The canonical fate of Watto, a fan-favorite character from the Star Wars prequels, has seemingly been revealed, and it looks like things did not end well for the Toydarian. On X, Marvel Comics senior editor Mark Paniccia shared a tease of the upcoming comic Star Wars: Legacy of Vader #2, which features Kylo Ren visiting the desert planet Tatooine. In the panels Paniccia posted, Kylo asks Vaneé (who served Vader during the Empire’s reign) why they have come to the desolate world. Vaneé refutes Kylo’s belief that Tatooine is a “nowhere planet,” explaining that Tatooine had great significance to Vader. As Vaneé tells a story of how the Sith Lord came to seek revenge, the illustrations depict a scene where Vader hunts down Watto and kills him.
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Star Wars: Legacy of Vader was announced back in October 2024. The series, from Charles Soule and Luke Ross, is set between Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, following Kylo Ren as he discovers more about his family history. The first issue is set to be released on February 5th. Legacy of Vader #2 will follow on March 12th. Check out Paniccia’s post in the space below:
Watto was introduced in 1999’s Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace, owning a young Anakin Skywalker and his mother Shmi as slaves working in his junkshop. The character also makes a brief appearance in Attack of the Clones, but he hasn’t been seen on-screen since then. Since the prequel trilogy, Watto has only been sparingly used in other canon materials such as novels and comics.
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This is not the first time Lucasfilm has used published materials to tie up loose ends from the prequels. The 2017 novel Aftermath: Empire’s End includes an interlude that reveals Jar Jar Binks’ upsetting fate. The Gungan performs as a lonely street clown on Naboo, as he was ostracized from society following the Empire’s rise to power.
Being a relatively minor character in the prequels, it’s understandable why Watto hasn’t been seen in any of the many Star Wars movies or TV shows that have been released since Disney acquired Lucasfilm. Even with the franchise returning to Tatooine on multiple occasions, there wasn’t a natural spot for Watto in one of the stories. Still, he’s a prominent enough figure in the Skywalker Saga that some fans were probably wondering what happened to him after the prequels. The revelation in Legacy of Vader #2 is a great example of how the various corners of Star Wars canon can complement each other, fleshing out events and characters from the films. Answering a question like Watto’s fate in a comic is a great use of these materials, and it will be interesting to see what else about Vader’s past is unveiled in the series.
Watto meeting his end at Vader’s hand is cruel, but unsurprising. Especially after turning to the dark side, Anakin used his memories of Tatooine to fuel his hatred. It’s obviously a place he has much disdain for; it’s where he lived as a slave and watched his mother die. Understandably, Vader probably blames Watto for his rough upbringing and perhaps even for what happened to Shmi. Given the intense feelings of pure hatred he has for the Toydarian, it makes sense that he would hunt down his former owner and make him suffer.
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Image Credit: Marvel Comics -
Image Credit: Lucasfilm
