Cover: Derrick Chew

Star Wars: Legacy of Vader #9

Dec 2025 · Marvel · 3.99 USD

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“Reign of Kylo Ren, Part 9”

About this Issue

Star Wars: Legacy of Vader #9 is the issue that brings the newly introduced Tava Ren — a Force-sensitive warrior who assumed leadership of the Knights of Ren after Kylo abandoned them for the First Order — into direct, physical conflict with Kylo Ren himself aboard his flagship, making it the first comic to depict this confrontation and to substantially flesh out Tava's origin and motivations. The issue also marks the first time the broader Star Wars canon has given Kylo Ren a dark-side romantic foil, with Tava's kiss and Kylo's deliberate choice not to destroy her escaping ship adding an entirely new emotional layer to his Sequel Trilogy arc. By setting these events in 34 ABY — the gap between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker — the issue fills one of the most conspicuously underwritten stretches of the Sequel era and deepens the characterization of both Kylo and the Knights of Ren in ways the films left unexplored. League of Comic Geeks logged nearly 2,800 users pulling the issue, reflecting substantial collector and reader interest for this corner of the Star Wars timeline.

writer Charles Soule · artist, inker Stefano Raffaele · colorist Nolan Woodard · letterer VC's Joe Caramagna · cover Derrick Chew

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History

The series was announced in October 2024 and launched February 5, 2025, the product of deliberate editorial planning by Marvel and Lucasfilm to assign each major Saga era its own ongoing comic line in 2025. Writer Charles Soule, who had previously chronicled Kylo's origins in The Rise of Kylo Ren (2019) and Vader's Dark Lord years in his acclaimed 2017 Darth Vader run, described Legacy of Vader as a synthesis of those two projects — an opportunity to explore 'an extremely rich section of the timeline that's almost entirely open.' Editor Mark Paniccia championed the series, noting that Soule 'had wanted to tell these stories for a while.' Tava Ren, the new character whose arc dominates issues #8–9, was first teased as concept art at the Lucasfilm Publishing panel during Star Wars Celebration Japan on April 18, 2025 — though the artwork, created by series artist Stefano Raffaele, was mistakenly attributed to the series' lead artist Luke Ross during the panel presentation.

Trivia · 8 facts

Published October 15, 2025 by Marvel Comics; written by Charles Soule, interior art by Stefano Raffaele, colors by Nolan Woodard, letters by VC Joe Caramagna, cover by Derrick Chew.
Tava Ren — a Force-sensitive human warrior and new leader of the Knights of Ren — makes her second canon appearance here (first appearance: Legacy of Vader #8, September 3, 2025); issue #9 functions as her in-universe origin story, as catalogued by League of Comic Geeks.
The issue depicts the first direct lightsaber duel between Tava Ren and Kylo Ren in canon, set aboard the First Order flagship the Finalizer in 34 ABY (between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker).
Kylo bests Tava in single combat but chooses to spare her and invite her to a private meal; she uses the encounter to probe his inner conflicts about Rey, his position as Supreme Leader, and his longing for freedom — mirroring and contrasting the dynamic Kylo shares with Rey in the films.
The issue introduces Kylo's first dark-side romantic entanglement: Tava kisses him during their confrontation, and he subsequently chooses not to order her ship destroyed when she escapes, leaving their story open-ended ahead of The Rise of Skywalker.
Tava's concept art was designed by Stefano Raffaele and first publicly revealed at the Lucasfilm Publishing panel at Star Wars Celebration Japan (April 18, 2025), where it was erroneously credited to artist Luke Ross.
The issue received a 'Very Positive' rating (4.1/5) from 228 user ratings on League of Comic Geeks at time of release, with three variant covers: a 1:25 Godtail incentive variant, a Bengal variant depicting Depa Billaba and Caleb Dume, and a Leinil Francis Yu variant.
The series — including the story arc centering on Tava — was slated for collection in Star Wars: Legacy of Vader – The Reign of Kylo Ren Vol. 2.