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By Michileen Martin
Contributing Entertainment Writer
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Today Star Wars fans are either celebrating, booing, or are simply confused about the news that Watto - the Toydarian who claims ownership over Anakin and his mother Shmi in "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace" - was not murdered by Darth Vader.
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Back in January, Marvel released previews of the comic "Star Wars: Legacy of Vader" #2. Set between the events of "The Last Jedi" and "The Rise of Skywalker," it features Kylo Ren trying to learn more about his grandfather. The preview images showed, among other things, what appeared to be a flashback of Vader returning to Tattooine and murdering Watto.
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Today "Star Wars: Legacy of Vader" hit shelves" and fans learned the panels of Vader killing Watto were not a flashback, but simply snapshots of Kylo Ren's imagination.
"No, my prince," the strange creature with Kylo Ren says. "Your grandfather was focused on other things. He did not kill Watto."
When the preview pages were first released, writer Charles Soule warned fans not to read too much into the preview panels, but apparently, his message didn't spread quickly enough, because plenty of fans were expressing shock.
In spite of Watto being, among other things, a slaveowner, he apparently has a decent fanbase among Star Wars fans. A lot of fans were surprised in a good way.
Other fans seemed notably less happy with the news.
Fans will remember that Watto first shows up in "The Phantom Menace," voiced by Andy Secombe. He gains the attention of Qui-Gon Jinn because he has a spaceship part Jinn needs, but as a Toydarian is immune to the Jedi's attempts to talk the part out of him.
Qui-Gon comes to know Anakin Skywalker, Watto's slave, and his mother Shmi. Not only does Anakin help Qui-Gon by winning a pod race that the Jedi bet on for the part, but the Jedi becomes convinced Anakin is the Chosen One - the Jedi destined to bring balance to the Force.
We meet Watto one more time in "Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones." Believing his mother to be in danger, Anakin returns to Tattooine to find her. He questions Watto, who tells her he sold her to a moisture farmer who later freed and married her.
"Star Wars: Legacy of Vader" #2 is on shelves now.
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