Published: December 8, 2021
Rating: Rated T
Writer: Charles Soule
Penciler: Marco Castiello
Colourist: Rachelle Rosenberg
Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles
Cover Artist: Carlo Pagulayan, Jason Paz and Rain Beredo
The synopsis;
LUKE’S QUEST FOR ANSWERS TAKES A DANGEROUS TURN!
As the REBELLION tries to pull itself together for a last-ditch effort to defeat the evil GALACTIC EMPIRE, LUKE SKYWALKER realizes it is time for his journey to become a JEDI to continue. After near-death at the hands of DARTH VADER, he knows he has much to learn if he will ever defeat the DARK LORD OF THE SITH. But the JEDI ORDER is gone, and his teachers have vanished… where can Luke turn to find the Jedi legacy he so desperately needs?
The review;
War of the Bounty Hunters has finally come to an end. It transformed our characters in ways that we couldn’t even imagine, particularly Luke. With the crossover event finished, the series can now continue to build on the characters without having to try and tie in with any other events (at least that we know of). Soule once again brings the focus to Luke. In this series so far, I have been utterly amazed at how much Luke has grown. We know that between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi there is only six months, we know that Luke does mature quickly in that time, but to actually read it is something else. Soule is joined by Marco Castiello, who is no stranger to Star Wars. He has been away from a galaxy far, far away for a few years so I can’t wait to see what his return will bring in terms of art.
I remember as a boy been mesmerised by the cover of The Courtship of Princess Leia by Dave Wolverton. On the cover, to one side, was an image of Luke looking very much the hermit, long cloak, with Art at his side. I always wanted more of Luke just going of, exploring the galaxy with his companion looking for everything related to the Jedi. At times in the Legends canon, we got this, but Soule has absolutely given us this here. It takes me back to those days of wonder, of wanting Luke to find so much more. Make no mistake, this is Luke’s story through and through. Luke realises that there is a very real need for him to get better, that he is going to have to face Vader again. He is beginning to believe the destiny that Obi-Wan and Yoda have placed in front of him, although how he is planning to deal with Vader is another issue. He knows he needs more information. He can’t communicate with Yoda, but he still won’t physically return to him. Shame? Denial? We’ve all been there when we don’t want to have to face our parents when we have made a mistake that they warned us about.
It sees Luke travelling to lots of sites, from Ilum to Lothal to finally the river moon of Al’doleem. Each one is a little nod to Star Wars fans, whether it’s from the original Clone Wars series (and technically the sequel trilogy), to Rebels, to Soule’s own Darth Vader series. It is a treasure trove. Yet for Luke, all he finds is death and destruction. This is how it should be; the Empire should have tried to eradicate everything they could of the Jedi. It makes Luke’s task all the more difficult. Having Artoo with him throughout it all, his constant companion, is something that Soule has always done perfectly. Unlike others, Soule never forgets the droids, never forgets how they help our characters and how they are the backbone of the entire saga. With Luke in his hooded attire, it really feels like an adventure, away from the events playing out between the Rebellion and the Empire.
Soule also shows that as well as realising his limitations, that Luke has also grown. Fear does still affect him. His lack of mind control on the troopers shows that Luke still doesn’t have mastery over the force. However, Luke is also realising that Yoda and Obi-Wan were right, that patience will always help. Luke has learnt to slow down and start listening to the force, to grasp its power more firmly so he can achieve what he needs to. The results (and the end of the issue) are rather impressive! These small moments that show Luke growing more and more powerful are really what make this series shine. It is never overblown, unbelievable, it is a gradual increase that makes perfect sense.
Although Luke is the main focus of the issue, Soule also sets the scene for where the other players are. We get to see that the Rebellion is having supply issues due to the fighting between the criminal syndicates, which is part of the Crimson Reign story. Not only that but Soule addresses some of the loose threads that still need to be tied up, namely Share Bey. Soule isn’t focused on that yet, but he lets readers know that it will be soon.
The artwork in this issue by Castiello cements the entire atmosphere and tone of this issue. The visuals of Luke throughout really draw you into Luke’s adventure and suit the story perfectly. The flashback scenes, the gritty nature of the river moon, all the different locations, there is so much range here and Castiello handles it with ease.
If there is one word to describe how I feel about this issue it is nostalgic. Soule has written something that feels very Original Trilogy style and creates a galaxy that is once again filled with possibilities. To be fair to Soule, he and the other writers have created the exact same feel with The High Republic. It is one that you can’t help but been drawn into, into the character development, into the artwork and into that wonderful sense of adventure. Everything here works like a well-oiled machine. Soule understands the character of Luke better than anyone and is able to write his story, his growth so well that you feel like you are watching Episode 5.5. And that was always the aim of this series, to provide fans with what happened between the last two films of the Original Trilogy. This comic is a great jumping on point if you haven’t already, yet when viewed as part of the entire series, its place is perfect.
Availability;
Star Wars (2020) is an ongoing series available from Marvel. This issue retails at $3.99 and is available via the Marvel App and all good comic bookstores.
