While Celeste Morne duels Darth Vader, Captain Heren and the crew of the Uhumele make they’re escape. While Muur Karness’ spirit attempts to convince Darth Vader to use the Talisman, Celeste finds a way control the Muur Talisman’s power. After Celeste the Clone Troopers accompanying Vader into Rakghouls and orders them to attack they’re former commander, Vader flees.
As the Uhumele’s crew approach they’re ship, Crys Taanzer falls under Talisman’s plague and turns into a rakghoul. Heren guns the rakghoul down as they escape aboard the Uhumele, leaving the planet and yet another devastating ordeal behind.
In the aftermath of the dramatic events of Dark Times #12, we are left with a very bored Celeste Morne controlling an army of Rakghouls and a very dead Crys Taanzer. I can’t really see Vader fleeing so easily. The death of Crys was just more un-needed tragedy in an already depressing comic book. In Parallels, we see the possibility of a reunion between Crys and her son, who was with K’Kruhk during Parallels.
This issue’s art proves one of two things: either Dark Horse wanted to somehow give Dave Ross some pages in Vector, or Doug Wheatly is incapable of finishing comic book art by a deadline. I really do hate it when the art switches back and forth between artists in a single issue. That aside, both artists do a superb pencilling. Wheatly draws the best Darth Vader I’ve ever seen in the comic books, and Ross’ panel of Vader wielding the Talisman amidst a sea of Rakghouls sent chills through me.
I’d say this was a good issue, and it is. I just wish Dark Times wasn’t so depressing. I guess they don’t call it that for nothing.
