Hello and Happy Friday, everyone,
It's time for me to recap the forty-sixth issue of the first Star Wars comic book series. The cover showed a ghastly creature wrapping its hands around an Imperial Star Destroyer, as the Millennium Falcon flew below it. The story was called "Dreams of Cody Sunn-Childe!" The issue had a cover date of April 1981.
The tale began with the Falcon, flown by Lando Calrissian and Chewbacca. The duo was searching for the bounty hunter Boba Fett's ship, the Slave I, to try and rescue their friend, Han Solo, when they found themselves in an unfamiliar part of the galaxy. The only landmark in their immediate vicinity was a domed city nestled on a floating piece of a planet, where they soon landed.
Lando and Chewie then left the ship to examine their surroundings. Minutes later, Chewbacca was attacked by a large purple beast. Just when things seemed most dire, the creature was stunned by a striking figure from behind. Chewie's attacker vanished just as quickly as he'd appeared.
Calrissian recognized the stranger as Cody Sunn-Childe. He was remembered fondly as a hero of the Rebellion, although he preferred leaving those days behind. Sunn-Childe then led his guests into the city, which seemed to be quite peaceful and tranquil. A monk-like figure proclaimed that their city was a haven from the Galactic conflict, as the presence of another Wookiee seemed to calm Chewbacca. The person on a raised platform called himself Ansible Beelyard. Calrissian knew that name as the person who had been Sunn-Childe's right hand confidant until they'd vanished more than a decade before. That revelation made Lando wonder what was really going on.
Meanwhile, not far away, a cadre of Imperial Star Destroyers were nearing the same dimensional rift that the Falcon had entered. Imperial Captain Plikk and Lieutenant Nizzon in the lead ship thought it was something worth exploring. They ordered their fleet to move closer to the anomaly, in the hopes that whatever they discovered would benefit the Empire.
Deep in a sub-basement in the city of dreams, Sunn-Childe was showing Lando their communications center. Calrissian was still surprised how Cody had distanced himself so much from the cause that he once fought bravely for. Sunn-Childe started talking about those days, and how much he'd loved the thrill of combat.
Everything changed during one particular conflict, when Sunn-Childe was struck by a blast that knocked him down toward the very depths of the planet he was one. Cody was swallowed up by a mysterious flame, one that gave him incredible power, which he took time to learn away from the battlefield. Sunn-Childe also observed the natives around him and decided it was time to develop a better world.
He decided to create a paradise from concepts that were already within his own mind. Lando noted Sunn-Childe had once been a role model to many others, and now he apparently chose to retreat from what he could no longer bear. Lando's accusations were made just as more purple beasts arrived. Once again, they disappeared into thin air, because they were manifestations of Sunn-Childe's repressed horrors. It was becoming more of a struggle to keep them at bay.
Lando realized that even the Wookiee Chewbacca was talking with wasn't real. Lando continued to doubt Cody's motives. He finally evoked a bit of rage from the former Rebel hero, which was something that gave a glimmer of hope.
At the same time, the Imperial Star Destroyers were converging on the rift. Their ships entered the area moments before the Falcon, which had been repaired by Sunn-Childe's men, was ready for takeoff. Before departing, Lando reminded Cody that he was still fighting for the same cause that the city's leader once believed in.
Their converation was broken up by an Imperial attack. Lando and Chewie left, after Calrissian told Sunn-Childe that it was time to consider what he believed. While the Falcon fought the oncoming Star Destroyers, Sunn-Childe's brow grew feverish, as he knew what he had to do.
One of the Imperial cruisers soon found itself under attack by a giant green creature. This being was an apparation from Sunn-Childe's mind. It briefly gave the Falcon a fighting chance to escape, and the strain of trying to follow the fugitive vessel soon proved to be too much of a strain for the Imperial ships.
The Star Destroyers managed to destroy the planetoid that Cody and his followers had built, but at the expense of their hyperdrive engines. Lando and Chewie took a brief moment to mourn their loss before moving on, to continue their search for Solo. The Imperials sat there helpless, caught in what proved to be Sunn-Childe's ultimate revenge.
This was another example of a character that had potential, but was eliminated in their debut. Cody Sunn-Childe could eventually have gone on to become renewed allies of the Rebellion, but were unfortunately extinguished way too soon. This was Lando's first issue since the series' adaptation of The Empire Strikes Back and it showed a side of the former Cloud City adminstrator, one that's more in line with how we got to know him as the franchise moved on.
Well, that's all I have for today. Tomorrow, I'll continue with a recap of the forty-seventh issue of this title. This issue features R2-D2 and C-3PO in their first solo mission. It's one of my favorite issues from this run, one that was also adapted for a book and record version. Come back on Saturday to learn more. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.
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