Issue number twenty, Darth Vader 20, represents the twentieth installment of the canon comic book series known as Star Wars: Darth Vader (2017). Charles Soule penned the story, while Giuseppe Camuncoli provided the illustrations. Marvel Comics released it to the public on August 22, 2018.
At the Inquisitorius Headquarters, located on Coruscant, Darth Vader positions his ignited lightsaber above Thirteenth Sister. The Grand Inquisitor questions whether this is a test or further training. Vader simply responds in the negative, then proceeds to attempt a strike on the red Inquisitor. However, Tualon Yaluna intervenes, blocking Lord Vader's attack. He urges the Thirteenth Sister to escape.
As she makes her escape, Lord Vader confronts the Twi'lek Inquisitor, stating that he detected an emotional bond between the two, which he identifies as a weakness. He argues that the demise of Eeth Koth should have taught them a lesson about such matters, but they failed to understand it. He forcefully throws Yaluna against a wall. When the Twi'lek Inquisitor demands to know what she did, Lord Vader says that it does not matter but that he has done the same thing.
As Yaluna flees, the Grand Inquisitor inquires if he and the Inquisitors can offer any assistance. Lord Vader rejects his offer of aid. While escaping, the two Inquisitors who are now fugitives contemplate Vader's motivations for attacking them. The Thirteenth Sister believes that Vader doesn't require a reason to kill. She is surprised that Yaluna intervened, leading Yaluna to confess his love for her. Akaris reciprocates her love, but cautions that they must now kill Vader. The two decide to escape after eliminating the Sith Lord.
Later, Darth Vader is seen patrolling the Coruscant's skies with two Coruscant Guards inside an airspeeder. He informs them that they are searching for a male and female Jedi who are both cunning and prepared to attack at any moment. Immediately after Vader concludes his announcement, a double-bladed spinning lightsaber cuts through the right rear engine, causing the speeder to lose control. Vader jumps onto a red airspeeder. The fugitives throw their spinning lightsabers, which slice through the speeder's frame.
The destroyed speeder falls, killing a Gran and a human couple in a nearby park, burning them to ashes. Vader continues his pursuit using a third speeder. The Inquisitors, now piloting a green airspeeder, launch a white and orange two-seater speeder at Lord Vader, but the Sith Lord sends it back toward them. They then use the Force to drop a statue on top of Lord Vader, causing him to crash onto a balcony.
Thinking they have succeeded, the two Inquisitors attempt to kill the seemingly injured Sith Lord. However, Lord Vader uses the Force to restrain the two Inquisitors and compels them to kill each other using their own lightsabers. In their dying moments, Akaris apologizes to Yaluna. The Twi'lek accepts her apology, stating that he did not expect them to die in bed after the choices they have made. He says that at least they will be free. Vader stands over the two dead Inquisitors.
At the Imperial Palace, Palpatine, the Emperor, questions Vader's claim that the two fallen Inquisitors were traitors. Vader asserts that the Fifth Brother informed him that he had witnessed the Thirteenth Sister allowing Mira, the wife of Eeth Koth, and their daughter to escape. He adds that the red Inquisitor only managed to recapture the child after realizing she had been seen. Vader also claimed that the red Inquisitor was forming a group against the Sith and had corrupted the Twi'lek Inquisitor, making their elimination necessary.
The Emperor is angered by the destruction that Lord Vader caused across Coruscant while hunting them down. He is particularly upset by the death of Senator Maklooq, who was crucial to his plans. Vader worries that such chaos will negatively affect his ability to govern the Galactic Empire. Vader reminds the Emperor that he gave the Inquisitors to him. Vader agrees but says that he will move the Inquisitors to a new base offworld to prevent such trouble from happening again on Coruscant.
The Emperor commends Lord Vader for killing Eeth Koth, a former member of the Jedi Council who he fears has caused problems for them. Vader informs the Emperor that Koth was pretending to be a priest. The Emperor ridicules Koth for choosing to hide as the closest thing to a Jedi and declares that the Jedi are fools who deserve to die. As a reward for Vader's success in hunting down the Jedi Purge survivors, the Emperor presents Lord Vader with Padmé Amidala's former Naboo Royal Starship, who was a Senator.
A repair droid informs the Sith that the exterior restoration should be completed in two days. Before the droid can finish its report, Vader throws it against the hangar wall, destroying it. The Emperor decides to let Vader oversee the ship's design. After reading the Grand Inquisitor's report, the Emperor believes that the Jedi threat has been contained for now, allowing the Empire to focus on other matters. He instructs Lord Vader to travel to Alderaan to discipline the defiant Senator Bail Prestor Organa.
Vader refuses to carry out the order. When the Emperor demands an explanation, Vader states that he will complete any other tasks but requests that the Emperor grant him a world. The Emperor believes that Vader desires a place to refine his skills or vent his anger. The Emperor says that Coruscant is his world to dominate but offers to give other worlds such as Palpatine's former homeworld of Naboo. The Emperor also suggests Tatooine as a place for Vader to avenge his past suffering a thousand times over. Lord Vader declines these worlds and suggests Mustafar.
- UPC 759606086665; August 22 , 2018 ; Marvel Comics [1] 02011; Cover A; Elia Bonetti, Giuseppe Camuncoli