- CHEWBACCA VERSUS BLACK KRRSANTAN!
- What else do you need?
- Marvel's first Star Wars event continues!
As Imperial forces land on Vrogas Vas, Princess Leia Organa defiantly tells Darth Vader that he will not win this war despite the Empire's superior forces. She vows that he and his Emperor are doomed to fail. Vader counters that this is not a war but a series of executions and that hers is long overdue.
However, Vader realizes that the stormtroopers are not his forces and that he did not call for reinforcements. Commander Karbin responds that it is not the Princess who will be executed but Vader, dismissing him as a withered old relic. Karbin responds that his rival set Vader up to eliminate the rebels on Vrogas Vas so that he could swoop in and claim Skywalker and the Princess for himself.
Vader says no and uses the Force to hurl the stormtroopers to the ground. He vows to give Karbin a quick death and draws his lightsaber. Karbin ignites his own lightsabers and boasts that Vader will know that he engineered his doom. He vows to rise from Vader's flames. Leia watches in shock as the two cross blades.
Meanwhile, Chewbacca and Krrsantan fight inside the Millennium Falcon. Han Solo tries to shoot Black Krrsantan but the black Wookiee bounty hunter hurls Chewbacca at him. Black Krrsantan grabs Solo's pistol but Solo kicks it out of his hand.
At Solo's urging, R2-D2 fires a needle at Chewbacca, as he is still feeling the effects of 0-0-0's neurotoxin. The injection revitalizes Chewbacca and allows him to turn the tide in the fight. Chewbacca punches Krrsantan in the face and proceeds to pound him with his fists.
Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker wanders into the abandoned Jedi temple and senses the Force ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Kenobi warns him that he should not have come to this place because he is unprepared for what will follow. Skywalker is confronted by Commander Karbin's stormtroopers who order him to surrender. Skywalker fires his blaster back at them and flees into the complex.
Watching the fighting below, Triple Zero remarks to Beetee that the redeeming quality of organics is that they are always trying to murder each other. When Dr Aphra contacts him, Triple Zero informs her that Skywalker is about to be subdued by stormtroopers. However, Aphra tells him that those troopers belong to Vader's rival, Karbin. She tells him not to let Karbin's forces capture Skywalker. Triple Zero tells Beetee to be extremely happy.
Beetee unleashes his flamethrower on the stormtroopers, incinerating them. Triple Zero is upset that Beetee did not leave some for him to torture.
Meanwhile, Vader fights Karbin, who boasts that the Sith Lord is outmatched by his four lightsabers. Karbin boasts that Vader is obsolete but the Sith Lord uses the Force to collapse a statue on top of the cyborg. The Mon Calamari cyborg survives. Vader responds that he only needs one lightsaber with the dark side of the Force before severing one of Karbin's mechanical arms.
The cyborg screams in rage and retreats into the temple. Vader tells Karbin that it is too late to hide. He boasts that he stood against a thousand rebel troopers and that he will be standing tomorrow while Karbin is as dead as the Jedi that once walked here. Vader hears the voice of Kenobi's Force ghost who tells him to be mindful of his thoughts and laments that he has become the thing that he has sought to destroy.
Karbin ambushes him from behind and the two engage in a lightsaber duel. Karbin taunts Vader that the Force cannot save him now and vows to take his place at the Emperor's side. Meanwhile, Chewbacca hurls Black Krrsantan against a rock but the Wookiee hits Chewbacca with his bracelet. Meanwhile, Solo contacts Skywalker and asks if he found Leia.
Luke tells Solo that there are stormtroopers everywhere before being struck in the head by a rifle butt. Solo tells R2-D2 he is about to rescue Skywalker but is grabbed by Black Krrsantan. An armless C-3PO approaches R2-D2 and complains about his missing arms. However, he soon sees the unconscious Chewbacca.
Via R2-D2's comlink, he tells Princess Leia that Captain Solo appears to be in rather serious danger. He reports that Master Luke has been captured by Imperial stormtroopers. As Black Krrsantan chokes Solo, he reports that their situation would be rather grim and recommends a full retreat. However, Leia is not listening because she is aiming her blaster at Darth Vader, who is preoccupied with Karbin.
- Star Wars: Vader Down
- Star Wars: Darth Vader Vol. 2
- Star Wars: Darth Vader by Kieron Gillen & Salvador Larroca Omnibus
- Star Wars by Jason Aaron Omnibus
- Krrsantan: Star Wars Tales 1
- Star Wars Modern Era Epic Collection: Skywalker Strikes
- The Marvel Art of Star Wars
- "Launchpad" — Star Wars Insider 210