Comics Star Wars #44-49: Mutiny at Mon Cala (6/6 Released)

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I think that's the first time

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we've seen Ackbar's first name used in canon. Also nice to see another nod to the dislike for smuggling (and smugglers) he displayed at various times in Legends.

 

I know this isn’t really the place to talk about Larroca’s art, but... I’m actually quite pleasantly surprised by it in the preview panels. I suspect it has to do, somewhat, with Weltjens’s use of bright colors. The dark color palette of the previous arc really contributed to a lot of the action being difficult to follow.

 

I am definitely excited for this arc! I love the banter between Ackbar and Han, plus I'm happy they are doing this on the surface as opposed to underwater.

This is Mon Cala pre-uprising, while under Imperial rule. I'm excited to see how this all wraps up!

--Adm. Nick

 

Huh, even with the ugly art (all that tracing), its the first time in years I'm almost tempted to buy a Star Wars issue. Why is it when the story finally improves we're stuck with this kind of art? Well, I'll wait to hear if Han actually accomplishes something first. So far, I'm loving the dialogue and references (Mon Cala culture and their anti-criminal bias, Han's smuggling expertise, etc.). And at least Ackbar admits its not like he can claim the legal high ground.

 

I hope we'll see Quarrens too.

 

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The "king in exile" bit makes me hope to see Lee-Char again

 

Yes, Ackbar....TECHNICALLY.

 

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I hope "Warden of the King in Exile" isn't one of the titles that he "nods along with in public". That would be rather like whoever was put in charge of Chandrilla after Mon Mothma's flight introducing themselves as "warden for that traitorous senator!"

. . . I mean we don't know if this King (who may or may not be Lee-Char) supports the Rebellion or not, but in general you don't get exiled for being popular with the establishment. And the Empire is the establishment . . .

 

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The title is saying that he's in charge of supervising the king's exile. I don't see the issue with that being public knowledge, the Empire probably gave him that job and I doubt he enjoys it.

 

Every time I think the variant covers cannot possibly get any more ridiculous, I am somehow proven wrong.

 

Faa-Char is the leader of the Mon Cala resistance, according to the Rebel Files. Not sure how he is or isn't related to Lee-Char, but I'm love to see a reference to both characters.

--Adm. Nick

 

If Mon Cala is liberated during this Arc, I do think that raises the question of why the Rebel HQ was on some icy wasteland planet instead of on Mon Cala.

 

Easy answer. Same answer as we had in the old EU.

Mon Cala is a world of over 27 billion Mon Cala and Quarren. It is also a known world. Why would the Alliance risk billons of sentient lives AND put their HQ on a world that would already be an Imperial target? Furthermore, as one of the few "arsenals of the Rebellion", it would be unwise to consolidate the leadership, fleet, and manufacturing all in one spot.

--Adm. Nick

 

Alternative answer: Two words:

Imperial. Counter-offensive.

 

That's a good explanation, but then why was Hoth such a make-or-break battle? Even if the Rebel force there was completely annihilated, there would still be powerful elements of the Rebellion still kicking.

 

Well... the answer is complicated. And depends greatly on ones point of view.

Dan Wallace actually touches on this fantastically in The Rebel Files and gives what I believe is the best answer. In short - they are about to lose the battle for public support. Remember, by 3 ABY the Alliance has lost it's only major offensive (the Mid Rim campaign) and lost it's new HQ on Hoth. Mon Mothma notes in The Rebel Files that the Alliance is actually still militarily strong (the fleet is intact and growing), but all that doesn't mean squat if the Galaxy loses it's belief that the Rebels can win.

The groundswelling of popular support for the Alliance that occurs in 1 ABY is at risk of being snuffed out forever because of these losses. Many Alliance-allied worlds would be openly questioning if this is a war that they can win. It doesn't matter if Mon Mothma and Ackbar are floating in deep space with a large navy, if it isn't seen and isn't winning battles people will question whether the Alliance can win.

That is why Endor, among other reasons, is such a do or die battle. If they can't destroy the second Death Star and prove to the Galaxy that they are still a force to be reckoned with, the Alliance would wither away. The stakes couldn't be higher between 3-4 ABY.

--Adm. Nick

 

Have you read Battlefront: Twilight Company? If not, I recommend you do so as it both gives a really good answer to your Q and provides an excellent skeleton that I hope the ANH-ESB stories build on further. As you can see the opening story of the SW comic, Skywalker Strikes, as part of that overall structure.

 

Well damn here's a story arc in the main series I'm certainly looking forward to, mainly because I need my Admiral Ackbar fix after The Last Jedi just got rid of him. =)

 

@The2ndQuest
Star Wars #44-49: Mutiny at Mon Cala (1/6 Released)

#44 Part I

Spoiler

Han, Luke, Leia, Ackbar, and the droids wait on the surface of Mon Cala to meet with Admiral Urtya of the Mon Cala Mercantile Fleet. Just as the meeting begins and Leia begins her diplomacy, an Imperial scout ship shoots and destroyes Urtya's vessel and lands on the island. Han distracts the storm troopers with a bomb as our heroes flee into a wooded area. They exchange fire with the troopers and escape on a boat that Chewie had in his possession. The whole time Leia pleads with Urtya and he ultimately refuses to join the Rebellion. Raddus gets a name drop. Urtya mentions their king in chains in an Imperial prison...

Later, back at the Rebel's base - Mako-Ta Space Docks, Rebel Production Center, The Outer Rim, Leia has to report to Dodonna and Mothma. She gets the idea to contact Queen Trios to see what access, if any, she can get her concerning an Imperial prison.

Good start to this arc, setting up the conflict/drama/next step of the plan. The art is decent and there is really only one horrible face scan of Han, everything else is very well done. There is an odd shot of a stormtrooper getting shot where you can't see his legs and it looks like a floating body.

 

Ackbar being part of this arc is perfect. I'll add, if you're a fan, there is an excellent few pages from his POV in the novelization for TLJ.

Given the reference to the Telaris shipyards, I'm assuming that the Rebellion was always tight on Mon Cala cruisers until the world was liberated. If it roughly follows the old EU's path, the Alliance's navy really starts to expand once the world's shipyards are fully devoted to the cause. We know of a few Star Cruiser pre-liberation (Profundity, Home One, Nautilian), I'm guessing this mission will lead to larger numbers of ships being available to the Alliance.

--Adm. Nick

 

Any pictures of the Rebel Fleet? That base sounds... interesting.

--Adm. Nick