Return of the Jedi – Max Rebo 1

Publisher's summary

WHO IS PLOTTING TO KILL JABBA THE HUTT? Wait…someone ELSE is plotting to kill one of the galaxy's most infamous gangsters? YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT! When you're JABBA THE HUTT, you make a lot of enemies…and sometimes, they're even under your employ! MAX REBO and the band have their own plans on how to deal with a mobster like Jabba… This issue bookends our JABBA'S PALACE one-shot and leads directly into the RETURN OF THE JEDI film!

Opening crawl

With the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic
Empire locked in a civil war for control of
the galaxy, criminals, scoundrels, and
gangsters find new ways to profit from the
chaos.

Chief among these is the crime lord
JABBA THE HUTT, who rules over a
criminal empire based on the Outer Rim
planet of TATOOINE.

From his palace, Jabba commands his
organization of thugs, thieves and bounty
hunters by appealing to their greed—and
taking advantage of their fear….

Plot summary

In Jabba's Palace on the Outer Rim planet Tatooine, jizz-wailer Max Rebo sits at his red ball jett organ as an Ithorian assassin attempts to take the life of the Hutt crime lord. In the chaos, the Ortolan musician narrowly avoids being hit by a stray shot. Rebo reflects on the nature of death, especially as it relates to a career in music. Rebo's bandmate, Droopy McCool starts to play a song by the pair's late mentor Quez Totark, also about death. Totark was slain in the crossfire of a shootout on a Nar Shaddaa street corner in front of Rebo.

Later that night, the two drummers of the band, Ak-rev and Umpass-stay, a Weequay and Klatooinian, respectively, share friendly banter outside the palace when they are approached by a probe droid carrying a top-secret message for Umpass from his father Daladit-Chan. Despite the order from his father to only play the message in absolute privacy, Umpass convinces the droid that because he is so close with Ak-rev, who found Umpass as an amateur musician, the message ought to be played for both of them. The droid's message for Umpass is simple: Kill Jabba.

Max Rebo is jolted awake from a dream in which Totark is singing his song. The music lingers as Rebo reflects on death the following day. He does not notice the conflict between Umpass and Ak-rev, the latter of which is a sworn protector of Jabba, nor does he anticipate the death of Twi'lek dancer Oola until she drops into the rancor pit. Rebo thinks of her life and those who cared for her, himself included. As the bounty hunter Boushh brings Chewbacca to Jabba's court, Rebo's head keeps spinning, especially as he knows something big is on the horizon.

That evening, Ak-rev takes a speeder bike across the Dune Sea to his clan's base. He engages in a ritual combat with the guards but is rendered unconscious by a stun blast.

That same night, meanwhile, Max Rebo sneaks through the palace to Jabba's Klatooine paddy frog container, intent on poisoning Jabba. Before he can add any of the toxin, he hears the tell-tale laugh of the mighty Jabba. Certain he has been caught, Rebo contemplates his limited options before realizing Jabba's attentions are on the interloper Leia Organa, who infiltrated the palace disguised as Boushh, and Han Solo, who Organa had rescued from his carbonite prison.

When he awakens, Ak-rev is taken to his clan mother. He speaks to her of the increasingly frequent attempts on Jabba's life, which he thinks may eventually succeed. She reminds the musician that his job is to protect Jabba, that because of the indentured servitude to the Hutts under which their family survives, they are duty-bound. Ak-rev, however, is unconvinced. He thinks that their service to the Hutts holds them back from their true warrior nature. The clan mother shuts down the conversation and orders Ak-rev to root out and thwart any assassination attempts or else she will slaughter the entirety of his band and their loved ones.

As the twin suns of Tatooine rise the following morning, Max Rebo sits outside the palace, haunted by an apparition of Totark. Rebo casts him away, only to find Umpass beside him and confused as to whom Max was speaking. The two see Ak-rev arrive at the palace with not a greeting or acknowledgement of either of them. They re-enter the palace to find Chewbacca, Solo, and Luke Skywalker be sentenced to execution in the Great Pit of Carkoon.

Above the Almighty Sarlacc, Max Rebo contemplates the many ways individuals can die in the galaxy, how music is the only thing bigger than death. As he and his band play, the lights on the Khetanna cut out. In that moment, Ak-rev pounces on Umpass, striking him with his drum before the two become embroiled in a melee. Umpass tries to tell Ak-rev they all would be better off without Jabba, but Ak-rev says he is trying to keep them all alive. The Weequay soon gets the upper hand on Umpass and prepares to strike his close friend down with a makeshift blade. Rebo reaches out and grabs Ak-rev's wrist, tears streaming down the Ortolan's face as he releases the ghost of his mentor by stopping the violence. The three look over and see Leia choking Jabba to death.

Max Rebo later reflects on the aftermath of that moment. He recalls how a few days later, Ak-rev's clan was lured into the desert and mysteriously killed. Reminded of the numerous ways to die, a song representing each one. Rebo finishes his toast at Garsa Fwip's Sancuary, dedicating himself to playing a song of life.

Media

Cover gallery

Final cover by Ryan Brown

Solicit cover by Ryan Brown

Reveal cover by Ryan Brown

Connecting variant cover by Lee Garbett

Variant cover by Valerio Giangiordano

Collected in

• Star Wars: Scoundrels, Rebels and the Empire

Appearances

This Appearances list is incomplete. You can help Wookieepedia by expanding it.

Sources

• Return of the Jedi – Jabba's Palace 1
• SWCE 2023: Marvel Reveals Star Wars: Dark Droids Horror Event and More on StarWars.com (backup link)
• "Launchpad" — Star Wars Insider 220

Notes and references

External links

• Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi – Max Rebo (2023) #1 on Marvel Comics' official website (backup link)