Darth Vader built his whole life around burying Anakin Skywalker. To almost everyone, that name was long gone. But someone managed to pull it back to the surface in a way Vader never expected. Let me walk you through how it all happened.
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When Vader Met Padmé’s Double
After The Empire Strikes Back, Vader was still digging into his past, especially around Padmé’s death. That’s when he ran into Sabé on a planet called Vendaxa. She wasn’t just some random rebel — she had been one of Padmé’s handmaidens, and she still looked almost exactly like her.
When Vader saw her, he froze and whispered, “Padmé.” Right away, Sabé knew something was off. She pointed her blaster at him and demanded to know who he really was. When Vader’s forensics droid introduced him as Darth Vader, Sabé didn’t even hesitate — she fired at him. Of course, he deflected it like it was nothing and disarmed her with the Force.
Even then, Sabé didn’t back down. She told him she was Padmé, back from the dead to haunt him. Instead of killing her, Vader started having flashbacks of Padmé… and let her live.
Teaming Up for Answers
After that, things got even crazier. Vader offered Sabé a deal: help him investigate Padmé’s death. She agreed, but not because she trusted him — she wanted answers, and honestly, she wanted revenge too.
They fought side-by-side against some nasty creatures on Vendaxa, and Vader even let her bury her fallen teammates before they left. That moment showed me that under all the armor and anger, Anakin Skywalker wasn’t totally gone yet. Sabé seemed to see it too.
Later, they traveled to Naboo and worked with other former allies of Padmé like Typho and Tonra. Sabé tried to use Vader to get to the truth, while Vader tried to use Sabé to uncover any remaining secrets about Amidala’s death. Their alliance was full of tension and distrust, but also a weird, broken sort of connection.
The Moment She Called Him “Anakin”
Their bond really changed during a mission against Governor Tauntaza, one of Crimson Dawn’s secret agents. While fighting for a group of refugees Sabé had once helped rescue, a massive explosion left Vader shattered and barely alive.
I loved how Darth Vader (2020) handled this scene. Sabé stood over him, torn between her anger and everything Padmé had taught her. She confessed out loud, “For years, I dreamed of this moment. A chance to kill you.” But when she looked at his broken body, she remembered Padmé’s final words: There’s still good in him.
She plugged him into an oxygen tank, saving his life, and said, “All right, Anakin… I will trust her judgment.”
I can’t stress enough how powerful that was. She called him by his real name — and instead of lashing out, Vader got up and walked away with her, quietly holding her close.
Staying by His Side
After that, Sabé didn’t leave. She worked alongside Vader, even when it meant wearing Imperial armor and getting a real rank in the Empire. She wasn’t loyal to the Empire, though. She stayed because she believed there was still a piece of Anakin left in Vader — and that maybe she could help bring it back.
She joined Crimson Dawn just to spy for Vader, infiltrated rebel cells, and outsmarted corrupt Imperials. Every time she had the chance to betray him, she chose not to. She even fought her own sisters, the other handmaidens, when they begged her to leave Vader behind.
Sabé sacrificed almost everything — her friends, her ideals, even part of herself — just to stay close enough to remind Vader who he really was.
The Breaking Point
In the later issues of Darth Vader (2020), Vader’s powers spiraled out of control. He destroyed his own ship, the Executor, with a Force outburst, and Sabé had to risk her life to save him again. She dragged him to an abandoned world to try and help him regain control.
It was brutal. Vader kept pushing her away, demanding that she choose between power and suffering. He even showed her a vision where she became a ruthless Imperial leader. But Sabé refused to give in. She didn’t want power, and she didn’t want revenge anymore either.
When Vader pushed her one last time to make a choice, she just said no. She chose not to hate him.
Even when he flung her into the ocean with another blast of Force energy, Sabé survived. She refused to let him turn her into something she wasn’t.