Age of Resistance: Kylo Ren: "Out of the Shadow" by Tom Taylor

Age of Resistance: Kylo Ren: "Out of the Shadow" written by Tom Taylor, illustrated by Leonard Kirk, Cory Hamscher, and Guru-eFX
     This issue had a very interesting dichotomy in two different ways. First off, there was Kylo being made to look like a small child and a fool compared to the super giant Benathy people (towering, furry, tusked sentients) compared to his mastery over the battlefield and their "God." Secondly, there was a juxtaposition between Vader's time on this planet with Kylo's campaign, revealed in several panels being shot-by-shot duplicates of the battlefield for each timeline.
     I quite liked seeing the differences and similarities between Vader's and Kylo's campaigns, but I did NOT like how Kylo was made to appear more powerful than his grandfather. Anakin IS the Chosen One after all. He should be much more powerful than his confused and tortured grandson. But, there's no indication of when this particular one-shot takes place and perhaps it is after Kylo becomes Supreme Leader and he has nothing more to hold him back so his powers are amping up tenfold.
     As to the first dichotomy I mentioned, it was definitely humorous to imagine Kylo sitting in the giant chair meant for the huge Benathy. He would most definitely have looked like a child and King Kristoff was well aware of that fact...as was Kylo who, of course, refuses to sit down. Regardless, he had the situation well in hand and what was funny at first, quickly became quite terrifying.
     We begin by meeting Captain Ruthford, an old guard from the Imperial days who still has his stormtrooper armor from back then. He refuses to put on the new First Order armor and instead wants to be comfortable in getting suited up again after being an officer for so long...although the fit is a bit snug. Turns out that Kylo wishes to essentially re-enact a campaign that Vader carried out on a planet in Wild Space inhabited by the Benathy. When Vader battled there many years before, only Captain Ruthford and the Dark Lord himself were left standing, although the Benathy were all but defeated as well...except for their "God."
     The identity of their God was a HUGE surprise and while I don't want to reveal it because I don't want to spoil the surprise, I honestly can't help myself because I do have a question about how it works. Well, SPOILER ALERT: their God was a Zillobeast!! Now, I'm a little confused because these creatures are endemic to Malastare, which is a fancy ecological way of saying they can naturally only be found on this planet. So how in the world did a Zillobeast come to be found all the way out into Wild Space?? Did the Benathy move it there? Someone had to have transported it there and dropped it off because something that large and indestructible wouldn't be able to just catch a ride in the recesses of a ship accidentally. Now I want to know that story!! Ugh...again, more questions.
     So overall, I did enjoy this issue very much with its intriguing dichotomies and new sentient species. I was thrown off by the Benathy's God's identity and Vader being played for a chump compared to Kylo. And I really want to know where in the timeline this story takes place! Regardless, it was a very interesting read and I do recommend it.

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