"Crimson Reign #4: The Knights" by Charles Soule

"Crimson Reign #4: The Knights" written by Charles Soule, illustrated by Steven Cummings, Victor Olazaba, and Guru-eFX

After yesterday's review, I think my expectations for this issue were a bit too high...and so the issue fell really flat for me. I feel like this could have been such a magnetic issue, giving context and background to the Knights of Ren, showing their prowess and skill. Instead, we learn how Qi'ra co-opts them in to Crimson Dawn, and then watch them get handled...handily...by Vader. Ugh, I love Vader showing off in the "Darth Vader" comic and always getting the upper hand because it's his show. But in this mini-series, the show is what Qi'ra has created in this newly emerged Crimson Dawn. We've seen what Ochi and Deathstick have accomplished for their leader, and the Archivist's story was absolutely fascinating!! So maybe it was the series itself and not yesterday's review that set my expectation high... I mean "Crimson Reign" has contained some really fantastic material, but this issue was not it.

Basically, Qi'ra approaches Ren and his Knights with the offer that only by joining her can they prevent getting a red lightsaber through their chests...by which she's referring to Vader. The whole group scoffs at the idea that they're vulnerable in any way and only Ren sees reason and promises (for the rest of them) to join Crimson Dawn. He puts it succinctly with, "There's no understanding [between us and the Sith]. Just because we use the Shadow doesn't mean the Sith are our friends. It's just that the Emperor's been dealing with other problems first--the Jedi, the Nightsisters...we're small fish in comparison. I realize that doesn't fit with how we see ourselves...but that's what it is. Palpatine will get around to us eventually." ...wait...what?!? There's an Empire vs. the Nightsisters story??? I NEED to read/see that! 

Some of the Knights of Ren's names (I'm pretty sure it's an entirely different crew from The Rise of Skywalker): Bazzra (a Twi'lek who can't speak Basic but still has a foul mouth), Marinda (human? with long blonde braids), Massif (the smallest one), and Fyodor (where's a hooded cape). See them pictured below. The two to the left of the group image aren't named.

So the mission is to steal a key (see below) from Fortress Vader on Mustafar (see Ren and the Knights below as they speed from their landing spot to the castle). Long story short, they genuinely think they have the upper hand, but Vanee (remember the hooded attendant from Rogue One??) pulls some tricks and then Vader appears (see below). The Knights do get away with the key, but now they are most definitely on Palpatine's radar... I just wish Vader hadn't appeared, especially when he was said to be elsewhere earlier in the issue. I love me some Vader, don't get me wrong, but having him be everywhere at once is a bit ridiculous. It's just too much sometimes for me personally.

And that was about it. Nothing too revealing, nothing too exciting, and definitely not a hardcore character study like The Archivist's issue or even to some degree Ochi and Deathstick's issue. The information was just too vague--The Knights of Ren used to be powerful and to be feared...and now they're just essentially pirates. ...okay???... Oh well, not every issue of every series is going to be for me. And that's just fine!! *smile* There is one cool thing from the issue, a call back to the second "Darth Vader" run--Darth Momin's helmet!!!! Now, I can't remember whose head it is inside of the helmet...lol...but it's definitely Momin's helmet (see below).