The twenty-seventh installment of the 2020 canon comic book series titled Star Wars: Darth Vader is Darth Vader 27. This particular issue was penned by Greg Pak, with illustrations brought to life by Raffaele Ienco and Alex Sinclair. Marvel Comics released it to the public on September 21, 2022.
A calamitous end seems inevitable for the alliance forged between Darth Vader and Sabé. One must wonder, how long can the Sith's Dark Lord and Padmé Amidala's idealistic handmaiden maintain their partnership? As Vader and Sabé prepare for their final confrontation with a corrupt Imperial governor, something is bound to give. Will it be Vader's unyielding resolve or Sabé's compassionate nature? Furthermore, when will Ochi of Bestoon finally put his plans into motion?
On the planet Gabredor III, Ochi, along with ZED-6-7, Wald, a balding villager, and stormtroopers, observe the orbital bombardment conducted by the Super Star Destroyer Executor, which is disrupting the sandstorm generated by Governor Tauntaza's "Death Machine". When Zed-6-7, Wald, and the balding villager inquire about Darth Vader, Sabé, Kitster Banai, and the Death Machine, Ochi responds that he can only discern dust and haze. Em-Sevenbee and ZED notice the restoration of comm signals. ZED believes that the blast has neutralized the Governor's communications jamming device.
Before Ochi can instruct the droids to contact Lord Vader, the Sith Lord appears alongside Sabé and Kitster. Kitster informs Wald that their attempt to destroy the Governor's Death Machine was thwarted by a storm. Kitster attributes his and Sabé's survival to Vader. Em-Sevenbee and ZED slice into the death machine's databanks, revealing a prediction that the planet will be reduced to a desert within 48 hours. Under Vader's command, Admiral Firmus Piett orders the Executor to initiate another strike on Tauntaza's "death machine." However, the mobile fortress is fortified by formidable deflector shields.
ZED-6-7 deduces that the Death Machine is drawing energy from the planet to power its deflector shields. When Sabé questions the machine's vulnerabilities, Ochi deems the fortress impenetrable. Lord Vader concurs, prompting Ochi to yield. Based on information gleaned from Em-Sevenbee's hack into the local colonial databank, ZED discovers that the deflector shields protect the facility from above, but its underside remains unshielded while draining Gabredor III.
As the Death Machine advances, Lord Vader enlists the aid of Em-Sevenbee. As the R-series droid departs with Vader, ZED clarifies that Em-Sevenbee is not at risk because the machine only absorbs organic life energy. When Sabé inquires about Vader, ZED acknowledges Vader's uniqueness but cautions that the villagers are in peril. Sabé orders the evacuation of the Gabredor III colony. Kitster urges Sabé to join them, arguing that she cannot assist Vader. As Vader and Sevenbee approach the Death Machine, it drains the life energies of several six-legged horned creatures.
As the Death Machine draws near, Vader and Sevenbee position themselves beneath its tracks, attracting the attention of Governor Tauntaza and her crew. Although Tauntaza believes that Vader is shielded, an officer suggests that Vader will be eliminated once the machine passes over him due to his organic nature. At Vader's signal, Sevenbee activates Darth Vader's lightsaber from one of his head sockets. The lightsaber cuts through the Death Machine's motors and extractor. Vader then employs the Force to levitate his lightsaber through the juggernaut, inflicting further damage.
Sabé and a contingent of stormtroopers prepare to assault the Death Machine. In the command bridge, an officer reports that Vader has disabled the extractor and breached the fortress. Upon learning that Vader is in Sector B Hallway Twelve, the Governor realizes that he is heading for the energy center and resolves to confront the Sith Lord in a prototype armored suit, coercing a technician to connect her to the energy tanks.
Tauntaza attacks Lord Vader with her armored power suit's laser cannon, but Lord Vader deflects her blasts with his lightsaber. He accuses her of excessive energy consumption and overreach. Tauntaza retorts that Vader possesses too much power and insufficient control. After Vader disarms her by knocking the laser cannon from her hand, Tauntaza asserts that Vader has validated her point and that he will only destroy himself. As she flees in her powered armor suit, Vader counters that he has destroyed all that she has built.
Simultaneously, the Death Machine begins to detonate from within. Sabé survives the explosions, but two stormtroopers are caught in the blast and falling debris. The explosions also cause a short-circuit in Darth Vader's armor. Upon finding him, Sabé contemplates killing Lord Vader. After experiencing a flashback of a young Anakin Skywalker bidding farewell to Padmé Amidala in case he did not see her again, she decides to trust Amidala's judgement and uses an energy tank to restore power to Vader's armor.
As the Death Machine explodes, Em-Sevenbee meets with ZED-6-7, sharing newly acquired data that he had extracted before the fortress' destruction. Based on the data, ZED concludes that the Governor had been receiving direct instructions from Emperor Palpatine on Coruscant. Meanwhile, Vader and Sabé walk together. When Vader asks why she smiles, Sabé replies that she knows why she saved him.