REVIEW: ‘Star Wars,’ Issue #12

Published by Marvel Comics, Star Wars #12 is written by Charles Soule, joined by artist Jan Bazaluda, colorist Rachelle Rosenberg, and letterer Clayton Cowles. Star Wars #12 takes an unexpected divergence from the conflict between Commander Zahra and General Leia Organa as readers take a ride back to the past with stories from Kes Dameron and the general herself. 

Previously in Star Wars #11, we saw the resolution of the conflict between Lando Calrissian and Kes Dameron. Before Lobot, Calrissian’s dear friend broke down due to the strain of communicating with Starlight Squadron, C-3PO was able to preserve the andriod and still keep communications stable with the far-off squadron. The Rebels have yet to learn of the former smuggler’s dealings with the Jabba the Hutt, but the tension between Calrissian and the Rebellion has dissipated for now. Full attention turned to Starlight Squadron, who was in a space battle with Commander Zahra as communication was lost.  Much to Kes Dameron’s dismay, his wife Shara Bey, who led the mission, had sacrificed her safety to allow the rest of the Rebels to escape. With no communication from Bey, all the Rebels can do is wait.

Star Wars #12 opens as one can expect with Captain Kes Dameron is desperately inquiring about updates about his wife’s situation. With no answers and nothing he can do, he goes to the observation deck where Leia Organa is deep in reflection with her other half, also seemingly out of reach. While Leia goes to the observation deck for a quiet moment, Kes talks to his and Shara’s son Poe Dameron who readers get to see as an adorable hologram. The two briefly exchange words back and forth, and it is clear how much Organa respects Dameron as she even goes as far as to allow the captain to call her simply Leia without the titles. It gives shades of how Leia treats Poe in the Sequel Trilogy and how much respect was present between the two. While much of their interactions to this point in this series has been about battle tactics and missions, Star Wars #12 takes an unexpected turn to flashback in both of the Rebel’s lives.

Kes tells Leia about the first time he met Shara. While I don’t want to spoil the story itself, I can say that it is a meet-cute for the ages. Readers truly get to see both sides of Poe Dameron’s personality as Kes and Shara are shown in their youth: Kes, the wise-cracking but smooth talker up for a good time, and Shara, the beautiful and fearless pilot who would even give a Jedi a run for his credits.  For a while, now Star Wars fans have known the couple to have been together during and after the Rebellion. However, we haven’t had the chance to see the two first become one of the primer power couples in the Rebellion. Star Wars #12 gives us that in a concise story that isn’t bloated with war pressures or the convenience of circumstance. After Kes gives his story, Leia gives her own as Kes is unsure, like many fans, why the two are together in the first place given their vastly different personalities. Much as with Dameron’s, Leia tells her story as the panels flashback, but this time it is on Echo Base on Hoth. Organa tells a story that even Kes Dameron, who was present on Hoth, didn’t even know. By the end of her story, I was desperately telling all the fans I could about Star Wars #12.

Overall, Star Wars #12 is an unexpected issue during all of the fast-paced action and tension from earlier in the series. Writer Soule slows down the story and gives readers some of the best writing I have experienced as a Star Wars fan. Kes and Shara’s relationship has always been one of my favorites, with the duo rivaling Leia and Han as the best couple in Star Wars. Their beginnings are genuine and fit both of their personalities but ultimately show how Kes had always had faith in Shara before he even met her, giving him hope for her rescue. Leia’s story is even better as fans are shown a story never seen before in place many of us have been countless times on Echo Base. At the end of the story, Leia delivers lines to profess her love for Han and who he is as a person that will stay with me always. Star Wars is more than just hokey religions and ancient weapons. Star Wars #12 shows that even in moments of extreme darkness, the relationships between the characters in this universe are what truly bind it together.

Star Wars #12 is available now wherever comics are sold.