Review: Qira and Crimson Dawn Make Their Final Stand in Marvels Hidden Empire #4

I will just come out and say it from the beginning: issue #4 of Hidden Empire is an absolute banger from start to finish. Charles Soule delivered spectacularly with this one. I have been following and reviewing these comics since the War of the Bounty Hunters era. It’s been a while now, and few issues have had me as excited as this one. Following Qi’ra and Crimson Dawns journey has been so thrilling, and the penultimate issue of this trilogy did not disappoint.



It picks up right where we left off, and Soule wastes no time raising the stakes. While massive questions over Qi’ra’s endgame as a character remain, and we have yet to see the full importance of young Cadeliah, the stage is set for a final Hidden Empire issue of massive proportions. I’m going to get into all of the juicy details from this comic in a moment, but if you want to head into this one spoiler free, here is your warning! Let’s do this.



Spoilers ahead...



Cover art by Paulo Siqueira and Rachelle Rosenberg.



Surprisingly, the issue didn’t open in the usual way. Instead of beginning with the Archivist and the two mysterious hooded figures, it launches us right into a scene with Palpatine and Vader contemplating their next move. Now, I enjoy Star Wars comics, but I haven’t read all of them. I wonder in how many issues, if any, we see what we saw next in this one.



With the potential threat of another Sith Lord residing in the Fermata Cage, Palpatine feels the need to shake off any rust he might have with his lightsaber. He asks his apprentice to spar with him, and the next few pages are filled with some stunning artwork of the two going after each other. Palpatine shares some words about the Rule of Two and has to reign Vader in when he is finished sparring. Seeing Palpatine having to tell Vader multiple times that they were finished before he calmed down was a great reminder of the true nature of their relationship. Vader hates his master and would love nothing more than to strike him down. Paralyzed by fear and grief, he’s unable to do anything with the fiery anger in his mechanical belly.



A final note on the opening pages of Hidden Empire #4 is the strange respect the two have for Qi’ra. The ever-arrogant Vader acknowledges how she even seems to be clever. He couldn’t help but throw a job at the late Maul as well, but this isn’t surprising. These two probably share a few drinks a week and laugh about Palpatine’s old apprentice, given how much they enjoy throwing jabs at him. Even Palpatine says Qi’ra “will be missed” when they are through destroying her. It’s as if he almost relished the challenge of having a rival who’s capable of competing with his cunning.



Palpatine and Vader sparring.



With the Sith Lords making preparations, the Archivist has lost nearly all hope. She knows the Fermata Cage needs “to feed” off dark side energy to turn on, and if there isn’t enough to go around, the Cage will destroy all life around it. While she knows a location capable of fulfilling this need, she also understands the Sith will be on to her as soon as she powers it up. All of her protectors have fallen, leaving a feeling of hopeless.



Qi’ra, however, has not lost hope. She instructs the Archivist to head to her destination, assuring her reinforcements are on the way. Her resources may be dwindling and her back is against the wall, but she is still Lady Qi’ra of Crimson Dawn. Her first call is to the assassin Deathstick. An interesting first choice, but I was intrigued, nonetheless. After being declined by the assassin, she moved on to our good friends: the Knights of Ren. After a brutally honest conversation, she convinces them to rejoin the fight. I will get into it later, but this was another moment where the gravitas of Qi’ra was simply screaming out of the pages.



With Qi’ra having secured the Knights of Ren as allies again, she speaks to young Cadeliah about her future. She explains to the child how she is leaving soon with a high likelihood of never returning. She hands a recording to Cadeliah and instructs her to play in five days if she hasn’t made contact. Once finished, she makes one last mysterious contact with whom we don’t get eyes on. Could it be the body of Doctor Aphra or perhaps a Sanna Starros? I can’t be sure, but something tells me we are in for a big reveal soon.



The Knights of Ren prepare to rejoin the fight.



Nearly everything is in place, but one thing remains; unleashing the Dawn Fleet. With a powerful speech of the ages, she whips her followers in a frenzy. The time has come, and they are ready. Soule captured Qi’ra’s inner spirit and fire perfectly. Her speech doesn’t have her come across as just an angry and bitter leader. Instead, she is fiery but in control. She resonates with confidence but not arrogance, and most importantly, shows off her innate skill of getting people to follow her. Charles Soule nailed it.



I have been critical of the lack of Qi’ra in a few of the Hidden Empire comics. While I have understood the decisions behind it, I felt her presence should have had a more direct approach. Those concerns do not exist in this one, as we see almost every side of Qi’ra. The fearless leader is ready to dive in head first into the danger that awaits. We see her tenderness with young Cadeliah, but still not withholding those hard-hitting life lessons. Her innate desire to achieve her goal and keep pushing is the heart behind everything she does, and there is not a moment in this issue where it’s not felt. She is a favorite character of mine for all of these reasons and more. I was glad Soule delivered such a perfect comic for her here.



Qi'ra delivers a final speech to Crimson Dawn.



Finally, the Archivist arrives at her destination, and OH BABY, it’s a doozy. She arrives at none other than the Amaxine Station. The station’s first appearance in Star Wars came in the Rise of Kylo Ren Comics when Ben Solo meets with Snoke after destroying Luke Skywalker’s temple. The location next appeared hundreds of years before when Claudia Grey inserted it in the High Republic novel Into the Dark. Filled with dark side energy from the ravenous but sleeping, Drengir, the station serves as the perfect location to open the Fermata Cage but to close out this comic arc. The Amaxine Station is a bit of a deep-cut location, but one filled with absolute excitement for those who are familiar.



The Amaxine Station.



Once the Archivist fires up the Cage, Palpatine and Vader are ready to swoop in. Arriving on The Executor, we have a great Palpatine and Vader exchange before the battle begins. The Emperor senses eagerness in Vader to go down to the station and possibly test himself against a rival Sith Lord that may exist. Palpatine has the same desire but realizes how foolish it would be to risk everything and instead orders the ship to blast the station into smithereens. What comes next is one of my favorite images in the comic. The entirety of the Dawn Fleet comes zooming out of hyperspace and begins targeting the long-range canons of the Star Destroyer. My jaw dropped as I saw the dozens of fighters come onto the page.



The Dawn Fleet engages the Empire.



Dawn forces arrive on the station to serve as ground support for the upcoming assault. With the long-range canons currently compromised, they know who is about to make their way onto the station. Without any delay, the last page we get is of the two sinister Sith Lords boarding the Amaxine Station. Their mission is to leave no survivors.



Palpatine and Vader board the Amaxine Station.



In conclusion, this was my favorite comic in the Hidden Empire arc so far. Soule captures the essence of Qi’ra and puts her gravitas, charisma, and resolve on full display. Why they haven’t created more stories with her in live-action is beyond me…. but I digress. She will undoubtedly make her way onto the station in the final comic and face off against her sworn enemies. My well-documented concerns over her character’s upcoming conclusion still exist. Until the final comic releases in April those concerns will continue to peck away at my mind.



There are so many questions to answer in the final Hidden Empire comic. Who exactly is Cadeliah, and what message does Qi’ra have for her? Who are the two hooded figures communing with the Archivist at the beginning of most of the comics? Will any Drengir possibly awake in the final issue? How will Qi’ra’s story end? I have so many more, but unfortunately, I must stop myself or I will write another thousand words. Thank you so much for coming on this journey with us at Star Wars News Net! I can’t wait for the final issue.


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






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