Perhaps we believed that when Anakin turned into Vader, he had reached the peak of his suffering. But that would be a mistaken viewpoint. Palpatine tortured Vader even further and to a point beyond what had originally happened on Mustafar. Through the comics, we get an impression of extreme physical and mental torture.
How Did Palpatine Torture Vader?
We may be aware of how Vader took it upon himself to pursue Luke after he failed to recruit him in Empire Strikes Back. As this video quickly conveys, Vader “went on a hunt” to multiple planets to find Luke, including Tatooine, Padme’s tomb, and Naboo. However, these excursions went against Palpatine’s wishes and led to severe repercussions.
The above video provides a quick peek into what happened to Vader after he transgressed the Emperor’s orders. In response, Palpatine “Force crushed” Vader, then tore his robotic limbs off. Moreover, Sidious brought Vader to Mustafar to return to the scene of his defeat by Obi-Wan. This time, Palpatine abandoned Vader there to suffer in a torment that could have ended with the loss of his life.
This synopsis provides a good overview, but for crucial details, we need to turn to the comics.
These events transpired in the 2020 Darth Vader comic series. Issue # 6 contains the main sequence of violence and torture that initiated further punishments over several issues.
In this issue, which takes place between Empire and Return, Palpatine is already upset with Vader after he didn’t turn Luke to the dark side. Then, Vader didn’t report back to Sidious and instead went on his missions. Vader’s defiance of the Emperor’s strict will leads to the most severe punishment Vader has ever endured.
For Vader’s transgressions, “Palpatine viciously punishes Vader, shocking him with Force Lightning” before he allows his royal guards to beat up on Vader with their staff weapons. Vader manages to overcome this wave of punishment, but Sidious is not done with him yet.
Once Vader appears to be winning against the guards, Palpatine returns to Force choke Vader and mock him about being the Chosen One. Sidious mockingly inquires, “How does it feel Lord Vader to be so weak?” Palpatine goes on to say, “You are but a tool, Lord Vader…”
The reader gets a sense of emerging physical-to-psychological torture that will intensify. What has occurred so far could have been devastating enough for Vader, but the torture continued.
The Torture Continued
This video provides a good visualization of the above punishment and insight into how Sidious continued to torture Vader in Issue #6. We can see Palpatine’s power in full display as he toyed with Vader. And, we see how Sidious crushed Vader’s “robotic appendages like twigs.” Further, we get clear images of Vader’s limbs being torn asunder.
In just this issue, we witness a devastating degree of physical and mental punishment. Sidious aimed to completely undermine Vader to bring him back under his control. Vader was carried in a stump form back to the lava of Mustafar to presumably perish. Yet, this part of the punishment aimed to instill anger back into Vader to make him once again a powerful, but subservient apprentice.
In the next issue, Vader manages to pull himself out of his defeated spot on Mustafar, although without using the Force since Sidious had ordered him not to. As Vader struggles to reform his body and repair his mind, this is another kind of torture. Yet, Vader must also confront an assassin sent by Palpatine.
Ochi of Bestoon is the Sith assassin whom Vader must face, either to overcome or perish. That Vader must fend for his life in such a weakened state is not only a challenge but also a form of ongoing torture. Vader fights Ochi a couple of times and manages to survive. Yet, soon thereafter, he has to contend with the Droid Crush Pirates.
A cyclic type of torture has emerged by this point, both directly from Palpatine and from afar. By Issue # 8, Palpatine’s punishment has tilted more toward the psychological, with Vader contending with his inner fears, doubts, and grief over losing Padme as he faces the Eye of the Webbish Bog.
Although Sidious may be aiming to inspire Vader’s dark-side anger and allegiance, we may see these events more as the worst experiences of Vader’s tortured life (if we were to sympathize with him, that is).
Prolonged Torture
We may walk away from the Darth Vader comics # 6 to 11 with an impression of prolonged torture. Not only did Palpatine inflict severe damage on Vader in the first issue, but he also continued to punish his apprentice in a way that veered very close to extinguishing him.