Star Wars #68-75: Rebels and Rogues

REBELS AND ROGUES

Written by Greg Pak
Pencils by Phil Noto
Published July-November 2019

So look, all of you will do this. We'll be back here doing NOTHING!

   Somewhere in the Outer Rim, General Rieekan plans the rebels next big mission.  Luke Skywalker will use his stellar piloting skills to lure some imperials from the Inner Rim. Han Solo and Princess Leia will send some misleading messages from Boss Carpo’s planet to throw off the Empire, and Chewbacca and CP30 will try to lure imperial soldiers to a planet called K-43 and blow it up.

Don't worry. It's all going to go according to plan.

  They all begin their respective missions but of course there’s trouble from the jump. Chewie and Threepio find some rock-like creatures on K-43 making blowing it up in question. Han and Leia discover Dar Champion, the advocate champion of Lanz Carpo and Leia’s former boyfriend, and Luke's diversion leads him right into a fellow force hucking drifter named Warba.

There goes young Luke - falling for anything.

   On K-43, Chewie and 3P0 flee but are later compelled to return to remove the detonators. Unfortunately the Empire has now taken some interest in the planet. With some quick thinking, the droid manages to make allies of the rock folk - and they're going to need it. Darth Vader himself decides that the rock people will help him in putting an end to the rebellion.

"Wait, I made this droid.." - Darth Vader, 3653 BBY

   On Sergia, Warba tells Luke she's skilled in the Jedi arts - though she uses them for the wrong purposes. Still she agrees to help him infiltrate the imperial camps but continues to be interested in basically just stealing his lightsaber. Instead, they end up stealing a huge chunk of imperial payroll credits and Luke learns yet another lesson in trust.

Oh Warba. You!!

   Meanwhile Han and Leia fall into Dar's trap. Trying to talk him into allowing them to send the messages, Han ends up kidnapped by Boss Carpo and then used as a bartering chip to force Leia, Dar and Han to kill an Imperial governor. They agree to do so but are soon informed by 3P0 that Vader is with them on the rock planet. And speaking of, his efforts to completely take charge of the rock people aren't going to plan. He ends up engaged in a fight with Chewbacca.

The fight we never got to see in the movies.

   Back on Sergia, Warba continues to try and steal Luke's sword but in the end he convinces her to help him. They hijack a speeder and take out an imperial ship.. and it's all in time for one big showdown on K-43. Han, Leia and Dar arrive on the planet just as Luke does. With all of them fighting Darth Vader together, he fights back but is eventually able to retreat. With the planet about to explode, the rock people return the Millennium Falcon while Luke returns to his X-Wing, but is met by Vader for one last showdown.

"Wait - fighting a Jedi in pools of lava. Something about this seems like a bad idea..." - Darth Vader, 3653 BBY

   Luckily, the explosion sends everyone scattering from the planet's surface. Vader is saved by his crew and they jump to light speed. Warba returns to the fight to save Luke one more time, and the crew is all back together again. Because sometimes what else do you ever have or need - when you have friends.

The gang's all here!

   And so, with that, Greg Pak's run on Star Wars comes to an end. But really, it comes at a good time. We get Charles Soule back to bring us his masterful Star Wars stories like he has in the past, and get to lend Greg to other tales to tell in the Marvel universe. The only thing I hope for in the future? Is there anyway we can tell a good jedi story without it having to be 8 or 9 parts? You want to talk about a tough story to write a summary for? But in the end, I guess it was worth it. I give this one an 8/10.

If you like this review, check out my video of it HERE.

You can also buy my physical copy of this book below:
Star Wars #68 (SOLD)
Star Wars #69 (SOLD)
Star Wars #70
Star Wars #71
Star Wars #72 (SOLD)
Star Wars #73 (SOLD)
Star Wars #74 (SOLD)
Star Wars #75 (SOLD)

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