Star Wars Teases Luke Being Hunted by Padme’s Handmaiden

Star Wars is teasing another pivotal event in the franchise canon: a showdown between Luke Skywalker and one of the dangerous extreme women who wear the face of mother, Padmé Amidala! 

A preview for Free Comic Book Day 2024: Star Wars/Darth Vader #1 hints that Lucasfilm and Marvel Comics are keen on pulling new readers into the Star Wars Universe of the comic page. There have been stories building in both the main Star Wars comic series as well as the Darth Vader comic series over the last year, and few fans expected them to culminate like this in a FCBD release – but here we are! 

The storyline for Darth Vader has explored what happened between Vader and Emperor Palpatine following the events of The Empire Strikes Back, and Vader’s attempt to recruit Luke to his side, to overthrow the Emperor. Palpatine took that betrayal in stride, stripping Vader of all his cybernetic enhancements and forcing him to prove his worth as a Sith Lord all on his own. 

A minor war between the Emperor and the Crimson Dawn syndicate (led by Lady Qi’ra) resulted in the entire Force being disrupted, with both Vader and Luke left with faulty connections to dark and light sides, respectively. Luke has had plenty to deal with while trying to re-establish his own connection – and a tour of the galaxy is about to make him collide with Sabé, the most militant and dogmatic member of th Padmé’s handmaidens. 

Sabé has been a supporting character in Vader’s comic series for the last year; her arc has see her discover the connection between Vader and Anakin Skywalker, and use it to try and exert some measure of control over the Sith Lord, by tapping into lingering feelings of love he felt. Of course, Vader has resisted the attempts to pull him out of the darkness and suffering of a Sith Lord – but in addition to learning he is really Anakin, Sabé was also shown a vision that let her know his son Luke is out in the galaxy… 

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2024: STAR WARS/DARTH VADER # 1 PREVIEW

Writer: Charles Soule & Greg Pak 
Art: Ibriam Roberson & Ramon Rosanas
Cover: Phil Noto

Are there Rebel survivors stranded on Hoth? Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Lando Calrissian, and Chewbacca mount a dangerous rescue mission to Echo Base! Lightsabers! Blasters! Snowtroopers! All-out action amongst the wreckage of AT-AT walkers, Rebel airspeeders, and frozen weapons of mass destruction!

Darth Vader employs a surprise character from the past to help him find Luke Skywalker. But Sabé, former handmaided of Padmé Amidala, is also on a quest for the son of Vader. Having worked for him as an Imperial Commander, Sabé has enough resources to cause chaos for anyone who stands in her path. How will this affect the Dark Lord’s plans to remove Palpatine from power?