Star Wars (1977) 63

Star Wars 63: The Mind Spider is the sixty-third issue in the Marvel Star Wars series of comics.

Plot summary

On the planet Shalyvane, Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca and the Em'liy known as G'hinji stand before the visage of Darth Vader. They immediately go on the defensive until they realize that the image of Vader is merely a holographic recording. Vader tells Luke that his late friend, the Rebel pilot known as Shira Brie was actually an Imperial spy. Luke can't believe his ears. The holographic emitter explodes after delivering Vader's haunting message. Unsatisfied with the revelation, Luke and Chewbacca decide to go to the databank vault located on Krake's Planet.

Later, on board the Executor, Vader meets with Admiral Mils Giel. Giel has recently failed to secure a rare creature known as a Teezl – a non-sentient alien that could have provided the Empire a tremendous advantage over the Rebels. Vader respects Giel's integrity though, so rather than kill him, he demotes him to the rank of lieutenant.

Meanwhile, Luke and Chewbacca arrive on Krake's Planet. They infiltrate the Krake Data Vault – a facility built from the mass of a giant Mind Spider. Luke goes to the kitchen area and tricks an Imperial officer into downloading information from one of the computer banks. He discovers that Vader had told him the truth. Shira Brie was born on Coruscant and genetically raised to be a perfect spy. Vader personally selected her to infiltrate the Rebel Alliance. Although he is crushed, Luke can take some small satisfaction from the fact that the Force didn't betray him when it indicated that Shira was an enemy.

A squad of stormtroopers burst into the kitchen and begin firing at Skywalker. Luke manages to use one of the troopers as a Human shield and shoots the remaining soldiers. He regroups with Chewbacca and they hop into the Millennium Falcon. Chewbacca uses the Falcon's deflector screens to destroy the military outpost.

Meanwhile, deep in the bowels of the Executor, Darth Vader enters a special medical bay. Floating inside of a bacta tank is the barely-alive body of Shira Brie.

Continuity

Turk and Grotto are intended to be lampoons of two other comic-book characters created by David Michelinie. In the 1980s, the Marvel Comics series Daredevil regularly featured two incompetent snitches named Turk and Grotto, who frequently found themselves staring into the business end of Daredevil's billy-club. Like his stormtrooper counterpart, Turk was often telling Grotto to "Shaddup."

The Imperial capital is seen here for the very first time, albeit in a recording. Thus, this issue contains the first appearance of the then-unnamed Coruscant.

Media

Collected in

• Star Wars Monthly 163
• Return of the Jedi Weekly 120 - 123
• Star Wars: A Long Time Ago... Volume 4: Screams in the Void
• Star Wars: Luke Skywalker, Last Hope for the Galaxy
• Star Wars Omnibus: A Long Time Ago.... Volume 3
• Star Wars: The Original Marvel Years Omnibus Vol. 2
• Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: The Original Marvel Years Vol. 4

Appearances

Sources

• Star Wars Year By Year: A Visual History, Updated and Expanded Edition
• Star Wars Year By Year: A Visual History, New Edition

Notes and references