Legacy #33 Fight Another Day Part 2 Script: John Ostrander Art: Omar Francia Coloring: Brad Anderson Lettering: Michael Heisler Cover: Omar Francia Released: 02/25/2009 Reviewed by: JF Boivin (09/04/2009) SUMMARY: On Sith-besieged Dac, Imperial Knight Treis Sinde helps a group of Mon Cal Rangers to defend a group of refugees by defeating a sea leviathan and an AT-AT swimmer.

[final cover] [preview cover]

THE STORY

Last issue, an underwater variety of the ancient leviathan creatures was created by Sith scientist Vul Isen and set loose against a company of Mon Cal Rangers who are defending the last survivors of Dac's mass genocide. Now, two advance scouts encounter the beast while doing patrol on their Krakana near Devil's Crevasse. Adriphar is shot down by the AT-AT swimmer following the creature, while Shonmai is left alive to return to her people, a tactic by the Sith scientist to draw out the rangers to destroy them in one fell swoop. When Shonmai returns to the Ranger's grotto, their leader Tanquar was confronting Imperial Knight Treis Sinde about his allegiance. But after seeing scanned images of the Sith enemy, the Mon Cal are determined to attack it. Sinde knows this is total suicide, so he urges them to follow his plan. Tanquar is glad to see that his friend is willing to help them again in their struggle.

While the Mon Cal Krakanas attack the shielded AT-AT swimmer, some of the Rangers move the refugees toward Devil's Crevasse where Sinde took control of the devilsquids through the Force. He prompts about eight or nine squids to direct their attacks toward the leviathan and they quickly overpower it. Meanwhile, the overconfident Sith deploy Shark fighters lowering the shield around the AT-AT swimmer's deployment hatch. Shonmai sees her change and sacrifices herself in the name of her people by ramming her Krakana inside the hatch and destroying the AT-AT. But Isen and Darth Azard, who is in charge of the Mon Cal extermination, both survive the explosion and swim away. The Rangers go back to their grotto, where Sinde contacts his Emperor again to advise him that getting off planet to rejoin the Empire will be quite impossible at the moment.

There are good things and not so good things about this story. I like the issues of loyalty, represented here on two fronts: Sinde torn between his loyalties to his Emperor and to his friend Tanquar's people, and the Sith's loyalty to each other (when Isen frees a trapped Darth Azard from inside the AT-AT wreckage) prompted by their obedience to Darth Krayt. Both have different motives, the greater good and fear, which represents both factions very well. And of course the great underwater action sequence is very entertaining. What I like less is that the actual villains are pretty single-minded and clich?. It's hard to believe a dullard like Darth Azard would be put in charge of such an undertaking as the extermination of a whole species. Too bad Sinde and Azard don't meet again for a duel like they did in issue #22. Speaking of which, there is a reference to Sinde's partner Sigel Dare from that story, indicating that she reached Bastion and informed Roan Fel that Sinde was still alive. This is during Sinde's communication with his Emperor to send his first report via a jury-rigged transmitter. All in all, this two-part story is a lot of fun and is one of those little breaks away from Cade Skywalker and co. that I like.

THE ART

I really love Francia's artwork, and that includes the cover and the CG vehicle designs at the end. The leviathan and devilsquids are truly frightening and represented very realistically. He even manages to give expressions to the Mon Cal through the position of their eyes and mouths. I think his style is perfect for an underwater action story, representing movements well with bubbles and such. But the underwater feeling is achieved primarily with Anderson's beautiful coloring. Almost every panel has different shades of deep ocean and tones of ocean floors and crevasses. Amazing work from all the artists involved.

CONCLUSIONS

An underwater monster fight mixed in with some Sith devilry and Mon Cal courage.

Rating: 7.5 / 10 Recommended