"Darth Vader #13: War of the Bounty Hunters: Sound of Metal" by Greg Pak

"Darth Vader #13: War of the Bounty Hunters: Sound of Metal" written by Greg Pak, illustrated by Raffaele Ienco and Jason Keith

Okay, so this was a weird one...the reason this is a week late--I could not wrap my head around this issue for the longest time. But even after the second, delayed read through? I just don't get it and feel like this series has gone off the rails. I hate to be so negative and I'm usually super accepting of crazy plot points but this just felt forced and odd. Honestly, the current Vader series veered away from being my absolute favorite ongoing comic ever since the one Exegol issue shied away from giving us more information about what the heck went on deep within that planet. Instead, it managed to by this issue provide us with a whole other mess of unexplained craziness. *sigh* [You should know I'm a huge fan of The Rise of Skywalker so I'm not knocking it one bit, just pointing out a piece that desperately needs to be demystified before more is mystified.] 

So what in the world am I referring to? Why, IG-88 thinking he can take down Vader and his inexplicable membership in some sort of droid gang called The Droid Crush, is what I'm referring to. As well as these words being spoken to IG-88 in the very last panel, "I am merely Administrator Moore, just another cipher in the dark, scorned and forgotten. But if all of us stand together...we will be more powerful than they could ever imagine." Yeah, that's Sly Moore, the quiet, in-the-background Umbaran aide to Palpatine...and it appears she's started her own cult...wtf, dude...see below [Oh, and...I think she was "the Umbaran" in the pre-Exegol issues. Why the heck Vader doesn't just call her Sly Moore, I have no idea...]

The opening of the issue started good with Vader going through memories and realizing that Obi-Wan saying killing him would make him more powerful meant Luke not a spectral Obi-Wan. This is such a powerful realization and something that I personally had never considered. But then, Vader's thoughts rocket into him thinking that he must of course then kill Luke and kill Obi-Wan's power. He thinks that Luke will be the Emperor's next apprentice and doesn't want to lose his position at all. I HATE this!! I liked how we were beginning to see a shift in Vader toward the light in response to his son's rejection during the events of The Empire Strikes Back. And this Vader is the exact opposite of that. I mean, come on!

See the images below of IG-88 on the attack and, I almost forgot to mention, Bokku the Hutt--he's jacked as hell and out to get the Dark Lord. Just...why? Lol.

Regardless of my frustrations, I'm absolutely looking forward to figuring out what the heck "the Umbaran's Court" is all about and how come Sly Moore is suddenly an evil genius??? Hmmmm...