The eighteenth installment of the Star Wars comic book series from Marvel, Star Wars 18, hit shelves on April 27, 2016. Jason Aaron penned the issue, while Leinil Francis Yu provided the artwork.
Han Solo and Luke Skywalker are in the middle of a dispute on the Outer Rim planet of Ibaar. Their argument centers around the nerf smuggling operation they undertook to recover the Rebel Alliance's funds, which Solo gambled away. Skywalker believes Solo owes him a debt because he destroyed three Imperial TIE fighters. Solo retorts that even a blind Gungan could have destroyed those ships and criticizes Skywalker for turning the Millennium Falcon into a farm.
Luke suggests traveling a few more parsecs and cautions Han that Princess Leia Organa will be furious with him for risking the Alliance's money in a sabacc game. After cleaning up the Falcon, the two bicker over who's in charge as they head toward Sunspot Prison.
At Sunspot Prison, an IG-RM bodyguard and enforcer droid is strangling Sana Starros. Dr Chelli Lona Aphra is struggling to reprogram the droid. Princess Leia Organa puts an end to the droid with two blaster shots. Aphra is frustrated because she was in the process of rewiring the droid. Sana informs Leia and Aphra that she intended to tap into the prison's communication lines to call for assistance once the droid attacked her. Dr. Aphra expresses her desire to repair the droid, but Starros points out that she allowed it to approach her without resistance.
Dr. Aphra doesn't like taking orders from Princess Leia, who suggests she take her chances back in her cell. Aphra's estranged friend, Starros, jokes about throwing her into the sun. Aphra counters that they would both be dead without her assistance. Before their argument escalates, Princess Leia reminds them that the prison is currently under attack by a madman and that their objective is to evacuate everyone safely.
They enter a cell block, only to discover that all the prisoners are dead. However, the mysterious intruder manages to disrupt their transmission. Meanwhile, the captive C-3PO advises R2-D2 against any "foolish" actions, given that his arms were only recently reattached. As the intruder's droids guard the control room, the intruder executes an Imperial prisoner who bragged about killing three Jedi. The intruder reveals to him that the Emperor was a Sith Lord.
Before Leia and her group can reach Cell Eighteen, the intruder activates the airlock, causing several prisoners to fall to their deaths into the nearby star. As the prisoners scream, the intruder informs Leia that he is a genuine soldier of the Alliance. While C-3PO and R2-D2 await Leia's rescue, the intruder's droids maintain their guard over the command center. C-3PO believes their situation is hopeless, but R2-D2 pushes him into the leading droid.
As Leia and her companions battle through the intruder's droids, Aphra successfully reprograms one of the IG-RM droids. They regain control of the command center and reunite with C-3PO and R2-D2. Princess Leia questions one of the droids about the intruder's identity, but the droid replies that "he is trying to teach her something the way you once taught him."
While Aphra and Starros bicker about crushes and learning how to stab people, Leia silences them as she contacts Han and Luke via comlink. Han informs Leia that they received her message and are on their way to save the day. However, the mysterious intruder is standing menacingly behind them.