Having received word from Dr. Aphra that Luke Skywalker is on the planet Vrogas Vas, Darth Vader travels to the planet in his TIE Advanced x1, which is equipped with a hyperdrive. Vader vows that the boy cannot hide from his destiny or he from him.
Darth Vader asks Aphra if they have any word of Commander Karbin. Aphra responds that the Mon Calamari cyborg was assigned by the Emperor with finding the pilot who destroyed the Death Star but that they have no reason to believe that he had come close to identifying Skywalker. Vader vows to deal with Karbin.
Aphra says that the information broker was right and Vader responds the broker no longer has a life to wager. Aphra reassures Vader that her information is right. Vader says that he better find Skywalker just as his TIE Advanced exits hyperspace into the path of three squadrons of T-65B X-wing starfighters.
The rebel commander announces via comlink that today's drills are canceled. Believing Vader to be a scout, the squadron leader orders his underlings to jam his transmissions. He sends Blue Squadron to take the lead. Over the intercom, Vader tells Dr Aphra that the rebel fighters were on maneuvers and were not expecting him. He warns Aphra that if this was a trap, she should hope that it kills him.
Dr Aphra responds that she did not lead Vader into a trap. Learning that Vader is facing three squadrons of X-wing fighters, she tells him to get out. Vader replies that her information about Skywalker was correct because he can sense him. When asked to run, Vader responds that the rebel fighters are the ones who should be running.
The Blue Squadron leader thinks that the TIE fighter has more guts than brains and tells his wingmates to shoot him down. However, Vader's TIE Advanced flies at a speed too fast for their laser blasts and wipes out the squadron, taking down Blue Five and Blue Three.
Over the intercom, an X-wing pilot hears that Vader has taken out a whole squadron without a scratch to his TIE Advanced. He thinks that it is a dead man. Dr Aphra tries to contact Vader but Vader is preoccupied with destroying the remaining X-wings. The rebel pilots realize that Vader's TIE Advanced is armed with deflector shields and attempt to shoot his fighter.
Yellow Squadron launches torpedoes at Vader's TIE Advanced but he deflects them with the Force, destroying the entire squadron. Over the intercom, Skywalker, who answers to the squadron designation Red Five, hears his fellow Red Squadron members reacting to the destruction of Yellow Squadron. Skywalker realizes that the Imperial pilot is Darth Vader.
Skywalker's fellow Red Squadron pilots want to surround Vader but he warns them that they cannot stop him like this. Skywalker apologizes to R2-D2 before breaking formation and charging at Vader's TIE Advanced. The two starfighters collide and are seriously damaged. They descend down into Vrogas Vas' atmosphere.
Red Leader informs the Rebel Alliance leadership that Vader has been shot down. He calls the Alliance for assistance from available Alliance forces in apprehending Vader. Red Leader regrets that the price of victory was steep with numerous starfighters destroyed, pilots killed and astromech droids floating in space.
At the Rebel Refueling Base, the Alliance Army and the Y-wings of Gray Squadron mobilize to capture Vader. In space, Han Solo and Princess Leia Organa receive news about Vader's presence on Vrogas Vas. Leia wants to go after Vader in order to capture one of the Emperor's favorite toys. Leia has received word that the rebel garrison has mobilized an entire company and that General Jan Dodonna has sent a battalion to back them up. Solo is reluctant to get involved until realizing that Skywalker went to Vrogas Vas.
Solo agrees to come along for Luke and tells Chewbacca to prepare the Millennium Falcon for departure. As they set a course for Vrogas Vas, C-3PO says he has a bad feeling about this, something with Solo agrees with.
Aboard the Ark Angel, Dr Aphra tells Triple Zero that she has been monitoring rebel communications and thinks they have to go after Vader. Triple Zero responds that they could murder everyone that they encounter, a sentiment that is shared by Beetee. When Dr Aphra tells them that they will be flying into a nest of rebel troopers, Triple Zero gloats about torturing and exterminating people indiscriminately.
Back on Vrogas Vas, Gray Squadron finds Vader's wrecked TIE Advanced and the Sith Lord. Before they can bomb him, Vader uses the Force to hurl debris at the fighter bombers, destroying them. Meanwhile, Skywalker helps R2-D2 out of their wrecked X-wing. Realizing that Vader has survived the crash, he answers the call of duty and puts his plans of learning to be a Jedi aside.
Meanwhile, Darth Vader senses that the planet was once the site of a Jedi temple. He soon encounters the rebel troopers who order him to surrender. Vader finds himself surrounded by a company of rebel soldiers. Igniting his lightsaber, Vader responds that he is only surrounded by fear and dead men.
- UPC 759606083688; November 18, 2015; Marvel Comics
- UPC 759606085095; May 4, 2016; Marvel Comics; True Believers
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