The latest of the Return of the Jedi 40th anniversary comic-book one-shots from Marvel was released last week and entitled Star Wars: Empire, as confusing as that may sound to a casual observer.
Empire zooms in on a contractor being brought to the forest moon of Endor to sync up the Imperial computer systems there. His name is Rilo Grenth and he is the son of the owner of Grenth Technologies, a company recently commandeered by the Empire for the sake of expediency in their continued quest for control over the entire galaxy. But from the very beginning of his mission, Rilo is looked down upon by the Imperial officers, stormtroopers, and other soldiers stationed on Endor. They mock him for being “green,” push him aside in the hallways, and force him to eat by himself in the mess hall– though Grenth tells his parents the opposite in the messages he sends home to the planet Hosnian Prime. Rilo does his best to earn the respect and friendship of his peers on Endor, attempting (and failing) to play matchmaker between two Imperials and attempting to expedite the efficiency of his task by improving the computer systems. He even ventures outside in an attempt to appreciate the local scenery, only to be confronted by a hostile Ewok. But these efforts always seem to end in disaster, and when Grenth accidentally stumbles on the plans for the Death Star being constructed around the moon, he faces the wrath of an officer who is unwilling to take the young man’s lack of experience as an excuse.
I really enjoyed this comic, and writer Jody Houser (Star Wars: Yoda) does a great job of getting into the head of this person who would ordinarily be resigned to background-character status in other Star Wars media. There’s an almost Twilight Zone-level of irony here when Rilo Grenth is sent to an Imperial prison at the end (artist Jethro Morales of Star Wars: The High Republic – The Blade has cleverly chosen to render the interior cells of this prison to look just like the one we saw on Narkina-5 in Star Wars: Andor) he finally gets what he wants: friends who accept him without judgment. I think that’s the point that Houser is trying to make here– the Empire makes it so difficult for the average person to exist as themselves that it’s easier for them to find true companionship among the other outcasts in incarceration than out in employment of the Imperial machine. We know that already, of course, but it’s interesting to watch it play out in this story, and it’s also a breath of fresh air to read a standalone Star Wars tale that’s not about the Force or the Jedi in any way– that’s part of what’s been making these Return of the Jedi 40th anniversary one-shots so interesting, and I’m absolutely looking forward to more.
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi – Empire is available now wherever comic books are sold.