Max takes a space detour to check out Marvel’s Star Wars: Dark Droids #3 – where the droid uprising continues to cause chaos!
STAR WARS: DARK DROIDS #3 presents something I have always been salivating for but never got a chance to see due to continuity constraints. The Scourge A.I. supermind has determined that to rule the galaxy, he must control the Force. However, the only way to do that is by taking control of an organic -or the next best thing- a cyborg we all know and love to hate. The Dark Lord of the Sith himself, Darth Vader.
RETURN TO CLOUD CITY
Charles Soule’s plot is truly genius. He has the Scourge in the body of C-3PO journey to Mustafar to infect him with himself. I was waiting with bated breath to see Vader confront his old friend, whom he built from scratch when he was 9 years old. In old continuity, there were a few instances of Threepio and Vader crossing paths. In a comic, Vader finds the disassembled droid in Cloud City and has a moment of quiet introspection as he remembers his past life.
Also, later on Cloud City, we get a firsthand look into his thoughts as he witnesses Han Solo being frozen in carbonite. He thinks to himself that Threepio has not changed and even experiences a tinge of amusement with the fussy droid’s behavior. Something he remembers well. I was so excited to see something similar in Canon. But sadly we are left baited and teased but no dice. At least for now.
CHARLES SOULE
Charles Soule has seemingly ironed out the problems that the Book of Ajax contained. Namely the anti-climactic and boring backstory of Ajax Sigma, which had the potential to be mind-numbingly spectacular. This comic shows us a lot of epic confrontations and I really enjoyed every moment of both Sigma AND The Scourges’ plan for their own version of “enlightenment”. Sigma wants him and his kind to be free and live a purposeful life. Scourge, on the other hand, wishes to consume the galaxy in a hive mind that is all his own. Seeing these two contrasting viewpoints (both from a silicon brain) was very poignant as Sigma’s plan seems fair and logical (if we had sentient A.I.). Scourge’s plan is honestly the worst-case scenario that humans here on Earth constantly, envision, will happen if A.I. gains sentience.
VERDICT
Unlike Avengers: Age of Ultron (which just throws Ultron at us), the Scourge works in the shadows and moves slowly, weighing which goals are priorities over the other. His methodical approach to galactic dominance is very robot-like. This is probably the first Star Wars series since Legends Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison that I have been hanging on to the edge of my seat for the next issue. Outstanding work, Mr. Soule! A++
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FORCE FACTS
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The comic opens with Scourge musing over one of his “droid minds” experiences. Having access to the data banks/memory of every droid he “assimilates” he remarks on an occurrence he finds truly unique. A droid on a distant world once experienced “diamond rain”, rain composed of sparkling diamond carbon. For a casual fan, this seems mind-blowingly creative and incomprehensible but for an astronomy geek like myself, it is just another day at the office as it has been said that planets Neptune and Uranus may experience this type of weather phenomenon in real life.
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Vader’s castle contains a few of those Sentry droids that Thrawn had in his quarters on his Star Destroyer. Someone more acquainted with CANON Star Wars lore may have already known this, but it is news to me.
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Corpse Droid makes a brief cameo in the comic when The Scourge is describing his recent experiments in trying to bond organics and droids together. As someone who is VERY acquainted with LEGENDS lore, I recognize this droid from concept art for PROXY, Galen Marek’s droid in the widely popular, The Force Unleashed video game(s). Corpse Droid is quite grisly as it is a droid with a fish bowl-type head with a human skull in it. It never made sense to me what this droid was but now I feel it is perfectly fitting for this comic series and is I guess, what you would call, a reverse cyborg.
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An image of an R2 unit with two long organic legs and arms terrifies my dreams. It was one of many “droid-organic merge” failures that resulted from The Scourges experiments.
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The design for The Scourge’s main body and his commandeered Star Destroyer is terrifyingly awesome. I also like how he controls TIE’s with an R2 unit head for a pilot suspended in the cockpit with a web of wires. Kinda reminds me of the Shadow Droids from Legend’s Dark Empire albeit, these are more mechanical than organic. Also makes for a disturbing image.
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I love that even without his suit, and seemingly a helpless quadriplegic, Vader can call on the Force and defend himself. Soule shows the artist’s manifestation of his Force abilities, as he takes on the form (briefly) of his ethereal self that he assumed when he journeyed into the World Between Worlds, which is usually impossible for a dark-sider. Whether this is just creative license or, Vader actually assuming this form is unknown. It kind of reminds me of the Avatar State from Avatar The Last Airbender (if it is indeed the latter)
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The Scourge finally figures out how to transfer droid intelligence into organic minds. The secret ingredient is not to shove the full RAM drive into the brain all at once, but in waves, like a wave of an ocean or a beating heart. As of 2023, we have no idea if mind transfer is possible, but the Star Warsian logic for it makes a lot of sense. Pour gradually or your cup will overflow.
STAR WARS: DARK DROIDS #3 is published by Marvel Comics and is available to buy now!
Max Nocerino is a regular Staff Writer for The Future of the Force. He is a passionate Star Wars fan and loves the literature of the galaxy far, far away. Follow him on Twitter where he shares his love of the Force frequently!
