‘Star Wars: Legacy of Vader’ Offers First Glimpse of the Force’s Netherworld

Star Wars has finally given fans a deeper look at what happens to a Jedi after death. The idea that life doesn’t fully end for Force users has been a recurring theme throughout the saga. As Luke Skywalker said in The Last Jedi, “No one’s ever really gone.” This was first shown when Luke heard Obi-Wan’s voice guiding him during the attack on the Death Star, and later when Obi-Wan appeared as a glowing Force Ghost to offer advice.

Until now, the films have only hinted at the afterlife of the Force. In The Rise of Skywalker, Rey receives encouragement from voices of past Jedi, including ones who never trained to become Force Ghosts. This suggested that the Force’s afterlife is open to all Jedi, not just those trained to appear as spirits.

The latest comic, Star Wars: Legacy of Vader #10, by Charles Soule and Luke Ross, gives fans their first clear glimpse of the Netherworld of the Force. Set between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker, the issue follows Kylo Ren as he seeks revenge on Luke Skywalker’s Force Ghost. During his journey, Kylo experiences a mystical vision that goes beyond a normal Force meditation. He enters the Netherworld of the Force, surprising the Jedi spirits he encounters there.

The comic also hints that the Netherworld has a sense of “geography.” Kylo finds Luke at a location that seems deeply important to the Jedi, featuring ancient architecture that resembles structures from Tython in old Legends comics. It suggests that the Netherworld may connect to key sites in the Star Wars universe.

The concept of the Netherworld isn’t completely new. In Revenge of the Sith, it was briefly mentioned, and Timothy Zahn’s novel Thrawn Ascendancy: Greater Good hinted that the realm can influence the physical world. In the novel, a race of Force-sensitive beings seeks to heal their destroyed planet from “the Beyond,” showing that the afterlife of the Force may have real-world consequences.

Kylo Ren, as a dark-side user, shouldn’t be able to enter the Netherworld, which makes his experience all the more significant. The comic shows that even someone leaning toward darkness can feel drawn to the light. Ultimately, this moment points toward Ben Solo’s eventual redemption and his rightful place in the Netherworld once he sheds his darkness.