History ComicBook / MarvelStarWars2015

[[quoteright:299:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/a9c93c459d3ad18c8cc7065fb1a1368f.jpg]]

''Star Wars'' is a 2015 Creator/MarvelComics series set in [[Franchise/StarWars the eponymous fictional universe]], and the first series to be officially written by Marvel Comics since [[ComicBook/MarvelStarWars the series written in the seventies and eighties]]. Due to the ContinuityReboot, it is also the first canonical comic book released since ''ComicBook/DarthMaulSonOfDathomir'' ([[Creator/DarkHorseComics Dark Horse]]'s only canon contribution to the franchise before Creator/{{Disney}} bought the rights to publish comics from them).

The story of the first 75 issues is set between ''Film/ANewHope'' and ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'' and revolves around the continuing adventures of Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Han Solo, Chewbacca, R2-D2, and C-3PO as the Rebellion gains traction following the destruction of the first Death Star. In 2020, the storyline changed to take place between ''The Empire Strikes Back'' and ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'', focusing on how Luke and the rebel army grew and evolved in the interim. To signify this change, the numbering is reset to #1.

Not to be confused with the 2013 Dark Horse comic of [[ComicBook/DarkHorseStarWars the same name]] written by Creator/BrianWood, which is set in the exact same period but within the ''[[Franchise/StarWarsLegends Legends]]'' continuity.
----
!!Tropes featured in this comic include:

[[folder:2015 run]]
* ActuallyIAmHim: Subverted. Vader orders Luke to take him to the pilot who has destroyed the Death Star. Luke wisely chooses ''not'' to reveal himself. Vader instead has to deduce it from how he could sense the pilot's presence through the force, which lets him know he's around here somewhere, just not who it is.
* AffablyEvil: A double subversion with [[spoiler:Sergeant Kreel. At first, he's introduced as the gamemaster of Grakkus the Hutt's arena. While there, he neither sugarcoats things for Luke, nor talks down to him.]] [[spoiler:However, it's then revealed that he's an Imperial spy trying to capture Luke for Vader.]] In the end, [[spoiler: it turns out that he is a stormtrooper who truly believes that what the Empire is doing is right]].
* AllThereInTheManual: Vader shows up on Nar Shaddaa at the end of the second arc, ''Showdown on the Smuggler's Moon''. If one follows ''Comicbook/StarWarsDarthVader'' too, this seems to create a ContinuitySnarl, since Vader was constantly preoccupied in the simultaneously running ''Shadows and Secrets'' arc, and the events of the two series are implied to coincide with each other. However ''Showdown'' actually takes place before ''Shadows''.
* AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs: The entire premise of the ''Hope Dies'' arc [[spoiler:is Vader leading the Imperial fleet in assaulting the assembled Rebel fleet at their headquarters, after having Trios cripple them for him]].
* AmbiguouslyBi: Issues #18 and #19 slowly reveal that Sana and Aphra use to be in a relationship that ended badly, and Sana's fake-marriage with Han, along with Aphra's early fangirling over Vader makes both women's orientation unclear.
* AnnoyingLaugh: After hearing Salacious Crumb cackling during a bantha hunt, Darth Vader calmly informs Jabba that if the creature does it again in his presence, he'll kill it.
* ArmorPiercingResponse: In Issue #67, [[spoiler: Leia talks down the Partisans from destroying Shu-Torun by taking their motto of "the dream won't die" (meaning their dream of a galaxy free of the Empire) and pointing out that they'll be killing the dream if they become NotSoDifferent from the Empire.]]
* ArtifactOfDoom: The fourth Annual features a pair of lightsabers once belonging to Darth Atrius, an ancient Sith Lord so consumed by rage that it contaminated the lightsabers, which now [[HatePlague infect anyone who wield them with that rage]]. Even ''Vader'' has trouble not being overwhelmed by them.
* AsYouKnow: In the very first issue, C-3PO explains that Leia and the others intercepted and replaced a diplomatic envoy sent by Jabba the Hutt. He's telling this to ''Leia'', who of course already knows all this, and tells him to shut up.
* BadBoss: Darth Vader [[UpToEleven even more than in the movies]]. While until this comic series he was best known for handling out YouHaveFailedMe judgements for even the smallest mistakes, here he uses the Force to turn two Stormtroopers into his {{Bulletproof Human Shield}}s and snapping another Stormtrooper's neck just for seeing him without his helmet on.
* BadGuyBar: Luke enters one on Nar Shaddaa. [[spoiler: It goes about as well as you'd expect.]] Later, Chewbacca and Threepio enter the same bar looking for Luke. They ask the patrons for information on Luke's whereabouts, but to no avail. Cue [[DestinationDefenestration Chewbacca throwing one of the patrons through a window]].
* BatmanGambit: In Issue #35, [[spoiler: Han lets a captive Grakkus think he's gotten the upper hand and is free to escape, counting on some EvilGloating in the process about where the Hutt's hidden weapons stash is. Then he knocks Grakkus out with some pre-planted shock charges, re-imprisoning Grakkus and leaving the rebels free to get his weapons.]]
* BigBadFriend: [[spoiler: Trios befriends Leia as part of her DoubleAgent act. She admits later she genuinely regrets things because of that (but still feels that [[IDidWhatIHadToDo she did what she had to do]]).]]
* BigYes: Han in Issue #52, after he manages to ditch Vader's TIE Fighter in the debris field of an exploding cruiser.
* BullyingADragon:
** Luke's decision to challenge Vader is ''not'' a smart one.
** Jabba continues annoying Darth Vader [[spoiler: [[ComicBook/StarWarsDarthVader even after Vader has proven he is a threat to Jabba]]]]. Justified, since he knows Vader won't kill him as long as he continues giving supplies to the Empire.
* TheBusCameBack:
** Issue #62 sees the rebels recruiting Tunga (last seen in Issue #49) and the Partisans (last seen in Issue #43) for help in a new mission.
** In Issue #63 Commander Kanchar, likewise not seen since Issue #43, shows up on Shu-Torun, still working with Trios.
* ButForMeItWasTuesday: This conversation between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, which absolutely drips with DramaticIrony.
-->'''Darth Vader:''' You hold that weapon like an untrained child. You have no right to it. You, boy, are no Jedi. WhoAreYou\\
'''Luke Skywalker:''' YouKilledMyFather.\\
'''Darth Vader:''' I've killed very many fathers. You'll have to be more specific.
** Technically, it gets subverted when, [[MetaphoricallyTrue as far as either of them are supposed to know at this point]], Vader recognizes the lightsaber that belonged to Luke's father.
* ButtMonkey: The Rodian gang members on Tatooine make the mistake of trying to extort money from Sana and end up getting shot in the kneecaps and hands. Then Boba Fett shows up after Sana leaves.
* TheCameo:
** [[spoiler:Jedi Master Shaak Ti appears in an old holocron message Luke finds]].
** [[WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels Hera, Zeb, and Rex]] appear in one of the issues of the "Mutiny at Mon Cala" arc.
* CallForward: Han hijacks an Imperial Walker and mentions that Chewie would have loved it.
* TheChessmaster: Issue #34 depicts Sana as this, as she carries out a multi-sided con that ends up ripping off a group of pirates, the Imperials, ''and'' Jabba, and lets her walk away with a small fortune.
* TheCollector: Grakkus the Hutt is a collector of Jedi artifacts, and has a sizable private museum devoted to them. [[spoiler: When he finds out Luke is one of the last living Jedi, he decides to add him to the collection]].
* ContinuityNod:
** In issue #9, a number of Jedi artifacts can be seen in Grakkus the Hutt's private collection. This includes a holocron message from Shaak Ti and a Jedi Temple Guard helmet from ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars''.
** Leia calling Han a nerf herder as an insult is finally given a context (and might be kind of a cheap shot, considering).
** Ibaar is mentioned as suffering under Imperial sanctions due to being suspected of housing sympathy to the rebels. Considering in ''[[WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels Rebels]]'', the Empire starved the citizens in an attempt to lure rebels that want to feed them into taking the bait, the people have good reason to like the Rebellion more.
** [[ComicBook/StarWarsDarthVader Queen Trios of Shu-Torun]] is brought in by the Empire to oversee mining the remaining kyber crystals to be found in the ruins of [[Film/RogueOne Jedha]].
** When the rebels attempt to convince the remnants of Saw Gerrera's Partisans to rejoin the mainstream Alliance, Benthic recounts to them [[Literature/RebelRising the attack on Inusagi's Sakoola Blossom Festival]], where the Partisans used [[FlechetteStorm flechette rifles]] against the festival-goers, Imperial and civilian alike, just to send a message to the Empire.
** In Issue #58, Han recounts to Leia most of his new backstory as established in ''Film/{{Solo}}''.
*** In Issue #67, Han mentions how he first met Benthic back when the latter was one of Enfys Nest's Cloud-Riders.
* ContinuityOverlap: In issue #6, the scene where [[spoiler:Boba Fett tells Vader Luke's name]] is also shown in the 6th issue of ''ComicBook/StarWarsDarthVader''. Both issues released on the same day, to boot.
* ContinuitySnarl:
** Between ''Rebel Jail'' and ''The Last Flight of the Harbinger'', Sergeant Kreel's red shoulder pad (or pauldron) changes from left to right side. While this can be easily handwaved because it was never established at what side the pauldron has to be worn, it's obvious that this error happened because both Issues (#19 and #21) were pencilled by two different persons.
** A lore example happens in Issue 54. [[spoiler: According to ''The Rebel Files'' reference book, General Draven survived at least to the Battle of Endor. The comic shows him dying in a HeroicSacrifice against Darth Vader three years before Endor. [[WordOfGod According to Matt Martin]], Draven's death in the comic was planned before ''Rebel Files'' was written (the order works are published isn't necessarily the order they are created), but miscommunication led to notes being missed. As such, [[{{Retcon}} Draven's death is his canon fate]] and future editions of ''Rebel Files'' will reflect this.]]
* CrossOver:
** ''[[ComicBook/StarWarsVaderDown Vader Down]]'' is one with the [[ComicBook/StarWarsDarthVader Darth Vader]] comic.
** ''[[ComicBook/StarWarsTheScreamingCitadel The Screaming Citadel]]'' is one with [[ComicBook/StarWarsDoctorAphra Doctor Aphra]].
* {{Cthulhumanoid}}: The scavenging species of Cymoon-1 have yellow eyes, along with tentacles protruding from their hooded robes.
* {{Cult}}: The Cult of the Central Isopter is a death cult which views large scale death and destruction as a means of viewing the true nature of the Force. Naturally, they've set up a temple on Jedha, overlooking the crater left behind by the Death Star.
* CurbStompBattle: Luke Skywalker's first duel with Darth Vader is ''decidedly'' not in his favor, as Vader succinctly notes.
* ADayInTheLimelight:
** The in-between story arcs comics from the earlier issues each feature a one-shot episode from Kenobi's journal detailing his time on Tatooine after the events of ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith''.
** Issue #34 focuses on Sana, with help from [[EarlyBirdCameo Lando]], pulling off a con against some pirates, the Imperials, and Jabba.
* DieHardOnAnX: The ''Rebel Jail'' arc is pretty much ''Die Hard'' in a Rebel Alliance prison.
* DiscontinuityNod: A variant cover of the first issue features the much-maligned [[FunnyAnimal Jaxxon]] trying to force himself into the comic while the rest of the cast resists.
* DisposingOfABody: The very end of Issue #3 finds two thugs from Mos Eisley unceremoniously dumping the corpse of "a dead Rodian" -- presumably not Greedo, as they note this sort of thing happens a lot -- in the Dune Sea, right near Ben Kenobi's old house. (They would've done it in town, but such an act would've attracted too much Imperial attention; plus, they would've had to pay [[TaxmanTakesTheWinnings the steep "murder tax"]] instated by Jabba.)
* TheDitz: Threepio subverts this ''gloriously'' in issue #10. [[spoiler: He asks two droids to help him find Luke. The droids are ObviouslyEvil, but Threepio does what they tell him without question. However, the comic soon reveals that this had been Chewbacca's plan all along -- he tears the droids to pieces, and it becomes apparent that Threepio was knowingly bait for Chewbacca's tour de force]]. However, Threepio is a little disgusted with the [[spoiler: droids' demise]].
* DoomedByCanon:
** Invoked in the ''Hope Dies'' arc, which kills off a number of Rebel officers who appeared in ''Film/ANewHope'' and ''Film/RogueOne'', but were not in ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack''.
** During the ''The Escape'' arc, Luke strikes up a romance with a girl named Tula. As she's never been heard of in any of the movies, it should come as no surprise that this blooming relationship ends up breaking down by the end of the arc.
* DramaticIrony:
** In the canonical first duel between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, Luke tells Vader that the Sith Lord murdered his father while Vader demands that Luke lead him to the pilot that destroyed the Death Star or he would join his father in death. Both of the people being discussed are standing right there.
** In Issue #4, Jabba the Hutt notes the irony that the mighty warrior who destroyed the indestructible Death Star is a mere boy that hails from the empty dunes of Tatooine. He then rhetorically asks [[FromNobodyToNightmare Vader]] [[Film/ThePhantomMenace if he knew anyone of note that was born on this planet]].
* DrivenToSuicide: Implied when an Imperial officer lost a Star Destroyer to the Rebels, that he asked another officer to hand him his blaster when Darth Vader wanted to talk to him.
* EarlyBirdCameo: The alien that appeared in a promotional video for ''Film/TheForceAwakens'' makes a small cameo as one of the slaves in the first issue.
* EarthShatteringKaboom:
** [[spoiler: During the ''Scourging of Shu-Torun'' arc, the Partisans attempt to sabotage Shu-Torun's mining infrastructure to tear the planet apart.]]
** Chewbacca and Threepio's mission during the ''Rebels and Rogues'' arc is to use proton torpedoes planted at key points on a lifeless planet's unstable tectonic plates to blow the planet apart after luring Imperial forces there. [[spoiler: Things are complicated when they discover the planet's not actually lifeless.]]
* EatingTheEyeCandy: In Issue #57, Leia catches sight of a shirtless Han chopping wood. Let's just say [[Film/TheLastJedi Ben got it]] from his Dad.
* EliteMooks: Task Force 99, aka SCAR Squadron, is a squad of elite Stormtroopers Darth Vader sent to apprehend Luke and take out the Rebels. One of them is Sergeant Kreel, who is trained to use a lightsaber.
* EnemyMine:
** Sana teams up with Han and Leia when she realizes that the Empire is after ''her'', too. This [[FireForgedFriends leads to]] a long-term alliance.
** When trying to imprison her, Leia and Sana are forced to work together with Dr. Aphra when the prison is taken over by an unknown element trying to kill all the prisoners.
* ExactWords:
** [[spoiler: After interrogating the bartender, Chewbacca tells Threepio that he "let him go." Threepio is happy to hear this and thinks this means Chewie let him return to the bar, but in reality, Chewie meant that he ''dropped him off the roof''.]]
** Trios tells Leia she will do "anything it takes" to safeguard her home world from ending up like Alderaan. Too late, [[spoiler: Leia realizes this means Trios is willing to join ''with'' the Empire rather than fight them.]]
* FacePalm: Han, when he sees Sana has walked back into his life. The fact that she announces her relation to Han right in front of Leia probably didn't help matters.
* FireForgedFriends: At first Sana and Leia don't really get along, but they are both pragmatic enough to put aside those feelings. After Leia saves Sana though, genuine friendship blooms.
* FlyOrDie: Grakkus the Hutt holds Luke at gunpoint and demands that he use the Force to activate the old holocrons in his collection. Luke initially has no idea how to do that, but he manages to tap into the Force at the last possible second.
* ForegoneConclusion: Due to its nature as an interquel, any characters that appear in ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'', ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'', and/or ''Film/TheForceAwakens'' will make it through this series.
* {{Foreshadowing}}:
** After Luke crashes his Skyhopper, Owen Lars says to Luke Skywalker "... as long as I live you'll never fly again" thereby foreshadowing the events in ''Film/ANewHope'' where Luke flies away from Tatooine shortly after his uncle's death.
** In Issue #62, Luke decides to visit the Cult of the Central Isopter for advice while the rebels are on Jedha to recruit the Partisans for a new mission. To his surprise, however, they've abandoned their temple, despite the fact that viewing such large-scale destruction is their whole driving belief, making him wonder where they could have possibly gone. [[spoiler: The end of the issue reveals they've gone to Shu-Torun, implying that the revenge mission there will be more disastrous than Leia promises it's supposed to be.]]
** The mission that teams up Chewbacca and Threepio together in the ''Rebels and Rogues'' arc results in Chewie developing a genuine respect for and friendship with Threepio, which explains Chewie's concern when Threepio goes missing in Cloud City and then his efforts to save, repair, and protect Threepio in ''Empire Strikes Back''.
* FrameUp: Han and Leia's mission in the ''Rebels and Rogues'' arc is to plant evidence that the Carpo Crime Syndicate has been working with the Rebellion, so that the Empire will eliminate them.
* FromBadToWorse: Luke finds that Obi-Wan's hut has been taken over by Tusken Raiders. He drives them off, only to find himself attacked by [[spoiler: Boba Fett]].
* GilliganCut:
** In Issue #16, we see Han preparing to cheat at Sabacc to double the Rebellion's funds. On the very next page, we see him and Luke running from outraged gamblers.
** And then again a few pages later, Luke negotiates a smuggling run for Han at a cantina on Nar Shaada(after he successfully guesses that Han can't show his face ''there'' either). Han asks what kind of cargo they'll be smuggling, throwing out guesses of black-market droid parts or a shipment of spice. Luke replies, "Not exactly..." And upon turning the page, we see Han and Luke in the ''Falcon's'' cockpit, packed in with nerfs. The icing on the cake is Han's response to Luke over the situation:
--> '''Han''': You're '''dead''' to me now, you know that, right?
* GladiatorGames: Grakkus the Hutt staged these. [[spoiler:Stormtrooper Sgt. Kreel]] was the overseer and champion of Grakkus's arena, and learned to fight with lightsabers there. Despite being neither Sith nor Force-sensitive, [[spoiler:Kreel's]] gladiator combat skills and experience may count him as a deadlier lightsaber fighter than any other, save Darth Vader. [[spoiler:Luke was no match against him.]]
* GovernmentInExile: The Rebel Alliance invokes this with Mon Mothma's title being Chancellor, no doubt a TakeThat to Sheev Palpatine's title Emperor and the Galactic Empire's status as the official successor to the Galactic Republic.
* HeelRealization: [[spoiler: As she's dying, Trios shows regret for selling out to the Empire, and the harm it's caused to Shu-Torun.]]
* HeroicBSOD: Towards the end of Issue #3, the Rebel heroes along with the slaves escape Cymoon 1 but Luke feels depressed because of his performance there (namely that his presence caused the Imperials to mow down on several slaves, and that his attempt to avenge Obi-Wan and [[DramaticIrony his father]] in the first duel with Vader ended in a CurbstompBattle) and that he's not the Jedi he could be. He heads off to Tatoonie by the end of the Issue #4, with the intent of finding himself.
* HeroicSacrifice:
** In Issue #49, the Mon Cala tanker cruiser ''Aurora Flare'' charges at a Star Destroyer, allowing itself to be destroyed so that its stockpile of coaxium will detonate, creating an explosion that cripples the Star Destroyer and creates an opening for the rest of the fleet to escape.
** In Issue #54, [[spoiler: General Draven and a group of Rebel commandos, despite knowing it's futile, holding off Vader long enough for Leia to escape with the {{Override Command}}s needed to bring the Rebel fleet back online]].
** In Issue #55, [[spoiler: General Dodonna and the crew of his ship keep the Imperial fleet busy long enough for the rest of the Rebel fleet to escape, at the expense of their own lives.]]
** In Issue #60, [[spoiler: Thane Markona takes on SCAR Squadron by himself, keeping them busy long enough for his people and the Rebels to escape Hubin.]]
** In Issue #67, [[spoiler: Tunga impersonates Leia in order to lead away the TIE fighters attacking the building the Rebels are hiding in, in order to provide them an opening to escape on the ''Falcon'', and gets shot down. Then subverted, as he's shown to have survived the crash and been recovered by the Cult of the Central Isopter.]]
* HighAltitudeInterrogation: Chewbacca dangles the bartender from Nar Shadda over a building to find out where Luke was taken.
* HisNameIs: Non-lethal variant. Darth Vader realizes that the lightsaber Luke uses is actually ''his'' old lightsaber from his Jedi days. He gets as far as a surprised "This once belonged to--" before an Imperial Walker foot crashes through the roof.
* HopeCrusher: Vader's plan in the fittingly titled ''Hope Dies'' arc: [[spoiler: tracking down and destroying the entire Rebel fleet, in order to crush any hope of resisting the empire.]]
* HoverTank: The Imperials roll out an upgraded version of the Trade Federation's [=AATs=] to stop the walker Han and Leia commandeered.
* HowWeGotHere: A backup story in Issue #50 shows how Vader [[spoiler: set Trios to infiltrate the Rebellion and help him sabotage their new fleet.]]
* {{Interquel}}: As mentioned above, the comic takes place between ''A New Hope'' and ''The Empire Strikes Back''.
* InSeriesNickname: Luke's childhood nickname of "Wormie" is made canon again as of Issue #6.
* ItHasBeenAnHonor:
** In Issue #49, as the Imperials are about to destroy the building they're in as reprisal for helping the Mon Calamari mutiny, [[spoiler: Urtya]]'s butler droid tells him that it's been an honor to serve him.
** In Issue #55, with his ship about to be destroyed by the ''Executor'', [[spoiler: General Dodonna]] tells his crew how proud he is of them.
* ItsPersonal: When Solo and the Falcon arrive during the ''Hope Dies'' battle, [[spoiler:Vader sets out in his fighter for payback for what happened during the Death Star battle in ''A New Hope'']].
* JabbaTableManners: The [[TropeNamers Trope Namer]] himself can be seen in his usual capacity in Issue #4 -- twice.
* JackBauerInterrogationTechnique: Let's just say you don't want to be interrogated by Boba Fett and leave it at that.
* KlingonPromotion:
** Though never actually intended or committed by the promotion recipients. Luke and Han find themselves given command rankings in the Rebel military, along with Leia (who officially was a political leader without military rank), in the aftermath of the losses in the ''Hope Dies'' arc.
** The story arc also conveniently addresses the nonappearances of both General Dodonna and General Draven, shown as important commanders in ''A New Hope'' and ''Rogue One'' respectively, in either ''The Empire Strikes Back'' or ''Return of the Jedi''.
* LeaveNoWitnesses: In Issue #50, [[spoiler: Vader kills all of Trios' attendants and guards who were present to hear his plan to have her infiltrate the Rebellion.]]
* LetsFightLikeGentlemen: The Markona clan are a tribe of {{Proud Warrior Race Guy}}s, and believe in settling personal disputes with duels.
* LetMeGetThisStraight: In Issue #63, this is how Meorti summarizes how insane the Rebels' latest plan is.
* LetUsNeverSpeakOfThisAgain: In issue #4, Vader tells Jabba [[spoiler: not to mention the bounty hunters the latter lent to the former.]]
* LovesTheSoundOfScreaming: Jabba's seal of business venture with the Empire is to invite Darth Vader and his Stormtroopers on a tour where Jabba's goons fire upon a wild Bantha herd. Jabba mentions how their dying screams are a soothing song and when he gets bored of that, he demands to be taken to the Sarlacc pit for the real entertainment.
* MarriageOfConvenience: [[spoiler:Turns out Sana and Han's marriage was actually a cover for Han to pull a heist. Sana still considers it legally binding and technically she is right]].
* MindOverMatter: In the second issue, Vader telekinetically stops an AT-AT from stomping him, before he starts to tear it apart.
* TheMole: [[spoiler: Queen Trios]] is actively sabotaging the Empire from within, and strikes up an alliance with the Rebels in Issue #43. [[spoiler: Then Issue #49 reveals that she's been [[DoubleAgent manipulating them]] on Vader's behalf the whole time.]]
* TheMutiny: The ''Mutiny on Mon Cala'' arc is, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin obviously]], about the Rebels trying to get the Mon Calamari fleet to rise up against the Imperial occupation of their planet, which they do in Issue #48.
* MythologyGag:
** In [[Franchise/StarWarsLegends the old Expanded Universe]], Leia became a Jedi after the events of ''Return of the Jedi'', and eventually got her own lightsaber. When she briefly wields a lightsaber in the comic, she says "Always wanted to try one of these."
** In Issue #27, Yoda comes across a [[TeenageWasteland tribe of savage children]]. In ''The Hunger'', a Literature/GalaxyOfFear novel from the old Expanded Universe, the protagonists come across a tribe of savage children on Dagobah for whom Yoda is TheDreaded.
** Sergeant Kreel wielding a green lightsaber is a reference to a concept art of Ralph [=McQuarrie=] where a Stormtrooper can be seen holding a lightsaber.
** Issue #68, which is set shortly before ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'', opens with a slightly modified version of that movie's title crawl, to reflect that the Rebellion is still looking for a new base and hasn't found Hoth yet.
* NeverMyFault: When Han blows his cover (see below), he blames the Imperials for not accepting his politeness.[[note]]Well, he wasn't exactly convincing.[[/note]]
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Han blows a cover Leia had been trying to establish while she is flying a stolen shuttle, causing two TIE fighters to come after them. The irony is that if he had waited a few seconds more, the pilots would have cleared them!
* NoOneCouldSurviveThat: Han manages to fire the laser canon of an AT-AT at Vader at point blank range. Afterwards he assumes that they won't hear of Vader again. Luke doubts it, however.
* NoodleIncident: We never do find out the details of the mission that Clan Markona carried out for the Empire in exchange for ownership of Hubin. Thane Markona himself admits that [[ButForMeItWasTuesday it seemed to be just another mission]] to break into a secure location and steal some data; he doesn't remember what the data was or know what it was used for.
* NotSoAboveItAll: Leia tells everyone who questions her that the plan to [[spoiler:take down Shu-Torun]] isn't just about getting revenge against [[spoiler:Queen Trios]] for betraying her, but her insistence on Tunga delivering a specific IronicEcho to [[spoiler:Trios]] and the look of ''vicious'' self-satisfaction on her face when he does so makes it clear that she is not beyond a little low pettiness.
* NotSoDifferent: The Partisans' willingness to kill any Imperial collaborators in order to scare people out of working with the Empire is exactly the same as the Empire's usual tactics. [[spoiler: This culminates in them being willing to destroy Shu-Torun to send a message, just like the Imperials did with Jedha and Alderaan. Leia calls them out on this, talking them down.]]
* OhCrap: The reaction of the main cast in Issue #1 once they realise the Imperial negotiator their cover identities are supposed to meet is actually ''Darth Vader''. Justified, in that he comes insanely close to killing the lot of them over the next few issues.
* OrbitalBombardment: In Issue #66, Kanchar opens fire on the Shu-Torun royal retreat to kill the rebels who have taken it, not caring that [[spoiler: Trios is there in an attempt to reclaim it]]. Vader later calls him out on [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill how it seemed to be a bit much]] [[spoiler: before killing him for failure]].
* OutOfTheInferno: As the Cymoon-1 base crumbles and burns around him, Darth Vader walks out of the flaming wreckage.
* PayEvilUntoEvil: The ArcVillain of ''Rebel Jail'' [[spoiler:Eneb Ray]] has this attitude and he is trying to force Leia to also adopt it.
* {{Pun}}: In Issue #15 Obi-Wan Kenobi makes a play on the word Force when he monologues about his meals on Tatooine "Its a good thing I'm strong in the force or I wouldn't be able to force it down."
* ProphecyTwist: In ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'', Anakin mentioned that he had a vision of himself freeing the slaves as a grown man. In this series, it's revealed that Anakin actually saw Luke, his future son, and simply assumed it was himself.
* RankUp: In Issue #55, in response to the massive losses suffered by the Rebellion in the ''Hope Dies'' arc, Mon Mothma promotes Leia, Luke and Han to the ranks of General, Commander, and Colonel, respectfully.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Commander Kanchar doesn't buy into the usual "YouHaveFailedMe" mentality of most Imperial officers. He gives his subordinates three strikes before he punishes them (unless it's a particularly incompetent failure).
* RefugeInAudacity: Urtya is incredulous that Leia wants to continue negotiations in the middle of ''being attacked by stormtroopers''.
* RenegadeSplinterFaction: During ''The Scourging of Shu-Torun'', [[spoiler: the Partisans break from Leia's plan to simply cripple Shu-Torun's industrial base and intend to destroy the whole planet. In the end, however, Leia talks them down.]]
* TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized: ''Ashes of Jedha'' shows that what's left of Saw Gerrera's Partisans are as ruthless and uncompromising as ever. They get even worse during the ''Scourging of Shu-Torun'' arc when they [[spoiler: sabotage Leia's revenge plan so that rather than just economically crippling Shu-Torun, the whole planet will be destroyed]]. Leia is able to talk them down from this, and afterwards it's implied that they're going to seek a different path.
* RoaringRampageOfRescue: Artoo pulls one off in Issue #36 to rescue Threepio from the Imperials.
* RogueAgent: [[spoiler:Eneb Ray, a former Rebel spy]] is the man behind the attack on Sunspot Prison, having decided that the Rebellion isn't going far enough to defeat the Empire and should just KillEmAll.
* RunningGag:
** C-3PO once again, gets dismantled.
** Han and Leia are [[SnarkToSnarkCombat hurling insults at each other]]...again....
** Obi-Wan Kenobi tries to persuade Black Krrsantan with the Force. But he is not the first Jedi that has to learn the hard way that some species are immune to mind tricks.
* SecretTestOfCharacter: [[spoiler: The entire "The Escape" arc turns out to have been Thane Markona testing the Rebels, to judge by their personalities if the Rebellion is worth joining.]]
* ShirtlessScene:
** Han gets one in Issue #57. [[FemaleGaze Leia certainly]] [[EatingTheEyeCandy enjoys it.]]
** Luke gets one in Issue #58 while sparring with Thane Markona.
* ShoutOut:
** The troubles with carrying nerfs on the Millennium Falcon probably took several cues from a scene about [[Film/TheMummyTombOfTheDragonEmperor carrying a yak on an airplane]].
** The scene where Boba Fett [[JackBauerInterrogationTechnique publicly tortures an alien]] in the Mos Eisley cantina, but finds no useful information from any of the bar patrons, is very similar to an early scene from ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'' where Rorschach breaks a drunk guy's fingers in a fruitless attempt to find out who killed the Comedian. The giveaway is in the dialogue. [[note]]'''Rorschach:''' ''I've just broken this gentleman's little finger. And his index finger. Who killed Edward Blake?'' '''Fett:''' ''I've just removed one of this thing's arms and broken two others. Who here knows the boy's name?'' [[/note]]
** In Annual 1 the scene when Eneb Ray goes to infiltrate the Prison center on Coruscant has some references to the ''Film/MissionImpossibleFilmSeries''. At first the rebel spy is hanging on a flying transport similiar in visual appearance to the opening scene of ''Film/MissionImpossibleRogueNation''. Then Eneb Ray climbs the prison tower using gloves that can overcome gravity like Ethan Hunt climbed the Burj Khalifa in ''Film/MissionImpossibleGhostProtocol''. The gloves also emit blue colors like in the referenced movie.
* SpiritAdvisor: Obi-Wan keeps in touch with Luke after becoming one with the Force.
* StellarStation: Sunspot Prison is a space station meant to serve as a maximum security detention for the most dangerous and notorious Imperial prisoners captured by the Rebels. Its extreme proximity to its sun serves as a way to mask its presence, as a line of defence by limiting the directions outsiders can approach it from, and as an extra security measure for keeping prisoners in -- damage to its infrastructure risks harming both the shields that keep out the intense heat and sunlight and the complex's ability not to fall into the star. When a rogue Rebel agent takes over the prison in order to slaughter the prisoners inside, he simply deactivates its shields and lets most of the inmates roast alive in their cells.
* StylisticSuck: The Cymoon-1 aliens, while not necessarily bad-looking, were deliberately made with the limitations that the aliens in the Original Trilogy had in terms of visual effects, according to WordOfGod.
* TemptingFate:
** Han has a tendency to do this a ''lot''. Not only in regards to just about everything related to Darth Vader but also when he tells Leia that nobody else knows about his little hideaway after escaping the Imperial fighter patrol. Cue a probe droid watching their arrival and beaming the information back to Sana.
** After [[spoiler: overseeing the near destruction of the Rebel fleet, Vader assures the Emperor they are thoroughly defeated and "they are barely a Rebellion anymore."]]
** At the end of Issue #61, Leia assures Ackbar that the Imperials will never see the new mission she's come up with coming. Cue SCAR Squadron finding the plans she drew up while the group was hiding out on Hubin.
** In Issue #69, as Threepio and Chewbacca are having to double back to the planet they're supposed to blow up due to [[spoiler: discovering it's inhabited]], Threepio says that it's a good thing they didn't activate the homing beacon to lure the Empire into the planned trap... only for Chewie to admit that he ''did''. Cue Star Destroyer entering the atmosphere.
* ThisCannotBe: [[FlatEarthAtheist Han]] continues to deny the existence of the Force, even as Vader holds the AT-AT he's piloting in place, and starts to tear it apart with nothing but a gesture.
* ThisIsGonnaSuck: Leia and Han's reactions to being sent on a mission alone together in Issue #68.
* TheUnfettered: Trios is willing to do absolutely anything to keep Shu-Torun safe. [[spoiler: Including acting as a DoubleAgent on Vader's behalf.]]
* TryToFitThatOnABusinessCard: The ''Mutiny on Mon Cala'' arc features Urtya, whose titles are Grand Admiral of the Mon Cala Mercantile Fleet, Regent of Mon Cala, Dual Protector of the Two People, and Warden of the King in exile. There's implied to be more, but he cuts Threepio off before he can get to them.
* VehicularTurnabout: Han and Leia hijack an AT-AT to escape from the Cymoon weapons factory. They even attempt to kill Vader with it. Vader is not impressed.
* VerbThis: After being blinded by Boba Fett's flash-bang grenade and grazed in the shoulder during their confrontation in Kenobi's old hut, Luke repeats Kenobi's lesson about a Jedi feels the Force flowing through him and that he doesn't need to see to fight. Fett responds by saying "Feel This" and opening fire again.
* VillainEpisode:
** Issue #21 follows a special strike team of veteran stormtroopers, called SCAR Squadron. Towards the end it's heavily implied that their new sergeant is the Gamemaster from Grakkus' arena.
** Issue #37 follows SCAR again, as they hunt down a rebel cell to prove their continued worth to Vader.
* VillainRespect: Subverted. When General Draven boasts to Vader that he and his commandos were the distraction to enable Leia's escape off the ''Executor'':
-->'''Vader:''' (''snapping Draven's neck'') My Congratulations.
* VillainTeamUp: In Issue #4, Vader [[ComicBook/StarWarsDarthVader has Jabba provide him with supplies]] in order to rebuild what the Empire lost after the destruction of the Death Star and the damage from the attack on Cymoon 1.
* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Tunga, a shapeshifting Clawdite, is recruited by the Rebellion to play a key part in their attempt to free King Lee-Char during the ''Mutiny on Mon Cala'' arc.
* WhamEpisode: Issue #6. [[spoiler:We find out that the woman in the mask and cloak pursuing Han is not a bounty hunter but Sana ''Solo'', his wife. Oh, and Boba Fett tells Darth Vader of Luke's surname.]]
* WhoAreYou: Vader asks Luke who he is after telling him he was a Jedi.
* WretchedHive:
** Nar Shadda, the Smuggler's Moon, is established as being just as much this in the new canon as it was in ''Legends''.
** Lanz Carpo, a planet owned by a single crime syndicate, where Imperial law is never enforced and the local law officials are all [[DirtyCop on the take]].
* YouKilledMyFather: When Luke confronts Vader, this is the first thing he says. [[ButForMeItWasTuesday To which Vader replies "I've killed very many fathers.]] [[DeadpanSnarker You'll have to be more specific."]]

[[/folder]]

[[folder:2020 run]]

* AllForNothing: In Issue #9, the Pathfinders break into the Imperial Museum on Coruscant in order to retrieve an ancient droid that can re-encode the Rebellion's compromised communications in an unbreakable way. [[spoiler: Needle sacrifices himself by staging a fake secondary theft so the others can get away, leading to his execution... and it turns out that the droid's memory is corrupted and unusable.]]
* AvengingTheVillain: Commander Zahra, the Imperial officer spearheading the hunt of the scattered Rebel fleet, is obsessed with avenging the destruction of the Death Star and the death of her mentor, Grand Moff Tarkin.
* TheBusCameBack:
** Throughout the first arc, Luke has visions of a woman who turns out to be [[ComicBook/DarthVaderDarkLordOfTheSith Verla, the last survivor of Master Barr's resistance group]].
** Issue #6 sees Luke going up against [[spoiler:the spirit of the [[WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels Grand Inquisitor]]]].
* CallBack: When talking with Zahra about Tarkin, Vader references the time he [[ComicBook/DarthVaderDarkLordOfTheSith had Tarkin hunt him]].
* TheCameo:
** [[WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels The Grand Inquisitor]], [[ComicBook/DarthVaderDarkLordOfTheSith Ninth Sister]], and [[VideoGame/StarWarsJediFallenOrder Second Sister]] make cameos in the first arc when Verla recalls the Inquisitors.
** [[Film/RogueOne Director Krennic]] appears during a flashback in Issue #7.
* CulturalPosturing: As yet more evidence of the Empire's [[FantasticRacism human supremacism]], Issue #9 reveals that the Imperial Museum on Coruscant steals artifacts from other species, claiming that doing so is "protecting" cultures that can't protect themselves.
* EarlyBirdCameo: Verla directs Luke to the Jedi Temple on Tempes, which she mentions was an outpost back in the days of the [[Franchise/StarWarsTheHighRepublic High Republic]], building up to the multimedia project of the same name.
* FateWorseThanDeath: Ever since his death, the spirit of [[spoiler: the Grand Inquisitor]] has been forced by Vader to guard an ancient Jedi temple on the planet Tempes as part of a trap for potential Jedi. [[spoiler: The Inquisitor]] specifically name-drops this trope in regards to his situation.
* HumanPopsicle: This run of the series is set between ''The Empire Strikes Back'' and ''Return of the Jedi'', so naturally Han is stuck in carbonite during this period. Leia also briefly ends in the same situation in Issue #3.
* {{Interquel}}: As noted above, this run is set between ''The Empire Strikes Back'' and ''Return of the Jedi''.
* ItsPersonal: Name-dropped by an Imperial officer to describe Zahra's obsession with defeating Leia, whom she blames for the death of her mentor Tarkin.
* LiteralMinded: When Tarkin told Zahra to bring him a terrorist's head, he wasn't using a figure of speech, he actually wanted the head as proof of death.
* OperationBlank: Operation Starlight, the Rebellion's attempt to reestablish secure communications channels and reunite their fleet post-Hoth.
* WeNeedADistraction: In Issue #9, in order to keep the museum curator busy while the other Pathfinders break into his private collection, Needle makes a scene over an artifact stolen from his people, eventually blatantly trying to steal it in protest. [[spoiler: This turns into a HeroicSacrifice, as he's summarily executed for the theft.]]

[[/folder]]
----

The story of the first 75 issues is set between ''Film/ANewHope'' and ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'' and revolves around the continuing adventures of Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Han Solo, Chewbacca, R2-D2, and C-3PO as the Rebellion gains traction following the destruction of the first Death Star. In 2020, the storyline is changed to take place between ''The Empire Strikes Back'' and ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'', focusing on how Luke and the rebel army grew and evolved in the interim. To signify this change, the numbering is reset to #1.

** The mission that teams up Chewbacca and Threepio together in the ''Rebels and Rogues'' arc results in Chewie developing a genuine respect and friendship with Threepio, which explains Chewie's concern when Threepio goes missing in Cloud City and then his efforts to save, repair, and protect Threepio in ''Empire Strikes Back''.

* AvengingTheVillain: Commander Zahra, the Imperial officer spearheading the hunt of the scattered Rebel fleet, says that she's avenging Grand Moff Tarkin's death and the destruction of the Death Star.

* TheCameo: [[WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels The Grand Inquisitor]], [[ComicBook/DarthVaderDarkLordOfTheSith Ninth Sister]], and [[VideoGame/StarWarsJediFallenOrder Second Sister]] make cameos in the first arc when Verla recalls the Inquisitors.

* AllThereInTheManual: Vader shows up on Nar Shaddaa at the end of the second arc "Showdown on the Smuggler's Moon". If one follows ''Comicbook/StarWarsDarthVader'' too, this seems to create a ContinuitySnarl, since Vader was constantly preoccupied in the simultaneously running "Shadows and Secrets" arc, and the events of the two series are implied to coincide with each other. However "Showdown" actually takes place before "Shadows".

* FateWorseThanDeath: Ever since his death, the spirit of [[spoiler: the Grand Inquisitor]] has been forced by Vader to guard an ancient Jedi temple on the planet Tempes as part of a trap for potential Jedi. [[spoiler: The Inquisitor]] specifically name-drops this trope in regards to his situation.

* {{Interquel}}: As mentioned above, the first run of the comic takes place between ''A New Hope'' and ''The Empire Strikes Back'', with the second then taking place between ''The Empire Strikes Back'' and ''Return of the Jedi''.

* ItsPersonal: When Solo and the Falcon arrive during the "Hope Dies" battle, [[spoiler:Vader sets out in his fighter for payback for what happened during the Death Star battle in ''A New Hope'']].

* TryToFitThatOnABusinessCard: The "Mutiny on Mon Cala" arc features Urtya, whose titles are Grand Admiral of the Mon Cala Mercantile Fleet, Regent of Mon Cala, Dual Protector of the Two People, and Warden of the King in exile. There's implied to be more, but he cuts Threepio off before he can get to them.

* AvengingTheVillain: Commander Zahra, the Imperial officer spearheading the hunt of the scattered Rebel fleet at the start of the second run, says that she's avenging Grand Moff Tarkin's death and the destruction of the Death Star.

** Throughout the first arc of the second run, Luke has visions of a woman who turns out to be [[ComicBook/DarthVaderDarkLordOfTheSith Verla, the last survivor of Master Barr's resistance group]].
** Issue #6 of the second run sees Luke going up against [[spoiler:the spirit of the [[WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels Grand Inquisitor]]]].

* HumanPopsicle: The second run of the series is set between ''The Empire Strikes Back'' and ''Return of the Jedi'', so naturally Han is stuck in carbonite during this period. Leia also briefly ends in the same situation in Issue #3 of that run.

** Issue #6 of the second run sees Luke going up against [[spoiler: the spirit of the [[WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels Grand Inquisitor]]]].

* AffablyEvil: A double subversion with [[spoiler: Sergeant Kreel. At first, he's introduced as the gamemaster of Grakkus the Hutt's arena. While there, he neither sugarcoats things for Luke, nor talks down to him.]] [[spoiler: However, it's then revealed that he's an Imperial spy trying to capture Luke for Vader.]] In the end, [[spoiler: it turns out that he is a stormtrooper who truly believes that what the Empire is doing is right]].

* AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs: The entire premise of the ''Hope Dies'' arc [[spoiler: is Vader leading the Imperial fleet in assaulting the assembled Rebel fleet at their headquarters, after having Trios cripple them for him]].

* AvengingTheVillain: Commander Zahra, the Imperial officer spearheading the hunt of the scattered Rebel fleet at the start of the second run, says that she's avenging Grand Moff Tarkin's death and the destruction of the Death Star.

** Throughout the first arc of the second run, Luke has visions of a woman who turns out to be [[ComicBook/DarthVaderDarkLordOfTheSith Verla, the last survivor of Master Barr's resistance group]].
** Issue #6 of the second run sees Luke going up against [[spoiler: the spirit of the [[WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels Grand Inquisitor]]]].

* HumanPopsicle: The second run of the series is set between ''The Empire Strikes Back'' and ''Return of the Jedi'', so naturally Han is stuck in carbonite during this period. Leia also briefly ends in the same situation in Issue #3 of that run.

* WhamEpisode: Issue #6. [[spoiler:We find out that the woman in the mask and cloak pursuing Han is not a bounty hunter but Sana ''Solo'', his wife. Oh, and Boba Fett tells Darth Vader Luke's surname.]]

* HumanPopsicle: The third comic set in between Episodes V and VI show that Leia was also frozen in carbonite for a while.
* {{Interquel}}: As mentioned above, the comic (initially) takes place between ''A New Hope'' and ''The Empire Strikes Back''.