Good morning everyone,
Today's topic is the fifth issue of Marvel's adaptation of the very first Star Wars movie. The cover showed Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca, Han Solo, and various Rebel pilots scrambling as their base was being attacked by the Death Star. The story was called "Lo, The Moons of Yavin!" The issue had a cover date of November 1977.
The tale began on the Millennium Falcon, as Han asked Luke to join them. The heroes had just escaped the Death Star, thanks in part to the sacrifice of Obi-Wan Kenobi (who perished in battle with his former student, Darth Vader). Solo led the farmboy to his ship's gun turrets. He took one chair, and Luke settled into the other.
Chewbacca navigated their craft, as Leia, C-3PO, and R2-D2 watched a squadron of TIE fighters approach. It took Skywalker some time to adapt to the controls, but he and Han eventually eliminated their pursuers. Afterward, Leia was glad that the astrodroid remained intact, adding that he was holding onto the Death Star's technical readouts. She hoped that her Rebel colleagues could analyze them and find a weakness, or else they may very well be doomed.
Meanwhile, on that very space station, Darth Vader was just informing Grand Moff Tarkin that the Falcon had just made the jump to lightspeed. Tarkin was wary of the plan and hoped that the homing beacon that was placed on board the ship was functional. Vader was confident that everything would go as planned. The day had already seen the end of the Jedi, and he was optimistic that it would also see the end of the Rebellion.
Back on the Falcon, Leia told Han that she thought their escape was too easy, and that the Empire was probably tracking them. Han doubted those claims and told her that he was only in it for the money. Leia assured him that he would receive the reward he was promised.
She then retreated further into the ship, leaving Han and Luke at the controls. They talked about the princess, and their feelings for her started to surface. This was a bit of foreshadowing for the rest of the film trilogy.
Before long, the Falcon landed on Yavin 4. Its passengers disembarked and were taken via shuttle inside a massive temple. Once inside the hangar bay, Leia reunited with Rebel leaders. They were thankful that she'd survived the destruction of her home planet, Alderaan.
Leia told General Dodonna about the plans for the Death Star that R2-D2 had been given. The droid was soon hooked up to a transmitter that relayed the plans. Dodonna described them and their strategy to the pilots in the room, including Han, Chewie, and Luke.
The space station's vulnerable spot was an exhaust port just below the main port. They planned to use small short-range fighters to skim a long trench to access that spot, which they would bomb with proton torpedoes. There was some skepticism initially, but the Rebel pilots accepted the mission.
Luke had joined the cause and donned a pilot's outfit. He was heading toward his ship when he saw Han and Chewbacca gathering boxes of credits onto the Falcon. Han told him he had some debts to pay with his reward. He asked Luke to join them, knowing the farmboy had already made up his mind. Luke was miffed as his friend's decision, but Leia reminded him that Solo had to make his own choices.
Moments later, Luke ran into his boyhood friend, Biggs Darklighter, who was also part of the pilot group. Their flight leader asked Skywalke about his experience, but Biggs vouched for his friend's flying ability. They then went to their own ships. Luke was looking forward to sharing his recent experiences with his old buddy after they accomplished their goal.
He was about to board his X-Wing when a technician asked Luke if he wanted a different astrodroid. Luke wouldn't accept anyone other than Artoo as his shipmate. While the Rebel leaders watched from a central command area, the fighters took off, preparing to meet the Death Star, which was rapidly approaching the planet's orbit.
I have to say that this issue was a testament to writer Roy Thomas' experience. He knew just how to break this story down into six equal parts. There were still some things that weren't in the movie, but as I stated in a previous article, the Marvel staff had access to a script and not the completed film at the time they were preparing this adaptation. The art was a bit better, too.
That's all for this article. Next time, I'll discuss the sixth and final chapter of this movie adaptation. It's the climactic battle between the Rebellion and the Empire, and we'll see which side wins out in the end. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.
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