Princess Leia #2
Story by Mark Waid
Art by Terry and Rachel Dodson
Article by Mara Wood
As Evaan and Leia fly across the galaxy in search of recently orphaned Alderaanians, things are still tense. It is apparent that Evaan carries some baggage with her, some sort of loyalty mixed with disappointment in regards to Leia. Makes things awkward when the women are in cramped quarters dealing with each other day in and day out. Regardless, it is the mission that keeps these two focused on something other than the failings of the other. First stop: Naboo.
Snippets of Leia’s childhood are interspersed within the general plot. Flashbacks take her to her lessons, with Bail Organa reminding her of her duty as Alderaan’s royal princess. Contrasted with her current state, an exiled princess of a destroyed world, these flashbacks are heartbreaking.
People cope with loss in many ways. The traditional public morning and crying is what Evaan expects of her princess. Leia’s coping is far more complex. Ever since Tarkin ordered the Death Star to destroy Alderaan, she’s been in constant forward motion. Leia literally had no time at all to think about her culture, much less properly mourn its passing. That forward motion continues in this mini-series. While the intentions are good, the mission to find Alderaanians feels more like a complex distraction from the pain and hurt she should be embracing at this moment. In the back of my mind, I can’t help but wonder when Leia will finally snap and feel the full weight of the culture she lost.
Waid and the Dodsons have done a fantastic job balancing emotion and action in this issue. The flashbacks to Leia’s childhood emphasize just how important this self-imposed mission is to her. Hopefully the events of this mini-series will continue to showcase Leia’s leadership and how she grows to become one of the most integral pieces in the Rebellion.
THE VERDICT
Definitely a buy!
