Force in Focus: Star Wars #66

"The Water Bandits"
December 1982

In a Nutshell
Luke helps protect a moisture farm on a desert world

Writer: David Michelinie
Breakdowns: Walt Simonson
Finished Art: Tom Palmer
Colors: Glynis Wein
Letters: Janice Chiang
Editor: Louise Jones
Vaporator Maintenance: Jim Shooter

Plot
Luke, having lost pursuing TIE fighters by landing on the world of Beheboth, heads into the town of Garrotine in search of food & water. He learns that water is in short supply on the planet, and is mistaken for one of the brigands who routinely raid the moisture farms for it, but is vouched for by Darial Anglethorn, one of the more prosperous farmers. When she tells Luke about their plight, he agrees to work for her as a guard. That night, everyone on her farm, including Luke, mysteriously passes out, and when they awaken, all their equipment is wrecked, and both their water supplies and Darial are gone. Luke vows to get her back, and tracks her to the stronghold of the brigands, led by a pirate named Gideon Longspar. Gideon has captured part of the Tirrith, a hive-mind gaseous alien, and is using that part as a hostage to force the rest of the Tirrith to help him steal the water. Luke manages to free Darial and release the captive Tirrith, after which the reunited being helps Luke & Darial escape. Later, in thanks, they seed Beheboth's clouds with electricity, triggering massive storms which deliver much-needed rainfall, and Luke sets off to return to the Rebellion.

Force in Focus: Star Wars #65

"Golrath Never Forgets!"
November 1982

In a Nutshell
The Rebels race back to Golrath to prevent the base giving up their secrets to the Empire.

Plot/Script: David Michelinie
Plot/Storyteller: Walt Simonson
Pencils & Inks: Tom Palmer
Colors: Glynis Oliver
Letters: Joe Rosen
Editor: Louise Jones
Clone Ranger: Jim Shooter

Plot
On Arbra, Princess Leia participates in Luke's trial, with Leia and the other two judges ultimately exonerating him of all charges. Shortly thereafter, the Rebels receive word that their former base on Golrath runs the risk of pointing the Empire to their current base, prompting Luke & Leia to lead an emergency mission back to the planet. But the Empire, led by Lieutenant Giel, is already on Golrath, and when Giel learns the base's secret, he sends word to Darth Vader. Shortly thereafter, the Rebels arrive, and Leia uses the ensuing skirmish between the TIEs and the Rebel fighters to sneak onto the Imperial base, intending to blow it up. But Giel anticpated her move, and corners her in the base's reactor. He intends to let her blow up the base, but to keep her captive while it happens, reasoning her death would be a bigger blow to the Rebellion. But Leia manages to escape and get off-planet before the base explodes. However, Luke's X-wing is damaged rescuing Leia. When the rest of the Rebels jump into hyperspace, he is unable to join them, and is left facing a squad of TIE fighters alone.

Force in Focus: Star Wars #63

"The Mind Spider!"
September 1982

In a Nutshell
Luke endeavors to learn the truth about Shira.

Plot/Script: David Michelinie
Plot/Storyteller: Walt Simonson
Pencils/Inks: Tom Palmer
Colors: Glynis Wein
Letters: Joe Rosen
Editor: Jim Salicrup
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
Luke & Chewbacca scramble away from Darth Vader, only to quickly realize he is merely a recorded hologram. Vader reveals to Luke that Shira Brie was really his agent, inserted into the Rebellion to kill or discredit Luke. Determined to learn the truth, Luke & Chewbacca head for the Imperial data center on Krake's Planet. When Vader learns the communication device on Shalyvane has been destroyed, he deduces Luke's destination and sets the Executor on a course for Krake's Planet as well. Luke & Chewbacca manage to infiltrate the facility and strong-arm an officer into giving them access to the data, at which point Luke confirms Shira was indeed an Imperial agent, trained by the Empire since childhood. Their presence detected, Luke & Chewie are separated, and Luke is unable to retrieve the file on Shira as he scrambles to escape. As Vader arrives in orbit, Luke retrieves Chewbacca, and using the Falcon's deflectors to destroy the base, they escape the planet & jump into hyperspace just ahead of the Executor. As they fly home, Luke learns that Chewbacca managed to retrieve Shira's file to clear his name, while Vader visits a medical bay deep inside his ship, where he tells an unconscious but healing Shira Brie he still has need of her.

Force in Focus: Star Wars #62

"Pariah!"
August 1982

In a Nutshell
Ostracized from the Rebels, Luke returns to Shira's homeworld in search of the truth about her.

Script/Plot: David Michelinie
Layouts/Plot: Walt Simonson
Finished Art: Tom Palmer
Colors: Tom Palmer
Letters: Joe Rosen
Editor: Jim Salicrup
The Hut: Jim Shooter

Plot
Leia tells Luke that while she believes he didn't mean to kill Shira, she also can't support him, for fear it would cause a rift in the Alliance. Luke agrees, and puts on a show of angrily storming out after Leia removes his commission. Luke quickly finds himself a pariah within the base on Arbra, stripped of his rank & privileges and with nearly everyone believing him guilty of killing Shira. Concerned that the Force led him astray, he determines to find another explanation, and with Chewbacca's help, leaves the base aboard the Millennium Falcon. They return to Shalyvane, Shira's homeworld, and are captured by the barbarians who attacked the Rebels during Luke's last visit to the planet. With the help of the Force, he proves his trustworthiness to the locals, and quickly learns that Shira lied to him about the barbarians and the fate of the city. Returning to the altar where Shira had paid homage to her deceased family, Luke discovers a communication device. Remembering that Shira cut her hand to put blood on the altar, he does the same. After his blood hits the device, it activates, and suddenly Luke is face-to-face with Darth Vader.

Force in Focus: Star Wars #61

"Screams in the Void"
July 1982

In a Nutshell
An attack on the Imperial armada leads to Luke seemingly killing Shira.

Scripter/Plot: David Michelinie
Breakdowns/Plot: Walt Simonson
Finishes: Tom Palmer
Colors: Glynis Wein
Letters: Joe Rosen
Editor: Al Milgrom
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
At the Rebel base on Arbra, Shira Brie receives a medal and a promotion for her recent actions on Shalyvane, while the Imperial armada continues its journey to the Imperial capital with the cargo it was created to guard: a Teezl, one of an alien species capable of giving the Empire near-instantaneous communication. On Arbra, Luke & Shira oversee the modifications made to the four captured TIE fighters: transceivers to identify them as friendly ships have been installed, and the guns modified to fire only a half dozen shots before all their energy is put into one massive blast. Luke and his squad then depart, stopping along the way to retrieve recognition codes for the armada from a captured Imperial scout. Using the codes, they infiltrate the armada, and proceed to use their modified ships to wreak havoc. But as Luke begins his attack run on the flagship carrying the Teezl, Admiral Giel orders the Teezl to block all communications, preventing Luke from telling which TIEs are enemy craft and which are his teammates. Relying on the Force instead, he blasts a TIE in his way, then gets off his super-charged shot, destroying the Teezl. Landing back at Arbra, a jubilant Luke's spirits are dulled when Leia shows him footage of the mission, revealing that the pilot of the TIE he blasted just before destroying the Teezl was Shira.

Force in Focus: Star Wars #60

"Shira's Story"
June 1982

In a Nutshell
The origin of Shira Brie

Scriper/Plot: David Michelinie
Pencils/Plot: Walt Simonson
Inks: Tom Palmer
Colors: Glynis Wein
Letters: Joe Rosen
Editor: Al Milgrom
Grand Moff: Jim Shooter

Plot
Using their recently acquired TIE fighters, the Rebels attack an Imperial facility and gain the coordinates to a new Imperial armada. Returning to Arbra, Shira requests leave to attend a personal matter, but Leia will only let her go if accompanied by Luke and the rest of her fighter squadron. Meanwhile, the leader of the Imperial armada dismisses the severity of the Rebel's attack. Elsewhere, the Rebel squad arrives on Shalyvane, Shira's homeworld. They land on the outskirts of a deserted town, and Shira proceeds to an altar within, cutting her hand to leave behind some blood. Just then, a group of barbarians attack the Rebels, and Shira explains how the same barbarians used to attack her people, until they brokered a phony peace treaty to lure them into an attack by the Empire, during which Shira's family was killed. She managed to escape and join the Rebellion, and since then, she's returned to the site each year to add her blood to her family's. Luke proceeds to send Shira through the tunnels she used to escape the Empire as a girl while he and the rest of the squad hold off the barbarians, and Shira is able to reach her X-wing and turn the tide just as Luke is about to be overwhelmed. Together, the Rebels leave the planet and the past behind, and head into the waiting future.

Force in Focus: Star Wars #59

"Bazarre"
May 1982

In a Nutshell
Luke & Lando team-up with space hobos to fight a giant garbage worm.

Writer/Plot: David Michelinie
Pencils/Plot: Walt Simonson
Inks: Tom Palmer
Colors: Don Warfield
Letters: Joe Rosen
Editor: Al Milgrom
High Roller: Jim Shooter

Plot
Aboard the Bazarre, Luke & Lando meet with Ferret, concluding their deal to purchase four TIE fighters from him. However, Ferret has put the fighters on Patch-4, and requires Luke & Lando to take a pre-programmed shuttle to that world to retrieve them. As insurance, Chewbacca stays behind to watch over Ferret. Soon, Luke & Lando arrive on Patch-4, a world covered in garbage, and are promptly attacked by a massive worm-like monster. They're given shelter by a group of hobos who, after being displaced from their homes, have gathered underground on Patch-4. They tell them that Ferret keeps a sonic pacifier that can control the beast, whom they call Ceasar, on the ship which brought Luke & Lando to the planet. Back on Bazarre, Ferret, assuming Luke & Lando have been killed by Ceasar, captures Chewbacca. On Patch-4, Lando manages to distract Ceasar long enough for Luke to reach the pacifier, and on Bazarre, Chewbacca manages to escape and hunt down a fleeing Ferret. When Lando & Luke return to the ship, they tell a captive Ferret they've successfully retrieved the TIE fighters, but leave Ferret be, saying they've dealt with enough garbage for the day.

Force in Focus: Star Wars #58

"Sundown!"
April 1982

In a Nutshell
Threepio & Artoo race the clock to save the Rebel fleet.

Script/Plot: David Michelinie
Pencils/Plot: Walt Simonson
Inks: Tom Palmer
Colors: Don Warfield
Letters: Janice Chiang
Editrix: Louise Jones
Emperor: Jim Shooter

Plot
As Luke, Lando & Chewbacca leave Arbra aboard the Falcon to rendezvous with a contact named Ferret, the rest of the Rebels prepare to hide the fleet from Imperial attention, a risky maneuver that involves placing the ships inside the corona of the planet's sun, protecting them inside a massive forcefield generator. Once the ships are safely protected in the sun, Leia and everyone but the maintenance crew of the generator prepare to leave aboard a shuttle. But Artoo detects a malfunction, and is left behind along with Threepio when the shuttle departs. The malfunction knocks out the crew, and when an Imperial patrol arrives in the system, Leia and and everyone aboard the shuttle are forced into hiding. Meanwhile, the Falcon arrives at Bazarre, a massive ship where they'll meet Ferret. Back inside Arbra's sun, Threepio & Artoo race against the clock to bypass the malfunction and save the Rebel fleet, while Luke & Lando are accosted onboard Bazarre by some of Ferret's men. Threepio & Artoo are ultimately successful, but then Leia learns that the Falcon isn't responding to any communications, as though it simply dropped out of existence.

Force in Focus: Star Wars #57

"Hello, Bespin, Good-bye!"
March 1982

In a Nutshell

Writer/Plot: David Michelinie
Pencils/Plot: Walt Simonson
Inker: Tom Palmer
Colors: Glynis Wein
Letters: Joe Rosen
Editor/Plot: Louise Jones
Nerf-Herder-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
As Lando plummets to the planet below, Lobot grabs an emergency rocket vest and manages to slow their descent enough to land safely on Bespin. They then work with some local Ugnaughts to defeat an Imperial patrol, and the Ugnaughts agree to take Lando to their leader. Meanwhile, Luke & Shira arrive on Bespin. Spotting them & recognizing Luke, Treece attempts to capture them so he can present Luke to Vader. On the planet below, Lando learns the Empire had enslaved the Ugnaughts on Cloud City, and outraged, vows to help them retake the city. They arrive just in time to relieve a pinned-down Luke & Shira, and Luke uses the Force to seemingly detonate the Ugnaughts' remaining bombs, sending the city crashing down. Believing the place lost, Treece and the Imperials evacuate, after which the city stops falling and Luke reveals he only detonated the primers, triggering smaller explosions that temporarily caused the city to fall. With the Empire believing the city destroyed, Lando leaves Lobot & the Ugnaughts in charge, then he, Luke & Shira set off for home.

Force in Focus: Star Wars #56

"Coffin in the Clouds"
February 1982

In a Nutshell
Lando fights to save Cloud City.

Writer/Plot: David Michelinie
Pencils/Plot: Walt Simonson
Inks: Tom Palmer
Colors: Glynis Wein
Letters: Joe Rosen
Editor/Plot: Louise Jones
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
Investigating the deserted Cloud City, Lando is attacked by a deranged Lobot, raving about a danger to the city, while an Imperial bomb disposal unit led by Captain Treece arrives. Believing them to be the danger referenced by Lobot, Lando arranges for Lobot to attack the Imperials. Meanwhile, Leia returns from a scouting mission on Arbra to learn that Lando hasn't reported in from Bespin, so Luke and fellow pilot Shira Brie are going to investigate. Back on Bespin, a bomb detonates in the city, and in the aftermath, Lando learns from Treece that the city was evacuated due to bomb threats made by disgruntled Ugnaughts, and that eleven bombs remain. Agreeing to a truce, Lando & Treece work together to reprogram Lobot, who in turn manages to defuse the remaining bombs. With the crisis averted, Lando suggests Treece consider treating the Ugnaughts with the same consideration he used to, at which point Treece declares their truce over and kicks Lando over the side of the city.

Force in Focus: Star Wars #55

"Plif!"
January 1982

In a Nutshell
The Rebels befriend the Hoojibs and find a potential new base.

Writer: David Michelinie
Penciler: Walt Simonson
Inker: Tom Palmer
Colorist: D. Warfield
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Editor: Louise Jones
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
A group of Rebels, led by Leia & Chewbacca, scout the planet Arbra as a potential site for a new base. Meanwhile, Lando departs from the Rebel fleet to check in on Cloud City. On Arbra, the Rebels learn the small animal-like creatures native to the world are actually an intelligent species called Hoojibs, which communicate telepathically. Their leader, Plif, tells the Rebels how they've been chased from their home, a nearby cavern filled with crystals whose energy sustains them, by a creature called the Slivilith, which soon attacks the Rebels. Teaming up, the Hoojibs and the Rebels kill the Slivilith, and though the Hoojibs' cavern is an enticing prospect for a base, Leia refuses to take it from the Hoojibs. However, Plif suggests they share it, and offers to be their hosts indefinitely. Meanwhile, Lando arrives at Cloud City to find the place seemingly deserted, but is stalked by an unseen figure.

Force in Focus: Star Wars #52

"To Take the Tarkin!"
October 1981

In a Nutshell
The Rebels destroy the Tarkin 

Writer: David Michelinie
Penciler: Walt Simonson
Inker: Tom Palmer
Colorist: Don Warfield
Letterer: John Morelli
Editor: Louise Jones
The Force: Jim Shooter

Plot
After drawing the attention of a pair of Stormtroopers, the Rebel force aboard the Tarkin splits up to carry out their mission. On the bridge, Vader receives the news of their attack, but says he'll take care of the problem personally, which the officers hoping to eliminate him view as their best chance at doing so. On the planet below, Lando climbs out of the Falcon's holding compartments, having stowed away in the hopes of proving his trustworthiness to the Rebels, just as the ship draws the attention of some Stormtroopers. Aboard the Tarkin, Chewbacca and the droids manage to destroy a target beam generator, while Leia fights off a squad of Stromtroopers, hoping Luke is having more luck. But Luke, nearing the main reactor, is also nearing a waiting Vader just as the Imperial officers strike, opening an airlock near Vader. Both Vader and Luke manage to survive, but Luke loses his proton bomb. However, Leia finds herself near the station's main weapon machinery, and shortly thereafter, radios everyone to meet her at the docking bay. Just as Lando manages to bribe away the Stormtroopers and take off, the Rebels on the Tarkin steal a shuttle and fly away. They fend off a pair of TIE fighters with Lando's help, then board the Falcon just as Vader joins the fray in his personal TIE. Luke and Lando manage to outfly Vader just as the Tarkin fires it weapon, hoping to destroy both the Rebels and Vader, but instead, the station explodes, as Leia explains that she was able to reverse the polarity of the ship's weapon so that it basically shot itself.

Force in Focus: Star Wars #51

"Resurrection of Evil"
September 1981

In a Nutshell
The Rebels learn of the Empire's new superweapon, the Tarkin.

Writer: David Michelinie
Penciler: Walt Simonson
Inker: Tom Palmer
Colorist: Don Warfield
Letterer: John Morelli
Editor: Louise Jones
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Plot
After a fighter carrying Rebel Captain Tev's body & a message cannister reaches the fleet, General Rieekan orders an emergency recall of three specific warriors: Leia, Luke and Lando. Rendezvousing with the fleet, they're briefed on the information Tev died to get to the Rebellion: the Empire has built a new superweapon to replace the Death Star, dubbed the Tarkin. Lacking any obvious weaknesses, General Rieekan says the only way to destroy the weapon is from within, and who better to lead that mission than the only Rebels to have been aboard the Death Star and survived. Later, Darth Vader executes an Imperial officer for having failed to earlier capture Luke, while the disguised Rebels arrive on the planet supplying the Tarkin, where they are able to bluff their way onto a shuttle that takes them aboard the station. Once they arrive, however, Vader senses Luke's presence, and orders all security personnel away from the main reactor. Meanwhile, in the bowels of the station, a group of Imperial officers meet in secret, and, in light of the way Vader executes them for any mistake, vows that before the day is over, Darth Vader must die.