Star Wars Adventures: The Will of Darth Vader, published by Dark Horse Comics on July 21, 2010, represents the fourth installment within the Star Wars Adventures series of graphic novellas. Its initial mention occurred within the pages of Star Wars Insider 115.
The Emperor has dispatched Darth Vader on a critical assignment!
As the Rebel Alliance's swift assaults on Imperial freighters escalate to an unacceptable level, Darth Vader is tasked with locating and obliterating their hidden base. However, the base's location, concealed within a perpetually unstable asteroid field, renders a direct assault impossible.
To accomplish his objective, Vader must collaborate with Luca, a recently apprehended smuggler. This reluctant and sarcastic partnership might prove to be a greater challenge for the Dark Lord than the mission itself!
The Rebel Alliance's increasingly bold and effective raids on Imperial cargo vessels cannot be ignored, prompting Darth Vader's deployment to locate and annihilate the Rebel base. The base's location, deeply embedded within a constantly shifting asteroid field, prevents any straightforward attack.
To achieve his goal, Vader is forced to work alongside Luca, a smuggler recently taken into custody. The Dark Lord may find that dealing with this unwilling and wisecracking partner is more difficult than the actual mission!
During a swift offensive maneuver, Rebel forces seize an Imperial-class Star Destroyer carrying a component vital to the Death Star's new weapon system. Darth Vader apprehends a vessel delivering provisions to the Rebel outpost situated within Luca's sector. With Imperial reconnaissance efforts consistently failing to return from the asteroid field, Vader compels Luca to input codes to disable Rebel defenses. Luca then deceives Darth Vader by refusing to deactivate the final defense systems. Consequently, Luca and Vader are shot down, crash-landing on the planet concealing the Rebel base. Luca reveals to an unconscious Vader that he once possessed a toy soldier capable of anything, yet lacking free will. Luca and Vader proceed to destroy an antiquated defense droid. Luca guides Vader to the Rebel stronghold, where Vader carries out a massacre of the Rebels, sparing Luca's life. Luca then compares Vader to the toy soldier, asserting his lack of autonomy. Darth Vader reclaims the Star Destroyer and is subsequently dispatched on another mission by the Emperor.