Darth Vader (2020) 16

Darth Vader 16 is the sixteenth issue of the 2020 comic book series Star Wars: Darth Vader and is part of the Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters event. The issue was written by Greg Pak; illustrated by Raffaele Ienco, Jason Keith, and Rachelle Rosenberg; and published by Marvel Comics on September 15, 2021.
==Publisher's summary==
"TARGET SKYWALKER" All of DARTH VADER'S careful scheming and brutal power moves to claim HAN SOLO'S frozen body have one ultimate end goal: LUKE SKYWALKER, the only person who could challenge Vader's primacy at the Emperor's side. Now everything comes to a head as father closes in on son and Luke finally grasps a shocking truth…one that will shape his destiny FOREVER!
==Plot summary==
===Darth Vader identifies Luke's weaknesses===
Darth Vader identifies the fact that Luke yearns for a father, but tells him that he will not find the father he craves in Darth Vader. He then tells him that because of Luke's fear of the force filling him with fear, he clings to his friends as if he wants to disappear completely. Identifying Luke's weaknesses, Darth Vader threatens to cut Han in half if Luke refuses Vader's offer of joining the Dark Side.
===Planning Han's Rescue===
Luke tells Leia that he cannot defeat Darth Vader alone, and if he stays and fights, he will kill Leia, Han, Chewbacca, and Lando. He plans to use himself as bait so that Leia can be in the clear and rescue Han Solo from the Imperial Shuttle that is on its way to Tatooine. Leia believes that Darth Vader will murder Luke, but he assures Leia that he will be fine. Artoo is worried.
===Luke tries to bait Darth Vader===
Luke tries to bait Darth Vader into a starfighter chase to help his friends rescue Han Solo, who is trapped in carbonite and on his way to Tatooine. A rodian member of the group points out that a T-65 X-Wing is near to their star ship, and this is a model that crime boss Ororab has wanted. The crime gang fire their magna-harpoons, and though they briefly capture the aircraft, Darth Vader's firing manages to release Skywalker from the harpoons. Luke crashes on the ice planet of Jekara.
===Han Solo in Carbonite===
Bokku the Hutt feels slighted by Darth Vader as the deal was to deliver Solo to the Hutt on Tatooine. Ochi of Bestoon reminds the Hutt of the technicalities of the deal.
===Sly Moore's betrayal===
Sly Moore betrayed Darth Vader by hiring IG-88B to assassinate Vader alongside Ochi of Bestoon's Droid Crush pirates. Ochi discovers Sly Moore's plans to kill Vader, and attempts to kill her.
The Droid Crush pirates help Luke Skywalker escape Jekara by repairing his T-65 X-Wing.
Ochi of Bestoon and Sly Moore continue to fight. As they do, they discuss Vader's fear for Skywalker, as the Emperor plans to replace Darth Vader with Luke. Sly Moore states that she serves the Empire, and says to Ochi of Bestoon that he is another servant in the shadows.
===The Hutts go after Solo===
The Hutt's go after the Imperial Shuttle with Han Solo aboard. Luke realises this, and Vader senses his anguish at the thought of losing his friends. He believes this means he is ready to learn what real fear is.
===Cover gallery===
File:DarthVader2020-16.jpg|Final cover by Aaron Kuder
File:Vader16-2020.jpg|Preliminary cover
File:DarthVader2020-16-textless.png|Textless final cover
File:DarthV16Sprouse.jpg|Lucasfilm 50th Anniversary variant by Chris Sprouse
File:DarthVader2020-16-SprouseTextless.png|TextlessLucasfilm 50th Anniversary variant
File:DV16ig88.jpg|Blueprint variant by Paolo Villanelli & Mattia Iacono
File:DarthVader2020-16-Blueprint.png|Blueprint variant, textless
==Appearances==
==Collections==
*Star Wars: Darth Vader Vol. 3 — War of the Bounty Hunters
*Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters Omnibus
==Sources==
*War of the Bounty Hunters Alpha 1
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==Notes and references==
==External links==
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