In The Empire Strikes Back, we’re led to believe that Luke’s first encounter with Darth Vader happens during their infamous duel on Cloud City.
But what if I told you that’s not entirely true? Before that dramatic confrontation, Luke had already crossed paths with Vader—without realizing just how significant the moment was.
Let me take you through the real story of their first meeting.
The Very First Time Luke Confronted Darth Vader
According to the Star Wars (2015) comic series, particularly in issues #1 and #2, Luke and Vader’s paths crossed mere weeks after the destruction of the Death Star.
At this time, Vader was given a crucial mission by the Empire. His destination? Cymoon 1, a heavily guarded Imperial weapons manufacturing facility.
His assignment was to negotiate with Jabba the Hutt’s representatives for vital supplies—a task that seemed routine for a Sith Lord of his caliber.
What was supposed to be a simple assignment quickly spirals out of control when Vader realizes the base has been infiltrated by none other than a Rebel strike team.
Leading this chaos are Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, and of course, Luke Skywalker—with trusty R2-D2 by his side.
As the Rebels create chaos in the base, Chewbacca stands on the lookout and quickly spots Darth Vader approaching.
He sends word to Leia, who orders him to take the shot. Confident that the element of surprise will give them the upper hand, Chewbacca fires.
But Vader effortlessly deflects every shot, immediately sounding the alarm and alerting the Stormtroopers.
Inside the base, Vader senses something unusual—a presence in the Force that feels both familiar and foreign. His mind lingers on the pilot who destroyed the Death Star. He moves toward the presence, closing in on its source.
Luke, meanwhile, is seeking revenge. Believing Vader to be the man who killed both his father and Ben Kenobi, he sets out to find the Sith Lord.
When they finally meet, Vader doesn’t yet realize the boy before him is his son. Instead, he mocks Luke: “You hold that weapon like an untrained child. You have no right to it. You, boy, are no Jedi. Who are you?”
The duel is swift and one-sided. Vader easily disarms Luke, but the boy’s lightsaber catches his eye. It’s a weapon Vader recognizes—one he built long ago as Anakin Skywalker.
Holding both his red blade and Luke’s blue lightsaber, Vader begins to understand. This boy is connected to his past, to his old life as a Jedi. And the lightsaber? It could only have come from Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Just as this revelation sinks in, an AT-AT walker, hijacked by the Rebels, crashes into the scene. It forces Vader and Luke apart, giving Luke the chance to escape.
Unbeknownst to him, he’s just slipped through the grasp of the father who doesn’t yet know the full truth.
Conclusion
While many fans believe Luke and Vader’s first true meeting happened on Cloud City in The Empire Strikes Back, the Star Wars comics reveal an earlier encounter on Cymoon 1.
This initial confrontation, where Vader begins to suspect Luke’s significance due to his lightsaber and Force presence, sets the stage for their more famous duel later on.
The comics offer deeper insight into Vader’s growing awareness of his connection to Luke, helping us understand why he pursued Luke so relentlessly afterward.
By adding this layer to the story, the comics enrich the relationship between the two and provide a crucial backstory to how Vader begins to uncover the truth about his son before their fateful battle on Cloud City.