– Spoiler Review –
In the series’ penultimate issue, Star Wars #74 barrels towards an epic-sized ending, giving the characters we usually see as sidekicks and secondary characters the center stage.
Since Greg Pak took over the Star Wars series this year, there’s been a running thread in the “Rebels and Rogues” arc regarding characters we normally consider only sidekicks taking on the role of heroes, forced to make big decisions and share the spotlight with the usual Big Three of the Original Trilogy era. Threepio, a conduit and speaker for the Rock Elders of K43, arguing for their sentience due to his own, has been trying to push the difficult decision, between either killing the rock people to get to Vader and the Empire vs letting them live and hoping to destroy the Empire another day/way, on to his human masters/counterparts, who normally do the quick thinking and decision making in such situations. Time has run out though, as the humans aren’t getting to K43 fast enough, Vader is hot on their trail, and the timer for the remaining detonators is running down, but the rock people have a way to stop the bombs after Threepio is finally able to confess to placing them: generating a giant electromagnetic pulse across the planet, claiming it was how they fought back fleshy beings before! Now Threepio’s choice is personal, if they are to use their EMP, it’ll essentially “kill” him but it’ll save the ones who call him Cousin Ore and it’ll help his friends who are on their way. Faced with such a decision, Threepio barely hesitates, telling Brother Stone to do it. It’s a big moment for Goldenrod, as he stops relying on the humans to make the decisions and makes his own, and it’s a sacrificial one at that.
The EMP doesn’t take out Vader, only the bombs, but the Dark Lord’s struggle against the rock people has left him slightly damaged. As the dust settles after the EMP, Luke’s X-wing plummets from the sky, Artoo and his lightsaber out of commission for the time being. Vader sees this and marches forward, his own lightsaber still intact, ready to finally capture his valued prey, his son. But then Chewbacca smashes a giant rock on Vader’s helmet, forcing the two into a close quarters struggle as seen on the issue’s cover! Now it’s Chewie’s moment to make a sacrificial choice, deciding to take on a Sith Lord to protect his friend Luke, giving both of the sidekicks the issue’s, and arc’s so far, biggest moments. In a way, this calls back to issue #1 of the series, where the two previously attacked one another, as Chewie fired upon Vader, who used a stormtrooper to protect himself and then brought Chewie’s cover crumbling down around him; fitting to recall something from the start as the series nears the end of its first era.
Before Luke gets to K43, he and Warba have to escape some mounted stormtroopers, which they do with Luke’s continuously handy belt hook attachment. With his fellow rebels free from the Super Star Destroyer, hanging over K43 now, they take off and Luke says his goodbyes to Warba. She decides to admit she’s no teacher and was just repeating what she heard the Guardians of the Whills mumble, but Luke provides some wisdom of his own: she’s more than she realizes i.e. she was a teacher in her own way. Will Warba get involved with the events of the finale, having seen how willing Luke is to rush to save his friends even though he’s likely to die for it?
With Han, Leia, and Dar Champion on their way with a Star Destroyer in tow, Luke without his lightsaber, and Chewie locked in a deathmatch with Darth Vader, how will our heroes escape to live another day on Hoth? We won’t have to wait long…Star Wars #75, the finale for the first era of the series, is out next week!
I know the next artist for the series relaunch will likely be fantastic, but it’s been a true blessing to have Phil Noto for this final arc. There are some big, bombastic panels here to match the big decisions Chewie and Threepio make, like the rock people’s EMP power up or Chewie smashing a rock into Vader’s head, which might be one of the best visuals of 2019 in Star Wars comics; the moment feels so visceral and it elicited an “oh damn!” from me. Noto can also cast some fantastic close-ups, particularly in the final exchange (for now, maybe) between Luke and Warba, as he captures the essence of Luke/Mark Hamill in the role in such a way I’ve never really seen before. Heck, he even made Threepio’s consent to the EMP blast a bit emotional.
Here are a few other things:
- Can’t wait until November 20 for issue #75? The official site’s blog has a preview and it looks like the Chewie v Vader duel is a little short lived.
- And in December, Marvel’s first phase of Star Wars comics will come to a close in Empire Ascendant, which is what the Destination: Hoth header on the latest issues is all about.
- And on January 1, 2020, Charles Soule takes over with a relaunch of the Star Wars series, set after The Empire Strikes Back!
Star Wars #74 goes big and allows the sidekicks to be the main characters in spectacular fashion, setting up for what should be a memorable finale.
+ Threepio’s big sacrifice/finally making the call
+ Wookiee smash!
+ Art going big and capturing great little moments too
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website @MynockManor.
STAR WARS
Greg Pak — Rebels and Rogues: #68 | #69 | #70 | #71 | #72 | #73
Kieron Gillen — Kieron Gillen Retrospective (#38-67)
Jason Aaron — Jason Aaron Retrospective (#1-37)
CURRENT SERIES COMIC REVIEWS:
Doctor Aphra
Unspeakable Rebel Superweapon (#32-36) | A Rogue’s End (#37-40) | Annual: #2
Allegiance (miniseries)
Jedi: Fallen Order – Dark Temple (miniseries)
Return to Vader’s Castle (miniseries)