Star Wars (2020) #31
THE KEZARAT COLONY
Hoping to solve the Rebellion’s dire fuel shortages, Amilyn Holdo took a desperate gamble.
Centuries ago, tankerships known as the Kezarat Convoy vanished into hyperspace with an abundance of fuel supplies. Seeking the legendary convoy, Amilyn acquired an ancient Nihil Path engine, a unique piece of hyperspace technology.
When the heroes of the Rebel Alliance activated the Path engine, it stranded them in the mysterious No-Space. Unable to escape via hyperspace, the heroes came under attack by the massive Killdroids. The inhabitants of No-Space staged a rescue but ordered the heroes to relinquish their weapons. After the mysterious captain revealed that none have escaped No-Space, their ship arrived at the Colony of Kezarat….
Writer: Charles Soule
Artist: Andrés Genolet
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Colorist: Rachelle Rosenberg
Cover artist: Stephen Segovia
Editor: Mark Paniccia
Publication date: February 15, 2023
We continue our time in the distinctly UK Star Wars Monthly, Alan Moore-style location of No-Space as our heroes, saved from a rampaging hoard of droids but forced to hand over their weapons, are faced with a tall, green-skinned Abyssin who’s lone eye bears down on them, telling them the slim odds of their survival should they attempt to escape. He makes a persuasive argument, and as he talkes the gang on a tour of what he refers to as their new home we learn that the fuel of the Kezarat convoy still exists, its usefulness stamped out by the Kezarat Convoys inability to escape No-Space centuries ago. Now the Kezarat Colony, their leader Captain Blythe is keen to keep them safe from attack, even to the point of hol;ding on to Luke’s lightsabre. He tells the tale of how the convoy arrived in No-Space and how they encountered the Nihil and their powerful Killdroids. He’s interupted by his son Forvan, who leads them to a mursal of a white-robed Jedi Knight, and Luke carefully explains that while the Jedi are powerful, there are limits to what they can achieve.
Lando asks of Chewie can see past records of escape attempts from No-Space, and Blythe agrees to allow it, in 6 months time. His intention is to separate them learn their skill sets and get them to work as part of the colony. Chewie is with Lobot, Lando with Holdo and Luke with Leia. Chewie drinks in silence while Holdo and Lando have a frosty exchange, Leia’s judgmental opinion of Lando fed to Holdo who opts to keep her distance, much to Lando’s dismay. Luke tells Leia of a vital Jedi book aboard Holdo’s ship the Skyfarer, one he believes he needs to become a Jedi and we watch as a Killdroid, who have bashed the ship to pieces, picks up the book and hurls it into the vacuum.
We cut back to Lando and Holdo, Calrissian emphasising just how much he’s trying to change his ways and Holdo advising he stop worrying about what others think and just go for it before the pair find a way to stave off boredom by kissing passionately, as Chewie spots something in the mural they were looking at earlier and we end with the Killdroids ripping up the floor of the Skyfarer to find what looks like a green glowing path engine.
Another enjoyable adventure as our characters cautiously play along with their situation, waiting for the right moment to make their move, a moment that’s yet to come. The Kezarat colony is fascinating, a relic of an accident that spawned a whole new way of life for the descendents of the convoy, and as our heroes ponder on their predicament we get to enjoy insight that only adds layers to the people they will become by the time of Return of the Jedi. Luke’s yellow-bladed lightsaber is lost, while Lando is well on the way towards becoming the heroic general of Episode VI, and with the artistic talent of Andrés Genolet providing the images, Charles Soule once again shows why he is the right writer for this assignment as he lays down words that truly feel like they’re coming from those iconic characters.
A great read, and with Jedi surely right around the corner, it will be fascinating to see where we go once we leave Endor behind and start the road towards the era of The Mandalorian.
