Darth Vader #18 represents the eighteenth installment of the canon comic book series, formally known as Star Wars: Darth Vader (2017). Charles Soule served as the writer, while Giuseppe Camuncoli provided the illustrations. Marvel Comics released it on July 11, 2018.
The narrative unfolds through the perspective of Governor Wilhuff Tarkin. On Chandar's Folly, located in the Outer Rim Territories, Tarkin contemplates the ninth day of their pursuit. Out of the initial group of 20 bounty hunting expedition members, only eight remain alive. Considering their target, Tarkin deems this outcome to be surprisingly favorable.
A human woman known as Yerga informs Tarkin that Sissian has detected their target in the northwest, but notes an unusual change. She then hands him her macrobinoculars. Through the lens, Tarkin observes Darth Vader adorned in the hide of a Valath, a formidable predator whose skin allows it to camouflage seamlessly with its surroundings. Tarkin concludes that Vader intentionally allowed them to witness this, having slain the beast without employing his lightsaber.
As the remaining hunters converge, Yerga expresses her growing disdain for this "guy." A human male bounty hunter, distinguished by a cybernetic implant, retorts that his animosity towards Vader began eight days prior. Tarkin then informs the assembled hunters that it is time for them to advance. He assigns Gil and Eighty-One to take the lead, while instructing the Chadra-Fan Hardhear and his grandson Sissian to maintain vigilance for Vader. Reflecting on the hunt, Tarkin narrates that a comprehensive understanding of the prey is essential for formulating an effective strategy.
Reflecting on the hunt, Tarkin remembers that Lord Vader is invulnerable to blasters. To counteract this, Tarkin equipped his team with flamethrowers and slugthrowers, believing that flames would be resistant to lightsabers. On the second day, the bounty hunters launched their attack on Vader with flamethrowers. However, Vader retaliated by targeting the flamethrowers themselves, causing them to explode and resulting in the deaths of four hunters.
Tarkin recalls that Vader consistently leaves a trail but remains a challenging adversary due to his lightsaber. On the fourth day, Tarkin and his team successfully disarmed Vader of his lightsaber, but at the cost of four lives. The droid Eight-One secured the weapon. Tarkin also notes that Vader prefers to kill up close but is also capable of using Force choke to kill from a distance.
Tarkin's curiosity is piqued by Vader's mysterious Force powers, leading him to sacrifice several hunters to gain insight into their nature. Tarkin also discovers Vader's strong attachment to his lightsaber and deduces that Vader is also hunting them.
As the hunt progresses into its ninth day, Tarkin and the seven remaining bounty hunters navigate through a valley of crystals, with Sissian and Hardhear positioned at the front and rear. These two, with their keen hearing, are tasked with identifying Lord Vader by the distinctive hum of his breathing apparatus. However, Vader exploits the echoes created by the crystals to ambush the bounty hunters, sending one hurtling against the crystalline formations. Tarkin realizes that Vader deliberately led them to this location to negate the Chadra-Fan's sensory abilities.
The Sith Lord employs Force choke against Hardhear and then obliterates Eighty-One. Tarkin and the four surviving bounty hunters retreat into the open. After Sissian senses that the "dark demon" has departed, Tarkin decides that they should establish camp in the stormlands, despite Yerga's concerns about safety. Later that night, Sissian takes his turn standing guard. Initially, he detects nothing, but he soon falls victim to Lord Vader's Force choke.
As Vader launches his assault, Tarkin understands that the Sith Lord must have temporarily deactivated his armor's breathing apparatus. Vader terminates Yerga by snapping her neck. The two remaining bounty hunters take up defensive positions. Vader uses the Force to retrieve his lightsaber from Tarkin and swiftly eliminates the two remaining bounty hunters.
Recognizing that the hunt is lost, Tarkin flees from the camp with Vader in pursuit. He discharges his blaster at Vader, who effortlessly deflects the bolts with his lightsaber. Realizing Vader's superior power, Tarkin decides to stand his ground and kneel in surrender. However, Tarkin has deliberately led Vader into the stormlands, anticipating the frequent lightning strikes. Vader is struck down by lightning.
In accordance with his agreement with Vader, Governor Tarkin contacts his personal starship Carrion Spike to request extraction. Having uncovered Tarkin's history as a hunter on Eriadu, Vader had requested that Tarkin hunt him in order to assess whether he could still be challenged. Initially unwilling to accept defeat, Vader uses Force choke on Tarkin but stops after considering the fact that he still answers to Emperor Palpatine.
- UPC 759606086665; July 11 , 2018 ; Marvel Comics [1] 01811; Cover A; Elia Bonetti, Giuseppe Camuncoli 01821; Cover B; Rod Reis