Summary
- Darth Vader’s greatest strength is revealed, and it’s connected to the controversial concept of midichlorians in Star Wars lore.
- Darth Vader defeats Cyn Sendvall, the son of the doctor who gave him cybernetic attachments, showcasing his superiority as someone who is not bound by a son’s need for acceptance.
- The comic-book story highlights Anakin Skywalker’s lack of a father and the reminder that midichlorians exist in-universe and are the source of Darth Vader’s immense power.
Darth Vader — the most feared man in the galaxy — just revealed his greatest strength, and it is the result of one of the most controversial topics in all Star Wars lore. Though many fans would prefer to forget that midichlorians ever existed, Star Wars continues to lean into the idea of Anakin Skywalker being conceived by the microscopic beings.
“Hard Shutdown Part 4,” a story by Jason Aaron, Leonard Kirk, Mark Morales, Romulo Fajardo, Jr., and Joe Caramagna inside Star Wars: Darth Vader – Black, White & Red #4, has Darth Vader finally defeating Cyn Sendvall. Cyn is the son of the doctor that gave Darth Vader the cybernetic attachments that keep his body alive and running.
“You fail because in the end you are nothing more than your father’s son,” Darth Vader tells Cyn as their battle comes to a head. He then claims, “I…am no man’s son.“
Darth Vader Has an Unexpected Hidden Flaw
Cyn Sendvall’s father wanted to make him more like Vader, so he carved him up to make way for cybernetic features. After studying his father’s blueprints, Cyn found a way to shut down Darth Vader’s mechanical systems, making him completely inert. Cyn would have his revenge for the physical and emotional torture he suffered at his father’s hands by ruining Dr. Sendvall’s greatest achievement. He is blinded by revenge against his father, and that was why he failed. Vader, on the other hand, has no father, and thus he does not have to deal with a son’s need for acceptance and love.
In lore that would become infamous, Anakin Skywalker — who later becomes Vader — was born not of traditional method, but was conceived by the midichlorians. Midichlorians are organisms that make communion with the Force possible. Every living thing possesses midichlorians, but Darth Vader’s midichlorian levels are far greater than anyone in the known Star Wars Universe. His claim about being no one’s son has a double meaning. Not only does Darth Vader not have to worry about navigating a relationship with a father, but he is also deeply connected to the Force due to his surrogate “father,” the midichlorians.
Before Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, fans knew nothing of midichlorians. Their introduction sparked a fan-rebellion against Star Wars’ creator, George Lucas, and completely turned many fans away from the entire prequel trilogy. Many would like to forget the existence of midichlorians, but this comic-book story brings attention to Anakin Skywalker’s lack of a father. A reminder to fans that not only do midichlorians exist in-universe, but they are also the greatest source of strength for the most feared man in the galaxy, Darth Vader.
Star Wars: Darth Vader – Black, White & Red #4 is on sale now from Marvel Comics.