Warning: SPOILERS for Deathstroke #48

DC renegade Deathstroke has a brand new outfit, and it’s one that’s got some serious Star Wars vibes. Deathstroke #48 sees a new look for the villain-turned-antihero—assuming it’s even him under the helmet. The fashion move isn’t just stylish, it’s part of the latest twist in Christopher Priest’s ongoing saga making Deathstroke DC’s most wanted killer.

Slade Wilson’s currently presumed dead, having taken an arrow through the eye courtesy of Emiko Queen, a.k.a. Red Arrow. The mercenary did indeed die from Teen Titan’s shot, but his advanced healing factor kicked into overdrive—having been jump-started by a dose of leprosy from the thief and Nightwing villain Raptor—bringing him back to life. Since then, he’s been posing as a nurse, and staying in the shadows. But there’s a new Deathstroke in town… and he is definitely a fan of Star Wars.

The latest issue opens with the figure dressed in the mercenary’s sinister sci-fi armor, demanding an audience with the Legion of Doom. The Legion’s incredulous at first, but a mind scan by Gorilla Grodd reveals this really is Slade under the helmet—or at least someone who thinks he’s Slade. This Deathstroke wants the powerful gifts given to his son, Jericho, as part of Lex Luthor’s Year of the Villain recruitment. The Legion tells him it’s Jericho’s power to give, so this new Slade sets off to “convince” his son.

Just who this mysterious doppelganger is has yet to be revealed, but he’s already established himself as a major threat. Slade’s twin is on the warpath, armed with a new sword, new armor, and no restraint. No one is safe from his wrath: not his daughter Rose, nor his ex-wife and her husband, and certainly not Deathstroke’s son Jericho.

There may be clues to this newcomer’s identity, however. This new set of armor definitely evokes sci-fi and Star Wars, given the helmet’s striking similarity to an Imperial Stormtrooper’s, a Darth Vader-esque cape, and the fact that his sword channels energy—it crackles with Kirby dots. He’s even acting like Vader, setting a trap for his son with a loved one as bait. Under the mask, though, this Slade carries a number of new scars, and he’s even more distant than the Slade we already know: when he breaks into his ex-wife’s home to lure Jericho to the slaughter, it’s suggested he’s not seen her in years. Could this mystery mercenary be from one of DC’s myriad alternate universes, or has he come back from a far-flung future?

  • DEATHSTROKE #48 Written by: Christopher Priest Art by: Carolo Pagulayan, Fernando Pasarin Cover Art by: Ed Benes, Richard Friend Deathstroke is back and more ruthless than ever as he challenges the Legion of Doom and continues a bloody rampage to attain the power that Lex Luthor gave to Slade’s son, Jericho. Meanwhile, the tragic deaths of two teenagers in a sleepy Arkansas county lead a local police chief to discover a secret that could cost him his life.

Deathstroke #48 is available now from your local comic book shop, or direct from DC Comics.