Star Wars (2020) 35

Star Wars 35

Publisher's summary[]

LUKE SKYWALKER…IN THE CLUTHES[sic] OF DR. CUATA! The would-be JEDI'S LIGHTSABER is all but destroyed! Enter KYBER CRYSTAL expert DR. CUATA! Only he can repair it…but at what price? Luke's life will hang in the balance…and only ANOTHER JEDI can save him!

Opening crawl[]

After the damage Luke's lightsabersustained at the hands of the Killdroids inNo-Space, Luke was in need of a new Jediweapon.He and Artoo traveled to the Imperial-occupied planet of Christophsis in searchof kyber and met up with the mysteriousGretta, who has her own personal vendettaagainst the Empire.She agreed to help Luke on his quest, butsoon afterward, a huge creature attackedthem. Luckily, the kyber expert they weresearching for arrived just in time, but hewants Luke's lightsaber….

Plot summary[]

On the crystallized ground of Christophsis, Luke Skywalker eyed the mysterious stranger, who had just saved him and his companions from a rampaging monster. The stranger, a Pantoran with striking blue skin, explained that his kyber crystals had told him Luke needed his help. Gretta, who had joined Luke on his search, introduced the man as Dr. Cuata. Luke was skeptical about the crystals speaking to him, but Cuata calmly pointed out that Luke himself sensed things others could not. Trusting Gretta's assurance that Cuata was the foremost expert on crystals, Luke approached and handed him his unstable lightsaber.

Cuata took the weapon apart with his bare hands, examining the kyber crystal inside. He declared that it was nearly broken in half and offered to help, but only if Luke would do something for him in return. When Luke questioned how he knew about the lightsaber’s issues, Cuata simply said, "The crystal told me."

A lesson in Kyber[]

Back at Cuata's lab, the doctor explained that Luke's lightsaber was odd. The hilt and crystal resembled those used by ancient temple guards, but the internal components were different. Luke admitted he had found it in a ruined Jedi temple and had tinkered with it, as had R2-D2. Cuata warned him that lightsabers were dangerous if not handled correctly.

Cuata began his lesson on lightsaber construction, explaining the five main parts: the power cell, casing, focusing lens, emitter, and the crystal. He stated that the device was not complex and that with a good connection between the user and the crystal, a lightsaber could almost move on its own. He then explained that Luke’s lack of connection to his previous lightsabers was because he hadn't chosen them, nor had they chosen him.

When Luke asked what he wanted in return for his help, Cuata said he wanted Luke to spend time with a red kyber crystal, hoping Luke could pull the dark side from it to aid his research. Luke admitted he wouldn’t know where to begin. Gretta stepped in, explaining that her people, the Fallanassi, had a ritual for cleansing crystals, which had been used to heal crystals bled by the Sith. She explained that a dark side user pours their rage and pain into a crystal to make it turn red, and to heal it, a light-side user must do the opposite by using soothing resonance to calm its agony.

Luke agreed to try. He meditated, and his mind was transported to a Sith temple. A woman on a throne asked his name and why he had entered. He explained he was trying to heal a red crystal, but she claimed she was not sick and that what he was doing was a form of violence. She grabbed his hand and offered to use the power of pain with him. Luke was transported again to another plane of existence, where he saw a dark temple and Darth Vader. As he tried to ignite his lightsaber, he was pulled back to reality in the lab. When Cuata and Gretta asked what he saw, he replied, "I think I saw my father."

Cuata was confused, but Gretta urged him to leave Luke be. Cuata then handed Luke a new, clear kyber crystal, only a million years old. He told Luke to connect with it.

A vision and a choice[]

Luke was transported once more, this time to a vision of Yoda sitting under a gnarled tree. He knew it wasn't real, but he took the chance to ask the Jedi Master why he had never connected with him since his death. The Yoda vision replied that all Jedi must walk their own path and that Luke had a great decision ahead of him before he could truly become a Jedi. Tired of riddles, Luke tried to leave the vision, but he couldn't. He told Yoda that the Force seemed to pull back from him at times, but the vision reassured him that the Force was always there, like the sun. Luke then vanished from the vision. A moment later, Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Force ghost appeared beside the Yoda vision, stating that Luke wasn’t ready yet. The Yoda vision simply replied that he would be.

Back in the lab, Luke found the clear crystal in his hand had turned green. Cuata handed him his lightsaber, telling him to replace the crystal inside. Gretta pointed out that Cuata had been willing to let Luke get trapped in the crystal. Luke took the new green crystal, deciding he would use it to build his own lightsaber someday. He also took the red crystal, hoping he might be able to heal it in the future.

As they left, Gretta explained that she had settled the debt she owed her family and was free to leave the planet. Luke told her he still had a few things to do.

Continuity[]

Luke experiences the same vision as Darth Vader did inDarth Vader (2017) 25.^[3]

Media[]

Cover gallery[]

Final cover byStephen Segovia

Solicit cover by Stephen Segovia

Action Figure variant cover byJohn Tyler Christopher

Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary variant cover byChris Sprouse

Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary variant cover "The Ewoks Worship C-3PO"

Variant cover byPhil Noto

Pride variant cover byPhil Jimenez

Second printing cover by Stephen Segovia

Collected in[]

• Star Wars Vol. 6: Quests of the Force

Appearances[]

This Appearances list is incomplete. You can help Wookieepedia byexpanding it.

Sources[]

• Master Yoda and Anakin Skywalker Team Up in Marvel's June 2023Star Wars Comics – Exclusive Preview onStarWars.com(backup link)
• Celebrate Pride Month with Sana Starros and Other MarvelStar Wars Covers onStarWars.com(backup link)
• This Week! in Star WarsJon Favreau and Dave Filoni Talk Mandalore, Jaxxon Returns, and More! on the officialStar WarsYouTube channel(backup link)(Posted on StarWars.com)
• Marvel Comics and Lucasfilm Celebrate Pride Month With Star Wars Pride Variant Covers onMarvel Comics'official website(backup link)
• "Launchpad" —Star Wars Insider 219

Notes and references[]

External links[]

• Star Wars (2020) #35 onMarvel Comics'official website(backup link)