SPOILER Marvel's Star Wars: Princess Leia #3

Well, this series had two strong entries right off the bat, but there was something about this issue that kind of hit the skids for me. Despite taking us to a planet we've been hearing lots about the last few weeks, the next part of the arc seemed kind of hokey to me. Let's discuss.



We catch up with Leia and her Alderaanian refugees arriving at Sullust. We see that Tula, a young girl, has been keeping in touch with her older sister, a turncoat of some sort. Leia is about to take the refugees into the Alderaan Enclave buried in a network of subterranean caves. If you are scratching your head because this sounds familiar, the last issue of Darth Vader was set in the cave system of Geonosis. Right before the story proceeds, we are given precise directions to the exact part of the cave system, which makes me think the stage is being set for Sullust to play a bigger role in the overall SW universe in the future.



The Alderaan Enclave is led by an older woman simply called the Preserver. She is alerted to Leia's presence and not at all happy to see the last surviving member of Alderaan's Royal Family. This, once again, reminds how secretive a life Leia must have lead to aid the Rebel Alliance and serve the Imperial Senate. Her own people just assume she is still a civil servant of the Empire and the Preserver assumes she has brought the Empire upon them to finish the job of the Death Star.



The Preserver captures Leia, Evaan (Leia's pilot and friend-in-arms), and R2-D2. The Preserver reveals that the Alderaanians on Sullust are came to the planet to help mine it for smugglers while under the guise of "cultural contributions". There is a lot of finger-pointing going on until a common enemy arrives, the Empire. The Preserver orders Leia and her cohorts executed, but the Imperial arrival serves as a distraction for Leia and Evaan to make their escape.

They are chased deeper into the caves and appear to be trapped. As a bad situation only gets worse, R2-D2 makes a beeline out of there. Here's where I had to roll my eyes. "Don't worry. R2 has a plan", is what Leia says. Maybe I'm just a cynic, but the "R2-D2-saves-the-day" formula is very played out for me. I won't spoil the big climax for you all, but let's just say R2 manages to turn one of Sullust's larger inhabitants against the Stormtroopers who have made their way into the Alderaan Enclave.

By the end of this issue, Leia realizes it wasn't just chance the Empire knew where she would be. There is a traitor or a spy, or both, among her people.



Well, the weaknesses of this overall arc really stood out in this issue. Evaan was all but ignored in the last issue and I had to keep reminding myself what she was doing in this one. I've mentioned before that this artwork by Terry and Rachel Dodson is the weakest of the Marvel Star Wars runs so far. It really shows here, especially in the action sequences. The whimsical, almost Archie-look is pretty flat and distracted me from the story. I'm hoping the next issue picks the pieces up, as I enjoyed the first two issues of this series immensely.

I would say this is worth a read, but don't run out and buy it today. You can even hold off until right before the next issue comes out, as long as your local comic shop does not sellout. That being said, all of these Star Wars titles have been flying off the shelves at comic book stores. If you are any type of collector or are dead set on getting a physical copy, you best get to your shop of choice right when they open or make friends with the proprietor so he/she can set a copy under the counter for you.

 

Yes, that is eerie. Where is the photo from?

 

Nice catch!

 

I'm almost counting on it at this point. Or, Rogue One. I think the Aftermath novels and Marvel series will be very telling, or maybe they are setting it up for something to happen in one of those stories.

 

And now I'm wracking mine!

That is a great theory and it sounds absolutely plausible. The only place I could think of it being in canon is Rebels. I can't think of an instance, but maybe we can troll a line in the Rebels section of the Cantina and see if anyone's up for a season one marathon/detective assignment