Star Wars 86: The Alderaan Factor marks the eighty-sixth installment of the Marvel Star Wars comic book saga.
Prior to the Battle of Endor, Leia Organa is seen hurrying through a Rebel cruiser, closely followed by Luke Skywalker. Leia is preparing to embark on a mission to the planet of Yinchorr, and Skywalker endeavors to persuade her to allow him to accompany her. However, to gain the confidence of the Yinchorri, she has committed to traveling without any Rebel troops. Skywalker remains concerned for her safety, given the presence of Imperial forces in that sector, and he provides her with an emergency beacon to alert him should she encounter any difficulties. A Yinchorri shuttle arrives to transport Leia to the arid world; however, en route, the Yinchorri commander discloses that she is, in fact, to be used as collateral in a transaction with the Empire, ensuring the safety of the Yinchorri Elder Council, who have been captured by Imperial Governor Marcellin Wessel. Yet, as they proceed to deliver the Princess, their TIE fighter escort initiates an attack, as Wessel is satisfied with simply eliminating the Rebel leader. Amidst the Yinchorri's growing panic, Leia swiftly takes charge, seizing control of the blaster cannon and returning fire. The Yinchorri pilot skillfully evades the TIEs, and Leia successfully shoots down one of the starfighters. However, just as Leia destroys the second starfighter, their vessel sustains damage from the Imperial craft's weaponry, resulting in both ships crash-landing in the desert below. Moments before the impact, Leia manages to activate her emergency beacon. Aboard the Alliance Fleet, Luke, Chewbacca, and Lando Calrissian detect the signal and immediately depart in the Millennium Falcon to come to her aid. On Yinchorr, a stormtrooper informs Wessel that Princess Leia's ship has been shot down, but both TIE fighters were also destroyed. Wessel, determined to confirm Leia's demise, organizes a search party to locate the wreckage.
Simultaneously, the TIE pilot of the second craft survives and makes his way to the crashed Yinchorri shuttle. Despite orders to eliminate the shuttle's passengers, he recognizes Leia and chooses to defy those orders, setting her free. The TIE pilot is actually from Alderaan, and prior to joining the Empire, he was a common servant. Leia, astonished that an Alderaanian would serve the Empire, accuses him of betraying his homeworld. Ignoring her insults, the Imperial assists her to safety, asserting that Leia's father, not the Empire, was responsible for opposing the Empire and causing Alderaan's destruction. As they argue, they remain unaware of being stalked by the rolk-mahgir, formidable native creatures. During their continued journey across the desert, Leia attempts to make her captor understand the Empire's wickedness. He shows her a small rock from Alderaan, acquired from a trader on Tatooine. The Imperial has crafted the rock into a necklace, as his personal memento of his lost homeworld. Leia is infuriated by his attitude towards Alderaan's destruction, denouncing the memento as a symbol of the slaughter of millions. Attracted by their loud exchanges, the rolk-mangir attack, seizing the Imperial by his leg.
Leia manages to seize the man's blaster and fires at the beasts, driving them away and saving the Imperial's life. Meanwhile, Luke, Lando, and Chewbacca have arrived above Yinchorr, tracking Leia's emergency signal. However, Wessel's group is also closing in on Leia's signal and is about to reach her location. In an attempt to evade the rolk-mahgir, Leia and the Imperial are compelled to jump off a cliff to a lower ledge. During the jump, Leia nearly falls to her death, but the Imperial grabs her arm and pulls her to safety. The two begin to reminisce about Alderaan, but Leia once again brings up the destruction of Alderaan, still appalled over the man's service to the Empire. Sensing that there is still some good in the soldier, she asks him to come with her and join the Rebellion. The Imperial is still hesitant to leave the Empire, claiming that it is too much of a risk to give up all he has for "a dream that might never come true".
When Leia claims that he is not even a man if he believes that, he is greatly offended and points his blaster at her, deciding to take her to the approaching Imperials. Wessel is pleased with finding the princess, and he immediately orders his men to kill the Yinchorri council, claiming that Leia is next. The Imperial soldier is shocked at Wessel's cruelty, beginning to see the truth in Leia's words. Before Wessel can execute Leia, the Millennium Falcon arrives to the rescue and destroys Wessel's ground vehicle. Amidst the resulting chaos, Leia runs for the ship, but Wessel attempts one last time to kill the princess, aiming his gun at the woman. The Imperial recognizes Wessel's intent, and he shoots Wessel's gun out of his hand. He claims that Leia was right about the Empire, and the two make their way to the Millennium Falcon which has landed a short distance away. However, before they can board the ship, the former Imperial soldier is shot by one of Wessel's men. Leia grabs the man's hand as the ship lifts off, pulling him into the air. The Imperial struggles to hold onto her hand, but he is too weak from his injuries and slips from her fingers, falling to his death. As Lando and Luke pull her into the ship, Leia looks into her hand where she is still holding the ex-Imperial's Alderaanian rock and begins to cry.