Published: October 18, 2017
Rating: Rated T+
Writer: Kelly Thompson
Penciler: Marco Checchetto
Cover Artist: Paul Renaud
Phasma and Pilot are in disguise! After tracking down a First Order officer to a mysterious planet, Captain Phasma finds herself leading a new army against a new threat. Find out how the biggest and baddest officer of the Galactic First Order makes her way across the galaxy before she reunites with her team in THE LAST JEDI.
The Story:
The Planet Luprora.
Phasma leaps from the fortress wall down to in the area below.
She lands in the middle of the R’ora that are rallying to defend their island from the invasion led by Phasma. On the attack immediately swinging the butt of her rifle and blasting at her attackers, the melee is joined by TN. The number of the opposition is too large, they are being overwhelmed, but they delay their retreat. Then over the wall pour the Lupr’or to join the battle.
The second wave of invaders distracts the R’ora’s attention from Phasma and TN and they use this as cover slip away to resume their hunt for Rivas. TN cannot comprehend that Phasma now does not care about the villagers. The plan all along was to use them to get to Rivas and nothing more.
In the fortress Rivas is on his knees bound and chained. He has been beaten and his wounds show that it has been brutal. He is pleased and surprised to see Phasma standing over him. He thinks she is there to release him, but quickly he realises that Phasma knows that he knows she has done. Pointing her rifle at his head she tries to persuade him to confess that he shut down the shields on Starkiller base, but he won’t. He says he will never tell anyone, but she wants him to confess.
TN is unseen by Phasma and has heard everything, she looks on in shock as Phasma pulls the trigger of her rifle and a burst of laser fire ends Rivas.
Phasma leaves and TN goes in to the cell where Rivas had been held. She sits there next to Rivas’ dead body, she now knows Phasma’s secret. She must stay focused and act as though nothing has happened.
TN returns to where Phasma had told her stay. Phasma is stood waiting for her and questions where she has been. TN tells Phasma that she had to defend herself against the advancing R’ora. She asks Phasma if it is done; yes the traitor has been dealt with. They now need to return to their ship and leave this planet. TN asks why they are leaving the Lupr’or to battle alone. Phasma tells her the Lupr’or are the colonists trying to take the planet from the indigenous population and in turn the planet is rejecting them. It is the evolution of the planet, the event of which they have only accelerated and the colonists will soon be a memory.
They reach their TIE fighter and TN starts to prepare the ship, they need to be off the planet before the tide comes in. Through her rifle scope Phasma watches the waters rise, then turns to the BB unit and sets off its self-destruct leaving a sparking hole in its side.
Phasma commands TN to put her hands up and turn around. As she does, TN sees the smouldering droid next to Phasma and asks ‘why?’ Phasma approaches from behind her saying she is survivor that never leave any loose ends. TN pleads she knows nothing, but Phasma shoots her in the back from close range. TN collapses into Phasma’s arms and she places her on the floor, closing her eyes with her fingers.
Phasma boards the TIE and updates the log of events: Rivas has been found, by her and TN and tracked to Lupr’or and events there made it impossible to return him for questioning. She had taken it upon herself to deal justice by executing the traitor. TN-3465 and BB-K8 were both destroyed during this mission. She will now return to rejoin the fleet.
Resurgent-Class Battlecruiser, The Finalizer.
Phasma, cloak tattered stands with General Hux in a chamber. Hux asks Phasma to explain her absence. She says this has all been recorded in her mission log, but Hux wants to hear it in her words. She tells the story in brief and Hux is pleased and wouldn’t have expected any other actions from Phasma. They will speak again after her full debrief, but her loyalty to the First Order is impeccable.
Phasma looks out of the viewport to see the Frist Order fleet floating through space and can only agree with Hux.
To be continued in Star Wars: The Last Jedi!
The Review:
Another issue and another 4 covers! My preference is for a variant this time around. It’s the side on view of Phasma with an explosion reflecting in the top of her helmet by Rod Reis.
A couple of small holes in the plot line in this issue again, which has been a bug bear of the series. That apart, a very strong finish to the story although slightly predictable. I would have liked to have seen Phasma not take out TN and let her live. There would always have then been a doubt hanging over the coming storylines as to whether she would actually ever have been found out.
The artwork has been first class all the way through. Marco Checchetto has been consistent in his content and accurate illustrations throughout.
Overall, this mini-series has put some credibility back into a much loved but maligned character. 4 issues, 16 covers and nearly 100 pages of new Phasma story line that somewhat makes up for what fans didn’t see from the Captain in The Force Awakens. We all knew that she was meant to be the elite of the elite for the First Order, but finally we have actually now seen some of that in action. The biggest problem I had with the series was the countdown during the first issue. On the whole, I’ve really enjoyed the direction Kelly Thompson has taken Phasma and the whole story for me was a great concept. If I was asked to rate the series out of 5, I’d say it was a solid 4!
I’m now going to go away and get stuck into the new Phasma novel by Delilah S. Dawson and see how this all pieces together to be ready in time for The Last Jedi in December.
Availability:
This issue was released on 18th October 2017 and is available via the Marvel App and all good comic book stores. This issue retails at $3.99.
