Comic Review: Battle of Jakku: The Last Stand #3 – The Battle Begins!

After months of buildup, the Battle of Jakku is finally here! Alex Segura and Leonard Kirk kick this series into high gear as they prep for an epic battle-filled conclusion.

Marvel Comics

Publisher summary:

The Battle of Jakku unleashed! LUKE must enter the underworld to strike a deadly bargain! THE SPICE RUNNERS OF KIJIMI play a deadly wild card — with shocking consequences! As unseen forces move to disrupt the BATTLE OF JAKKU, the NEW REPUBLIC must fight a war on two fronts! LUKE takes on the new threat directly — putting everything at risk!

Why it matters: With the stage set, forces have arrived at Jakku for the final battle of the Galactic Civil War. How will the rogue Governor Adelhard affect the showdown between Empire and New Republic?

Key moments:

• The battle begins: It’s finally here! Jakku’s sky fills with ships as the Empire and New Republic finally face off. Ship fans will be delighted to see New Republic Starhawks in their first Canon comic appearance.

• Shifting alliances: The Spice Runners of Kijimi seem to have flipped the balance between sides once more as Republic spy Rynn Zenat reveals her familial ties to the organization. But will it be enough to hold off the Imperial advantage?

• An unexpected savior: In a deep cut that will catch even the biggest lore junkies off guard, the self-described “pirate ruler of Wild Space” Eleodie Maracavanya joins the fray. See Life Debt and Empire’s End for the full context of how the pirates got their hands on a Super Star Destroyer.

The big picture: The long-promised Battle of Jakku finally kicks off and delivers exciting action, but the plot still struggles with being weighed down by too many moving pieces. Rynn Zenat’s reveal about the Spice Runners adds important context to why they’ve been such a major player in this series, however I can’t help but feel that their entire subplot could be removed in order to give more focus to the previously established major players of Jakku. And while the appearance of Eleodie Maracavanya was certainly an entertaining and unexpected tie to the Aftermath novels, it adds yet another piece to the board right before the final chapter.

Our rating: Fair

What’s next: It all ends here! Battle of Jakku: The Last Stand #4 brings this epic maxiseries to a close. On sale next week, January 22.

For a deeper discussion of recent comic releases, be sure to check out this week’s episode of The Cosmic Force podcast! (We will be covering this issue in our January 22, 2024 episode)