– Spoiler Review –
After the spellbinding two-parter of Luke Skywalker and the Red Kyber Crystal, Star Wars #44 (Vol. 2) picks up the big lingering thread from the ending of the Dark Droids saga: Lando Calrissian’s trial!
My biggest question going into the “Trial of Lando Calrissian” storyline is why it’s been deemed necessary by the Rebellion, but also why Lando is going along with it. The answer is a satisfying one, at least for me, as it all hinges on the excellent examination of Lando writer Charles Soule has brought to his run on this series so far and taking it to the logical next step after a confession like the one he gave in Star Wars #41 (Vol. 2). Lando has debts big and small, far and wide, accumulating behind him, but none has hung larger over his head than Lobot’s, who gave his sanity away to his implants to save Lando’s life. This was first written by Soule in 2015, which made my Top Unforgettable Moment in Comics from 2015-2019, and after resolving the debt recently, when Lando confessed so the Talky droid would help Lobot, we now get the fallout, which is far more entertaining and worth the multi-year planning. Lobot’s able to ask Lando himself now, voice restored via a box around his midsection, why Lando did this, confessed, to help save him. Lando’s reasoning is sound, as he’s finally squaring up his debt to Lobot, but Lobot’s response is both surprising and realistic: Lando, once again, not thinking about the consequences. It sounds good on paper what Lando did, but this choice, like all of his, doesn’t just affect Lando, it comes for Lobot too, as now he’s the best friend of the Rebellion’s greatest traitor. I believe Lando has a point, Lobot’s done so much for the Rebellion and they know it’s not been him, but it still doesn’t look good and they are, as always, both in the middle of it again. While captive to the implants, Lobot says he could still feel, he only was unable to express himself, so it wasn’t the worst situation he could’ve been in and it almost sounds like he’d rather be dealing with those again then this new prison, so to speak. It’s great to see this fix isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be and this long-running thread of Lando and Lobot didn’t just get an easy resolution, which feels far more fitting than if it had. I also enjoy how Lando sees this trial as a way to not only face up the crimes he confessed to, but all the stuff he’s done in the past as well, cleaning his slate as it were. Considering he goes on to be a General in the Rebellion after this…I wonder how he’ll feel about how clean is slate is considering how things are already going in the trial this issue.
Before we dive into the trial, I want to address the Rebellion leadership discussion about Lando and the eventual idea of the trial. If it was up to General Madine and Admiral Ackbar, military men with military minded ideals and codes, Lando would be floating out of an airlock already, but Leia Organa and Mon Mothma urge against such a drastic action, seeing the bigger picture. On one hand, they can’t let Lando’s actions go, regardless of how poplar Lando is with the people thanks to stuff like his big antics on Coruscant, because once they win the war, people will want to know they are different than the Empire and can govern not only themselves, but the galaxy as well. Finding out they led a fair and legal trial for Lando Calrissian would definitely be a great barometer for the galaxy, as we’ve seen how the Empire, particularly Darth Vader, treats its subordinates, while even if Lando would’ve been killed, at least they did it the fair way. On the other hand, because he’s so popular, just throwing him out the airlock would hit morale for the Rebellion at the worst of times, as they are closer and closer to the biggest battle of the war, so having a trial will prove to the people the punishment fits the crime. I had my concerns going into this arc about the why behind anyone wanting to have this trial, but between the conversations with Rebellion leadership and Lando/Lobot’s, this all feels logical and has me happy we’re doing this.
Privately held and kept secret for now, the trial begins with Mon Mothma, Madine, and Ackbar as judges, though Mothma has to remote in as she’s on a mission gathering more support, one originally meant for her and Lando to be doing together. Arguing for the Rebellion’s side is their very own legal representative, Captain Darrien Muskray, and on Lando’s is Salli Georgio, advocate-at-large! This might be the first time some readers have met her, but she was originally introduced in Soule’s short story for Revelations (2023) #1, where we saw her use the same argument she uses here, unsuccessfully, that maybe Lando was Jedi Mind Trick-ed into doing all these things (which Luke funnily takes offense to, cutting off the possibility of the argument). It’s laughable because of her previous usage of it, but also because the Rebellion opens their side with the Talky droid, who has literal recordings of things Lando’s said that heavily implicate him even beyond his confession, making him sound even more guilty. Of course Lando is pissed about Salli’s methods so far, stalling a few times first to let her droid plug in to record everything and then to say she somehow doesn’t know the widespread trials rules they are abiding by, and he’s the most angry at her mind trick defense, but she’s confident in her strategy: make them not care he’s guilty. It’s an intriguing and smart way to go, and it obviously must work given, as we know and I’ve stated already, he becomes a General despite this. But how? Well, Salli wants to slow things down and figure out how best to implement her strategy, and suddenly the perfect opportunity presents itself…but is she behind it or is it just the will of the Force?
Remember how I said Mon Mothma’s away on a mission, remoting in via hologram? While the trial begins, the issue shifts back and forth between it and a group of new characters in what feels so completely unconnected, and almost not like Star Wars but rather something like from Saga, that I was almost concerned there was an error with my copy of the issue. But this group of characters, wearing suits with wings that make them look like large bats, make a daring run on a protected building, breaking in and…kidnapping Mon Mothma! The absolute shock on everyone’s faces in the room is played up well by the art team, while the only one smiling is Salli, saying that’s exactly what they needed. Like I asked before, did she plan this?! Or is it just the Force working in mysterious ways?! And if she didn’t, what do these people want Mon for anyways? Consider me eager to find out more!
Colorist Rachelle Rosenberg and letterer Clayton Cowles remain on the series for the art team, but they are rejoined by Madibek Musabekov, who’s overseen a large swath of the series so far and it’s good to have him back. I appreciate the difference in tone he brings to Lando’s contemplative face compared to his earlier, more rapscallion take on the character in the past, as he seems rather peaceful despite the situation, sprawled out on his little bed, scruffy beard, arms behind his head, he almost looks proud of himself, of finally helping his friend. It’s great work that only gets better when Lobot calls him selfish, as the calm, proud demeanor flees and shock arrives on his face instead, Lando turning away from his friend to hide the disappointment and acknowledgment of Lobot’s point regarding where this all leaves him. In the scene where the Rebellion leadership debates what to do, I couldn’t help but notice how often Mon Mothma’s hologram was always in the center and she was always being projected above everyone else, and while that’s the nature of the room they are in, it’s definitely on purpose, to remind us ahead of her being kidnapped about her importance and how, even these big leaders, look up to her and her guidance, her wisdom. Cowles doubles down on this with the dialogue bubble placements, as they are never placed higher than wherever Mon is in a panel and only in one case is her dialogue placed below someone else’s, while Leia’s is at least at the same level as hers at one point, mainly once her and Mon’s idea for a trial becomes the de facto choice for what’s next over Ackbar/Madine’s ideas. Rosenberg gives the meeting a green, dark color, an ominous tone as they discuss the future of the Rebellion, their methods, and outright killing someone, which is fitting given the level of their choices, while it’s very bright in the room with Lando and Lobot, as if it’s setting the tone of how less seriously, or lighter their conversation is, given Lando’s secretly happy with himself about his good deeds, thinking this all could square up him and his conscious. The opening page with the kidnappers is disorientating, in a good way, as it truly is so different it almost seems like there’s no way it’s connected to anything else going on. The first panel is a bright, shining sun blaring in the middle, which like I said is disorientating, distant rock structures are what the sun’s peering out through as it goes down, lines connecting the stones in the distance to the ones the kidnappers are standing on, strange globes hanging down from them; it’s beautiful, if odd, this planet Uveron! As I said, the group of kidnappers gives me Saga-vibes, the slick white suits and big capes that turn into wings to fly with feel even more fantasy than usual for Star Wars, but I quite like it!
Here are a few other things:
- I must say, I’m REALLY looking forward to when those little cords are removed from Lobot’s implants, I’ve been curious why they haven’t been and their continued existence sort of combats his serious tone here, and it only compounds for me the longer they are there, dangling. They worked fantastically when Lobot was Scourged, adding a ton to the creepy look on his face, but now they just seem…unnecessary. Personal thing, mind you, and doesn’t make or break the comic at all!
- We learned last month, when May solicitations were released, that Mon Mothma was kidnapped, but I wasn’t expecting it to happen already!
- March brings with it Women’s History Month variant covers and, fittingly enough, this issue has Mon Mothma in her Andor look, by Jan Duursema, as seen above!
Star Wars #44 (Vol. 2) answers some questions I had about the incoming story arc and then leaves us eager for what’s next!
+ Pre-trial opening statements make it feel like a good storyline to follow
+ Lando’s actions and fixes aren’t just magically making it all better
+ Love the reminders of Mon’s importance, and the very out there kidnapper section, from the art team
– Can we remove Lobot’s hanging wires, please?
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website on Twitter @MynockManor and Instagram @mynockmanor.
STAR WARS (Vol. 2)
The Destiny Path: #1-6 — Operation Starlight: #7-11 — War of the Bounty Hunters: #12-18 — Crimson Reign: #19-24 — Special Issue: #25 — The Path to Victory: #26-30 — Quests of the Force: #31 | #32 | #33 | #34 | #35 | #36 — Dark Droids: #37 | #38 | #39 | #40 | #41 — #42 | #43