Issue number twenty-one of the canon comic book series, entitled Darth Vader 21, belongs to the Star Wars: Darth Vader (2017) storyline. Charles Soule penned the script, Giuseppe Camuncoli provided the illustrations, and Marvel Comics released it to the public on September 12, 2018.
The Sith Lord is being haunted by a spooky version of his younger self, whose face is twisted to look like his helmet, as Darth Vader's recently acquired Naboo Royal Starship is traveling through hyperspace. Colonel Alva Brenne informs Lord Vader that they are getting close to Mustafar. The Sith Lord tells Colonel Brenne and Lieutenant Roggo that he's going to take control of the ship himself once they're in orbit. Brenne then questions Vader about why he picked Mustafar.
In a flashback at the Imperial Palace located on Coruscant, Emperor Palpatine approves Lord Vader's request for Mustafar to be the location of his new stronghold. The Emperor then assigns Imperial architect Colonel Brenne to work with Vader. Brenne had made a good impression on the Emperor by previously overseeing the removal of all traces of the Jedi during the Imperial Palace's alterations. The Emperor expresses his confusion at Lord Vader's choice of Mustafar since it was the location where he was defeated and suffered life-altering injuries.
In the present timeline, the ship's computer announces that they will be exiting hyperspace very soon. Vader leaves the two Imperial officers without answering Brenne's question. Brenne tells Roggo that this assignment might be tough, but she believes that a skilled artisan can give her client what he desires, even if he doesn't know what it is. Roggo compliments her, saying she could build something beautiful for Lord Vader.
Colonel Brenne is curious about what Lord Vader might consider wonderful. She and Roggo think the fancy J-type 327 Nubian royal starship is an odd choice for Lord Vader, who Colonel Brenne thinks would prefer minimalist art. Roggo also remembers Vader killing five Imperial officers and finds the Sith Lord intimidating. Brenne agrees, noting that Vader rarely speaks and seems more like a droid than a man. She's also intrigued by an old, sinister mask displayed in the former throne room.
The Naboo Royal Starship's computer announces that the outside hull temperatures are rising to critical levels and tells all passengers and crew to go to emergency stations. Roggo understands that the ship is going into Musfatar's atmosphere without any deflector shields. Colonel Brenne confronts Lord Vader, demanding to know why they're making such a dangerous, unshielded entry into the atmosphere. When she insists that they go back to high orbit to fix the shields and try another landing, Vader tells her that he turned off the shield.
Considering Vader's actions to be suicidal, Brenne repeats her demand and reaches for her blaster. However, Lord Vader uses the Force to take the blaster. He tells her that she will do whatever he orders, as per the Emperor's instructions. Lord Vader then orders her to sit in the co-pilot seat. As they descend into the volcanic world, the ship's hull is damaged and one of the transparisteel windows is broken.
The ship's descent is observed by the Mustafarian father Kkkt and his son Zzzs. The father thinks it's a sign. When fire rises from a lava lake, Zzzs asks if it's "lifefire" or "endfire." Kkkt responds that they will soon find out. After they land, Lieutenant Roggo asks a confused Colonel Brenne what just happened. Brenne blames Vader for the rough landing. Looking at the damaged hull of the Naboo Royal Starship, she comments that she now understands his aesthetic.
As Lord Vader goes into a cave, Colonel Brenne offers to start designing a facility for him right away. She also inquires about his purpose here. In a flashback, Vader explains to the Emperor that he chose Mustafar because he sensed that the dark side location on the planet has a strong connection to the Force that can do amazing things. The Emperor praises Lord Vader for taking the opportunity to become a perfect Sith. The Emperor is even open to Vader finding a way to bring back his deceased wife, Padmé Amidala. He also thinks that Vader's time on Mustafar could be a valuable learning experience for him. He then takes Vader to his "final gift."
Returning to the present, Lord Vader tells Colonel Brenne that he's here to study a great mystery, but he doesn't know how long it will take. Brenn goes back to the Naboo Royal Starship to start designing Vader's fortress. Since Vader didn't answer her questions, she decides to start with a simple, functional design and see how he reacts. At Brenne's request, Roggo leaves to get tea and brandy. She promises not to disappoint Vader in order to keep her good reputation as an architect.
While Vader is meditating in front of a large rock, Brenne and Roggo are surveying a nearby area, which she thinks will have a great view because of a nearby lava flow. Later, Brenne asks Roggo to run tests on the tensile strength of the flood basalt they saw during the survey. Brenne then presents her first design, which includes a double pyramid structure. When Vader rejects her first design, she goes back to the ship to continue her work but is shot and killed. Vader discovers a masked figure at her study.
In a flashback, the Emperor presents Lord Vader with the mask of Darth Momin. He explains that Momin was an unusual Sith Lord who liked to create things using the dark side of the Force. The Emperor believes that Lord Vader can gain new insights from Lord Momin. He tells his Sith apprentice to take the mask to Mustafar. Vader is unfamiliar with Lord Momin because his contemporaries considered his path heretical and suppressed his story. The Emperor responds that the mask told him the story of Lord Momin.
In the present, Lord Vader attacks the masked figure with his lightsaber, killing him. The masked figure turns out to be Roggo, who is wearing the mask of Momin. Vader sees that the possessed Roggo has created a structure with two sharp peaks at the top.
- UPC 759606086665; September 12 , 2018 ; Marvel Comics [1] 02111; Cover A; Elia Bonetti, Giuseppe Camuncoli 02121; Cover B; Rod Reis