Good afternoon,
The focus of this article is the eighty-ninth issue of Marvel's first Star Wars series. The cover depicted Luke Skywalker in the foreground with a large red humanoid appearing to lunge after him from behind. The story from writer Ann Nocenti and artist Bret Blevins was called "I'll See You in the Throne Room!" The issue had a cover date of November 1984.
Somewhere in the galaxy, Luke was helping a valiant group of freedom fighters overthrow the Imperial presence shortly after the Emperor and Darth Vader's demises. The group was led by a man named Raggold, who was unfortunately cut down just before reaching their final destination. Luke and his colleague Mary rushed to the old warrior's side. He explained that a traitor from within had struck the killing blow minutes before his last breath.
The saddened duo ascended to the throne room to set their dear departed compatriot on the throne, where he belonged. As Blackart, the former ruler, was being led away, Mary reminded Luke that the people now had rule by the many instead of the few. People were free to do as they wanted. Despite Luke's concerns about theft, Mary's words rang in his head.
Celebrations broke out across the city. At one point, Luke and Mary were planning to spend some quiet time together. However, the peace was soon broken by the return of Imperial warships. Their cannons fired down upon the population, and several shots hit Mary before she could return to the castle. Many of the citizens scattered in panic, while some took advantage of the chaos to plunder, including taking valuables from Mary's person.
Luke cried out and used the Force to levitate her to his side. She died in his arms, leaving the young Jedi heartbroken. He wished he could become a god in moments like that.
Some time later, as Skywalker walked through the streets, he noticed a young scamp trying to swipe his saber. The child led him around town as he tried to find the traitor in their midst. A former Rebel was ruled out, as was Blackart, who had broken out of jail and was trying to flee the planet before the Empire's forces returned.
Scamp eventually took the Rebel hero to his home in the slums. He was greeted by his family, including his father, who ravaged his boy's loot. The pair left soon afterward, with Scamp admitting that he kept his best treasures for himself. The lad took the Jedi to a tavern, where he would meet with an alien named Braxas.
The elderly being told Skywalker that he had information on the traitor if he would pass a test. All Luke had to do was pick a piece of meat from a bowl filled with scorpions. He had to accomplish this without using his mechanical right hand. Luke used a pair of chopsticks with his left hand to grab the morsel, and succeeded, but opted not to eat it, as it had a scorpion's mouth affixed to the bottom.
A short while later on Luke's ship, Skywalker played the tape that showed Raggold nearing the end of their journey. He admitted on camera that he was the traitor in their ranks. He shot himself before he could be revealed by others. Luke understood, knowing that his former comrade had been killed by the war and by himself. He and Braxas then sailed away, evading the Imperial fleet while heading toward freedom.
This issue was my introduction to Blevins. His drawings seem more appropriate for titles like Elfquest, Weirdworld, or other fantasy titles, but they were adequate for this story. Braxas reminded me a bit of an older version of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, albeit in a wheelchair. Mary was a good character, but she wasn't fleshed out much before her passing. The story was good, and it was a fine filler between parts of the main storyline. I just wonder what happened to Braxas after the events of this tale.
That wraps up this article. Next up will be the ninetieth issue of this title. Several of the Rebels return to Endor after their various missions elsewhere. Leia feels like she's forced to choose between her diplomatic responsibilities and her loyalty to her brother, her lover, and other freedom fighters that she's battled side by side with over the years. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.
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