Comic Review - Kylo Ren Is Held Captive and Tortured by Gardulla the Hutt in "Star Wars: Legacy of Vader" #3
Last week saw the release of the third issue in Marvel Comics’ ongoing title Star Wars: Legacy of Vader, though I was in Japan for Star Wars Celebration so I didn’t have a chance to pick it up and reach it until now. Below are my brief recap and thoughts on this installment.
Legacy of Vader #3 begins with Kylo Ren being held captive in the dungeon of Gardulla the Hutt, who he had attempted to murder in the previous issue. Kylo screams for his release, but is met only with repeated shock via wires that are connected through his chains. In the midst of his torture, Kylo sees a vision of his encounter with Rey at the end of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and then he insists to Gardulla that the First Order will come seeking him since he’s been missing for days. “Days? Do you think so?" replies Gardulla. “Oh, little worm… it’s barely been an hour." We see Gardulla’s still-unidentified pet Force-wielder examining Kylo Ren’s lightsaber, and it advises the Hutt not to Kill Ren: “If he dies, you probably do too." So Gardulla gives Kylo a reprieve from the electric shocks, instead gassing him into having more visions– this time of his grandfather Darth Vader cutting down a battalion of Rebel Alliance soldiers.
In the dream, Kylo asks Vader for guidance and the Sith Lord replies, “Everything that made me magnificent, I did alone." This inspires Kylo, back in the real world (though at first I thought it might still be part of his vision) to overcome his restraints and use the electric shocks to his advantage, breaking free of the chains in a crash of Force lightning. He finds himself standing in the Tatooine desert, surrounded by the rubble of the dungeon, and then walks back through the heat toward Gardulla’s palace. Along the way, he kills what looks like a young Krayt dragon, taking its skin as a cloak, and then stealing a Dewback to travel the remainder of the journey. He then calls General Hux using a transmitter he took from local raiders and orders a bombardment of the palace, but not before Ren goes inside and seemingly wipes out everyone within.
Kylo’s final act in this issue is to place another call, this time to Vaneé, who is surprised to find his new master still alive (you’ll recall Vaneé being the one who set him up with Gardulla last issue). Kylo relates the lesson he learned from his vision of Vader and agrees to meet Vaneé at Varykino– the island retreat where Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala got married in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones. Now, part of me suspects that Kylo might still be stuck inside his gas-induced vision, but there’s also a good chance I’m overthinking where writer Charles Soule is going with all of this. If it is just a straightforward trip to Naboo on the horizon, then I think we’re in for some interesting revelations next month. Regardless, I’m very much still into this comic and anxiously awaiting the remainder of this arc– the art by Luke Ross and colorist Nolan Woodard has especially drawn me in. The only other dangling question I have is about the fates of Gardulla the Hutt and her Force-using companion. I wonder if Soule and company will ever let us know.
Star Wars: Legacy of Vader #3 is available now wherever comic books are sold.