It's looking more and more like Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will prove that even a heroine like Rey can waver in the face of the dark side. But in the world of Star Wars comics, another young woman just proved to be absolutely fearless in the face of it. Thankfully, she didn't live to see what happened next.
Previous glimpses into Darth Vader's unseen history have spotlighted different, but memorable moments--like when Vader became a Fifty Shades-esque sex symbol--but the latest highlights the moment he was almost killed. And not just shot, stabbed, saber-ed, or Force choked like one would expect. No, years before Luke Skywalker managed to talk his father back into the light of the Force, a heroic pilot of the Rebellion sought to end Vader's threat in more direct fashion, slamming directly into him with an X-wing. The fact that the plan failed doesn't make it any less heroic... but at least fans now know her name.
The current slate of Star Wars comics may be focusing on the Resistance heroes like Poe Dameron, but the recent Darth Vader series from writer Charles Soule still looms large in the new expanded universe. Which is why it was such a treat for fans when Soule returned to tell a Star Wars short as part of the 80-page Marvel Comics #1000. Fans had already learned about the Rebel who almost killed Vader long before Return of the Jedi. But where that pilot gave in to fear, 'Micha' stared it straight in the face, right up to the moment of her death... but not Vader's. Take a look:
Fans don't need to be told the source of the rumbling that cuts the Rebels' victory celebrations short, since Vader survives to terrorize and destroy plenty more before he's done. But in addition to adding another deadly woman to Star Wars mythology, this scene may answer a decades-long mystery involving the pilots of Red Squadron. With Rogue One killing off Cadet Pedrin Gaul, callsign Red Five, fans understood why the slot was open for Luke to claim in the original Star Wars. There was a Red Four involved in the same Battle of Scarif, but just like Red Two, Red Three, and Red Ten, remains unidentified and unseen. Perhaps with Micha now established as holding the spot prior to her death, another piece of Rebel canon can be locked into place.
This short story, along with over 70 others, can be seen in the pages of Marvel Comics #1000, honoring the history of the comic book publisher through its many milestone moments. Read on for the full synopsis below:
THE GREATEST TALENT EVER ASSEMBLED FOR ONE STORY! THIS IS THE BIG ONE! In celebration of Marvel’s 80th Anniversary, we have gathered together the greatest array of talent ever to be assembled between the covers of a single comic book! Names from the past, from the present, and even the future! Every page is filled with all-new work from this cavalcade of comic book luminaries! There is a mystery that threads throughout the Marvel Universe — one that has its origins in MARVEL COMICS #1 and which unites a disparate array of heroes and villains throughout the decades! What is the Eternity Mask, and who is responsible for the conspiracy to keep it hidden? And what new player will make their startling debut as these secrets are peeled away? Featuring the entirety of the Marvel Universe of characters!
Marvel Comics #1000 is available now at your local comic book shop, or direct from Marvel Comics.