When Commander Fox Slapped Darth Vader with the Truth

Order 66 changed everything. Clones carried it out with no hesitation, cutting down the Jedi they had fought beside for years. That part hit hard because many clones actually loved and respected their generals. Yet, when Palpatine gave the command, loyalty to the Republic turned into loyalty to the Empire. Commander Fox stood right in the middle of that shift, and his story with Darth Vader in Darth Vader (2017) #10 shows just how much tension came after the purge.

The Question That Turned The Air Cold

Palpatine told Vader an old Jedi friend had returned to the Temple. The librarian Jocasta Nu had slipped back inside, and Vader headed straight for Coruscant. Fox and the Coruscant Guard already surrounded the Temple, waiting for orders. When Vader landed, Fox moved up and gave his report: the Temple was sealed, and no one was getting in or out. Vader only said one thing mattered: no one entered or left without his or the Emperor’s command.

That should have ended the talk, but Fox pushed further. He tried to reassure Vader by saying they had a full force behind them and no one could break through. Then he asked questions: why were they here, and what exactly should they expect? Fox wanted more information so he could set up the best plan.

Vader finally answered, but not the way Fox expected. He asked him directly: “Were you involved with Order 66?”

That cut Fox deep, because he felt his loyalty never needed proof. He shot back with pride: “Yes, was here on Coruscant. Did my part—all the clones did. Shut those Jedi agitators down cold.” Those words carried the weight of every clone who had followed the order without hesitation.

Vader gave no praise in return. Instead, his mask turned slightly toward Fox and he delivered the sharp line: “It seems, Commander… you missed some.” Jocasta Nu was still alive in the Temple, and Fox’s proud answer only opened the door for Vader to point out the failure.

Inside The Temple – Fox’s Last Moment

While Fox and Vader spoke outside, Jocasta Nu moved inside the Temple. She searched for a memory crystal that listed Force-sensitive children across the galaxy. She armed herself with a lightsaber rifle from the Temple’s secret cache and even fought off clones as she escaped deeper inside.

Vader caught up to her, and the two clashed. Troopers nearby didn’t know Vader’s true identity and opened fire on him, thinking he was another Jedi. Fox arrived with his gunship, ordered his men to stop shooting, and tried to restore control.

The chase inside the Temple created chaos. When the smoke cleared, Vader turned on Commander Fox. His words cut straight through: “Did you not provide your troops with my description?”

Fox tried to defend himself. “I…I didn’t expect anything like this to happen, sir. I just didn’t think—” But the explanation stopped there. Vader didn’t want excuses. In the next instant, he used the Force and snapped Fox’s neck. The Coruscant Guard’s commander fell without finishing his sentence, and his service to the Empire ended on that spot.

Jocasta Nu’s Fight

The chase didn’t stop. Jocasta Nu battled her way through platforms, striking down troopers, but eventually lost her weapon. With clones and Vader cornering her, she jumped from the edge to deny them victory. Vader pulled her back with the Force, determined to bring her alive.

On the gunship, Jocasta revealed the crystal’s purpose. It carried names and worlds of Force-sensitive children—Darien Whit from Alderaan, Scape Loewig from Cathar, Devin Hvitur from Bespin, Alaytia Taverre from Kessel, Kris Elioup from Eadu, Annali Bissa from Corellia, Nik Lowe from Mustafar, and Jacque Porte from D’Qar. That knowledge could have built a new generation of Jedi.

When clones prepared to stun her, Jocasta shouted the truth: Vader was once Anakin Skywalker. Vader reacted by hurling the clones out of the gunship, leaving it to crash. Jocasta died in the wreck, but Vader survived and claimed he learned nothing before Palpatine. He secretly destroyed the crystal, refusing to let the Emperor or anyone else use it.