I always find it fascinating how Vader went from being the Emperor’s unstoppable enforcer to a father trying to protect his son—even if it meant killing his own men. And in the Vader 2015 comic series one Imperial officer got a little too trigger-happy and almost killed Luke, Vader didn’t take it lightly. Let’s just say that officer learned what true fear really means.
Vader After Learning About Luke
After Vader discovered Luke Skywalker was his son, his entire view of the galaxy changed. His loyalty to Emperor Palpatine and the Empire started to fade. He began to dream of ruling the galaxy with Luke by his side, not as a servant to his Sith Master but as a father building a legacy. From that point on, Vader’s actions were all about one thing: making sure Luke stayed alive and could eventually join him.
So whenever someone, even an Imperial commander, posed a threat to Luke—Vader acted fast. That’s exactly what happened when he learned about Commander Kanchar.
A Ruthless Officer Who Took His Job Too Far
Kanchar was the kind of Imperial who got things done through fear. He had cybernetic parts, scars all over, and a reputation for killing those who failed him. He admired Vader a lot—probably saw him as a role model, since both had cybernetics and a brutal sense of discipline. But Kanchar lacked Vader’s purpose. He didn’t understand that the Sith Lord’s brutality had limits, especially when Luke was involved.
Before the Shu-Torun incident, Kanchar had been part of the Empire’s operations on Jedha, trying to extract kyber crystals after the Death Star’s destruction. He even fought Luke during that campaign. Luke knocked him out, but Kanchar survived, and that grudge stuck with him. By the time the rebellion reached Shu-Torun, Kanchar had become the overseer of the planet and was determined to crush any rebel attempt—no matter the cost.
The Rebel Mission On Shu-Torun
When Leia, Luke, and a Rebel strike team sneaked onto Shu-Torun, they wanted to take down the planet’s gravity infrastructure. If they succeeded, the world would become uninhabitable, giving civilians a chance to escape Imperial control. Kanchar didn’t care about civilians; he cared about stopping the Rebels. Once he found out Leia’s group was inside the royal castle, he ordered an orbital bombardment without hesitation.
The royal family was still inside, but to Kanchar, they were replaceable. He figured he could find another royal family to rule under his supervision. His focus was purely on eliminating the Rebels. Leia and Luke barely escaped the attack and still managed to destabilize the planet, but Kanchar considered the operation proof of his dedication. What he didn’t realize was that his “dedication” almost killed Vader’s son.
Vader’s Visit To The Tributum
After the battle, Kanchar got a message that Darth Vader was coming aboard his Star Destroyer, the Tributum. He assumed it was about his failure to stop the Rebels and prepared to take responsibility. When Vader arrived, though, his concern wasn’t about losing Shu-Torun. Vader wanted to know why Kanchar bombed an entire castle to kill a handful of Rebels.
Kanchar started explaining how persistent Leia’s group had been. He promised to destroy them once and for all, even saying he wouldn’t rest until they were all dead. That’s when Vader used the Force to choke him mid-sentence. The only word he said was “No.” Kanchar died confused, never realizing that the real reason Vader killed him was because his actions risked Luke’s life.
