The group of rebels responsible for stealing the Death Star plans in Rogue One made the ultimate sacrifice on Scarif. They all perished for a greater cause, and the Rebel Alliance used the data Jyn, Cassian, and co. retrieved to destroy the Empire’s planet-decimating weapon. After viewing Rogue One, I couldn’t help but wonder if there was an off-screen scene in the throne room on Yavin 4 honoring the rebels who made the victory possible. At the very least, the Star Wars ongoing comic will see Luke understand the contributions of the Scarif team in an upcoming arc.
StarWars.com shared the news about Luke, Leia, and Han going to Jedha in late July when they confirmed writer Kieron Gillen and artist Salvador Larroca would be taking over Marvel‘s Star Wars title with issue #38 in November. Jedha City was blown to bits by the Death Star in Rogue One, though the Empire covered up the incident and claimed the loss of the holy city was due to a mining incident.
Star Wars #38 cover by David Marquez
Gillen appeared on ABC News’ Inside Marvel: Darth Vader to talk, well, Darth Vader, but he also discussed the Star Wars comic. The first arc will go to Jedha, a place that’s become of a bit of a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Luke’s learning about the Force, so it’s not surprising the track would lead him to what used to be prime holy city territory.
I don’t know that I care much about what Luke could possibly learn about the Force on Jedha, but I am interested in a more emotional side of the story, too. Gillen told ABC News: “We basically get a Rogue One Star Wars intersection, because I really just want to see Luke respond to discovering people like Jyn, discovering the people who led to him being able to take a shot at the Death Star.”
I find this an important path for Luke because he got involved with the war against the Empire right before A New Hope. Unlike Cassian or Jyn, he hasn’t been in the fight for his entire life. He’s been farming on Tatooine, relatively unaware of what was happening in the galaxy. Pilots died alongside him in the Battle of Yavin, but the rebellion scored a big win–it’s not that they didn’t mourn or honor those who died, but they had a lot to celebrate when the Death Star exploded.
Putting Luke in a situation where he’s confronted with learning about rebels like Jyn is kind of a way to hit him in the face with the risks of fighting and the sacrifices others have made for the Rebel Alliance to get to its current position. That kind of experience could be key to his development as a Jedi and as a soldier. I think it will help him more fully understand the stakes.
Watch the entirety of ABC News’ Inside Marvel: Darth Vader to hear more about the ongoing Star Wars comic, as well as what’s happening in the Darth Vader series.
Do you like the idea of Luke, Leia, and Han visiting Jedha? How do you hope it will play out? Share your thoughts on the matter in the comments.
Images: Marvel, Giphy
