Star Wars Is Finally Unpacking A Major Moment From Darth Vader's History
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Darth Vader is one of the most recognizable characters in the "Star Wars" galaxy. Dating back to his original appearance in George Lucas' "Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope," the Sith Lord has been explored a great deal in movies, TV shows, and books. One might think just about every corner of his past has been filled in at this point. Nope! A new novel hitting shelves later this year is actually going to be filling in a crucial moment from Vader's history.
Written by Adam Christopher, "Star Wars: Master of Evil" arrives on November 11, 2025, and will be the first Darth Vader-focused book in roughly a decade, going back to 2015's "Lords of the Sith." Taking place very shortly after Anakin Skywalker first became Darth Vader in "Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith" (a film that only just celebrated its 20th anniversary in style), the novel will explore this crucial period when the Chosen One truly let his former Jedi self go in order to give himself over to the dark side. As the synopsis for the book reveals, "Master of Evil" will explore Vader forging his signature red lightsaber:
"Even as his humanity gives way to myth, Vader remains haunted by the promises of the dark side, seeking the ultimate power that his master has hinted at but withheld — the power to conquer death itself. On the volcanic world of Mustafar, Vader undertakes a dark ritual, bleeding a kyber crystal to forge his lightsaber. This act unleashes a power far greater than he anticipated, giving him a glimpse into the limitless potential of the Force."
The origin of Vader's red lightsaber was previously explored in Marvel's 2017 "Darth Vader" comic. However, it appears this novel is going to diver deeper into that key moment from Vader's history. More importantly, it's going to reveal what happened after the creation of his lightsaber. As the plot synopsis further reveals:
"Vader is determined to follow this vision, even if it means defying his master's orders. Yet he finds the Emperor suspiciously supportive of his mission, even sending Vader to the Diso system to investigate rumors of a Force-wielding shaman able to raise the dead. At his side are a cadre of the Emperor's scarlet-robed Royal Guard, led by Colonel Halland Goth — a decorated soldier with a very personal interest in Vader's mission."
Anakin Skywalker had to let the past die to truly become Darth Vader
"Even as the Emperor's true motivations reveal themselves, Vader falls deeper into obsession. His journey takes him far across the galaxy, chasing rumors and phantoms," the synopsis concludes. "But no matter how far he travels, he cannot escape the shadows within his own soul. Haunted by the echoes of his past, Vader circles the true resolution to his quest: only once all weakness is purged can he become a master of evil."
There is a lot to unpack there. Firstly, the "Darth Vader" comic series was more focused on how Vader got his lightsaber, with the Sith having to fight a Jedi who escaped Order 66 to obtain one. The Kyber Crystal that powers the lightsaber is then manipulated to "bleed," causing it to turn red. But Christopher's novel is more focused on the vision Vader experienced during that process and the path that ultimately led him down.
That path, it seems, goes back to what led Anakin Skywalker to the dark side in the first place. He was obsessed with preventing the death of his beloved Padme, who died anyway in "Revenge of the Sith," by Anakin's own hand no less. Yet, the dark side promises that there are paths to not only prevent death but to also bring the deceased back to life. This has previously been explored in the "Star Wars" canon via the Witches of Dathomir, aka the Nightsisters, who were a big part of "Ahsoka" after being introduced in "The Clone Wars."
It makes sense that Vader would pursue an avenue to bring back Padme, twisted though it may be. Yet that line about "only once all weakness is purged" seems to suggest that the man who used to be Anakin Skywalker must let go of that connection to Padme in order to truly become the Darth Vader we eventually meet in the original trilogy. As such, this novel is positioning itself as a rather important addition to the canon, particularly for hardcore fans.