Star Wars #89
Cover dated: November 1984
Issue title: I'll See You in the Throne Room!
Script: Ann Nocenti
Artwork: Bret Blevins
Colours: Glynis Wein
Letters: Joe Rosen
Cover art: Bret Blevins
Overall rating: 2 out of 10




Plot summary: Shortly after the Battle of Endor, Luke Skywalker is involved with aiding insurgents on the planet Solay against an Imperial-backed monarchy. As Luke and the freedom fighters storm the palace of King Blackart, Raggold, an old war hero of the campaign, is killed by a blaster shot. Before he dies, the veteran manages to tell Luke that he was slain by a traitor from within their own ranks. A vengeful Luke vows to hunt down the assassin, but Mary, a young and beautiful freedom fighter, calms him, as the pair watch Blackart led away in chains.

Following the insurgent's victory, a period of celebration ensues, during which Luke and Mary become romantically entwined. But the peace is cut short when a mass of Imperial warships suddenly appear in the skies overhead. As laser bolts rain down on the Palace, Mary is cut down and mortally wounded. With her last breath, she asks Luke to hold on to the promise of how things could've been, before dying in his arms. With his new-found lover dead, Luke becomes even more determined to find the traitor who now has the blood of Raggold and Mary on their hands, as well as the peace of an entire world.

While exploring the back streets of Solay, Luke meets a young thief named Scamp, who agrees to aid him with his investigations, while also planning to steal from those who they encounter along the way. With his wealth of underworld knowledge, Scamp reveals that the revolution Luke took part in was a sham and had been orchestrated by an Imperial Governor to overthrow King Blackart, thus allowing the bureaucrat to step in as Solay's ruler. After interrogating a corrupt rebel and Blackart himself, Luke is still no closer to discovering the identity of the traitor and, as a result, begins to feel the dangerous pull of the Dark Side of the Force. Scamp takes the young Jedi to see a local informant named Braxas, who is wanted by the Empire. Braxas reveals that he has video footage of Raggold's death which shows the identity of his assassin, but he wants safe passage off of Solay in return for it. Agreeing to the deal, Luke is given the tape and is shocked to discover that it was Raggold himself who was the traitor and that he had, in fact, committed suicide, rather than live with the guilt of his betrayal.


Comments: Man! This is just a terrible comic! Star Wars #89 is the one and only issue of the series that Ann Nocenti, who was normally the book's editor, wrote and, without wanting to be too unkind to her, that's a good thing. The problems here are many, but chief among them is the out of whack atmosphere of the story; this just doesn't feel like a Star Wars adventure.

"I'll See You in the Throne Room!" is one of those stories set on a planet with a quasi-mediaeval society, which we seem to get from time to time in the series. As a result, this issue reads more like a sword & sorcery or fantasy comic than it does a Star Wars one. Then there's the really, REALLY out of character writing of Luke Skywalker and, in fact, the whole issue is full of awkward, clunky dialogue. The plot also meanders in a somewhat directionless manner at times, with Nocenti at one point showing us the little boy Scamp's abusive home life, which really adds nothing to the main story.

To focus on precisely what's wrong with Nocenti's writing of Luke for a moment, the main thing for me is that his "voice" is all wrong. For instance, the young Jedi's dialogue is sprinkled with random exclamations of "gosh" and he's generally written as much more immature and reckless than he really should be at this point. Luke really isn't the wide-eyed boy from Tatooine with sand in his ears anymore; he's a noble and powerful Jedi Knight. However, that piece of character development seems to have passed Nocenti by.

I think part of the problem is that this is clearly an old inventory story which was most likely written between the release of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. As a result, although it has been slightly retooled as a post-Jedi tale, elements of the pre-Jedi status quo remain, like the creepy moment when, as he gazes longingly at the beautiful freedom fighter Mary, Luke is reminded of Leia – his sister! Clearly, Nocenti or someone else at Marvel hadn't gotten the memo about Luke and Leia having been revealed as siblings in Return of the Jedi.

Luke is also a bit pervy towards Mary on occasion, like in these panels...




Yeah, that really doesn't seem like the Luke Skywalker that I know!

Then there's the scene where Luke seriously considers murdering a corrupt insurgent in cold blood, for no other reason than he's been profiteering during the uprising and doesn't have the information that Luke needs. That really isn't how a Jedi should be acting. Luke also recalls the teachings of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda at one point, recalling the words, "The Dark Side is very powerful, Luke Skywalker" – except that no such quote was ever uttered in the Star Wars films. Given all of this out of character writing, I had to chuckle to myself when Luke at one point thinks to himself, "Listen to me! I'm not myself." Ha! You're telling me!

Another problem is the continuity errors that litter the story, such as the blade of Luke's lightsaber being incorrectly coloured blue instead of green, and it clearly being Luke's original lightsaber, not the new one that he constructed prior to the events of Return of the Jedi. In addition, where the hell does the fleet of Imperial warships that appear over Solay come from? The Empire was vanquished at the end of Jedi and we will learn in issue #90 that, within the Marvel continuity, the Empire surrendered in the wake of the Battle of Endor. So where are all these ships coming from? Sure, in recent issues we've seen small pockets of Imperial resistance that are fighting on in the aftermath of the Empire's collapse, but nothing like the huge armada that the Imperial forces have at their disposal here.

Another continuity problem arises when the old warhorse Raggold claims that it has taken him fifty years of fighting to overthrow the Empire-backed monarchy on Solay. That appears to contradict the events of the prequel movies, in which we see the Empire's rise to prominence taking place approximately 22 years before the events of this comic.

Although there are a lot of problems with this issue, I do like the scenes in which Luke talks with the alien informant Braxas and it's also interesting that, upon seeing Mary killed by the Empire, Luke, like Anakin Skywalker before him, wishes he could use the Force to prevent a person from dying...




I also quite like the artwork of Bret Blevins, who at this point was probably best known for having drawn Marvel's adaptations of The Dark Crystal and Krull. Blevins' layouts are inventive and he works a satisfying level of detail into this comic, but, even though I like the art in and of itself, I still don't think it's a particularly good fit for Star Wars. His style worked well within the fantasy setting of the two film adaptations I just mentioned, but it doesn't work here. That said, I do like Blevins' striking design for King Blackart, although, on the down side, the young lad Scamp really, really looks like a girl.

Placing this issue within Marvel's Star Wars continuity is tricky. It's obviously not happening in the current continuity because, at this point, Luke is off with Plif, Kiro and the Rik Duel gang on a mission for the Alliance of Free Planets. Clearly though, this tale is set soon after Return of the Jedi, but before issue #82, "Diplomacy". I think that the only way to make it fit is to place it between pages 5 and 6 of Star Wars #81. I noted in my review of that issue that clearly some time – possibly weeks – passes between those two pages, so it could've been during that period that Luke went off to Solay to aid the planet's rebels.

Overall, this is not a very good Star Wars comic. It's clearly an old inventory story that has been rewritten to try and shoehorn it into the post-Jedi era, but the scripting is awful, Luke is written very out of character, and there are a number of noticeable continuity goofs. To be honest, I'm not even entirely sure that the basic premise of the story makes all that much sense. On the plus side, the twist at the end, with Raggold being revealed as the traitor and taking his own life, isn't too bad, I suppose, and the artwork is quite nice, although not at all in keeping with the Star Wars aesthetic. But regardless of those few things in its favour, Star Wars #89 is just a poorly executed comic and undoubtedly the worst fill-in issue of the entire series.


Continuity issues:

• The blade of Luke's lightsabre is incorrectly coloured blue instead of green and it's also his original lightsaber, which was lost, not the new one he recently constructed.
• The Imperial fleet was decimated during the Battle of Endor, yet an armarda of Imperial ships is seen over the planet Solay in this issue.
• Raggold claims that he has been fighting the Imperial-backed monarchy on Solay for fifty years, but based on events seen in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, the Empire has only been in existence for approximately 22 years by this point.

Favourite panel:


Favourite quote: "Yeah, it's funny how much we forgive our fathers for, and still love them." – Luke Skywalker reflects on the parallels between his relationship with his father and the one the young boy Scamp has with his.

Star Wars #90
Cover dated: December 1984
Issue title: The Choice!
Script: Mary Jo Duffy
Artwork: Bob McLeod (breakdowns)/Tom Palmer (finished art & inks)
Colours: Bob Sharen
Letters: Rick Parker
Cover art: Bob McLeod (pencils)/Tom Palmer (inks)
Overall rating: 6 out of 10




Plot summary: Returning to Endor with Mon Mothma and C-3PO, Princess Leia is reunited with Luke Skywalker, who has also returned to the forest moon with Plif, Rik Duel, Dani and Chihdo, to seek medical aid for the critically wounded Iskalonian, Kiro. Luke and Leia discuss their future, with the princess confused about her new role as a diplomat and anxious about the transition from the Rebellion to the new Alliance of Free Planets. Luke attempts to comfort his sister, but reminds her that the hardest part was not in winning the Galactic Civil War, but in forging a new system of government for the galaxy. He also warns her that, with Darth Vader having been their father, they could accomplish a great deal of good or a great deal of evil and they must be cautious. The siblings agree to keep silent about their lineage because making such a thing public would only cause trouble at this point.

The pair wander off to the medical centre to visit Kiro and discuss with the Iskalonian how he knew the correct way to disable the ancient destructive device on the planet Shawken. Explaining that he just felt the device's danger and somehow new how to disable it, Luke concludes that Kiro was in touch with the Force and clearly has some kind of latent ability with the mystical energy field. Excitedly, Kiro asks to be trained in the ways of the Jedi, but Luke refuses, fearing the dangerous repercussions that taking on a pupil could have. Deflated and annoyed by the refusal, Kiro angrily tells his friends to leave him alone.

Meanwhile, the first meeting of the assembled delegates of the Alliance of Free Planets is underway, with Admiral Ackbar and Mon Mothma chairing the meeting. The two Rebel leaders outline the importance of a new, democratic form of government, while explaining that those who are not present will forfeit the right to vote. As the meeting ends, Mothma remarks that, by missing the assembly, Luke, Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Lando Calrissian have all lost the right to help influence the new government. Ackbar opines that it may be for the best.

Later, as Luke and Leia wander through the Ewok's treetop village, a fight breaks out between Rik Duel and a disgruntled Rebel soldier, who believes that Rik has cheated him out of money during a card game. As tempers flare, Chihdo is shot and badly wounded. Luke intervenes, disarming the Rebel solider, as Kiro, who is also present, speaks up. He declares that Luke is wise and merciful, and that they are all allies here and, as such, should not become angry with one another. As Kiro looks over at Luke, the young Jedi realises that the Iskalonian has accepted that he must be patient and that he can still learn, even if Luke has refused to train him as a Jedi.


Comments: Star Wars #90 sees most of the central cast returning to the forest moon of Endor, after their respective missions to invite delegates to partake in the new Alliance of Free Planets. Han Solo and Chewbacca are still away on the Wookiee homeword of Kashyyyk, as we will see next issue, but this story brings Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, R2-D2, C-3PO, Kiro and the Rik Duel gang back together, as the various galactic delegates invited to Endor assemble for their first meeting. As such, this issue serves as something of a culmination of writer Jo Duffy's loose Alliance of Free Planets story arc.

Interestingly, given the discussion that Roquefort Raider and I were having recently about the state of the Empire in the post-Return of the Jedi comics, Mon Mothma makes it plain here that, in the Marvel continuity, the surviving Imperial leaders capitulated following the Battle of Endor. So, that means that the small pockets of Imperial resistance that the Rebels have encountered in the comic since then are disobeying orders and resisting the Alliance on their own. Editor Ann Nocenti confirms this on the letters page of issue #91, explaining that, although the major Imperial strongholds surrendered, there are still outlying planets that harbour rogue Imperial forces that are rebuilding themselves in order to exact revenge on the Alliance.

This issue gives us another well written script from Duffy, in which we learn that Kiro felt the Force when he was disarming the device on the planet Shawken, back in issue #87, and as a result, now wants to be trained by Luke in the ways of the Jedi. The fact that Luke refuses, fearing that he might make the same mistakes that Obi-Wan Kenobi made with Anakin Skywalker's training, with terrible consequences for the galaxy, is sensible and seems very in character. I know that other, later expanded universe sources showed Luke founding a whole new Jedi order in the years after Return of the Jedi, but the wariness he shows here is entirely understandable, in my view.

Duffy also gives us a very interesting scene between Luke and Leia, in which they discuss their new-found status as siblings and as Vader's children. It's interesting that this scene was even written because Duffy was given pretty strict instructions by Lucasfilm not to reference the family connection between Luke and Leia in the Marvel comic, but she does so with great maturity and understanding of the characters. For his part, Luke admits that he's told no one about his sister or who his father is, and he advises Leia to do the same, lest it bring up any awkward questions – yeah, like how come you kept hitting on and snogging your sister all those times, Luke?!

Duffy also examines – in a fairly throwaway manner, admittedly – the problems of having trained military personnel sitting around together, when the war is over. Here we see tempers starting to flare among the restless former-Rebels and it's a shame that Duffy didn't run with this sub-plot in future issues.

Something else to note, is that Star Wars #90 is the last issue to be pencilled by Bob McLoad. McLeod had only been the series' regular penciller for a short period, beginning with issue #85, and he left due to dissatisfaction arising from his working arrangement with the series' inker, Tom Palmer. He would soon be replaced by Cynthia Martin, starting with issue #94. As McLeod's swansong on the series, this issue features some really nice interior artwork and the cover is especially striking, showing, as it does, Leia symbolically split down the middle, torn between her role as a diplomat and as a Rebel soldier, while the phantom presence of Darth Vader looms over her.

All in all, I have to say that this is a bit of a "treading water" issue, insofar as not much actually happens in it. Still, it's an enjoyable enough read. One minor complaint would be that the whole thing about the Alliance meeting, whereby, if you were there, you get a vote, but if you weren't, you don't, seems really contrived – not to mention worryingly undemocratic. Fortunately, aside from a brief mention in issue #97, its not something that was ever really referenced again anyway. For the most part though, this is another solid, if slightly insignificant and humdrum, issue from Duffy and Co.


Continuity issues: None

Favourite panel:


Favourite quote: "We have enough true enemies in common that we must never turn on one another and injure our comrades, only because we are idle and angry." – Kiro attempts to make his fellow Alliance members see reason and stop their fighting.