New issue came out today. Luke and Verla parted on good terms, after she told Luke where to find an old High Republic Jedi outpost.
Luke found a lightsaber there, as well as a trap laid by Vader. The Grand Inquisitor, as a flaming revenant, attacked Luke. Luke defeated the shade of the dead Inquisitor before returning to join up with the Rebels and try to renew their dwindling hope.
We also get a scene of Vader talking to the Grand Inquisitor, where the Inquisitor mentions how powerful Luke was and Vader basically tells the Inquisitor that his punishment is to remain. The Grand Inquisitor fades away while echoing his last words to Kanan.
Nothing in the comic states or implies that the Grand Inquisitor is weaker or less skilled. The way I see it, Vader basically restored the GI to how he was at the time of his death and is perpetually keeping him in that state (really cool Sith sorcery feat for Vader, btw. Matches with Vader's obsession with overcoming death).
So, if my theory is correct, Luke bested a fully capable revenant of the Grand Inquisitor, giving Luke a pretty decent scaling chain to fit into the Pre-ANH era. It is worth pointing out that Luke didn't stomp him. The GI caught Luke off guard with the secondary blade of his lightsaber, and also landed a kick towards the end of the fight. But then Luke immediately slapped him down with a Force push and cut off the Inquisitor's hand. And before the Inquisitor used his second blade, Luke seemed to have the edge in the duel (despite the Inquisitor mocking Luke's poor form).
Vader having a chat with Palps right after Bespin doesn't make any sense continuity wise. We know from Vader#1 that he went on his personal mission imediatly after ESB.
Last edited by Darthadi on Nov 6th, 2020 at 01:15 PM
Yeah, it's strange. Soule and Pak need to get on the same page.
DV #1 tells us that Vader basically went AWOL right after the events of ESB, and had no communication with Palpatine.
But this issue [also] seems to have taken place right after ESB, and we see Vader having a convo with Palpatine in person. Doesn't make sense.
At first I assumed it took place just after the battle of Hoth(which would still fit with the timeline), but the opening text box says "After Cloud City", which muddies the waters quite a bit.
__________________
"I am tired of Earth. These people.
I am tired of being caught in the tangle of their lives."
Last edited by Galan007 on Nov 7th, 2020 at 12:37 PM
I'm under the assumption that the Darth Vader comic by Pak takes place within the first few days after ESB, while the Star Wars comic by Soule has more time between events. By the time Luke has his lightsaber and fights the Grand Inquisitor, the events of Pak's Darth Vader comic are probably already wrapped up.
I don't think so. In Star Wars #5 Vader kills a guy who pretented to be Luke and then tells his troopers that he has some business on Vendaxa (the planet where he meets Sabe).
What muddles things in SW #8 is the text box that says "After Cloud City", along with Vader's dialogue regarding the recent battle of Hoth. Imo, this implies that the issue is set right after ESB.
As mentioned above, that doesn't fit with the plot of DV #1, as immediately after the events of Cloud City/ESB, Vader went off the grid and ceased all correspondence with Palpatine to go on his own personal mission.
Take the "After Cloud City" blurb out of the equation, however, and it would fit just fine, as there was time between the battle of Hoth and the conclusion of ESB(wherein Vader could have certainly met with Palpatine.)
__________________
"I am tired of Earth. These people.
I am tired of being caught in the tangle of their lives."
Last edited by Galan007 on Nov 9th, 2020 at 12:54 PM