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A review by jaredkwheeler
Star Wars: Rebellion, Vol. 2: The Ahakista Gambit by Rob Williams
4.0
Star Wars Legends Project #264
Background: The Ahakista Gambit, released in March 2008, collects issues #6-10 of Rebellion (May-Dec 2007). All 6 issues were co-written by [a:Rob Williams|48010|Rob Williams|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1608298970p2/48010.jpg] and [a:Brandon Badeaux|20046|Brandon Badeaux|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], with art by [a:Michel Lacombe|20022|Michel Lacombe|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]. Williams wrote a number of issues for Rebellion, Badeaux (who has mostly worked in Star Wars as an artist) drew about a dozen issues across various series in addition to his story credit here. Lacombe has also drawn for several issues, mostly of Rebellion.
The Ahakista Gambit is set 9 months after the Battle of Yavin, picking up shortly after the end of My Brother, My Enemy (my review). The main characters are Wyl Tarson, Laynara, Baco Par, and Darca Nyl. (Oh, you haven't heard of any of those characters? Well, that's because you haven't read this specific comic.) Darth Vader also puts in an appearance. The story takes place in various locations, most notably Ahakista.
Summary: Wyl Tarson is a Rebel spy in deep cover with the Raze crime organization, but now his cover is blown and Raze wants revenge. By way of compensation for all of the valuable information Wyl has stolen, Raze tasks him with infiltrating an Imperial stronghold so secure few know it even exists, and if Wyl refuses, Raze will detonate the bomb he's implanted in Wyl's head. Hoping to keep active Rebels out of harm's way, Wyl assembles a ragtag team of outcasts for a mission that could well be suicide.
Review: This story really feels shoehorned into Rebellion in a way that makes me think it must have been pitched as a stand-alone story and then at the last minute they decided they needed it to fill an empty space here. It doesn't have anything to do with the main storyline, but they've tried to pretend that it does by sprinkling some equally irrelevant set-up into the previous issues.
These perfunctory efforts at making connections with the rest of the Rebellion run stick out very awkwardly and are the most glaring flaws in what is otherwise a pretty solid arc. I always enjoy something starring new characters who are well-written and interesting, because then you get a Star Wars story that you truly don't know the outcome of and it raises the stakes immensely.
I liked these characters, and I liked the story they were in. It felt like they were all probably doomed, but I genuinely didn't know what might happen from issue to issue. The set-up kind of takes awhile, but the payoff is worth it. Again, I don't know why this is part of Rebellion, but it's good stuff.
A-
Background: The Ahakista Gambit, released in March 2008, collects issues #6-10 of Rebellion (May-Dec 2007). All 6 issues were co-written by [a:Rob Williams|48010|Rob Williams|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1608298970p2/48010.jpg] and [a:Brandon Badeaux|20046|Brandon Badeaux|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], with art by [a:Michel Lacombe|20022|Michel Lacombe|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]. Williams wrote a number of issues for Rebellion, Badeaux (who has mostly worked in Star Wars as an artist) drew about a dozen issues across various series in addition to his story credit here. Lacombe has also drawn for several issues, mostly of Rebellion.
The Ahakista Gambit is set 9 months after the Battle of Yavin, picking up shortly after the end of My Brother, My Enemy (my review). The main characters are Wyl Tarson, Laynara, Baco Par, and Darca Nyl. (Oh, you haven't heard of any of those characters? Well, that's because you haven't read this specific comic.) Darth Vader also puts in an appearance. The story takes place in various locations, most notably Ahakista.
Summary: Wyl Tarson is a Rebel spy in deep cover with the Raze crime organization, but now his cover is blown and Raze wants revenge. By way of compensation for all of the valuable information Wyl has stolen, Raze tasks him with infiltrating an Imperial stronghold so secure few know it even exists, and if Wyl refuses, Raze will detonate the bomb he's implanted in Wyl's head. Hoping to keep active Rebels out of harm's way, Wyl assembles a ragtag team of outcasts for a mission that could well be suicide.
Review: This story really feels shoehorned into Rebellion in a way that makes me think it must have been pitched as a stand-alone story and then at the last minute they decided they needed it to fill an empty space here. It doesn't have anything to do with the main storyline, but they've tried to pretend that it does by sprinkling some equally irrelevant set-up into the previous issues.
These perfunctory efforts at making connections with the rest of the Rebellion run stick out very awkwardly and are the most glaring flaws in what is otherwise a pretty solid arc. I always enjoy something starring new characters who are well-written and interesting, because then you get a Star Wars story that you truly don't know the outcome of and it raises the stakes immensely.
I liked these characters, and I liked the story they were in. It felt like they were all probably doomed, but I genuinely didn't know what might happen from issue to issue. The set-up kind of takes awhile, but the payoff is worth it. Again, I don't know why this is part of Rebellion, but it's good stuff.
A-