Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Star Wars: Battle of Jakku - Republic Under Siege #4As seen in Marvel's new Battle of Jakku series, the self-titled Grand Moff Adelhard had been assembling Imperial forces to defy the New Republic on his own, rather than ing with the rest of the Shattered Empire at Jakku ahead of the major battle that ends with the Imperials' surrender one year after the Battle of Endor. However, Adelhard has lost command of his Iron Blockade, though he's seemingly not fully done fighting just yet.

As seen in the new Star Wars: Battle of Jakku - Republic Under Siege #4 by Alex Segura and Stefano Raffaele, the final issue of Jakku's second chapter sees Adelahrd losing everything he's been working towards since the Battle of Endor and the death of the Emperor Palpatine. Believing himself to be the successor to Palpatine and Darth Vader, Adelhard never saw the cracks in his own Iron Blockade. As such, this notably includes a major betrayal by the one who was closest to him in this new Star Wars series.

Grand Moff Adelhard Was Just Betrayed From Within His Own Ranks

Reyna Oskure Has Taken Command Of His Forces

While preparing for a major offensive against the nascent New Republic independent of the Imperials gathering at Jakku, Grand Moff Adelhard was caught completely off guard following the betrayal of Reyna Oskure. A long-lived Anszanti, Reyna is a member of the dark side cult known as the Acolytes of the Beyond whom Adelhard had been romantically involved with, though the Acolytes serve no one but the dark side itself. That said, it does seem as though Reyna is striking it out on her own now that she has Adelhard's ships and the Iron Blockade surrounding the Anoat Sector.

Following Reyna's coup, Adelhard, Commander Bragh, and the few troopers still loyal to the deposed Moff were put into an escape pod which subsequently crashes on a nearby planet. As the pod falls with no hope of regaining the navigation controls, Adelhard recalls the words Darth Vader once spoke to him, having voiced his favor for the Moff and the plans the Empire had for men like him. Now, Adelhard has finally come to the realization all too late: the Empire he once knew is dead and buried.

There's A Chance Adelhard May Have Survived

He May Make It To Jakku After All...

Amid the wreckage of the escape pod, it appears as though Commander Bragh thanks to his unique Purge Trooper armor. However, it does seem like a strong bet that the commander may have given his armor to Adelhard so that the Moff could live on, an idea that's certainly ed by Adelhard's continuing narration on the final page of Republic Under Siege #4, confirming that something stronger must rise to take the fallen Empire's place. While the old Adelhard may have "died" in this new Star Wars issue, I fully expect to see a darker version debuting in Battle of Jakku's final arc, Last Stand.

Star Wars: Battle of Jakku - Republic Under Siege #4 is now on sale from Marvel Comics.