I've already reread issue #10 a frankly embarrassing amount of times today and I just cannot gush about this issue and series enough so here we are.

After letting this latest entry sit for a little bit one of things that I realized I appreciate most is how perfect of an arc it creates for Kylo coming out of The Last Jedi and into Rise of Skywalker.

Kylo Ren was already the most consistently well-written character in the trilogy if you ask me and with the added context of Legacy of Vader it really feels like his arc between the films and comics is just seamless and perfect.

When Luke appears to Kylo on Crait he is a man on a mission. He straight up tells Kylo "no" when asked if he's come to make one last shot at saving his soul. He does apologize to Kylo and acknowledge his own failings in how he handled Ben's temptations but he seems resolved that for now the good man that was his nephew has been destroyed.

Emphasis on "for now." Because just like with his father Luke refuses to fully condemn Ben even faced with what he was terrified he'd become. "No one's ever really gone."

Which is emphasized to perfection in Legacy of Vader. Luke is clearly saddened and disappointed by Kylo's continued choice to follow the dark side and seek vengeance. Yet that ever-present faith Luke has in everyone's inner light is still there trying to reach his former apprentice, to bring him back. Not necessarily as his Jedi Master but as his family. In a weird way I think he's even proud of Ben for managing to reach his spirit in the netherworld. And for Ben's part he is shown that while Kylo Ren may be alone, Ben Solo's family will always be there for him no matter what he's done.

A realization that culminates beautifully in Rise of Skywalker. The last thing Ben felt from his mother was her undying love for her son. And then the image of Han appears allowing Ben to in a sense right his wrong from Episode 7. And Han reiterates Luke's message to Ben: Kylo Ren lived and died alone. But Ben Solo never has been.

Legacy of Vader is some of the best storytelling we've ever had in Star Wars comics. Here's hoping Charles Soule gets to keep this story going in the years to come because this is genuinely some of the most poignant stuff to ever come out of the comics.

Legacy of Vader is the perfect bridge between Episodes 8 and 9