Despite basing his life on the accomplishments of his grandfatherDarth Vader,Ben Solo’s Kylo Rennever actually met the legendary Sith… or so fans always assumed. Now, the franchise has revealed their first and only meeting - one in which Anakin Skywalker tells an outrageous lie thatStar Warsfans will instantly know to be criminally untrue.
InStar Wars: Legacy of Vader #3- by Charles Soule, Luke Ross, Nolan Woodard and Joe Caramagna - Kylo Ren is tortured by the gangster Gardulla the Hutt. After being repeatedly electrocuted, Kylo is exposed to a gas that Gardulla promises will make him"see incredible things, visions of past and future."
As a result of the drug, Kylo Ren experiences a vision ofDarth Vader battling a group of rebels, easily cutting down his enemies. Praising his grandfather as"magnificent"and begging for guidance, Kylo Ren is inspired whenDarth Vader replies,“You ask me… for help? Everything that made me magnificent, I did alone.”
Darth Vader Claims He Achieved Power By Himself
The Star Wars Saga Shows How Untrue This Claim Is
The comic implies that this vision is a dream on Kylo Ren’s part, although there’s no real way to know. After all, Jedi have experienced ‘dreams’ before that were actual Force visions, and even dreams that affected the real world. Thefirst time that Luke projected his likenessacross the galaxy (a trick he used to fight Kylo Ren inThe Last Jedi), it was during what he believed to be a dream. However,Darth Vader’s claim is such an unmitigated lie, it’s almost impossible that Kylo Ren was communing with the real Dark Lord- instead, it’s likely this is Kylo’s conception of Vader, giving him what he needs to break free.
Kylo Ren Never Understood Darth Vader
His Vision of His Grandfather Proves He Was Chasing a Phantom
As both a Jedi and a Sith, Darth Vader was immensely powerful, and he achieved some of the most seemingly impossible feats in the galaxy. However, the idea that he accomplished anything alone is an outright lie. Darth Vader himselfbelieved that Emperor Palpatine created himthrough the Force, having designs on a powerful apprentice. Anakin’s early life was shaped by the Jedi - first by Qui-Gon Jinn and later Obi-Wan Kenobi, who fought to train him despite the Jedi Council’s objections. Anakin’s Clone Wars victories were impressive, but he made no secret of relying on the 501st Legion and his Padawan Ahsoka Tano.
While Darth Vader is a terrifying figure and an unparalleled warrior, his turn to the Dark Side stopped him ever becoming his own person.
As a Sith, Darth Vader was constantly aided and challenged by Emperor Palpatine,submitting himself totally to Palpatine’s willbecause his master repeatedly convinced him that no-one else could help him reach the same heights of strength. Marvel’sStar Warscomics have gone into exacting detail abouthow under Palpatine’s thumb Vader truly was, and how his frequent rebellions made him stronger in the Dark Side specifically as a way to try and challenge his master. The only reason Vader can even breathe is that Palpatine picked him up from the fires of Mustafar and outfitted him with custom-made armor. Even Anakin Skywalker’s eventual redemption came through his son Luke, who risked everything to bring his father back to the light.
While Darth Vader is a terrifying figure and an unparalleled warrior, his turn to the Dark Side stopped him ever becoming his own person.For his entire adult life, Vader was manipulated, tortured and challenged by Emperor Palpatine, who knew that as long as his student acted out of hate and fear, he could never truly challenge his Master. WhileKylo Renwould like to imagine Darth Vader as the ultimate independent warrior, free of the chains of the past and the expectations of the future,Legacy of Vaderemphasizes how his idea ofDarth Vaderis based on what he wants for himself, not what actually happened inStar Warslore.
Star Wars: Legacy of Vader #3is available now from Marvel Comics.
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise that started in 1977 by creator George Lucas. After the release of Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope (originally just titled Star Wars), the franchise quickly exploded, spawning multiple sequels, prequels, TV shows, video games, comics, and much more. After Disney acquired the rights to the franchise, they quickly expanded the universe on Disney+, starting with The Mandalorian.
Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader
Conceived by the will of the Force itself, Anakin Skywalker was the prophesied Chosen One, destined to bring the Force into balance. Anakin struggled to balance competing attachments to the Jedi Order and his wife Padmé Amidala, and ultimately fell to the dark side, becoming Darth Vader. For years he served as Palpatine’s right hand man, but he was ultimately redeemed by the faith of his son, Luke Skywalker. Now a Force Ghost, Anakin continues to act as an agent of balance.
Ben Solo/Kylo Ren
The son of Han Solo and Leia Organa, Ben was manipulated by Palpatine through the Force for most of his life, influenced toward the dark side of the Force. A misstep by Luke Skywalker ultimately left Ben feeling he had no choice but to embrace the dark side, and he became Kylo Ren, a key figure in the First Order. Kylo Ren’s heart remained deeply divided, however, even after he ascended to become Supreme Leader of the First Order. He was ultimately redeemed by Rey, with whom he shared a remarkable Force bond, and by the love of his parents.
