Han Solo 5, the last of the five issues of the Marvel comic book limited series, Star Wars: Han Solo, was released on November 23, 2016. It was penned by Marjorie Liu and illustrated by Mark Brooks.
The race's commentator declares that this particular iteration of the Dragon Void Run will be remembered as the most unpredictable and captivating in a millennium, further noting the unprecedented interference of the Galactic Empire. The Imperials command the remaining competitors to power down their engines and prepare for inspection, warning of severe repercussions for non-compliance.
Han Solo inquires whether any of the racers have armaments aboard their vessels. Nowk Asil responds that, as they are not smugglers, they are unarmed. Delan Vook questions the sanity of anyone who would engage the Empire. Undeterred by the Imperial presence, Chewbacca initiates an attack on a TIE fighter. Vook dismisses Solo as foolish and decides to withdraw from the race, confident that his sponsors will shield him from any Imperial repercussions. Dorae informs Solo of the murder of the Elomin Aran.
As the announcer provides live commentary on the unfolding race, Loo Re Anno successfully persuades the other pilots, including Vook, to follow her, emphasizing that this is a race for pioneers and that none have yet ventured into the void. Loo Re Anno's ship activates an energy field, causing a gigantic tentacled entity to materialize from the fabric of spacetime and consume several of the pursuing TIE fighters. Solo is impressed by Loo Re Anno's daring actions.
Subsequently, the racers plunge into the void's depths for the final, most perilous segment of the competition. Solo instructs Chewbacca to monitor the Millennium Falcon's fuel reserves to avoid being stranded. He expresses regret at accepting a mission from Leia Organa. Dorae attributes their impending doom to Solo's arrogance and the Rebellion's potential failure, while Bot labels them as a band of murderers. As Solo grapples with the implications of Aran's death, Dorae cautions that they cannot jump to hyperspace within the void and risk being marooned. U'Il warns that failure to be the first to cross the finish line will result in their abandonment in space, awaiting rescue, and fears potential torture at the hands of the Empire.
While examining Aran's corpse, U'Il suspects poisoning as the cause of death. Solo declares his affection for his ship and his anger at the murder occurring within it. Dorae assumes Solo is addressing her, but he clarifies that his remarks were directed at the Duros Bot. Bot denies being a murderer. Solo counters that, excluding himself, Chewbacca, Dorae, and U'Il, Bot remains the sole suspect. Dorae questions Solo's logic, but U'Il silences her.
Bot vehemently denies being a murderer before attacking Solo with a hidden needle. Solo seizes the Duros and delivers a headbutt. Chewbacca grabs Bot's ankle, attempting to restrain him. However, Bot injects himself with the needle while reiterating his innocence. Dorae believes Bot has been poisoned, but U'Il assures him that his species is immune to the toxin. As Solo expresses gratitude to Chewbacca, Dorae questions Bot's repeated denials. U'Il explains that Bot's betrayal of the Rebellion was not voluntary but the result of Imperial compromise and brainwashing. U'Il suspects that Bot murdered the other informants under Imperial influence.
As Solo and Chewbacca return to the cockpit, Solo instructs U'Il and the others to monitor Bot. Solo laments the increasing complexity of their problems. Chewbacca expresses his desire to aid the Rebellion in Shyriiwook, prompting Solo to remark on his greater nobility. Solo describes himself as an insignificant smuggler, content with his status.
Sensing Loo Re Anno's presence, Solo contacts the ancient pilot to inquire about her post-race plans. Loo Re-Anno responds that her ship is her sanctuary. Regarding the race, Loo-Re Anno states that she will either triumph or perish. She reveals that she is the last of her kind in the galaxy, accompanied only by her witnesses, whose fate remains uncertain.
She confesses her weariness of solitude. Loo Re Anno recounts her past rejection of her grandmother's teachings and offers of companionship, mistakenly believing in her self-sufficiency and the value of isolation. Loo Re Anno laments realizing her error too late. As the ships approach the finish line, the TIE fighters close in.
Dorae secures herself, and Solo questions her piloting skills. With dwindling power levels, Solo warns Chewbacca against using the deflector shield to conserve energy for reaching the finish line, marked by an ancient technological gate capable of creating a wormhole back to the race's starting point. The first ship to pass through the gate wins the prize and escapes the void, while the losers are stranded.
U'Il doubts the Falcon's ability to outpace the other ships. Nevertheless, Solo activates the Falcon's engines, overtaking Vook, Asil, and Reat. The Falcon draws level with Loo Re Anno. The pursuing Imperial TIE fighters inflict damage on Loo Re Anno's ship, causing her to fall behind Solo. The Falcon takes the lead, delighting the rebel informants. Recalling Loo Re Anno's words, Solo intentionally deviates from the gate and heads towards the TIE fighters. Dorae believes Solo seeks death, but he retorts that she misunderstands his intentions.
Loo Re Anno flies through the gate, securing victory. As the announcers speculate on the racers' fate, Dorae berates Solo for jeopardizing their lives. U'Il aims her blaster at Solo's face, vowing not to be captured alive. To everyone's astonishment, the gate reopens from the opposite side. A fleet of ships, led by Loo Re Anno, emerges from the gate and attacks the TIE pilots. Loo Re Anno informs Solo of her reunion with her people, who reside far beyond the boundaries of time and space. She explains that her people constructed the gate for their exodus from the galaxy.
Loo Re Anno expresses her gratitude to Solo for facilitating her reunion. As a parting gesture, Loo Re Anno invites Solo and the other pilots to pass through the gate. As the witness departs, Solo instructs it to convey his thanks to Loo Re Anno. Solo and the surviving pilots reappear at the race's starting point, resulting in an unprecedented situation with three winners. As the announcer grapples with the unexpected turn of events, Solo instructs Chewbacca to return home. The Falcon enters hyperspace.
As Han Solo and his comrades arrive back at the rebel base, he contemplates his decision to prioritize the Rebellion over his life as a solitary spacer. Princess Leia greets the surviving spies, Dorae and U'Il, the latter of whom she welcomes as a longtime friend. Leia and Solo learn that she possessed the master list of rebel spies while posing as a bodyguard. Leia speaks with Solo, telling him that he could have risked the lives of all the spies for a race.
Solo retorts that his ego demanded it. While Solo acted recklessly, Leia admits that he triumphed against all odds. While overlooking a balcony, Leia confides that she trusts Solo to make the right choices. Solo advises her not to rely on it, as he won't be around indefinitely. When Leia inquires about his plans to leave the Rebellion, Solo assures her that he will remain for the foreseeable future, believing the Rebellion would collapse without him. Leia accuses Solo of arrogance, while Solo addresses her as "your worshipfulness." The two join hands.