Comic Review: Star Wars #10

When we last left off our heroes (meaning, Star Wars #9, not the last time I reviewed this comic), Leia had travelled to the remains of Alderaan where she found a derelict ship piloted by the very man who created the Death Star’s primary laser weapon.  Han and Chewie had survived a dog-fight with Boba Fett and are hiding out on Coruscant.  Luke and Wedge had infiltrated the Star Destroyer Devastator while Prithi waits in her X-Wing.

Spoilers Below

This issue opens with Luke and Wedge trying to stay alive onboard the Devastator.  Hiding out on the ship has offered the two of them the chance to discuss the current goings-on, in which Wedge envies Luke for having a relationship with Prithi.  Wedge then says not to worry; Prithi won’t let them down because she’s “Rogue Squadron”, thereby establishing (for now) how that popular name came into being.  The most compelling part of this discussion is the end, where Luke says that they got revenge for all who had died when they blew up the Death Star, but Wedge counters saying that it’s not enough.  Not even close.  This gives Wedge a bit more hardened and bitter edge than we saw in any of the movies.

At the Rebel Fleet, it turns out that Prithi was able to make it back — which means Luke and Wedge will have to find some other way back — but barely alive.  In fact, she has to be revived before she whispers something to Mon Mothma, words that tell her to put the entire fleet on alert for impending Imperial attack.

In an admittedly cool sequence, it turns out that Boba Fett is still hanging close to the Falcon over Coruscant — literally!  He climbs over the outside to the cockpit window, at which point Han and Chewie (and new team member Perla) punch it to lightspeed, leaving Boba Fett to hang in the atmosphere, swearing he will find him.

And at the Resolute, drifting among the asteroids of Alderaan, Leia finds it extremely hard to not kill Rogaren.  After all, he is responsible for creating the laser that blasted the planet to bits and is culpable for millions of deaths.  Instead of killing him, though, she leaves, intending to have him picked up later and held for trial on charges of war crimes.

Vader receives a transmission while stationed at Endor in which he learns that it is Luke Skywalker on board the Devastator.  He instructs that Luke be captured alive and brought to him.  Meanwhile, the Devastator and the rest of the Imperial Fleet arrives at the location of the Rebel Fleet, which is preparing to depart.  The order is given for TIE Fighters to deploy and attack…

… and that’s where we find Luke and Wedge.  Turns out, they’ve been hiding out in Stormtrooper armor inside two TIE fighters.  “Welcome to the Imperial Navy,” indeed.

Thoughts:  Brian Wood pumps up the danger with Luke and Wedge’s story.  Not only do they have to escape alive, but they’re also part of the very army trying to destroy the Rebel Fleet.  It’s going to be interesting to see how they handle it.

In the “long game” storylines, I’m not sure what the point of Leia’s meeting with Rogaren was.  Okay, she met him, found out he’s the guy who build the laser that destroyed her planet.  But… what, we saw her tear up?  Was this supposed to show us she’s not heartless?  Seems like a pointless diversion.  At least Han and Chewie’s story is heading somewhere new.  We know what the end game with Boba Fett is, which makes it hard to care about a fight right now.  (That’s one of the inherent problems of writing a middle story where the end is already known).

So, this series is still worth your money, for the Luke/Wedge story alone.  Let’s hope Leia’s story goes somewhere more interesting now.