Review: Marvels Han Solo and Chewbacca #5 - Chaos and Betrayal Lead to Capture

Left for dead and with daunting foes like Black Krrsantan after them, Han and Chewie are running out of options as the fifth issue of Han Solo and Chewbacca picks up right where the last one left off. The fifth issue was my favorite yet -- it moved at breakneck speed, and at times felt a bit disjointed, but delivered the most thrilling issue yet. It felt like the previous story direction needed to be resolved quickly, and it changed gears in a powerful way. This was no slight change of course, but a complete reversal and beats from the previous issues come full circle. Marc Guggenheim delivers the goods in this one, and the series pays off for readers.







Spoilers ahead.



Stranded with zero options, the scoundrel and the Wookiee are in desperate need of a miracle, and a miracle they received. Zooming in from the clouds was the most unlikely of saviors: Khel Tenna and her crew along with a surly Greedo. If you’ll remember, Han sort of abandoned Tenna and company in the first installment of Han Solo and Chewbacca, and Han most certainly ditched Greedo a couple of stories ago. None of them are too thrilled about saving Han’s skin, and the greeting Greedo delivers Han expresses a bit of the harbored resentment towards the smuggler.



As you may guess, saving Han isn’t born out of a desire to lend a helping hand. They want the urn Jabba so desperately covets, and Han knows where it is. Saving Han simply brings them one step closer to a massive score. With Han held at gunpoint they make it clear this is a business transaction and nothing more. Get them the urn or die. A side note: I have absolutely loved Greedo in this series.







Once they get back to Antillion, where Han believes the Urn was left when he and Ovan were ambushed, the group discovers the urn is gone, and suddenly, Han’s fears were realized. Ovan has been playing him the whole time. It was a con from the beginning. He wasn’t his father at all. It was all an act in order to get close enough to Han to steal the urn for himself, and he almost had Han completely fooled. Almost… Han isn’t about to place blind faith in anyone, so the slippery smuggler planted a tracker on the old man when he wasn’t aware.







While the group begins to track Ovan to his current location, we find out who this Ovan really is. Marshall Buck Vancto finally makes his presence felt -- hunting Solo discovered the con this Ovan was pulling. After apprehending Ovan and taking him in for questioning, Vancto unmasks himself in this really eerie image. This was my favorite page in Han Solo and Chewbacca #5. He almost looks eager to torture the man behind him.







Finally, we discover the truth. Ovan is not Ovan at all. He is Corbus Tyra, a wanted criminal. With a score like a million credits going to the one who delivers the urn, it makes sense a man like Tyra would go to lengths like altering his appearance and impersonating Han’s father. If you’ve been following my reviews for this series, you will know I had never fully bought into Ovan being Han’s father. I wish it had been true though. It would have been intriguing to see a father/son relationship fleshed out with Han a bit more.







For the gang of smugglers. The assault on the Marshall’s headquarters has begun. Chewie leads the assault, and I must say there have to be few things in the galaxy more frightening than a Wookiee leading an assault. The assault on the base catches the marshals and their security unaware, and the element of surprise turns out to be most advantageous. The urn is retrieved, but not before Vancto delivers some crushing damage. He fires a deadly shot hitting Chewie straight in the back. Crumpling immediately the faithless smugglers leave him for dead. Furious about the situation Han makes a move to rescue his friend but instead takes a blaster bolt straight in the gut from Greedo.







Chewie, believe it or not, did not die. Yes, yes... I was shocked as well. He is taken away to the prison planet of Gulhadar. The prison sequence held some hilarious surprises for readers. Ponda Baba and Dr. Cornelius Evazan are being held captive here alongside none other than Maz Kanata herself. Her and Chewie have a history, so she immediately comes to him wondering what the hell he is doing in a place like this. It was a wonderfully fun cliffhanger to leave off on, and I couldn’t have been happier about it.







My only complaint with this issue was leaving with Han being captured and immediately flipping it in the next issue with Chewie being the one in prison. However, this does set the stage for some fun sequences with Chewie and Maz, along with more Han and Greedo. Overall, I spent my time reading this issue with a massive smile on my face.


<p style='text-align: center;']Rating: 9/10</p>


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