REVIEW: ‘Star Wars’ Issue #6

After the events of The Empire Strikes Back, Luke Skywalker continues his quest to become a Jedi in Star Wars #6. Published by Marvel Comics, Star Wars #6 has an exceptional team behind it with writer Charles Soule, artist and colorist Jesús Saiz, colorists Arif Prianto,  letterer Clayton Cowles, and cover artists R.B Silva and Guru-eFX. Luke Skywalker is in need of a lightsaber in order to forge his path and hopes a vision from the Force does not lead him astray.

Previous in Star Wars #5, Luke had made his way to Serelia after receiving a vision from the Force urging him to find a woman who would be crucial to his journey. Luke quickly found the woman but at the mere mention of the Jedi and the Force, she fled leading Luke and R2-D2 to chase her across the planet’s surface. After navigating a plethora of traps laid out in a cave, Luke eventually found him stuck in a hole unable to escape. It is revealed that the woman is in fact a Force-sensitive human, Verla.

Verla made her first appearance in Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith #14 as an acolyte to former Jedi padawan Ferren Barr in 18 BBY. During that time, she was being trained to by Barr to hone her Force abilities as he tried to reignite the teachings of the Jedi. Shortly after training began, Verla, Barr, and the other acolytes would be chased by Darth Vader and his Inquisitors until eventually, she was the only one left.  While Luke was stuck in her trap, Verla reached deep within his mind and learned what Luke had only recently learned himself: Darth Vader is his father.

Star Wars #6 opens with Verla’s immediate reaction to this revelation. Anger fills her and she attempts to drown Luke in the hole with water quickly rushes from under the young Jedi to be. All seems lost for Luke as the water overtakes him but R2-D2 comes to his friend’s rescue; shocking Verla and releasing the trap.  Verla awakes and much to her surprise, she is still alive.

Luke and Verla proceed to have a very dark conversation surrounding the nature of Darth Vader and the teachings of the Jedi and Force. Verla explains all she knows about Darth Vader and his connection to Anakin Skywalker in her very limited to knowledge. Verla grows comfortable with Luke as she sees his inherent good. She contends that the teachings of the Jedi are flawed and the Force sees them as nothing more than tools to be used to its will. She urges Luke to forget the path to being a Jedi and say no just as she did.

As a surprise to no one, Luke is persistent that the Force has led him to Verla and he needs her help.  Verla begrudgingly agrees to give Luke the location of a lightsaber but nothing more. If he seeks her help again, Verla assures that she will finish the job she started in the hole. Before Luke departs to an old Jedi temple in the outer rim, Verla leaves him with a warning that the temple is guarded by a darkness that he would be wise to flee from.

The rest of Star Wars #6 follows Luke as he faces the perils of the Jedi temple. The latter half of the issue is much more action-packed than the first. Fans of the supplemental animated series will find a pleasant surprise as the darkness of the temple is revealed. While the previous issues have been more fast-paced, Star Wars #6 had a much slower progression that had a big pay off.

Writer Soule pulls a throughline from Luke’s conversation with Verla all the way to the end of the issue. I found myself going back immediately to reread Star Wars #6 to catch all the crumbs that Soule laid for not only this issue but events to come in Luke’s journey as a Jedi and after. The art, particularly at the Jedi temple, is vivid and pops right off of the panels. There are even a few Easter eggs to search for will leave diehard Star Wars lore junkies happy.

I am really enjoying the Star Wars comic series as it has transitioned to focusing on Luke. Star Wars #6 gives more and more background on Luke path to becoming a Jedi and fills the gaps left in between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi in a way that feels authentic. While much of what has transpired will never see a screen, I am glad that we as Star Wars fans have it in this medium to appreciate.

Star Wars #6 is available now wherever comics are sold.