Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Explains A Darth Vader Mystery

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker subtly explains a Darth Vader mystery regarding the Sith Lord kidnapping children across the galaxy. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is the end of the trilogy of trilogies, and as such it attempts to tie up as many loose ends as possible by resurrecting Palpatine and revealing a secret Sith redoubt. This is a retcon, of course – even requiring a new interpretation of the Sith “Rule of Two” – but surprisingly, it fits well with some details in recently published tie-ins.

George Mann’s Star Wars: Myths & Fables is a collection of in-universe legends, but like any myth, there’s a hint of truth to them. One story, “The Dark Wraith”, is clearly a legend telling of Darth Vader’s arrival on the primitive world of Cerosha. While the Sith Lord is never named, he is described as a being dressed in black who wields a crimson blade, and whose breathing is in equal parts organic and mechanical. No doubt Darth Vader was continuing his never-ending quest to hunt down Force-sensitives, and indeed he is described as killing adults; but, curiously, Darth Vader appears to take children. This, naturally, left readers wondering just what was going on. Why was Darth Vader kidnapping Force-sensitive children, and was Palpatine aware of his actions?

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hints at a possible answer to these questions. It reveals Palpatine and Darth Vader both possessed ancient Sith Wayfinders, devices that could be fitted into a starship’s navigational console in order to help it fly to the legendary Sith stronghold of Exegol. This otherwise inaccessible world was concealed deep in the Unknown Regions, hidden within by a labyrinth of solar storms, rogue magnetospheres, black holes, gravity wells, and things far stranger. It was inhabited by a dark side cult who venerated the Sith, and who had lived there since the distant times of the Sith Empire. It’s reasonable to assume this explains why Darth Vader kidnapped Force-sensitive children; he took them to Exegol.

Children at a young age are particularly impressionable, and it is far easier to indoctrinate a child than it is an adult. Thus these Force-sensitive children would be taken to Exegol, where they would be brainwashed by the dark side of the Force, and then integrated into the society of Exegol – possibly as Sith Cultists. No doubt Darth Vader only tended to steal children from backwater worlds like Cerosha, where his actions would draw no attention from either Imperial rivals or Rebel sympathizers in the Senate.

There’s a striking parallel with the First Order, who also took children and brainwashed them, transforming them into Stormtroopers. Indeed, the junior novelization of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker subtly hints the dark side of the Force was used as part of this conditioning process as well. In this case, however, the process doesn’t seem to have been as effective; Force-sensitives like Finn ultimately rebelled (potentially when there was an awakening in the Force), sensing what they were doing was wrong. Presumably, however, that would have been impossible for any of the children converted into the Sith cult of Exegol, simply because they were living in a place where the dark side was so pervasive.

About The Author

Thomas Bacon
(4897 Articles Published)

Tom Bacon is one of Screen Rant’s staff writers, as well as a Peer Mentor for new writers and a member of the Care Team, offering support and a listening ear to members of the Comics group. A lifelong fan of major franchises including Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Marvel, Tom is delighted his childhood is back – and this time it’s cool. You can find him on Twitter @TomABacon.

A graduate of Edge Hill University, Tom remains strongly connected with his alma mater as a volunteer chaplain. He’s heavily involved with his local church, and anyone who checks him out on Twitter will swiftly learn he’s into British politics too.

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