‘Star Wars’ #3 Review – Han Solo and Beilert Valance Get Drawn in to Nagai Plot
After a strong second entry that advanced Luke’s story with the Zantarrk Gang and the Nagai, it seems the current run of the main _Star Wars_ comic isn’t quite done with its table setting yet.
The third issue focuses on Han Solo, Beilert Valance and Lando Calrissian as the three of them return to a familiar location in order to meet with an old friend. Of course, Valance had already been trying to get Han to help him take down the Zantarrk Gang but by the end of this issue, it’s safe to say all three of them are invested in finding out what’s going on with the Nagai.
There’s not an awful lot of movement in the present day storyline — the needle is moved a small bit on Luke Skywalker, but otherwise all the focus is on Han, Lando and Valance — and most of Han and Lando’s connection to the Nagai is told via flashbacks. There are two stories in these flashbacks which do a lot of work to balance out the exposition going on in the present as characters reminisce about their past lives and friendships.
Most of the action and revelations come in these flashbacks, which is sorely needed as the rest of the issue is only allowed to advance the plot a small amount in order to get our heroes on board for the larger story (though I should point there is a relatively interesting conversation between Han and Valance that is more about character than plot, which is welcome). The third issue of the main _Star Wars_ comic is entertaining for the most part, though it isn’t the most memorable.
**Spoilers ahead…**
ALEX SEGURA (W) • PHIL NOTO (A/C)
The issue kicks off with the reveal that after the battles of Endor and Jakku, Lando Calrissian returned to Cloud City. This matches up with Lando’s story in the old Expanded Universe, where he returned to his old role even after being made a general with the New Republic, so it’s nice to know we’re not quite done with Cloud City yet.
It’s here that he discovers his old friend Garlev crash lands nearby looking for help from him and Han. Solo is hanging out with Beilert Valance in a seedy bar on an Outer Rim world when he gets the call from Lando. It seems that although Han and Valance are friendly with each other, there is still a bit of tension. Perhaps Valance has a bit of insecurity at the way Han has been able to rise from a two-bit smuggler to key figure in the New Republic, while he’s still a cyborg bounty hunter.
That might explain why he asked if Han was ashamed at his past, though he admittedly seems to have thicker skin than Solo, who doesn’t react well to the suggestion that he wasn’t always a good person. I had begun to think it was a little too convenient that these two were suddenly thick as thieves after only spending a brief time together in the Imperial military decades ago, so this tension between the two of them makes for a much more interesting relationship than I thought we were getting.
The issue makes it clear that Han and Lando never really knew what was going on with Garlev’s people, though we can see in the first flashback he’s clearly trying to track them down, and in the second that he’s trying to smuggle them somewhere safe, away from their oppressors.
That second flashback is the most interesting, as he dupes Han, Lando and Chewbacca into thinking that they’re smuggling weapons and Han briefly accuses him of being a slaver when he discovers the Nagai in the cargo hold (in a ship that looks suspiciously like the infamous _Outrider_ vessel from _Shadows of the Empire_).
In the present, Garlev is assassinated just as Han and Valance arrive on Cloud City and despite Han briefly catching up with them, they manage to escape. With their old friend dead, Han and Lando’s little knowledge about his people and Valance’s desire to take down the Zantarrk Gang, it seems the three of them are invested in getting to the bottom of this plot with the Nagai.
Also, we got a brief update on Luke’s story as he returns to Rynn Zenat and they both head off to New Republic space. The issue ends with a check in on the New Republic corvette that crashed in the Fenril sector, as the crew members are met by a squad of battle droids. I always love seeing battle droids pop up outside of the prequel period, so hopefully there’s something fun going on here. It feels a bit odd having these in here when everything else focuses on Han and his friends, but it is what it is.
The next issue of the main _Star Wars_ comic looks like it’ll focus more on Leia’s conflict with the Pirrosi, so perhaps the table setting is all done now. Hopefully it is so the story can really get going.
_**Rating: 6/10**_
##### Josh Atkins
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Josh is a huge Star Wars fan, who has spent far too much time wondering if any Star Wars character could defeat Thanos with all the Infinity Stones.
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‘Star Wars’ #3 Review – Han Solo and Beilert Valance Get Drawn in to Nagai Plot After a strong second entry that advanced Luke’s story with the Zantarrk Gang and the Nagai, it seems the cur...
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