As Marvel's Darth Vader ongoing series features a stunning moment in which the Dark Lord of the Sith gets an his armor, one that is worthy of his immeasurable Force powers.

Star Wars: Darth Vader #50 – written by Grek Pak, with art by Raffaele Ienco and more – features one final attempt by Darth Vader to overthrow Emperor Palpatine, before both Sith Lords meet their fate at the Battle Of Endor.

Since it began, Marvel's Darth Vader comic series has emphasized Palpatine as its greatest antagonist, and though he ultimately fails, it is fitting that the final issue features Vader coming nearly as close to taking down his master as he has in any preceding issue.

Marvel's Vader Finale Features The Sith Lord's Most Powerful Armor Upgrade In Franchise History

Darth Vader #50 – Written By Grek Pak; Art By Paul Fry, Adam Gorham, Raffaele Ienco, & Luke Ross; Color By Frederico Blee & Alex Sinclair; Lettering By Joe Caramagna

Readers will be satisfied with how Darth Vader #50 brings together many threads from throughout the prior fifty issue run, delivering a satisfying climax to "Death Star Armor" into battle, utilizing incredibly dangerous technology that is able to capture and harness the life force of entire planets. The armor is fierce, and what Vader does with it is incredible – but its appearance is only brief.

Darth Vader #23-27 introduced Governor Tauntaza, the Imperial governor of the planet Gabredor III, who had developed a new piece of technology capable of draining life from an entire planet. At the time, Vader destroyed the weapon, but in Darth Vader #43, the Schism Imperial discovered the Rebel Alliance was rebuilding Tauntaza's life-draining weapon. In Darth Vader #46, Vader and the Schism attacked the Sith Eternal's temple, stealing a chunk of kyber. The Schism then drained Exegol of its life, leading to the events of Vader #50.

With the capsules of Exegol's life force attached to his armor, Vader fights his way through a battalion of Imperial troopers sent by Palpatine. For a time, Darth Vader's hatred increases his power, but it backfires on him, and his new armor is destroyed; as memorable as the armor is, Vader's time wielding such ferocious strength was necessarily limited by the constraints of the story, which fans know has to end with a normally-powered Vader's redemption at Endor. Still, the concept is memorable, and it is an exciting way for Marvel's Darth Vader to tie up loose narrative ends.

Vader's Powerful New Armor Is An Appropriate End Note To Marvel's Ambitious Take On The Character

An Elevated Reinterpretation Of The Original Trilogy Villain

Vader's armor upgrade in Darth Vader #50 was, in many ways, representative of Marvel's Darth Vader itself; the new armor's concept, like the series, was an ambitious reimagining of the most classic elements of the Star Wars franchise. For readers who have followed the series as it put Darth Vader's time during the Original Trilogy in an entirely new context, it should serve as a fitting ending. For all Star Wars fans, Marvel's Darth Vader is a dramatic final note to strike, before the franchise moves away from the character, into its next era.

Darth Vader #50 is available now from Marvel Comics.