- Luke Skywalker… imprisoned!
- His friends race across the galaxy to save him before he enters…
- THE ARENA OF DEATH!
While Sana Starros flies the Volt Cobra, Han Solo and Princess Leia Organa argue about who is the best shot while exchanging fire with the pursuing TIE fighters and Imperial Star Destroyer. Starros tells them to focus or they will be in trouble. Solo responds by asking Sana to get them out of here. Sana responds that the navicomputer is still plotting their flight path.
However, the hyperdrive is slow to respond. Princess Leia asks if Starros got the hyperdrive from the same place that her "husband" got his. Starros remarks that she cannot believe that the Millennium Falcon, which she describes as a piece of junk, is still running. Leia tells them to focus on not dying. Starros boasts that the Volt Cobra and not the Falcon is the fastest ship in the galaxy. Just then, the hyperdrive kicks in and Starros kisses the Empire "goodbye."
Meanwhile, C-3PO and Chewbacca arrive above Nar Shaddaa with the former remarking that it is worse than he imagined. Chewbacca begs to differ with C-3PO responding that worries him. C-3PO wants to remain aboard the ship while Chewbacca searches for Skywalker but Chewbacca laughs.
After landing, C-3PO approaches four droids including a CZ-series secretary/business communications droid, a WED Treadwell repair droid, an RA-7 protocol droid, and an R5 unit by a street corner. C-3PO asks if they have seen his master who is traveling with an R2 series astromech droid. The RA-7 leads C-3PO to a dead-end where the droids trap him, intending to sell his parts to the junkers in return for an oil bath. Before the Treadwell droid can behead him, Chewbacca comes to the rescue and disassembles the droid gang. As C-3PO rips the RA-7 droid apart, Chewbacca reiterates his request in locating Luke Skywalker and R2-D2.
Meanwhile, Skywalker is brought by the IG-100 MagnaGuards to the Gamemaster, who taunts him that opening holocrons does not make him a Jedi. Skywalker denies being a Jedi and asks who the Gamemaster is. The Gamemaster introduces himself and tells Skywalker that he is in charge of training him to put on a good show when he dies. Skywalker refuses to fight for the Hutt crime lord's entertainment but the Gamemaster offers to teach him how to wield a lightsaber.
The Gamemaster tells Skywalker that the Jedi Temple on Coruscant has been transformed into the Imperial Palace. He adds that the Jedi and their temples are long gone. Gamemaster tempts Skywalker with the prospect of looking at the holocrons in Grakkus' collection should he live long enough.
After removing his cuffs, the Gamemaster hands Skywalker back his lightsaber. The Gamemaster explains that Grakkus' supply of lightsabers suffer from a lack of maintenance and tells him to hurry up and see what he has gotten. The Gamemaster bests Skywalker in the first match and tells him to try a little harder not to die the next time.
Using the information from the droids, C-3PO and Chewbacca visit the same bar which Skywalker had visited earlier. C-3PO is aware that Luke is now a prisoner of Grakkus the Hutt and ask the Zabrak bartender for information on Grakkus' whereabouts. The Zabrak bartender does not take kindly to the presence of the droid and Wookiee.
In response, Chewbacca roars, prompting C-3PO to tell the patrons that anyone not wishing to be physically inconvenienced should find another establishment to drink their beverages. When the patrons converge upon the Wookiee and the droid, C-3PO tells Chewbacca to try another "language." Short later, a patron is hurled through one of the bar's windows.
While Skywalker spars with Grakkus' MagnaGuards, the Gamemaster briefs Grakkus about Skywalker's training, telling him that the youth's lightsaber training has been cursory. Grakkus responds that he only wants Skywalker to die with some flourish and has been advertising his arena for the "last stand" of the Jedi.
As they enter the menagerie, the Gamemaster asks Grakkus what animal they will be feeding Skywalker to. Grakkus' menagerie includes a brezak, ronto, wampa, Mantellian Savrip, and a giant squid. However, Grakkus has specially arranged for a mysterious monster which is kept in a separate cage. The Gamemaster thinks that Skywalker would not survive against such a beast but Grakkus longs for blood and lightsabers.
Meanwhile aboard the Volt Cobra, Solo says that his marriage to Starros on Stenness was a scam but Starros disagrees. Princess Leia breaks up the argument and tells them that they have to head to Nar Shaddaa because Skywalker is in trouble. Solo is concerned about his rebel comrade but Starros is ambivalent to Skywalker's plight.
Leia offers to pay Starros, reasoning that a smuggler like her only cares about money. Starros responds that she does not want her money but only wants her husband back. Han tries to intervene but Starros accepts Leia's deal and agrees to travel to Nar Shaddaa.
Back on Nar Shaddaa, Chewbacca holds the Zabrak bartender over the edge of a building. C-3PO asks the bartender to tell them what he knows, warning that the Wookiee can be quite unreasonable. The bartender confirms that Grakkus has their friend and tells them that Grakkus' palace is located to the east past the sky slums. The bartender finally mentions that Skywalker is in Grakkus' arena.
Chewbacca drops the bartender over the edge of the building. As they walk past the beaten and unconscious patrons, Skywalker asks Chewbacca where is the bartender. Chewbacca responds that he dropped him onto a rubbish barge, which is inhabited by a dianoga.
Meanwhile, a Gungan with a bruised eye tells an unseen figure that he beat Chewbacca at a game of dejarik but regretted it. He believes that Han Solo is also nearby. Since Jabba the Hutt is still offering a bounty on Solo and Chewbacca, he thinks that the bounty hunter will be grateful for the information he is bringing. The hooded figure responds that he is grateful alright before revealing himself as Dengar. Dengar asks where he saw the Wookiee.
- Star Wars Vol. 2: Showdown on the Smuggler's Moon
- Star Wars Vol. 1
- Star Wars: Han Solo
- Star Wars by Jason Aaron Omnibus
- Star Wars Modern Era Epic Collection: Skywalker Strikes
- The Marvel Art of Star Wars