Review: Darth Vader Vol. 4- End of Games

Quick Summary

Pros: The main storyline is incredibly engaging right from the start. Darth Vader’s battles are particularly entertaining and full of surprises. Doctor Aphra’s final fate is well-written and suits the overall narrative well. The end of this volume delivers resolution in a satisfying way.

Cons: Nothing significant.

Overall: This is a wonderful example of how to end a comic series. It starts out with moments of fun and excitement that are easy to connect with and work well independent of the main story. Then, it goes on to begin tying up loose ends and giving characters some of their most engaging story arcs thus far. In the end, readers receive heaps of entertainment and a worthwhile conclusion to the series. Those who have enjoyed Vader’s adventures so far will love this comic.

Story

Darth Vader Vol. 4: End of Games, by Kieron Gillen, is a success on all fronts. It is instantly engaging and thrilling all on its own, presenting creative battles and tense situations throughout the read. It is also the perfect conclusion to multiple volumes of story, giving characters and plot threads a satisfying sense of resolution. By accomplishing these positives, End of Games is all-around fun and a joy to read at nearly every moment.

(spoilers start here)

As noted above, the immediate positives in End of Games come from its ability to be instantly engaging all on its own. A piece of this comes from the storyline’s creativity, which always manages to impress. This can be seen when Darth Vader has a lightsaber fight on the outside of a spaceship or when he uses the force to propel a space-whale into the surface of a star. The other piece of this comes from the storyline’s tension, which fires on all cylinders throughout the read. This can be seen when Vader is brought to his knees or when Aphra faces almost certain death. These examples are just a small portion of the engaging story elements found throughout End of Games and demonstrate how fun this book is to read.

The narrative is also enhanced by Gillen’s ability to constantly provide creative surprises as Darth Vader’s journey progresses. Gillen has always portrayed Vader as a force of nature, unyielding and capable of overcoming any challenge pitted against him. In End of Games, his ability to overcome these challenges is pushed to the absolute limit. His battles against the Rancor, Voidgazer, and especially Cylo are fraught with moments where it seems as if Vader is at the end of his rope. Vader’s diverse approaches to overcoming these near-death experiences are what make him such an entertaining character to read, especially in this collection.

However, the most entertaining and well-executed twist in this book is Doctor Aphra’s final fate. The Emperor’s approval of Darth Vader’s betrayal, followed by Darth Vader deciding to kill Doctor Aphra, followed by the reveal that Doctor Aphra did not die were all completely unexpected moments that stood out in their own way. This entire sequence of events was a joy to experience and ended up being one of my more favorite elements from this series as a whole.

Finally, it is worth noting how well End of Games wraps up the story this entire series has been building toward. All of the loose ends are tied up in a way that feels satisfactory, as nothing is rushed and no deus ex machinas are used. By the end of this comic, Aphra is positioned to start her own adventures while Vader is positioned to undertake the mission we see in The Empire Strikes Back. It is a worthwhile conclusion that works well in nearly every way.

(spoilers end here)

Art

The artwork in End of Games feels similar to the story, in that it sees some of the most memorable moments in the series as a whole. Salvador Larroca’s work here matches the level of detail and quality that has been present in nearly every volume prior to this. However, the noteworthy element here is Larroca’s splash pages. Stunning views of space or intense moments of conflict stretch across both pages and instantly command the reader’s attention. These pages serve to emphasize a particular moment or emotion from the story in a way that is undeniable. These moments enhance the read as a whole and make it a more entertaining and robust experience.

Continuity

Darth Vader Vol. 4: End of Games continues the story from Darth Vader Vol. 3: The Shu-Torun War (Review). Both stories take place between the movies Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope and Star Wars: Episode V- The Empire Strikes Back.

This series ends with this volume. However, Doctor Aphra’s story continues in Doctor Aphra Vol. 1: Aphra.