Star Wars (2015) 3

Star Wars 3

The comic continues the story of theRebelassault onCymoon 1'sWeapons Factory Alpha, as the Rebels race to escape fromDarth Vader and hisImperial forces.Luke Skywalker destroys the factory and the Rebels escape aboard theMillennium Falcon, while Vader resolves to corrupt Skywalker and make him hisapprentice. The aftermath of the assault is depicted inDarth Vader (2015) 1 and theStar Wars (2015) 4.

Publisher's summary[]

THE GREATEST SPACE ADVENTURE OF ALL TIME CONTINUES!*The attack on Cymoon-1 comes crashing to an end!*Will the Rebels overcome Vader to strike another blow against the Empire?*And is Luke ready to be the Jedi Ben wanted him to be?^[1]

Opening crawl[]

It is a period of renewed hope for the Rebellion.The evil Galactic Empire's greatest weapon, theDeath Star, has been destroyed, and now the RebelAlliance looks to press its advantage by unleashinga daring offensive throughout the far reaches ofspace.Princess Leia Organa has led a covert team of rebelsin an attack on Cymoon 1, the largest weaponsfactory in the galaxy. But after rigging the factory'smain power core to explode and rescuing dozens ofinnocent slave workers, their escape plan wasthwarted by the unexpected arrival of Darth Vader.Now the rebels must fight their way to freedom,using the Empire's own vehicles as their means ofescape. And Luke Skywalker must remain one stepahead of the unstoppable Lord Vader, who isbeginning to take an interest in the young rebelpilot...

Plot summary[]

The thick of battle[]

OnCymoon 1,Han Solo andPrincessLeia Organa battle againstImperialstormtroopers in their hijackedAT-AT walker. They are aided by several liberatedalienslaves, many of whom are killed in battle.Luke Skywalker rides a stolen Imperial74-Z speeder bike, gunning down stormtroopers.Darth Vader strides into the battle.

Princess Leia uses the AT-AT'slaser cannons to shoot down aTIE fighters. Leia plans to take the AT-AT walker to the trash fields where theMillennium Falcon is parked. Solo says theFalcon has been through a lot but worries aboutC-3PO. Meanwhile,tentacled aliens ransack theFalcon, helping themselves to C-3PO who has been dismantled into several parts.

Chewbacca comes to C-3PO's rescue and fights off the aliens. Hearing theWookiee over thecomlink, Solo tells Chewbacca to get theFalcon airborne. Leia and Han find their path blocked by severalAT-ST walkers,Assault tanks, andImperial combat speeders. Solo asks Luke where he is. Luke, who is being pursued by stormtroopers on speeder bikes, replies that he is not far.

One of the pursuing stormtroopers crashes his speeder bike into the foot of an AT-AT walker. Luke manages to fight off a second stormtrooper withhis lightsaber, causing his enemy to crash into the legs of an AT-AT walker. Solo tells Skywalker to avoid the factory because the reactor is going to overload. However, Leia realizes that the Imperials must have stopped the meltdown.

Destroying Weapons Factory Alpha[]

Meanwhile,OverseerAggadeen tells Lord Vader that he has managed to halt the reactor's meltdown, saving the factory. Vader says the Overseer may live to see tomorrow but orders him to send more troopers to his location. Vader then slices off the right rear ankle couplings of the AT-AT withhis lightsaber. Solo contacts Chewbacca to ask about the repairs and tells the Wookiee to hurry up. A damaged C-3PO thinks that they are all doomed and thanks theMaker that his eye circuits are not connected, saving him from seeing the carnage.

Skywalker slices off the laser cannons of an AT-ST walker. Meanwhile, Vader slices off a second set of the hijacked AT-AT's ankle couplings. Luke wants to intervene but Solo tells him to stay back because they have taken too much damage. Vader then slices off the remaining legs of the AT-AT walker, causing it to topple. He orders his troops to move in for the kill.

However, Skywalker attacks them with his lightsaber. This allows Solo, Princess Leia, and the liberated alien slaves to fight their way into the trash fields. Leia tells Skywalker to come with them but he refuses to get off his speeder bike.

Later, Vader and his stormtroopers observe that the rebels and slaves have entered the trash fields. Before Vader can order his troops to pursue the fugitives, Skywalker attacks them with his speeder bike. Lord Vader pursues the rebel pilot in an Imperial combat speeder through a tunnel. Skywalker takes the opportunity to destroyWeapons Factory Alpha's reactor, causing an overload that destroys the factory.

Bittersweet victory and escape[]

Skywalker barely survives the explosion. He apologizes that he will never be aJedi likehis father. Lord Vader watches over the burning factory and the fleeingFalcon. Aboard theFalcon, Skywalker has rejoined his rebel comrades and the liberated slaves. Solo tells Chewbacca to get thehyperdrive working. Reaching the upper atmosphere, they see a fleet ofImperial Star Destroyers. The rebels manage to flee intohyperspace before the Star Destroyers can attack them.

CaptainKronn of the Star DestroyerAdjudicator apologizes that the rebel ship has eluded their blockade. A displeased VaderForce chokes him. Vader taunts his late mentorObi-Wan Kenobi, telling him that Skywalker is untrained and that he will train Skywalker into a weapon of the Empire and thedark side.

While the liberated alien slaves celebrate, C-3PO remarks that this was the strangest diplomatic mission that he had experience whileR2-D2 repairs him. Princess Leia reassures an upset Luke that what he did was crazy and insubordinate but that many people including her are grateful to him. Leia likens Luke's exploits on Cymoon 1 to his heroic actions during theBattle of Yavin. However, a despondent Luke replies that he should be dead and that Vader was right that he was no Jedi and will never be.

A Rodian's resting place[]

Meanwhile onTatooine, two aliens transport the corpse of aRodian in alandspeeder. One of the alien asks why they did not just drop him in the middle ofMos Eisley. His companion responds that doing so would attract Imperial questions andJabba's murder tax. They dump the body nearBen Kenobi's home, dismissing him as a crazy old wizard. Inside Kenobi's home is a box with the inscription "For Luke."

Media[]

Cover gallery[]

Cover

Textless cover by John Cassaday

Textless variant cover by John Cassaday

Action figure variant cover by John Tyler Christopher

by Humberto Ramos

Textless Mile High Comics variant cover by Humberto Ramos

Leinil Francis Yu variant cover by Leinil Francis Yu

2nd printing variant cover by John Cassaday

3rd printing variant cover by John Cassaday

Collected in[]

• Star Wars Vol. 1: Skywalker Strikes
• Star Wars Vol. 1
• Star Wars by Jason Aaron Omnibus
• Star Wars Modern Era Epic Collection: Skywalker Strikes

Appearances[]

Sources[]

• Star Wars #3 - Exclusive Preview! onStarWars.com(backup link)
• The Marvel Art of Star Wars

Notes and references[]

External links[]

• Star Wars (2015) #3 onMarvel Comics'official website(backup link)