THE ESCAPE" – PART 3! Is there romance in the air for Luke and Tula? Is there romance in the air for HAN AND LEIA?! Is there romance in the air between a bunch of stranded rebels and enormous ravenous monsters? No. This last one is no.
Sensing Luke Skywalker's hesitancy, Thane Markona tells Skywalker not to hold back. Noticing that Skywalker is hiding a lightsaber, he asks if Skywalker knows how to use it or obtained it from the junk pile. After Skywalker confirms that he can wield a lightsaber, the two rush to save a farmer who has been grabbed by a giant Thanrax. Markona slashes the creature's throat with his vibroblade gauntlet, killing it.
The remaining four thanraxes converge on Markona and Skywalker, who fight the creatures with their blades. A wounded thanrax heads to the village and Skywalker clings on to its back. Meanwhile, Han Solo and Princess Leia Organa are enjoying a quiet meal together at the cantina when they see Luke being dragged by the thanrax.
The thanrax approaches Tula Markona but Skywalker plunges his lightsaber into the creature's head, killing it. Solo remarks that Skywalker is trying to impress Tula while Tula takes an interest in Skywalker's lightsaber, saying that it reminds her of her grandmother whom Skywalker deduces was a Jedi.
Thane Markona sends several warriors after the thanrax, who have fled west. Markona thanks Skywalker for his help and says that a man like him will find much to do during his stay on Hubin. Skywalker turns down the offer, saying that he has people relying on him offworld. Markona claims that his people lack transmitters and that there is no way offworld until the traders come. Markona and Solo encourage Skywalker to enjoy the local hospitality while Leia quips that there aworse places to be stuck.
Markona offers to help Skywalker hone his combat skills. Later, Markona practices his vibroblades with Skywalker but opines that it would be better to duel with a lightsaber. Following the training exercise, Skywalker meets with R2-D2 and C-3PO, the latter of whom has been fitted with a repulsorlift chair. Skywalker begins work on building an improvised transmitter. MK-1 offers to help Skywalker build one, and C-3PO convinces him to accept the droid's offer.
A week later, the rebels continue their holiday on Hubin. When Leia finds Han and Luke lying on the grass, Skywalker asks if she has come to join the sunset. Skywalker confides that he is bored, saying that it reminds him of his former home. Solo reminds Skywalker that Tula invited him out for a romantic walk. After Skywalker leaves for his date, Solo remarks that six months as a trooper would have thought him to be more organized.
Solo tells Leia about his brief career with the Imperial Navy before being sent to the Imperial Army. Solo also mentions his previous relationship with Qi'ra but indicates that he is not yet ready for another romantic relationship.
Meanwhile, Tula tells Skywalker that she trusts him enough for the two of them to share more about their families and his Force gifts. She tells Skywalker that his actions on Hubin have proven him to be trustworthy. Skywalker confides that he does not know how to talk to a romantic partner. Tula tells Skywalker that her grandmother told her that she should let her heart guide her.
Tula acknowledges that her grandmother was a Jedi who fell in love with a roguish stranger and then left the Jedi Order, claiming that the Jedi did not embody the Force. She and her lover settled on Hubin where they had a child, her father Markona. Her grandmother taught her father all he knew while her grandfather taught her father everything she wished he didn't.
Following the death of his parents, Markona founded a mercenary company called Clan Markona and later met Tula's mother, who served as a field technician but perished during her mission. In her will, she told Tula's father to give their daughter a happy childhood and to look after the clan. Clan Markona agreed and settled on Hubin, making the world their private property. Tula observes that the first generation of children, who have lived in peace, are becoming restless for action.
Skywalker tells Tula that he always wanted to leave his home even before the Empire murdered his family. Tula senses Skywalker's restlessness and tells Skywalker that she has confided in him to show that she understands and cares for him. Tula admits that she sent MK-1 to help Skywalker build a transmitter.
While Tula regards Skywalker as a good person, she fears that activating the transmitter will draw hostile forces to Hubin. She pleads with Skywalker to reconsider his plans before doing "something that he can't take back."
Later at the dining room, Skywalker tells Princess Leia and Han Solo that he has a risky plan to get offworld. Leia says they are not ready, prompting an outburst from Luke. Solo tells Luke to calm down but Luke expresses frustration at their lack of action. Leia explains that things are complicated and that she just needs a little more time on Hubin. Luke grumbles that the longer they wait on Hubin, they are giving the Empire more time to devastate the galaxy.
Luke storms out and tells R2-D2 to follow him, walking past Tula. Back in his room, Skywalker tells R2-D2 to power up the transmitter. Meanwhile, Solo regrets Skywalker's outburst but tells Leia that her secrecy contributed to the situation. Leia replies that she finds it hard to hope now due to her mistake in trusting Trios. Leia leads Solo into her room where she reveals that she has been working on a plan to destroy Shu-Torun forever as retribution for Trios' treachery.
- UPC 759606081134; December 5, 2018; Marvel Comics
- Star Wars Vol. 10: The Escape
- Star Wars by Gillen & Pak Omnibus
- The Marvel Art of Star Wars