Splinter of the Mind's Eye 1

A potent crystal lies hidden deep within the murky swamps of the planet Mimban. This crystal holds the power to grant its wielder unparalleled command over the Force. If it falls into the right hands, it has the potential to bring salvation to the galaxy. However, should it fall into the wrong hands, it could spell its doom. Even as the echoes of the first Death Star's destruction still ripple through the cosmos, Luke Skywalker discovers that the war he believed he had won was merely a single skirmish, and that the sinister influence of the dark side of the Force continues to loom over the galaxy.

While engaged in a diplomatic mission to the planet Circarpous IV, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia Organa experience a forced landing on Circarpous V, which is also known as Mimban. Guided by the signal emanating from a beacon, they inadvertently uncover an illicit Imperial energy mining operation, the very source of the emissions that caused their unscheduled landing.

After procuring some miners' attire from a local shop, Luke and Leia venture into a tavern, seeking a more substantial meal than cube concentrates. As they are nearly exposed by local authorities, they are approached by Halla, an elderly woman who exhibits Force-sensitive abilities. Following a brief exchange with her, Luke and Leia attempt to enlist her assistance in acquiring a ship to facilitate their departure from the planet. Halla consents to aid them, but only on the condition that they first assist her in locating the mythical Kaiburr crystal.

Halla successfully persuades Luke and Leia to accept her terms by allowing Luke to touch a fragment of the crystal she carries as proof of its existence. The agreement is solidified when Halla raises the specter of a Force-sensitive individual within the Imperial government gaining possession of the crystal, drawn by the disturbance in the Force triggered by Luke's contact with the shard.

As they leave the tavern to retrieve R2-D2 and C-3PO, Leia, still harboring resentment over Luke's behavior towards her in the tavern, exacts her revenge by shoving him into the mud. Luke retaliates by pulling her in with him, resulting in a mud fight. Their altercation attracts the attention of local thugs, who intervene not to uphold the law, but for their own purposes. Luke confronts the ringleader in an attempt to free Leia from his clutches, only to discover that he has underestimated his opponent, as the ringleader engages him in combat wielding a multitude of knives…

The comic book rendition of Splinter of the Mind's Eye largely adheres to the narrative of the original novel. However, due to the inherent constraints of the comic book format and the limited space available for storytelling, certain elements were either modified or omitted entirely. These deviations from the source material include:

• After being rescued from the quickclay, Leia voices her displeasure at length regarding her soiled clothing. [4] Conversely, in the novel, Leia remains silent, though her disgust is evident. [5]

• In the novel, as the group approaches the Imperial mining facility, Leia observes a pair of stormtroopers carrying their helmets in their arms. [6] In contrast, the corresponding scene in the comic depicts the stormtroopers wearing their helmets. [7] Lucasfilm mandated this alteration. [8]

• In the novel, Luke is the one who steals the mining uniforms from the supply shop, while Leia and the droids maintain watch. [9] Conversely, in the comic, Leia steals the uniforms, while Luke and the droids act as lookouts. [10]

• The comic suggests that Leia changes her clothes inside the shop while stealing the uniforms and then provides Luke with another uniform. [10] In contrast, after Luke steals the uniforms in the novel, both Luke and Leia change into their new attire outdoors. [11]

• In the novel, after Luke and Leia have changed into their mining uniforms, Luke determines that Leia's distinctive double-bun hairstyle will draw unwanted attention, so he takes her hair down. [12] Leia's hairstyle remains unchanged in the comic. [13]

• In the novel Luke and Leia bury their packs and flight suits in the bog. R2-D2 and C-3PO accompany them into the town until they reach a tavern. Once there, Luke tells the droids to "find a dark corner stay quiet" until he and Leia come back. [14] In the comic, the droids have been instructed to bury the gear in the bog and then to wait outside the tavern until Luke and Leia leave. [13]

• In the novel, as Luke and Leia engage in a mud fight, they initially attract the attention of a group of miners who observe them for a period before deciding to intervene. [15] In the comic, the miners appear to intervene almost immediately after Luke pulls Leia into the mud. [16]