With its rolling hills and sweeping waterfalls, the landscape of Naboo seems relatively untouched as Vaneé guides Kylo Ren around. But behind the beauty lies a rotten core. While Naboo enjoyed relative peace under Imperial jurisdiction as it was Palpatine’s homeworld, it came at a steep price. The monarchy was replaced by Imperial governance and its people lived to serve the whims of the Empire. It’s the first time we’ve properly seen the planet long after the Empire and it’s in a sorry state.

Grandeur has been replaced by civil unrest and the planet divided into factions. It’s a fascinating introduction as Soule truly paints the political scene. While many planets recovered after Imperial rule, especially those which had help from the New Republic like Kashyyyk, not every world was as fortunate. And the once grand homes of the elite are now nothing more than ruins. As Ren walks around the residence of his grandmother, there’s barely anything left that’s recognisable.

Vaneé explains the significance of the planet to Darth Vader, and how some of his legacy was shaped by love. It’s interesting that Ren tries to immediately deny that love could make anyone powerful. He angrily dismisses it. And yet his mind strays to Rey fighting by his side. Soule is perfectly weaving Rey into this story. Although she’s never present physically, she’s always on Ren’s mind, highlighting how he was falling for her long before he realised it.

But before Ren can explore his feelings for Rey in more depth, some strangers arrive to warn that the ruins are cursed. I loved this moment as the two tell a tale about a monster, a spirit of death, who came to Naboo with the sole purpose of destroying Padmé’s memory. It explains how the local people viewed Darth Vader and perfectly ties this series into Darth Vader (2020) by Greg Pak as he attempts to rid himself from the shackles of the past (much like Ren in the present). Raffaele changes the drawing style into something that feels reminiscent of a children’s story, twisting Vader’s form into a monstrous shadow rising over the spires of Naboo. They’re incredible panels!

Unfortunately story time is cut short by the arrival of Storg Veruna – one of the ruling classes left on Naboo who’s trying to claim land as his own. He’s from a lineage that dates back centuries. And Ren is completely unimpressed. Lineage and connections don’t matter to him. This exchange actually reminded me of a scene from Bloodline by Claudia Gray where Leia briefly mentions that Ben has no interest in inheriting any royal duties or titles, and that she would not force any on him.  Leia turns down the governorship of Birren just so that Ben doesn’t have to deal with it in the future. So, although Ben comes from Organa royalty – one of the powerful Elder Houses – he doesn’t accept a person’s worth through their title alone.

And titles are the reason Ren wants to set his sights on Naboo. He thinks that for the planet to move forward successfully, it should abandon the past. History and lineage are holding the world back from its future. In a way he may have a point – the ruling classes of Naboo are trying to seize back the control of the planet they had before the Empire, and it isn’t working. Everyday citizens are suffering because of the greed of the elites, especially as there is no democratic monarchy to put the welfare of the people first.

But we don’t get to see Ren’s idea for the future of Naboo. Soule lets Legacy of Vader #4 end on a massive cliffhanger as Kylo Ren promises to control Naboo under his rule. While the young Knight of Ren may make some valid points about the issues the world is facing, his methods of change are likely going to be extreme. And will Naboo willingly capitulate to the First Order? Next issue sees the First Order begin to take control.