Darth Vader’s New Superweapon Is Changing His Force Powers Forever

Warning! This article contains spoilers for Star Wars: Darth Vader #39 Darth Vader has been through some major changes in the current Star Wars canon, most of which has negatively impacted his connection with and control over the Force. However, he’ll need to find a solution to those problems quickly if he hopes to gain Star Wars’ latest superweapon and survive the franchise’s newest villain: the Scourge.

The Scourge – a droid-infecting hive-mind – was unleashed upon the opening of the Fermata Cage along with a wave of energy that tore through the galaxy, creating ripples in the Force that has greatly hindered every Force-user’s connection with the cosmic current – including and especially Darth Vader. On the cover of an upcoming Star Wars: Darth Vader issue, Vader is shown facing off against a large droid that seems to be the final form of the Scourge, which also seems to be the mysterious ‘new superweapon’ in question. Now, it’s up to Vader to conquer this new villain and claim the superweapon as his own, and one past victory tells fans exactly how he can do it (without the Force).

Darth Vader Faces The Scourge’s Final Form In Star Wars Preview

In a preview for Star Wars: Darth Vader #39 by Greg Pak and Raffaele Ienco, the main cover art for the issue by artist Leinil Francis Yu is shared, depicting Darth Vader challenging a kaiju-sized droid that appears to be a larger version of the original disc that held the Scourge, indicating that this is perhaps the Scourge’s final form. Not only that, but it seems like this ‘final form Scourge’ is also a living weapon, forged from materials found on Mustafar within Darth Vader’s own planetary kingdom (indeed, Vader’s Castle is seen in the background of this very image). This means that, if this droid is actually a weapon, then it rightly belongs to Darth Vader, and all he needs to do is harness the power to take it. The official Marvel Comics description reads as follows:

THE CRUCIBLE OF HATE! The DROID SCOURGE takes over one of DARTH VADER’S closest allies—and seizes one of MUSTAFAR’S greatest weapons! To survive, Vader must finally reclaim his control over THE FORCE by exploring his deepest hatred. Featuring the answer to the terrifying question: Who does Vader hate more than anyone else in the galaxy?

Darth Vader Will Need His New Non-Force Power To Beat The Scourge

It seems like the Scourge is going to force Darth Vader to overcome his shortcomings in the Force by making him tap into his hatred of the one person Darth Vader despises more than anyone else: himself. However, it’s also more than likely that Darth Vader will need to call upon a non-Force power to defeat the immensely powerful droid. In Star Wars: Darth Vader #36, Darth Vader reveals that he has the ability to wirelessly connect his cybernetic body with other droids, allowing Vader to control droids remotely with his thoughts. Given that the Scourge’s titan-sized final form on this cover is totally robotic, it makes sense that Darth Vader would be able to control it, even if he isn’t able to quickly regain full control of his Force abilities (no matter how much hatred of himself he taps into).

Darth Vader’s current arc is teaching him that he has become too reliant on his unmatched power in the Force, and the droid-focused storyline of Dark Droids is the perfect opportunity to delve into Darth Vader’s roots as the genius inventor/engineer first introduced in Episode I. So, how can this new superweapon change Darth Vader’s Force powers forever? Simple, it can teach him to use other avenues in order to achieve success. It is well-noted that Darth Vader hates himself, and that hatred will undoubtedly play a role in his re-established connection with the Force. But, if he wants to claim this superweapon and actually experience change in regard to his connection with the Force, then Darth Vader needs to use his non-Force power to do so.

Star Wars: Darth Vader #39 by Marvel Comics is available October 4, 2023.