Star Wars #47 Review

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Leia, Han, and Luke have The Phantom Menace experience in Star Wars #47.

This article discusses plot details for Star Wars #47.

Star Wars #47

Writer: Kieron Gillen | Artist: Salvador Larroca | Colorist: Guru e-FX | Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles | Cover: David Marquez & Mathew Wilson | Assistant Editor: Heather Antos, Tom Groneman, & Emily Newcomen | Editor: Jordan D. White (with Mark Paniccia)

Princess Leia’s Mon Cala liberation plan continues in Star Wars #46. The Rebellion needs Mon Cala’s fleet if they ever want to challenge the Empire. However, the Mon Cala are hesitant in joining the cause. The Empire took their king, Lee-Char, hostage decades ago. Leia recognizes the opportunity to win Mon Cala’s trust and launches a daring rescue plan. Meanwhile, on Mon Cala, the Rebels have a stand-in for an Imperial Moff they kidnapped and is necessary for their mission. The plan is proceeding with only a few minor hiccups so far. Things escalate in Star Wars #46.

The Planet Core Style Adventure

The Empire holds King Lee-Char on the ocean world of Strokill. To Leia, Luke, and Han’s surprise, the world is relatively unprotected. Moff Hubi reveals the reason: Strokill has its own security in the form of giant underwater marine life. Once the Rebels make planetfall, they immediately find themselves under attack from a giant fish with a glowing lure. Many readers will see a similarity between this fish and the anglerfish. Readers are also likely to see similarities between this scene and Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Jar Jar Binks’s trip through the planet core in The Phantom Menace. The biggest difference is that Luke makes his own fortune here. Instead of relying on a “bigger fish,” as the Jedi did in The Phantom Menace, Luke lures this monster away with the glow of his lightsaber.

The Imposter Moff

Leia and the Rebels kidnapped Moff Hubi to aid in bypassing the Imperial security on Strokill. They knew the Moff’s absence wouldn’t go unnoticed. Therefore, they brought in Tunga Arpagion, a clawdite shapeshifter. With C-3PO’s assistance, Tunga successfully impersonates the Moff. However, his performance isn’t without some flaws. First, Tunga doesn’t understand the Mon Cala opera, so Threepio translates. In addition, Tunga stumbles over appropriate responses to the small talk directed his way by other opera patrons. Fortunately, Threepio is there to correct him and provide guidance.

Overall, these scenes are done quite well. They add a little levity without going over the top. The tone is very similar to “The Enormous Profit” storyline from Doctor Aphra. In other words, the humor is there, but it doesn’t override the story.

A Complication Arises

Once they bypass the natural security features of Strokill, the Rebels finally reach the prison. To their surprise, there is very little security around. Moff Hubi explains that the base is modular, and that other guards are stationed in other pods. Although the security is minimal in this area of the prison, they run into an unexpected complication. Lee-Char barely clings to life. In fact, the life support apparatus in the prison is the only thing keeping him alive. This makes things difficult as the Rebels showed up in a craft barely large enough to carry them. Removing Lee-Char safely creates an issue for part V of “Mutiny on Mon Cala.”

A Note on the Art

A common criticism of Salvador Larroca’s art in Star Wars concerns the likeness of the main characters. Larroca makes frequent use of “character referencing.” In this practice, an artist uses a photo or screen shot, usually a well known one at that, as the basis for the image they create. In Star Wars, this has resulted in very realistic looking images of Han, Luke, and Leia. That by itself isn’t awful. However, faces of the major characters usually end up standing out from the rest of the panel, which has a more traditional comic style. Plus, other side characters without real life counterparts look very different.

Although this practice wasn’t abandoned for Star Wars #47, it isn’t nearly as obvious or as prominent as it usually is. That may just be coincidence. Regardless, the art blends together a little more smoothly than usual in this issue.

Final Thoughts on Star Wars #47

Star Wars #47 is a well-paced adventure. The scenes alternate nicely between Leia’s rescue mission on Strokill and Tunga’s performance on Mon Cala. The call back to the “Planet Core” scene from The Phantom Menace is a nice touch. So too is the appearance of the Mon Calamari opera to Revenge of the Sith. Threepio’s role as Tunga’s advisor and handler is well done. He adds some appropriate humor without going over the top. If there is a criticism of the “Mutiny on Mon Cala” story arc, it is that there is very little actual mutiny occurring. Currently, the Darth Vader series Mon Cala’s subjugation. This is the bookend to that series with Mon Cala’s liberation, or so it would appear. However, this story features very little in the way of battle between the Empire and the Mon Cala. Regardless, Kieron Gillen continues to tell a fun and engaging story.