Star Wars (2020) #46
THE TRIAL OF LANDO CALRISSIAN, PART 3:
DELIBERATIONS
In order to help his friend Lobot, Lando was forced to make a deal with the Talky droid that helped them once before, as well as confess to his traitorous misdeeds in the past involving the droid and secrets that were sold to Jabba the Hutt.
As Lando stood trial for these crimes before a committee of top Rebellion leaders, a mysterious group captured Mon Mothma from her remote location!
But Lando recognized the kidnappers as Scarabi mercenaries he once worked with, passing that information on to Chewbacca and the rebels. Now they must find a way to rescue the kidnapped senator….
Writer: Charles Soule
Artist: Madibek Musabekov
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Colorist: Rachelle Rosenberg
Cover artist: Stephen Segovia
Editor: Mark Paniccia
Publication date: May 22 2024
Kidnapped and held by Scarabi mercenaries, Mon Mothma is in quite the bind. They want 200 million credits for her or they’ll hand her to the Empire, something that will end the Rebellion either by the information Mothma holds or the financial hit of paying for her freedom. What follows is a thought-provoking, insightful issue that evokes issue 86 of the classic Marvel run forty years ago when Leia sat with an Alderaanian Stormtrooper, and while this is far more embedded in its era with all happening around it than that standalone issue, it’s no less effective or affecting.
Scarabi merc Hachi sits opposite Mothma, making clear their respective positions and wanting to know why the leader of the Alliance does what she does. As Andor showed, Mon was an influential figure in the senate leading a life of privilege, and in an Empire that respects wealth above liberty Hachi wants to know – why? Mothma then goes on to explain the moment she decided to rebel, a moment that started with a piece of fruit.
We cut to the Alliance fleet and Chewbacca taking the information gave him by Lando in the last issue to the Alliance leaders and how they may be able to find Mothma. They have a thankfully narrow portion of the galaxy to search, and while General Madine confirms to Commander Dameron (in the local area and able to attempt a breakout) that should that effort fail they have permission to eliminate Mothma to save her knowledge falling into enemy hands, Chewie makes it clear he believes that Lando – the man who actually knows about the Scarabi – should be on the mission, something Madine grudgingly agrees to.
We take a sidestep, back in time to Chandrila as we see a 15-year-old Mothma take a bite out of a Watervine peach, a delicacy rarely tasted but highly valued by the young Mothma. That enjoyment wasn’t to last, as she tells of how years later when she was a senator an Imperial officer ordered that all of the peaches be given to his cronies. When the owner of the orchard refused, the entire area was scorched to ashes, and along with it the last of the Watervine. By his selfish actions, he denied not only Mothma but anyone else in the galaxy the pleasure of the Watervine peach. A seemingly innocuous action, but one that perfectly illustrated the reach and spite of the Empire. He made a decision for all others, with no thought or care of consequence.
We cut back to the present and Chewie, Kes Dameron, Lando and their team as they search for Mothma. Entering a cave they trigger a security alert and are suddenly attacked by a Droideka, and only the quick thinking of Lando (who is denied access to any weapons due to his ongfoing trial) gets them through, taking a scanner to check the cave for Mothma’s lifesigns and distracting the droid as they roll a grenade under its shields and destroy it. No sign of Mothma, but Calrissian earns another modicum of respect for his selfless action.
Back with Mothma and Hachi, and the senator uses her skills to get under the skin of her captor. She once again asks her name – which we know she knows – and starts to tell another story. She starts calling her Grent, then asks what she loves and as Mothma continues to speak we see Kes, Lando, Chewie and team hitting different locations trying to find her as she continues to strip away everything ‘Grent’ is, unnerving the woman who believes she has all the freedom and liberty she could want as Mothma explains in no uncertain terms that should the Empire will it, she doesn’t even have a name.
Thankfully, the rescue team arrive, but not before one of Hachi’s fellow mercs guns her down as she’s clearly about to have second thoughts, and hear the base come under attack and Mothma step back into her cell, hiding and picking up the discarded weapon of the unconscious Hachi as the door opens to reveal Lando. Still under suspicion for his actions, Chewie covers him with his bowcaster as he explains himself to Mothma, whittling down the situation to its basics – he can only fall on her mercy and hope his actions show that he does want to be a Rebel and join the cause. He thanks Chewie for allowing him to speak as we return to the fleet for the final scene and Mothma sitting down after her ordeal to continue the trial of Calrissian.
Wow, what an issue. Artist Madibek Musabekov really nails it, delivering one of my favourite ever panels that reeks of Al Williamson, lavishly coloured by Rachelle Rosenberg. The current squad of writers have really spoiled us, consistently giving us action-packed, snappy, tight and integrated storytelling, but even given that high watermark there are few issues that hit home like this Charles Soule tale. The ‘device’ of the fruit, its destruction a parallel to the choices trillions across the galaxy are denied day by day in an Empire that doesn’t even see them as people but as figures on a chart is vivid. Reading, you can practically taste that fruit, and even if Mothma being a master orator and making the story of the peach up in the moment to deliver her message rather than a direct retelling of her origins as a rebel, it really doesn’t matter. Now, to conceptualise the tyranny of the Empire and the damage they’ve done to the fabric of galactic society, all you need do is think of that peach.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Soule, Charles (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 23 Pages - 06/05/2024 (Publication Date) - Marvel (Publisher)
