Publisher's summary[]

"TARGET SKYWALKER" All of DARTH VADER'S careful scheming and brutal power moves to claim HAN SOLO'S frozen body have one ultimate end goal: LUKE SKYWALKER, the only person who could challenge Vader's primacy at the Emperor's side. Now everything comes to a head as father closes in on son and Luke finally grasps a shocking truth…one that will shape his destiny FOREVER!

Plot summary[]

After testing the loyalty of his servant
Ochi, Darth Vader boarded the Crimson
Dawn's ship, the ''Vermillion'', to claim Han
Solo.

To draw out Luke Skywalker, Vader
threatens to destroy Solo if he does not
face him….

Darth Vader identifies Luke's weaknesses[]

Darth Vader identifies the fact that Luke yearns for a father, but tells him that he will not find the father he craves in Darth Vader. He then tells him that because of Luke's fear of the force filling him with fear, he clings to his friends as if he wants to disappear completely. Identifying Luke's weaknesses, Darth Vader threatens to cut Han in half if Luke refuses Vader's offer of joining the Dark Side.

Planning Han's Rescue[]

Luke tells Leia that he cannot defeat Darth Vader alone, and if he stays and fights, he will kill Leia, Han, Chewbacca, and Lando. He plans to use himself as bait so that Leia can be in the clear and rescue Han Solo from the Imperial Shuttle that is on its way to Tatooine. Leia believes that Darth Vader will murder Luke, but he assures Leia that he will be fine. Artoo is worried.

Luke tries to bait Darth Vader[]

Luke tries to bait Darth Vader into a starfighter chase to help his friends rescue Han Solo, who is trapped in carbonite and on his way to Tatooine. A rodian member of the group points out that a T-65 X-Wing is near to their star ship, and this is a model that crime boss Ororab has wanted. The crime gang fire their magna-harpoons, and though they briefly capture the aircraft, Darth Vader's firing manages to release Skywalker from the harpoons. Luke crashes on the ice planet of Jekara.

Han Solo in Carbonite[]

Bokku the Hutt feels slighted by Darth Vader as the deal was to deliver Solo to the Hutt on Tatooine. Ochi of Bestoon reminds the Hutt of the technicalities of the deal.

Sly Moore's betrayal[]

Sly Moore betrayed Darth Vader by hiring IG-88B to assassinate Vader alongside Ochi of Bestoon's Droid Crush pirates. Ochi discovers Sly Moore's plans to kill Vader, and attempts to kill her.

The Droid Crush pirates help Luke Skywalker escape Jekara by repairing his T-65 X-Wing.

Ochi of Bestoon and Sly Moore continue to fight. As they do, they discuss Vader's fear for Skywalker, as the Emperor plans to replace Darth Vader with Luke. Sly Moore states that she serves the Empire, and says to Ochi of Bestoon that he is another servant in the shadows.

The Hutts go after Solo[]

The Hutt's go after the Imperial Shuttle with Han Solo aboard. Luke realises this, and Vader senses his anguish at the thought of losing his friends. He believes this means he is ready to learn what real fear is.

Cover gallery[]

Final cover by Aaron Kuder

Preliminary cover

Textless final cover

Lucasfilm 50th Anniversary variant by Chris Sprouse

TextlessLucasfilm 50th Anniversary variant

Blueprint variant by Paolo Villanelli & Mattia Iacono

Blueprint variant, textless

Appearances[]

Collections[]

• Star Wars: Darth Vader Vol. 3 — War of the Bounty Hunters
• Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters Omnibus

Sources[]

• War of the Bounty Hunters Alpha 1
• The Fight for Han Solo Heats Up in Marvel's September 2021 Star Wars Comics – Exclusive on StarWars.com (backup link)
• "Launchpad" — Star Wars Insider 204
• Boushh and Luke Skywalker Join Marvel's War of the Bounty Hunters – Exclusive Previews on StarWars.com (backup link)

Notes and references[]

External links[]

• Star Wars: Darth Vader (2020) #16 on Marvel Comics' official website (backup link)

Dark Heart of the Sith: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 Into the Fire: 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11 War of the Bounty Hunters: 12 · 13 · 14 · 15 · 16 · 17 Crimson Reign: 18 · 19 · 20 · 21 · 22 · 23 · 24 The Shadow's Shadow: 25 · 26 · 27 Return of the Handmaidens: 28 · 29 · 30 · 31 · 32 Unbound Force: 33 · 34 Target Aphra: 35 · 36 Dark Droids: 37 · 38 · 39 · 40 · 41 Rise of the Schism Imperial: 42 · 43 · 44 · 45 The Razing of Exegol: 46 · 47 Phantoms: 48 · 49 · 50 Trade paperbacks 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 Related media Darth Vader (2015) · Darth Vader (2017) In Service to the Empire · Revelations (2022) · Revelations (2023) Free Comic Book Day 2023
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Alpha · 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 One-shots Jabba the Hutt 1 4-LOM & Zuckuss 1 · Boushh 1 · IG-88 1 Crossover Star Wars: 13 · 14 · 15 · 16 · 17 · 18 Bounty Hunters: 12 · 13 · 14 · 15 · 16 · 17 Darth Vader: 12 · 13 · 14 · 15 · 16 · 17 Doctor Aphra: 10 · 11 · 12 · 13 · 14 · 15 Collections War of the Bounty Hunters · Companion Omnibus Crossover: Star Wars Vol. 3 · Bounty Hunters Vol. 3 Darth Vader Vol. 3 · Doctor Aphra Vol. 3 Related media Crimson Reign · Hidden Empire
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