Darth Vader (2015) 15

Darth Vader 15 is a Marvel comic book by Kieron Gillen, with art by Salvador Larroca. It is the fifteenth issue of the series Star Wars: Darth Vader and the sixth and final issue of the Star Wars: Vader Down crossover with Star Wars. The issue was published on January 6, 2016.
==Publisher's summary==
*Luke Skywalker—captured by the Empire!
*Darth Vader—beset by enemies on all sides!
*The finale of the biggest Marvel Star Wars story yet!
==Plot summary==
===The thick of battle===
While C-3PO tries to contact Princess Leia Organa, Darth Vader and Commander Karbin engage in a lightsaber duel. C-3PO tells Leia that Luke Skywalker has been taken by stormtroopers and that a Wookiee has hurt Chewbacca and is in the process of trying to detach Captain Han Solo's head. C-3PO adds that some "awful" droids took his arms.
As Leia aims her blaster at Vader, she is haunted by visions of the destruction of Alderaan. Leia then experiences a vision of Skywalker, Solo, and Chewbacca dead. Leia tells C-3PO to do what he can to help Solo and reassures him that they are getting out of here.
Meanwhile, Vader is contacted by Dr Aphra who tells him that Karbin's troops are dragging Skywalker aboard a Lambda-class shuttle. Since Vader is preoccupied with Karbin, Aphra convinces him to give her an opportunity for accidentally leading him into a trap. Vader tells Aphra to listen carefully.
With his arms short-circuiting, C-3PO attempts to "reason" with Krrsantan who is brutalizing Solo. C-3PO reassures R2-D2 they can find a civilized solution but Black Krrsantan slams his fist into C-3PO. However, he is electrocuted by the damaged droid's circuits and knocked unconscious.
===Karbin's fall===
Meanwhile, Vader leads Karbin onto a natural stone bridge. Karbin taunts Vader for trying to escape but the Sith Lord replies that there is no future for him. At that point, Aphra flies her starship, Ark Angel, into the stone bridge, crushing Karbin. As the ship crashes, Aphra ejects herself.
The wreckage of the Ark Angel and Karbin crash at the bottom of the rockface. Vader approaches a mortally wounded Karbin and tells him that he is not the only one capable of deception and that he will no longer delay him from the boy. Karbin realizes that Vader's interest in Skywalker is not about revenge for the Death Star but something else. Vader responds that he will never know before striking Karbin dead with his lightsaber.
From her ejection seat, Aphra asks Vader if she is now in his good graces despite losing her ship. The Sith Lord tells her to capture Skywalker. Meanwhile, Solo rotates C-3PO's head the right way around and thanks the droid for saving his day. Chewbacca hugs C-3PO but the droid says that it is unnecessary and says that he hoped he did not hurt Black Krssantan. Solo replies that he will sleep it off and asks what happened to him. C-3PO tells him that Triple Zero and Beetee stole his arms and rotated his head around.
Chewbacca roars and Solo sights Karbin's shuttle leaving. He realizes that the Imperials have captures Skywalker. Watching the shuttle leaving, Vader uses the Force to cause the shuttle's engines to blow and crash. Han, C-3PO, and Chewbacca reunite with the escaped Skywalker, who has managed to escape the wrecked ship. Triple Zero and Beetee kill Karbin's Emperor's Royal Guards as they emerge from the ship. When Solo remarks that Skywalker must have a guardian angel, Skywalker replies that is the Force.
===Capturing Dr Aphra===
When Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO, Skywalker, and R2-D2 return to the Millennium Falcon, they find that Black Krrsantan has left and that someone has repaired the Falcon hull damage. Dr Aphra thanks Solo for his observation and tells him and his companions that they are standing in a field of micro-mines. She threatens to activate the mines if they don't surrender.
When Solo asks Aphra what she wants, she replies that she does not want Vader to throw her into deep space. Aphra contacts Vader by comlink and tells him that she will extract them in the Falcon and rendezvous later. Skywalker expresses his surprise that Aphra is with Vader while Solo says that she does not know anything. Dr Aphra replies the things I could tell you but is interrupted by Princess Leia, who knocks her unconscious.
Leia says that Aphra says she knows things and that they should take her aboard. Leia tells her comrades to see if they can salvage something from this whole mess. She tells them to send a broadcast to all rebels telling them to get off this misty hell before it is too late. Solo thanks Leia for not abandoning them. Leia jokes about finding it hard to get rid of Han.
===Departure===
Aboard the Falcon, Solo tells Luke not to look too mournful because they are alive. C-3PO tells Solo that it is premature to make that statement since they are not yet in orbit and have to wade through a lot of TIE interceptors. Solo quips that C-3PO should not make him regret fixing his head again. The Falcon flees stormtroopers, who fire their blasters at it.
Skywalker regrets not being able to go back to the Jedi Temple because he was so close to something and that he will never know. As the Falcon flies into the sunset, Vader watches.
==Cover gallery==
File:Darth Vader 15 textless cover.jpg|Textless cover by Mark Brooks
File:Star Wars Darth Vader 15 cover.png|Final cover by Mark Brooks
File:DarthVader15-ClayMannCover.jpg|Cover by Clay Mann
File:SWDV15frans.jpg|Variant cover by Francesco Francavilla
File:DV15KatieCook.jpg|by Katie Cook
File:Darth Vader 15 Francesco Francavilla variant.png|Textless cover by Francesco Francavilla
==Appearances==
==Collections==
*Star Wars: Vader Down
*Star Wars: Darth Vader Vol. 2
*Star Wars: Darth Vader Omnibus
*Star Wars by Jason Aaron Omnibus
*Star Wars Modern Era Epic Collection: Skywalker Strikes
==Sources==
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*The Marvel Art of Star Wars
==Notes and references==
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