Writer: Matt Kindt
Pencils: Marco Castiello
Inks: Dan Parsons
Colors: Gabe Eltabe
Letters: Michael Heisler
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Taking place sometime between A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars Rebel Heist reveals the fate of the Alliance was tied to this famous quartet.
Over the course of four issues, readers sprint along with four of the newest rebel allies as they witness the galaxies greatest heroes carry out a cleverly planned heist. To our narrators however, this hardly seems to be the case.
Our tale begins long, long ago on Corellia with Jan, a young man who joined the Rebellion because he is tired of sitting on the sidelines and blending in. Jan is paired up with Han Solo for his first mission. Although Han and Jan manage to escape the Empire’s agents initially, Han suddenly surrenders and the pair find themselves in prison. Jan’s image of Han as the bravest warrior the rebels have to offer, disintegrates into a mad man with a death wish.
We travel next to Feddasyr, where an undercover agent, a Twi’lek named Sarin, receives help from the last person she ever expected, Princess Leia, and boy is she disappointed. It doesn’t take Sarin long to discover what fans already know, Princess Leia is no ordinary princess.
From Feddasyr we go to the an obscure planet on the outer rim with an ex-Stormtrooper, who also contains valuable codes to the Empire within his DNA, as he teams up with Chewbacca to send out the vital codes the rebels need.
Finally, we witness Ellak, an Imperial spy, as he follows young Luke Skywalker throughout this small corner of the universe. Ellak is baffled by Luke’s willingness to let Han become a prisoner. As he continues to monitor young Skywalker’s actions however, Ellak begins to see the big picture. The Rebellion has found its heart, and is becoming a force greater than the Empire imagined.
As a concern citizen, I believe it is my duty to tell you that Rebel Heist is a blast to read no matter what solar system you hail from. Established Star Wars character’s execute their roles in this Skywalker’s Eight heist flawlessly. Rebel Heist allows readers the chance to see what life was like for our galactic heroes after the Death Star was destroyed and their names became synonymous with the Alliance.
Matt Kindt’s script accurately captures the fears and doubts of those joining the Alliance in its seemingly useless fight against the Empire. Each narrator is interacting with members of the fearsome foursome in different ways. We have the newbie Jan. The seasoned agent, Sarin. A disloyal Stormtrooper. And an enemy turned ally in Ellak. It’s fascinating to see how each individual character realizes that Han, Leia, Chewie, and Luke are fighting for more than the rebellion, they are fighting for each other. A concept that is fundamentally different from the Empire’s. Jan, Sarin, the ex-Trooper, and Ellak are so moved by the compassion they see, that they in turn recruit others to join the Alliance.
If you are ready to earn the admiration of our very own Milky Way galaxy, join the Alliance today. For though our cause is small, it has heart.
However, if you are working with the Empire, this is not the post you are looking for. Move along.
