Among the various characters in Star Wars, very few are as sensational as Darth Vader. In addition to his world-famous appearance, booming voice (provided by the legendary James Earl Jones in the films), and menacing presence, Vader is known for providing heart-stopping moments whenever he's on-screen. Given the massive franchise that Star Wars is, this impressive feat has translated across different kinds of media.
Darth Vader has particularly been translated well when it comes to comic books, in fact. In both Legends and the current canon, comics have had the opportunity to portray Vader in a way that other mediums haven't, and have treated the fans of the character to some truly awesome moments.
7 Fear And Dead Men
In the 2015 comic issue, Star Wars: Vader Down, Vader is on a mission to track down Luke Skywalker, whom he is now fully aware is his son. Upon arrival at the planet Vrogas Vas, Vader is immediately beset by rebel attack fighters, including Luke Skywalker himself.
Vader is shot down and crashes onto the surface of this once Jedi inhabited world. When Rebel ground forces surround Vader and demand that he surrender, the dark lord simply replies, "All I am surrounded by is fear and dead men" and ignites his Lightsaber. He then proceeds to utterly decimate the Rebel forces alone.
6 Vader Learns Luke Is His Son
In case anyone was wondering whether Vader and Boba Fett had actually been acquainted before Empire Strikes Back, this comic series answers that question. Vader had hired Fett to capture the rebel pilot who destroyed the Death Star, but the infamous bounty hunter is only able to learn the elusive pilot's name; Skywalker.
It's a beautifully powerful moment, with Vader standing motionless in anger as he remembers the moment Padme told him she was pregnant, and how Palpatine had told him how she died. Vader, swelling with rage, realizes he has a son and swears that he, along with the rest of the galaxy, will belong to him.
5 Darth Vader Vs. Darth Maul?
While not exactly what happened, as maul was never officially resurrected in the Legends timeline, Vader did fight a version of Darth Maul in the non-canon Star Wars Tales#9. This fight occurred as Darth Vader was in the midst of his search for the missing Death Star plans on Kalakar Six, in which a group of dark side cultists claimed to have resurrected Maul in order to have him kill Vader and replace him as Palpatine's apprentice.
The two would fight, with maul reasoning that Vader's past as a Jedi tainted him, questioning what Vader could hate enough to defeat him. With Maul at his back, Vader would simply reply "myself," killing Maul by impaling him through Vader's own torso.
4 Bleeding The Kyber Crystal
Unlike Jedi Lightsabers, Sith Lightsabers use Kyber crystals that are corrupted by the dark side in a process known as "bleeding." This is a process in which the force user pours all their pain and hatred into the living crystal, causing it to change from whatever color it originally was to a blood-red. Since his own Lightsaber was taken by Obi-Wan, Emperor Palpatine tasks Vader with making a new one from his own bled Kyber crystal.
What's interesting about this sequence is how reactive the crystal is to Vader's efforts to corrupt it. It shows him a vision of him turning away from the dark side and returning to defeat the emperor, even finding his old friend Obi-Wan to seek penance. Vader snaps out of this vision, however, resolving to finish what he started, fully corrupting the crystal. It's a cool alternate scenario, but Vader, refusing to be destiny's pawn, chose his own path.
3 Never Suffer Rivals
In the now de-canonized story Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison, the story finds Vader having to protect the Emperor from a coup attempt. Palpatine is poisoned and needs Vader to bring him somewhere safe for him to heal. With the aid of Moff Trachta and Lieutenant Laurita Tohm, Vader is successful in not only protecting the Emperor but defeating the traitors.
Tohm in particular proves himself to be a loyal and dependable soldier, with Vader taking him under his wing during the ordeal so to speak. Despite this, however, upon hearing the Emperor consider him as a potential successor to him, Vader had but one last lesson to teach the young man; "never suffer rivals," killing Tohm. Indeed, there is no "being friends" with Darth Vader.
2 Vader's Meditation
Fans have virtually never been given a glimpse into Vader's mind when he's meditating, let alone what Sith meditation even looks like for the most part. That's what makes this particular set of panels so interesting, not only is it new territory, but it also reveals how Vader perceives his own existence.
In Darth Vader #8, readers are treated to this twisted world of black and red, where Vader, a swirling, shadowy being, floats alone above a black sea as violent storms surge all around him. Among this torrent of darkness and despair are little tiny creatures of light surrounding him, as if to signify that no matter how terrible Vader has become, there is still good within him; even as the cacophony of the dark side mercilessly attempts to consume him.
1 Rejecting Anakin Skywalker
Vader has always been haunted by his failures. He lost so much potential and in the end became a servant of evil, even if his intentions were pure. Towards the end of Darth Vader #24, the dark lord is lost in his own tortured past; his failure on Mustafar, the last memories of his deceased wife, Padme, all while on the brink of death at the hands of Cylo-V.
Vader, however, is able to find his strength. In his visions, Obi-Wan throws Anakin's crippled body into the river of lava, asking if this fate would've been better. Just as he goes under, Vader erupts declaring "Yes, it would have. For you." Vader goes on to leave his own former self for dead as well, referring to him as a mere child. Most significantly, he even rejects Padme's pleas to join her and let it all end. Vader declares that Anakin is dead, choking her via the force. In rejecting his old life, Vader awakens to put an end to Cylo-V in a dramatic fashion.