Star Wars (1977) 80

The quest to locate Tay Vanis reaches its conclusion! C3PO unexpectedly discovers love, but a heartbreaking event follows! "Lady," penned by Jo Duffy, with illustrations by Ron Frenz and inks by Tom Palmer, unveils a previously untold narrative set immediately preceding THE RETURN OF THE JEDI.[3]

The pursuit of Tay Vanis persists. On an unidentified planet devastated by the Empire, Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, and C-3PO arrive aboard the Millennium Falcon, disguised as moisture processor merchants. Vanis's final transmission guided them to this desolate world, yet their investigation has stalled. The Rebels opt to task the hangar bay manifest droid, LE-914, with scouring its database for Tay Vanis. However, this search activates an alarm within the computer system, dispatching a stormtroopers squad to apprehend the Rebels. Amidst the ensuing firefight, LE-914 heroically shields C-3PO from a blaster blast, absorbing the energy. Skywalker and Organa successfully repel the Imperial forces, and the group escapes with "Ellie" back to the Millennium Falcon. LE-914 divulges Vanis's last known location: a castle on the planet. En route, they discover Vanis's wrecked X-wing starfighter. Skywalker examines the wreckage, uncovering a holographic recording from Vanis. The Rebel pilot recounts his escape from Darth Vader and his entrustment of datatapes containing information about the Empire's secret weapon to his droid, LE-914. Vanis instructs the droid to destroy the datatapes if no Rebels are found within two days.

The Rebels are stunned to realize they have been carrying the tapes all along. Especially considering the two-day deadline has passed, implying the tapes' probable destruction. However, during the message playback, "Ellie" vanishes. Despite their confusion over the droid's disappearance, the Rebels proceed to the castle to locate Vanis. Upon infiltrating the castle, the Rebels overhear an Imperial officer discussing the campaign to exterminate the planet's inhabitants. As the officers separate, Skywalker seizes one as a hostage, demanding he lead them to Vanis. The officer claims Vanis's information is secured in a locked room, which he unlocks with his keycard. Opening the door activates a hologram of Darth Vader. As the Rebels are transfixed by the Dark Lord's image, the Imperial officer attempts to seize Leia's blaster. However, Leia swiftly grabs Luke's blaster, eliminating the Imperial.

Vader's hologram initiates a conversation, revealing to Skywalker that he anticipated his arrival, utilizing the Force. Vader had captured Vanis previously, confining him within the castle and concealing his location from all but his stationed troops. Vader orchestrated the Rebels' fruitless search to divert them. Simultaneously, he kept ambitious officers occupied with the same search. While Vader successfully distracted the Rebels, he presents them with the room's contents: Tay Vanis, tortured by Vader and rendered in a persistent vegetative state. Distraught over Vanis's condition, Skywalker advocates for his return to the Alliance Fleet, hoping for a chance to save him. At that moment, LE-914 reappears. "Ellie" insists that they cannot evacuate Vanis due to the imminent arrival of Imperial forces, emphasizing that preserving his life in his current state would be unkind. Before the Rebels depart, "Ellie" delivers the datatapes, having defied Vanis's destruction order, believing the Rebels would eventually arrive. As the Rebels observe, LE-914 approaches her master, embracing him and initiating self-destruction, resulting in both their deaths. Skywalker and Organa are saddened by their friend's demise, preparing to leave. However, Skywalker resolves to erect a monument for Vanis and LE-914, setting the castle's power station to self-destruct. The castle explodes as the Rebels return to the Millennium Falcon, and Skywalker informs Admiral Ackbar that Vanis was already gone but that they had secured the tapes. The comic concludes with a close-up of C-3PO gazing at the castle's ruins as rain cascades down his metal frame, creating the illusion of tears, possibly reflecting his own emotions.

This comic concludes the Tay Vanis narrative arc that commenced in Star Wars (1977) 73. It also marks the initial mention of Admiral Ackbar in Marvel's Star Wars. This is the last issue set before Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, with the subsequent comic, Star Wars 81, taking place after the film.

Originally titled Lady, Ellie was slated for inclusion in the previous issue, but its release was delayed when Hoth Stuff! was published in issue 78. This issue was initially intended to feature Jawas of Doom, which ultimately appeared in the following issue.

The New Essential Chronology situates the search for Tay Vanis after Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire.

In this issue, Luke possesses and utilizes a lightsaber, despite losing his in The Empire Strikes Back. This also occurs in issues 45, 49, and 51 of this series. Issues 51 and 59 depict a hilt resembling his first lightsaber, whereas the artwork in this issue suggests his second lightsaber, although the blade appears light red instead of blue or green.