Written by Charles Soule
Art by Ramon Rosanas
Published by Marvel Comics
The Rebel Alliance has been on the ropes ever since they evacuated Hoth.
As the story gets closer to the events of Return of the Jedi, Leia is starting to lose hope. She cannot locate the rest of the Rebel fleet while worried about Han still trapped in carbonite.
Meanwhile, Kes Dameron is concerned about Starlight Squadron’s fate, led by his wife, Shara.
Charles Soule presents a more grounded and heartfelt Star Wars story than we’re used to getting.
Leia and Kes are stressed out to the max and take a break from the action. They end up in each other’s company and share stories about the loved ones on their mind.
Throughout Kes and Leia’s trip down memory lane, Soule serves a dual purpose. The stories are cathartic for the characters while serving as a reminder to the reader of what their fighting for.
Plus, it was a nice way of getting Han Solo into the book in a tangible way.
Kes reminisces about the first time he met Shara, which is on a casino planet much like Canto Bight, but totally not because why would anyone use that name. The things we learn about Shara essentially reveal Poe Dameron is his mother’s son.
Leia remembers the first days on Hoth and how everyone’s favorite smuggler hates the cold. Han hates the cold so much that it explains his grumpy demeanor at the beginning of Episode V.
Ramon Rosanas‘ artwork is serviceable on the ship and during Kes’ story. During Leia’s story, however, it improves with more visual expression of the environment and Han’s disdain for frigid temperatures. The color pallet of Rachelle Rosenberg is more vibrant with the ice blue and white landscapes of Hoth than the multi-colored casino planet.
The book ends with a nice payoff for one of the characters.
It was inevitable, but a welcomed turn of events that will get the Rebels back into the fight.
If someone told me what this issue was about before reading it, I would have left it on the shelf. It’s a filler issue with little action and doesn’t advance the story arc until the final pages. Charles Soule produced a decent read that amounts to a zero-sum. You can skip this one and not miss a thing.
Rating: C
