The Rebellion Discovers The Second Death Star In 'Star Wars' #28
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There is never a shortage of superweapons in Star Wars. Since the release of Return of the Jedi in 1983, fans have wondered about the origins of the second Death Star. Introduced abruptly in the opening crawl of said film, the battle station served as the focal point for the movie and, like the original Death Star, a ticking clock for the Rebel Alliance to race against. While the final installment of the original trilogy was well received at the time, many critics and audiences felt that the second Death Star was underdeveloped and a blatant attempt to recreate the magic of the original Star Wars. In the decades since, we have seen numerous theories pop up in the fandom in regard to how the battle station came to be and how the Rebellion discovered its existence.
This story was eventually told in the Legends continuity. Shadows of the Empire was a multimedia project which filled the gap between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi via a novel, a comic series, and a video game. In said story, we see how a race of aliens known as the Bothans informed the rebels of the second Death Star, the shield generator, and the fact that the Emperor himself would be on the station. Recently, the canon Star Wars comics have been giving us another story set between the films. It is one involving Qi’ra and the return of Crimson Dawn. This brings us to acclaimed Star Wars author Charles Soule, who has been weaving a thrilling, interconnected narrative alongside fellow comic writers Greg Pak, Ethan Sacks, and Alyssa Wong. Among the current wave of comics is the mainline Star Wars series.
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Written by Soule himself, Star Wars (2020) has been fleshing out the yearlong gap between films, focusing on the adventures of Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Chewbacca, and Lando Calrissian. So far, the classic original trilogy characters have had to deal with things like the Force, Jedi training, leading the Rebel Alliance, dealing with past mistakes, and preparing for the eventual rescue of Han Solo. The current arc of the comic has honed in on a significant storyline that fans have been waiting for Star Wars canon to finally tackle: the discovery of the second Death Star.
Beginning with Star Wars 26, the story kicked off with the Meltons, a family of Imperial defectors consisting of father Jon, mother Bevelyn, and children Reen and Zelly. Having become disillusioned with the Galactic Empire, Jon and Bevelyn had decided to join Qi’ra and Crimson Dawn and act as double agents for the crime syndicate. As part of her plan to destroy the Emperor, Qi’ra was informed by Jon and Bevelyn of the second Death Star, which they had been working on under the command of Moff Jerjerrod. When Qi’ra instructed them to also pass on the information to the Rebel Alliance, the Meltons made a daring escape from the battle station alongside their children. When they were discovered, the Meltons used a stolen Imperial shuttle to evade capture and escaped into hyperspace before they ended up crashing on Coruscant. They also managed to send out a distress call to the Rebel Alliance, begging them for help in exchange for the information they possessed. While the Rebel leaders were skeptical of the message, Luke ultimately decided to go and rescue the family since the Force had told him that they were important. Aware of Coruscant’s security, Luke donned a stolen Imperial uniform before arriving at Imperial Center and heading into the planet’s underworld.
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As Luke searched for them, the Meltons found themselves surrounded by criminals, monsters, and Coruscant’s corrupt police. After barely escaping a creature known as a corridor ghoul, the Meltons ran into a tunnel and were met by Luke. Believing him to be Imperial, Bevelyn fired at Luke, though Luke effortlessly dodged the blast and explained that he had come to rescue them. The five of them were then met by more corrupt police, who asked for Luke’s authorization. Understanding the odds and the risk posed to the family, Luke used the Force to summon a pack of corridor ghouls, which proceeded to overwhelm their pursuers and give Luke and the Meltons a chance to escape. Once the Meltons were brought to the Rebel Alliance, they gave Luke the information they had promised the Rebels. Luke then met with Mon Mothma, Hera Syndulla, and Admiral Gial Ackbar to relay what the Meltons had told him: the Empire was constructing another Death Star. This revelation stunned the three Rebel leaders into a long, shocked silence until Mon Mothma calmed herself and stated that if they blew up one Death Star, they could blow up another.
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Star Wars 26, 27, and 28 are a solid trilogy of issues. With an entertaining story, an endearing new set of characters, and a strong tie-in to Return of the Jedi, this arc fills in the gap of the second Death Star’s discovery in a satisfying way. I also love seeing Luke go on a one-off rescue mission that just happens to reshape the course of the galaxy. His decision to rescue the family of Imperial defectors speaks to Luke’s willingness to help others and believe in the good in them. Plus as one of the Rebels points out to him, he does look good in black. Overall, it is a fun story that sets the stage for possibly the final arc that this comic has been leading to since the first issue: the prelude to the Battle of Endor.
Rating: 8/10
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