There’s something almost unbelievable about this story. Someone actually thought it was a good idea to invite Darth Vader — the Emperor’s enforcer, fully dressed in a black robotic suit, breathing like a machine — to dance at a party. And yes, they really asked him to join in. What happened next definitely wasn’t a waltz or a polite refusal, it turned into one of the strangest and most unforgettable moments.
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How It All Started – Meeting Princess Trios
This all takes place in Darth Vader Annual 1. It’s set right after the first Death Star was destroyed. Vader was sent to Shu-Torun, a rich planet in the Mid Rim, because the Empire needed their valuable minerals. The King and his family had aligned with the Empire in exchange for protection, but things started shifting after Yavin. Some of the ore barons began holding back production to keep more profit, and rumors spread that the royal family was quietly supporting rebels.
So the Emperor sent Vader to “remind” everyone who they really served. He wanted to make sure no one on Shu-Torun made the mistake of thinking the Empire had gone soft.
When Vader landed, he wasn’t greeted by the King himself but by Princess Trios, the youngest daughter of the family. She excused her father, saying he wasn’t as strong as he once was. Instead of taking Vader straight to the throne, she wanted to show him her planet’s culture first. She led him to this ceremonial ball where the dukes and barons performed traditional dances.
Trios explained that her family held events like this to keep the nobles happy, which also helped them maintain mining quotas for the Empire. She wanted Vader to see this — it was basically her way of showing that keeping the nobility satisfied was part of keeping order. But Vader had no interest. For him, the only thing that mattered was that the ore kept moving toward the Empire.
Then Came The “Dance” Request
This is where it got awkward. One of the mining dukes came up and insisted Vader should dance with his daughter. He said refusing would be insulting at such an event. Of course, Vader turned him down. The duke didn’t take it well and started shouting at Vader.
And here’s the part I found both chilling and darkly funny: Vader finally “agreed” to dance. He picked up the duke with the Force, hurled him into the air, and dropped him in front of everyone. Then he asked the entire room if anyone else wanted to be his partner. The entire ballroom went silent. Nobody dared to say a word after that.
The Trap
That moment didn’t last long because right after, the ceiling started melting and a massive mining drill crashed into the ballroom. Armed soldiers poured out, shooting at Vader. On the surface, it looked like rebels had launched an attack, but behind it was something far more dangerous. The King himself had planned this assassination attempt, using his daughter to lure Vader into the trap.
What the King didn’t realize was that Vader was already a step ahead. Before even walking into the palace, he’d sent assassin droids to quietly deal with the royal family. So while these soldiers stormed the ballroom, Vader cut them down without hesitation, fully aware of the bigger betrayal at play.
After the fight, Trios pretended to be shocked and told Vader they should escape through the underground tunnels since the main paths weren’t safe. She was still following her father’s plan, even if she didn’t know the full extent of it. Once inside, another trap went off — a boulder fell to block their way, and lava started pouring in from above.
This was the part that caught my attention. Vader noticed that Trios wasn’t panicking. She was ready to risk herself, carrying out what she believed was her duty. He saw that determination and even acknowledged it. But he didn’t leave her behind — he knocked her out and carried her on his back as he cut a platform from the wall and rode it out of the tunnels.
The Throne Room
When Trios woke up, Vader had brought her to the doors of the throne room. She made a desperate move and tried to kill him with a blaster, but it ended the way you’d expect. Vader disarmed her instantly.
Then he forced the doors open, showing her the truth. Inside were the corpses of her family and their guards. His assassin droids had already completed their mission. Trios ran to her father’s body, but there was nothing left to save.
That’s when Vader finally gave her the “gift” he had been carrying all along: a piece of rock from Alderaan. After that, he placed her father’s crown on her head and declared her the new Queen of Shu-Torun.
