Star Wars #1 Recap With Spoilers

Warning: Do not read this recap if you have not picked up Star Wars #1 yet. Events in the issue are explicitly detailed below, and not even the Force can save you from spoilers. 

Star Wars #1 opens up just like any fan would want it to, with the words “A long time ago, in a Galaxy Far, Far Away” stretched across a page. Then, boom: The series’ iconic logo blasts across a double page spread. The following recap page then imports the vertically ascending intro text that no Star Wars installment would dare be caught without. As the series opens, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Han Solo have just defeated the Empire’s Death Star, dealing a crippling blow to Darth Vader and The Emperor’s galactic tyranny. With their critical blow dealt, the Rebel Forces launch their next move in dismantling the Empire.

The story opens appropriately with a shot of a Tattooine shuttle landing on the Empire-controlled Corellian Industrial Cluster. The ship is greeted by a welcoming committee of Overseer Agadeen and a fleet of Storm Troopers. Agadeen does not trust the shuttle, calling its inhabitants “Outer rim scum.” The troopers have instructions to shoot and kill the Tattooine scrap collectors should they attempt any foul play.

When the shuttle’s door opens, Han Solo, two masked guards, and R2-D2 emerge. Agadeen and the Troopers do no recognize Han as a player in the Rebellion. Identifying him only as a ” small-time smuggler and galactic pirate,” they allow him off board. The Empire is under the impression that Han has collected some valuable parts and materials to sell to the Empire. Little do they know that high above, in one of the Cluster’s towers, Chewbacca watches them all with w sniper rifle. It’s always good to have an ace—orin this case a Wookie-in the hole. Agadeen makes it clear that when the Empire’s official negotiator arrives at the Cluster, Han will take his offer without debate and leave immediately.

It’s then that Han reveals his hand, and says that he isn’t there to negoitate. On cue, RD-D2 coats the Storm Troopers in a conductive liquid and then electrocutes them with his taser. Way to get it done, R2. Suddenly, Han’s two “bodyguards” knock the remaining Storm Troopers out, revealing themselves as Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia. Man, those guys have disguising down pat. Han makes Agadeen tell him where the Industrial Cluster’s main power core, which, after a little coaxing from R2’s taser, Agadeen supplies. The trio’s plan is to destroy the main power core, which will cripple the Empire’s production of weapons and vehicles.

Meanwhile, C3-PO watches over the Millenium Falcon at a nearby refuse field, communicating with the rest of the team over radio. Han gives him instructions to be ready to pick them up once they’ve blown the core. C3-PO wishes that the Force remains with them all.

As Han rigs the core to destruct, Luke keeps an eye out for Storm Troopers. But his budding Jedi senses catch someone’s cries for help. Luke follows the voice into another part of the core’s facility, where he discovers several innocents help captive in a cage as slaves for the Industrial Cluster. Luke prepares to rescue them, but is stopped by a guard. The guard warns Luke; should he reach for his blaster, he’ll lash him with his laser-whip. No problem for Luke. Technically obeying the guard, he brandishes his lightsaber instead and lops the guard’s hand off. Foreshadowing, much? With the guard down, Luke rescue the slaves.

As Luke gathers the captives, Han and Leia work on the core. Leia thanks Han for continuing to help with the Rebel resistance, but asks him why he continue to aide their effort. She asks him what he really wants. Han tries to find an appropriate answer without revealing his feelings for Leia, but Luke cuts him off with his envoy of freed prisoners.

Just as things are beginning to look peachy for the rebels, the Negotiator arrives. And when the Storm Troopers say “Negotiator,” they really mean Darth Vader, lord of the Sith. As Vader walks from his ship to the center’s interior, he’s exposed to Chewbacca and his sniper rifle. Leia orders Chewie to take the shot, but when he does, Vader easily detects it through the force and blocks the bullet with his lightsaber. It’s game on now, as Chewie fires round after round at Vader. But Vader, being the villain that he his, uses the Force to grab every nearby Storm Trooper and place them in front of him as human shields. It seems likely that that was never put into the official job description. Vader then turns his sites on Chewbacca, using the Force to send his outpost crumbling to the ground. Cherie flees, but Vader orders more Storm Troopers after him.

Vader senses Luke’s presence on the planet, even if he isn’t yet aware that the presence is his son. He still only knows him as the Rebel who destroyed the Death Star. Vader vows that the Rebel won’t escape again, and goes after him.

Looking for a quick exit out an increasingly sticky situation, Han orders C3-PO to pick them up. There’s just one problem: The Falcon is currently being dismantled from the outside by native scavengers. You had one job, C3-PO…But with the Falcon temporarily benched, Han finds a much more creative means of escape: With the fleet of Imperial Walkers that they just stumbled upon. Just before they board, Leia notices that Luke is missing.

It seems that just as Vader is drawn to Luke’s presence, Luke is drawn to Vader’s. Seeking Vader out, Luke tells Obi-Wan (via the Force) that he’s found Obi Wan’s and Luke’s father’s killer. Obi-Wan essentially tells him that he has it backwards, and needs to run immediately. It’s not Luke who’s found Vader, but Vader who’s found Luke. As the unknowing father and son face each other, lightsabers drawn, the issue comes to a close. How will Luke get out of this one, while still keeping the original trilogy’s continuity in check? It’s going to be a long 30 days.