Legacy of Vader: More Than Just Watto’s Fate, a Meditation on Storytelling
The galaxy far, far away found itself in a state of minor turmoil recently, spurred by the looming question of Watto’s demise. The Toydarian junk dealer, infamous for his ownership of Anakin Skywalker, was seemingly facing his end. However, as the second issue of "Legacy of Vader" reveals, the situation is far more nuanced, offering a deeper exploration of narrative and its manipulation within the Star Wars universe.
Charles Soule, along with artists Luke Ross and Nolan Woodard, and letterer Joe Caramagna, delivers a compelling narrative that transcends simple plot points. This installment sees Kylo Ren, accompanied by Darth Vader’s former attendant Vaneé, embarking on a journey to Tatooine. This visit marks the beginning of Ren’s self-proclaimed "let the past die" tour, a quest intertwined with Vader’s legacy. However, the story’s core revolves not around Anakin’s life itself, but rather the awareness of narrative as separate from concrete truth. This awareness reveals the power inherent in shaping and presenting history.
The central conflict arises from the differing perspectives of Ren and Vaneé. Kylo, still reeling from the events of "The Last Jedi," is obsessed with controlling his own narrative, and by extension, the story of those who came before him. His methods are destructive. He constantly urges Vaneé to eradicate any elements of Vader’s history that pertain to Anakin Skywalker. Kylo goes so far as to deface the Boonta Eve Classic winner’s list, scarring over Anakin’s name with his lightsaber. In Kylo’s eyes, any history that clashes with his idealized vision of Vader must be erased. This reflects his own self-deception regarding his upbringing.
Vaneé, in stark contrast, embodies the power of Vader’s actual narrative. He reveals his extensive knowledge of Vader’s past, gleaned from secret files kept by Palpatine. While Vaneé may misinterpret the significance of that past—seeing it as a source of pain and anger rather than a path to redemption—he argues that one’s history cannot be erased from our understanding of them.
This ideological battleground leads our characters to the very question Star Wars fans have been anticipating. Driven by a desire to uncover the identity of Vader’s enslaver, Ren seeks out Watto’s junkyard. They discover it abandoned and dilapidated. It is here that Ren constructs a vision of his grandfather, imagining Vader returning to Tatooine at the height of his dark side power to slaughter Watto. This is what Kylo Ren wants Vader’s legacy, and his own, to represent.
Vaneé counters this narrative. He suggests that Vader had other priorities, rendering him incapable of being so consumed by the past. As a result, Watto lived. The comic doesn’t confirm his continued existence. Watto could be dead, or he could have moved on. This ambiguity is the story’s key.
Star Wars fandom has a reputation of being obsessed with details. The life and death of characters, the specifics of events, and the intricate web of interconnected narratives. This canonical obsession has fueled endless debates and analyses. Since the Expanded Universe was replaced, it has defined how fans engage with the story.
The very fact of Watto’s death was more important than Watto himself. Watto was a "fact," a data point in Anakin Skywalker’s life that stood out precisely because so little was known about him. The promise of a definitive answer—the "what, when, where, and how" of Watto’s demise—became a focal point, eclipsing any genuine interest in the character’s fate.
The uncertainty surrounding the fate of this character, who is intrinsically linked to one of the most important characters of the saga, is far more thought-provoking than the simplistic answer. A narrative where "Darth Vader went back to Tatooine and killed the uncomfortably antisemitic stereotype that owned him as a kid" is a shallow outcome. Soule has explored this territory before, notably challenging the expectation that every aspect of Star Wars lore must have a profound and predetermined truth.
"Legacy of Vader" at its core, is a story about storytelling. It examines how narratives are manipulated, distorted, and adapted to fit pre-existing biases. It acknowledges that some elements of a story are not as significant as we imagine. Sometimes, "a dead Toydarian is just a dead Toydarian." Except when they might be alive. Perhaps never knowing the truth is the most interesting outcome.
The comic’s strength lies in its ability to transcend the boundaries of fan service. It delves into the themes of historical revisionism, the dangers of unchecked ambition, and the subjective nature of truth. It’s a story that asks us to consider how we consume narratives, and to be wary of those who seek to control them.
In a universe obsessed with definitive answers, "Legacy of Vader" dares to leave some questions unanswered. It embraces the ambiguity and complexity inherent in storytelling, reminding us that the power lies not in the facts themselves, but in the interpretation and understanding of those facts. The fate of Watto becomes a symbol of this ambiguity. Is Watto still alive, somewhere out there in the galaxy? Or did he meet an untimely end, perhaps not at the hands of Vader, but through other circumstances? The truth remains elusive, and perhaps that is precisely the point.
