Though It's April, May the Fourth Be with You

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!

Seriously, big, hulking, black cape wearing spoilers ahead.

Darth Vader?!!? Sweet merciful crap! DARTH VADER!!! I did not see that coming. I was so thrilled and terrified to see the ultimate man in black that I paused the game, ran into my BF's gamer room and wailed, "Darth Vader?! They expect me to fight Darth MF Vader?!" (I'm sure you can fill in the MF part).

To which he replied, "It's a Star Wars game, why wouldn't you expect Darth Vader to show up?"

Okay, fair point, BUT there are lots of franchise stories and offshoots that do not include Herr Vader so in my defense, it was perfectly reasonable to assume we wouldn't see such an iconic villain in this game. It's not like Cal Kestis is canon or anything. And when I say canon I mean the original three movies, not all the fan fiction or worldbuilding that happened post- RETURN OF THE JEDI.

My heart leapt into my throat as soon as his patented mechanical breathing started. Poor Trilla. But this is why we don't funk around with the Darkside, boys and girls. Everyone knows what happens when you fail Lord Vader for the last time!

I'll be honest, I barely beat The Second Sister in the final showdown, so I knew I didn't have the stims or the reflexes to square up with Vader. I was so damn relieved when Cal said to BD it was time to make a run for it. Of course that's after DV choked me out on my first try because I missed the force-glow around the cannister thingy behind Vader. **SMH**

My second attempt to escape was successful. And the cutscene of the face-off between Cere and Vader actually got me out of my gamer chair cheering. Sidenote: kudos to Scott Lawrence for voicing a damn fine Darth Vader!

As I've said since I started this game, despite the foibles, despite some of the limitations of FALLEN ORDER, I loved how much of the original mythos and magic the game captured. It's a simple tale of David triumphing over Goliath through sheer determination. A very satisfying gaming experience, indeed. And I know it's only April, but May the fourth be with you!