Star Wars #12 Review

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A showdown on the Smuggler’s Moon wraps up the second arc of Marvel’s flagship Star Wars book.

Warning: this article contains spoilers for issue 12 of Star Wars.

Star Wars #12

Writer: Jason Aaron | Artist: Stuart Immonen | Inker: Wade Von Grawbadger | Colorist: Justin Ponsor | Cover Artists: Immonen, Von Grawbadger, Ponsor

This is where the gang gets back together–after arriving on the Smuggler’s Moon just in time to save Chewbacca from Dengar the bounty hunter. Once Dengar is out of the picture, Han, Leia, Chewbacca, C-3PO and Sana turn their attention towards rescuing Luke from the arena of Grakkus the Hutt. Through some Imperial intervention, some Hutt ingenuity, and the quick thinking of R2-D2, Luke manages to escape the clutches of the vile gangster with his friends, which brings us to the conclusion of this arc of Star Wars. This series featured intriguing new characters, classic Star Wars action, and character growth for the series protagonist, making it an excellent story arc.

Through one of the new characters, the 501st makes an appearance in this book. As most Star Wars fans know, the 501^st is Darth Vader’s personal legion of stormtroopers. The name is also used by the world’s largest costuming organization, which is where it has achieved even more well-deserved fame. It turns out that Grakkus’ Gamemaster was a stormtrooper all along. He reveals to Luke that he is a member of Vader’s Fist, which is another name for the 501st. His true name is Sergeant Kreel. Kreel’s final appearance in this book sees him reporting in to his superior about Grakkus’s treasure trove and the young Jedi that had eluded capture. Kreel is an intriguing character. He was capable in the use of a lightsaber, and how he managed to acquire that expertise was not disclosed. He did well posing as a slave, and proved to be a capable operative. The Rebellion does not know his name or his identity. The reader never really got a good look at his face either. It is easy to envision him returning to the pages of the comics or expanded saga at some point. In many ways, he enjoys the same mystery as Boba Fett did, but he talks more. Although not as fleshed out or quite as interesting as the likes of Dr. Aphra, Shara Bey, and Evaan, Kreel joins the pantheon of interesting new characters that emerged with the new “canon” (I still don’t like that term).

Grakkus has received some scorn from various corners of the fan community. For a Hutt, he sure did have a nice set of abs. Grakkus confirms he isn’t the average Hutt though. When cornered by the forces of the Empire, he triggers an EMP that shorts out the weapons of the TIE fighter pilots that have arrived. Hutts do love their traps. Jabba had his rancor pit; Grakkus had his EMP arena. The pilots’ arrogance leads them to declare they don’t need their weapons. Grakkus proves them wrong by flinging them around with ease. He gets his clutches on Kreel, but some quick thinking by the Imperial agent allows him to make a weapon out of Grakkus’s unique necklace and get the drop on the Hutt. Much like Jabba later, Grakkus’s symbols of opulence and oppression prove to be his undoing. However, unlike Jabba, whose sins are far more disgusting, Grakkus survives.

As with Kreel, Grakkus was another intriguing character. Some of the criticism directed towards him is a bit unfair. If your criticism is that he was unlikeable character because you didn’t like the way he was drawn, his attitude, or his criminal activities, then those are all valid opinions. However, if the criticism is that he is different for a Hutt, and therefore, a bad character, then perhaps you should reevaluate your opinion. Many of the best characters are those that challenge your expectations. With the likes of Jabba and Ziro already existing in the galaxy far, far away, is another slovenly, bloated Hutt that relies on the muscle of others to carry out his bidding what is needed in Star Wars? Or, is the story better served by having a unique character that challenges expectations and adds more variety to a diverse galaxy?

The reunion scene between Han Solo and Luke Skywalker in the arena was very reminiscent of the dialogue you would expect between the two from the movies. In fact, it almost felt like an outtake from their reunion in Jabba’s palace in Return of the Jedi. It is a credit to Jason Aaron’s writing that he captures the essence of the saga characters without simply regurgitating their classic lines from the movies. In addition, it adds even more depth to Han and Luke’s exchange there. How we doing? Same as always. That bad, huh? Here they are surrounded by the Empire, an escaped monster, and a raging hulk of a Hutt. Circumstances were bad indeed.

The mystery of Sana Solo’s alleged marriage to Han Solo was finally resolved. The answer is pretty much what most readers had been predicting. Without spoiling it here, a cornered Sana reveals the truth to Leia. That truth is in fact one of the theories many readers had been guessing, and builds on what Han was trying to tell Leia in the previous issue. However, there are issues left open with Han and Sana that may need a resolution in future story arcs.

The resolution of this story had to be bittersweet for Luke. Many issues ago, he travelled to Nar Shadda to find passage to Coruscant in order to visit the old Jedi Temple. Instead, he was captured by Grakkus and made to fight in the arena. Without intervention, he most likely would not have been victorious, but he did find some confidence along the way. However, he was exposed to a treasure trove of Jedi artifacts that held most, if not all, the answers he could have wanted on the ways of the Jedi. He desperately wanted to claim those artifacts once his friends arrived, but Han had the good sense to make Chewbacca force Luke to flee. So close, and yet, so far. On the plus side, Artoo did manage to retrieve Kenobi’s journal. The final panel of the issue shows Luke contemplating his adventure, and perhaps sulking a bit that Grakkus’s treasure trove was out of reach and in the clutches of the Empire.

This story arc was an excellent Star Wars adventure. The story of Sana and Han’s marriage dragged on a bit, but it will likely not seem so drawn out when this story is collected as a graphic novel. The classic characters got to shine in this adventure and the story was not dependent on the classic villains. Luke and the Rebellion’s adventure now shifts to Vader Down, the cross-over story with Darth Vader.

Favorite Panel:

Earlier, I mentioned that some of Luke’s success and escape was due to the quick thinking of R2-D2. Indeed. After the EMP had rendered blasters helpless, the astromech was able to arm, Han, Leia, and Chewbacca with lightsabers from Grakkus’s collection. I simply loved the scene with the trio posing with their new weapons.