Legacy #23 Loyalties Part 1 Story: John Ostrander Art: Jan Duursema Inking: Dan Parsons Coloring: Brad Anderson Lettering: Michael Heisler Cover: Jan Duursema, Brad Anderson Released: 05/07/2008 Reviewed by: JF Boivin (06/19/2008) SUMMARY: Cade Skywalker is reunited with Jariah Syn and Deliah Blue, and together they help Kee and Chak get their ship back from Their old friend and Boss, the pirate Rav, making him an enemy in the process. With the Grinning Liar gone, the crew of the Mynock then head to an old hideout on Iego run by "Bantha" Rawk and his family, another friend from their past. Meanwhile on Bastion, Emperor Roan Fel prepares to send his three most trusted Imperial Knights on a mission.

[final cover] [preview cover]

THE STORY

When we last left off Cade Skywalker in issue #19, he had escaped the Sith temple on Coruscant and been picked up by his mother (which he had thought dead for years), his two crewmates with whom he had a falling out, and two other old friends. But Morrigan Corde had to go her own separate way, and the rest of the group are now moving on with business. First thing on the list is to reclaim Kee and Chak's ship the Grinning Liar. It has been "appropriated" by Cade's old boss Rav, the pirate lord who now resides on Socorro. With his new Jedi abilities and his lightsaber, and the help of his allies, it is easy for Cade to overcome Rav's bounty hunter henchmen, and to convince him to release the ship. But once they leave, Rav makes a secret deal with Darth Maladi to provide all info about Cade to the Sith.

The next scene is on Bastion where former Emperor Roan Fel resides surrounded by his Imperial Knights. While Fel reveals his regret at not detaining Cade when he had the chance, his daughter Marasiah, now a full Imperial Knight herself, expresses her love to Antares Draco before they are sent off on their next mission.

Back on Socorro, Chak and Kee leave aboard their re-acquired ship but refuse to bring along their new "ally" the snitch Naxy Screeger (last seen during their last visit to Rav's Crimson Axe in issue #3) whose employment with Rav recently ended. Cade and Jariah bring him aboard the Mynock but not trusting him they put him in the brig. Cade then moves on to the next order of business: to mend his relationship with Deliah Blue. Ever since she saw Cade with the female Sith Darth Talon, Blue had been jealous and angry at Cade. But with the simple words "Uma ji muna, Blue" (which means "I love you, Blue" according to a short glossary in the letters page) he wins her heart back.

Wanting to lay low, the crew of the Mynock head for Rawk's Nest on Iego. The place, run by Bantha and his wife Droo, used to be a heaven for them until Jariah Syn put the moves on their 16 year old daughter Ahnah and the couple got angry. But when they arrive at the nest, just in time for supper, they find it under attack by agents of Black Sun. The past is forgotten as the Mynock joins the fray and help Bantha, Droo, Ahnah and younger sons Skeeto and the felinoid Micah (adopted most likely). But what they don't know is that they are being watched by a mysterious masked figure named Azlyn Rae who has been following them since Socorro and is now sending a report to someone.

It's nice to have the crew back together, and now they are meeting up with important characters from their past. "Bantha" Rawk was first mentioned in issue #0 as the one who gave Cade his "Rawk Chopped Special" custom blaster. Now we will find out more about him, his family, and the role they played in Cade and Jariah's lives prior to the events of the series. A more personal story which ties up a few loose ends that were set up during the 6-issue "Claws of the Dragon" storyline. I love the balance in the Legacy series between galaxy-shattering events like issues #20-22, Jedi vs. Sith confrontations like most of the issues so far, and more personal stories like this one. You can't have direct confrontations with Sith in every issue, but it's right that they should be in the background controlling events behind the scenes.

THE ART

The artistic team are at their top form, creating an array of characters of all shapes and colors. Duursema is just as good pencilling characters in dialogue scenes as in intense fight scenes and starship dogfights. I feel that she owns the Legacy era of comics, and no one can represent it better than her, aided and abetted by an equally talented inker and colorist.

Most significant this issue, in the scene where Rav is talking to Darth Maladi via holonet, is the fact that Darth Nihl and Darth Talon seem to still be alive. Both received some serious wounds from Cade in issue #18 and now are seen floating in bacta tanks. Also Artoo is still around, but he has had a very small role so far. He is seen for a whole 6 panels in this issue, must be a record!

CONCLUSIONS

Back to the old school character-centric stories. Cade and friends get in touch with their past. Do not miss this one.

Rating: 7.5 / 10 Recommended