Han Solo 4 is the fourth issue of the five-part Marvel comic book miniseries Star Wars: Han Solo. The issue, was released on October 12, 2016, and was written by Marjorie Liu, with art by Mark Brooks.
The Rebel Alliance spy Dorae confronts Han Solo and Chewbacca with a blaster aboard the Millennium Falcon for killing her "baby." Solo points out that the "baby" was a newly hatched rathtar that was going to eat him. Dorae counters that Solo was trying to steal it and that she needed the rathtar to settle debts with some "important people." After Chewbacca killed it, she could not afford the right bribes and lost protection, leading to "some very bad things."
Solo counters that "bad things" happen to them all the time but volunteers to be shot in order to make amends. Bot intervenes and says that he will not let Dorae kill him, denouncing the alien as a traitor. Dorae expresses surprise and clarifies that he was referring to the other pilots. The Twi'lek pilot Nowk Asil orders the belligerents to put down their guns at gunpoint while Loo Re Anno expresses relief that Solo is not yet dead. Sotna Reat says they are on a tight schedule while Asil suggests shooting all the belligerents and returning to their ship.
Loo Re Anno criticizes Solo for bringing more "drama" to the race and says that his was worried about Solo's well being and alerted her. Solo is annoyed and tells her that his drama is none of her business and to tell the bright orb to back off. Dorae remarks that he has never seen Twi'lek pilots before and suggests that they should be dancing with their masters. This annoys Asil while Solo tells Dorae not to talk to the Twi'leks like that.
Solo orders the other pilots to leave his ship. Asil is offended and says they only came out of respect for Loo Re Anno. Sotna reminds Solo that one of the rules of the Dragon Void Run is not to take passengers. Asil tells Solo that she thinks he is using the race as a front for his smuggling operations. Loo Re Anno speaks up for Solo, saying that he would not be that foolish. As the Twi'leks leave, Loo Re Anno asks Solo to walk with her. Solo agrees and asks Chewbacca to watch the ship.
In private, Loo Re Anno asks Solo what he knows about the Dragon Void Run. Solo admits that he knows that it is the oldest race in the galaxy that attracts the best pilots in the galaxy. He believes that if he wins, he will be paid for the rest of his life. Loo Re Anno explains that her grandmother was a founding member of the Dragon Void Run. As a mapmaker, her grandmother loved to fly fast ships. Her grandmother wanted to create a community of racers who would challenge each other and become something together. She adds that the Dragon Void Race change her people's culture and unified them. Loo Re Anno concludes that the Dragon Void Run is a sacred rite that demands they expand their dreams of what people can becoming.
When Solo asks Loo Re Anno what she means, she tells him that the stars are in his blood. All that he is and all the he has been can be distilled into that one fact. Solo disagrees, believing that he is only a nobody and only a good pilot. Solo thinks he is lucky that he is not special. Loo Re Anno suspects that Solo is sticking his neck out for something and asks why he is participating in the race. As she leaves Solo to ponder on his motives, Solo apologizes and asks if Loo Re Anno is the last of her kind and that she has no one else to fly with. Loo Re Anno points out that she is flying with Solo. She concludes that they are all the last of something and suggests that he is part of a dying breed as well.
Han Solo turns to speak to the rebel spies in the passenger compartment, saying that he is glad that the threat of death was enough to fix their problems. Solo warns Dorae that nobody pulls a blaster on him again. When Chewbacca growls in response, Solo reminds the Wookiee that Dorae wanted to kill him. Dora says that they have reconciled while gulping down a drink. She adds that the past cannot be changed and that there are more important things to worry about.
Dorae speaks to Bot, whom she recognizes as the other informant, and says that she imagined someone shorter. Bot says he doesn't trust her. When Solo asks Dorae what she is doing with the Rebellion, the alien admits that she was surprised to see Solo and Chewbacca working with the Rebellion given that they are usually motivated by profit. Dorae remarks that Chewbacca is a softie and expresses surprise that Solo is able to care for things other than money. Solo responds this was almost as unlikely as her becoming an altruist.
Dorae says that she did not have much choice in working for the Rebellion since being unable to pay for protection cost her everything to the Empire including her friends. She says that experience gave her new perspective. The race alert rings as the countdown begins for the third leg of the race. Solo says they have less a minute before takeoff. Dorae responds that they are not going anywhere until the last informant arrive.
Bot is surprised about the change of plans, prompting Dorae to explain that the Rebellion changed their plans and made arrangements for the third member of the group to meet them on the sandy planet serving as the second stop of the Dragon Void Race after the encounter with Imperial stormtroopers on the first stop. Dorae tells Solo to wait here, pull out of the race and deliver them back to Alliance territories. Solo is surprised that Princess Leia has not contacted him. Dorae thinks that Leia must have been desperate. As Solo heads to the cockpit, Dorae tells him that his race is over.
As the other ships takeoff, the announcer warns Solo that if he does not depart in the next five minutes he will be disqualified. Solo returns to the passenger compartment where Bot asks if he is giving up. Solo replies that he didn't stand a chance of winning. While the announcer speculates on Solo's motives for pulling out of the race, Bot tells Solo that they need to leave and claims that the second informant can't be trusted. Before Solo can argue, the two hear blaster shots outside.
Outside, a landspeeder is being pursued by an Imperial TX-225 GAVw "Occupier" combat assault tank. While Chewbacca exits the Falcon to meet with the vehicle's passengers, Chewbacca prepares to fire up the engines. The passengers are two hooded figures who say they have been sent by Princess Leia. Chewbacca uses the Falcons rear cannon to take out the Imperial tank. With seconds to spare, the Falcon takes off and enters the third leg of the Dragon Void Run.
The Millennium Falcon departs the planet with three TIE fighters on its tail. Solo wonders why the Imperials are not trying to hit their ship. Dorae explains this is because the Imperials do not want to destroy what is aboard until they have captured the spies. Solo tells everyone to strap in as the Falcon jumps into hyperspace.
Later, in the passenger compartment, the Falleen greets Chewbacca. Bot asks U'il what she is doing her. U'il explains that she was sent by Princess Leia to fetch the third spy Aran after the "debacle" on his planet. She adds that the stormtroopers ambushed them as they approached the Falcon, suggesting that the traitor must have found a way to alert the Galactic Empire. Solo quickly realizes that one of the spies is a traitor.
Bot immediately accuses Dorae of being the traitor. Dorae disagrees, saying that her pointing a gun at Chewbacca does not make her a traitor. Aran interrupts the conversation to say that their lives are at stake for aiding the Rebellion and that she does not want to die. Han reassures Aran that he and Chewbacca will protect them. Han gets Chewbacca to get the passengers to hand in their weapons. Aran is initially reluctant but complies. When Solo warns that Chewbacca can rip arms off, Bot remarks that Solo is horrible.
After Solo returns to the cockpit, U'il speaks with him. When Solo presses her about address Princess Leia as "her worshipfulness," U'il remarks that Solo is good at pretending to be dumb. Solo disagrees and tells U'il that there is more to her than just being a bodyguard. U'il does not disclose anymore information and tells Solo that she is only interested in getting back to Leia urgently. When U'il asks Solo if he is taking them back to the rebel base, Solo replies that he is not returning until they have figured out how the stormtroopers knew to ambush them at out ship. U'il realizes that Solo wants to stay in the race.
After exiting hyperspace, the Falcon and the other races find their path blocked by two Imperial Star Destroyers and several TIE fighters. U'il warns Solo that they must flee immediately. Loo Re Anno contacts Solo, thanking him for joining them on the last leg of the Dragon Void Run. Solo thinks the race is over but Loo Re Anno disagrees and says that they have come so far and nothing will stop them. Chewbacca roars while Solo tells everyone to strap in. Chewbacca enters the passenger compartment only to find a dead Aran.
- UPC 759606081455; October 12, 2016; Marvel Comics