Star Wars (2020) #32
A LITTLE BROKEN
The hunt for the legendary Kezarat Convoy has stranded the heroes of the Rebel Alliance within the mysterious No-Space. The inhabitants of No-Space rescued the heroes from rampaging droids but informed them that they must assimilate into the Colony of Kezarat.
Captain Blythe, leader of the convoy, recounted the colonists’ struggle against the savage Nihil raiders. He then informed the heroes of the futility of escape: While the Nihil could leave No-Space, no others had in centuries. Blythe separated the heroes to integrate them within the colony, but their concerns lay elsewhere.
Luke Skywalker must recover a sacred Jedi text he left aboard their ship. Meanwhile, Chewbacca devotes his engineering mind to escaping….
Writer: Charles Soule
Artist: Madibek Musabekov
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Colorist: Rachelle Rosenberg
Cover artist: Stephen Segovia
Editor: Mark Paniccia
Publication date: March 1, 2023
We leap straight into the issue as we join a roaring Chewbacca, behind bars with Lobot as his prison guards try their best to understand his language. They have no luck, and opt instead to take Chewie to Lando, the one member of the group they know understands Shyriiwook. Calrissian thinks Chewie is there to break them out, and despite the wookiee being surprised at Amilyn Holdo being in Lando’s room, he lets them know he believes he has figured a way to escape. They are taken to Captain Blythe, who quickly shuts them down, explaining that all new arrivals believe there’s a way out, and not even giving them time to explain. Lando impresses upon the captain Chewie’s impressive technical and mechanical aptitude, and Blythe agrees to give them 2 minutes to explain. Chewie has noticed that the mural had green marks, which he believs were the Nihils special engines. Blythe is aware of them – Path engines – but they don’t have one. Lando smiles as he reveals that they do.
With Blythe agreeable to at least trying, they make plans to return to their ship and retrieve the Path Engine using an old vessel. With Chewie leading the repair, Blythe talks to Leia, identifying her as their leader and asking what the galaxy is like ‘out there’. With no new visitors for 35 years, he has no idea of the state of the galaxy, and Leia informs him of the change from Republic to Empire and the tyrannical reign of Palpatine. Blythe’s body language suggests he feels the weight of the situation as Lando and Holdo start up the repaired ship and Blythe explains that Leia will remain behind as they test the ship.
With everything they needs and an evac suit for Luke to approach the Killdroids, he draws most of them away as Lando and Holdo swoop in, blasting at the droids as Chewie leaps in to grab the path engine while Luke uses the Force to hurl Killdroids out into No Space. With Chewie taking the engine back to his friends, Luke continues to retrieve the Jedi book, despite his lightsaber being ineffective against their armour, and dives in as they attack. He sees the book, and as he’s about to reach for it a huge metallic hands grips his and lifts him off his feet as the issue ends.
Another fascinating issue, as our heroes finally have a chance to effect an escape of their own while getting back everything they’ve lost, and while this feels more connected to the High Republic era than the pivotal 12 months between Episodes 5 and 6, it’s a easy on the eye, well judged in tone and characterisation and most importantly interesting enough to make reading the next issue a must rather than a want, and if a comic can do that then it’s doing something right.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Soule, Charles (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 22 Pages - 04/05/2023 (Publication Date) - Marvel (Publisher)
