REVIEW: ‘Star Wars Adventures: Flight of the Falcon’

Published by IDW Publishing, Star Wars Adventures: Flight of the Falcon is written by  Michael Moreci, sports art from Arianna Florean, colored Mattia Iacono and Sara Martinelli while letter Tom B. Long rounds out the team. The comic miniseries, Flight of the Falcon, is part of a larger wave of new canon material spanning multiple decades that all contain one common through line, the Millennium Falcon.

Through the comics and books associated with this project, we have seen many characters and story lines aboard the Falcon. Star Wars Adventures: Flight of the Falcon wraps up the story line that has been featured in the Star Wars Adventures comics since its debut in issue 14 in September 2018. With the sixth story in the series, writer Moreci and artist Florean paint the picture of one final story featuring everyone’s favorite space pirate, Hondo Ohnaka.

Hondo Ohnaka has been a constant presence in the Star Wars canon since his introduction to the universe in the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. The pirate would survive the Clone Wars and the rise of the Empire to make an appearance on Star Wars Rebels with the crew of the Ghost.

Decades later, we now see him trying to make his living through the rise of the First Order and the Resistance on the planet Batuu. With Hondo’s always cunning ways that seem to prevent his demise even as he tangled with the likes of the Count Dooku, Darth Maul, General Grievous, Aurra Sing, and the Empire itself, it does not surprise me that the pirate would have a run in with the legendary Millennium Falcon.

The issue opens some time after the events of Star Wars: The Last Jedi on Batuu at the Bakkar Spire Outpost. Here we find Hondo is singing of another one of his grand exploits. Consequently, Bakkar Spire Outpost is exactly where fans will be able to see Hondo in person at the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run ride at Disney’s Galaxy’s Edge attraction later this year. Through this issue, we are able to glimpse a story before he was able to talk Chewbacca into lending him the Falcon for a business venture with a crew of his own. Spoiler alert, we are that crew!

Much of the Flight of the Falcon story in the Star Wars Adventures comics has followed Bazine Netal on her quest to steal the Millennium Falcon. Fans for the Sequel Trilogy will remember Netal as the First Order informant at Maz Kanata’s castle during Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Last we saw of Netal was in Flight of the Falcon, Part 5: Grand Theft Falcon (my review here), she was informed by Lady Proxima that Falcon was going to be on Batuu with Hondo. As our story in this issue starts with Hondo boasting that he was able to get it back from Netal, it is apparent that her mission did not go according to plan.

Hondo is playing cards with Bala-Tik, who like Netal made an appearance The Force Awakens. Bala-Tik does not believe that Hondo is truly in possession of the Millennium Falcon. Slighted by the notion, Hondo challenges Bala-Tik to a race to show him the extent of his prize’s greatness.  Bala-Tik accepts Hondo’s wager which comes much to the behest of Hondo’s right hand, Mahjo who helped him get the Falcon in the first place. Mahjo knows that Chewbacca is scheduled to pick up the ship from Hondo and thinks the idea is foolish for the sake of keeping their arms attached to their bodies.

Never one to turn a chance for credits, Hondo doesn’t listen. We know from episode seven, Bala-Tik was a member of the Guavian Death Gang who has their own agenda with the famed ship and its former captain. As the race begins, it comes as no surprise that Bala-Tik sets up a trap for Hondo and Mahjo. Now, the temporary crew of the Falcon must find a way to escape the Guavian Death Gang. Not only do they have achieve this feat while outgunned, they have to find a way to do it with Falcon intact or else incur the wrath of a wookiee.

Overall, I enjoyed this finale to the Flight of the Falcon series. While the outcome is all but known from the Hondo’s place at Galaxy’s Edge in Disney Land / Disney World, readers will know the story of how it got there with this issue. This is the type of background lore that I have come to love with the Star Wars Adventures series.

Writer Michael Moreci who has been the writer of the Flight of the Falcon series since its inception the Star Wars Adventures series in 2018 has consistently expanded on the canon with his short stories. Ties from decades of lore with characters like IG-88, Lady Proxima, Hondo, Ducain and others with it all to conclude with this issue has been fantastic. Further, artist Arianna Florean has provided my favorite art of the entire series.

Although these stories they tell may not have ramifications for anything we see on the big screen, Star Wars Adventures: Flight of the Falcon may be the first time we see Star Wars canon literally come to life at Galaxy’s Edge. I for one, look forward to talking to Hondo about this adventure.

Star Wars Adventures: Flight of the Falcon is available now. It will also be apart of Star Wars Adventures Vol. 6: Flight of the Falcon that releases July 23, 2019 where you will be able to experience all six issues in the series from the team led by Michael Moreci and Arianna Florean.