Good grief, has it really been 40 years since the third installment of the greatest saga ever told was thrust upon us? Apparently so and in celebration of that landmark release, what better way to celebrate it, than by delving it into one of it’s pivotal moments, from the perspective of a complete unknown. Much like the thoroughly enjoyable ‘Star Wars: From A Certain Point Of View’ books Dark Horse Comics, Cecil Castellucci and Lucas Marangon have concocted a tale based around the events that took place at the Battle Of Endor, as seen from the perspective of a previously unknown rebel soldier. The courageous Evans Basch, a rebel soldier serving on the Dorlanna is tasked with freeing refugees from the grip of the Empire when the ship comes under attack from a team of Tie-Fighters. As the the last one on the ship Basch plans on using the final escape pod to evade imminent death, when he finds Tobie, a young refugee. A promise made to this youngling sees the weary soldier in a battle for not only his life but to keep a promise to his new friend, all against the backdrop of the Rebel Alliance’s last stand against Palpatine and the Empire.

These types of set ups are just perfection, as familiar scenes and characters are given fresh life and new perspective as Castellucci effortlessly weaves in and out of the story we know, adding elements that we didnt know,with this new arc. ‘Return Of The Jedi’ has so many memorable stories and backdrops, that adding these new characters, I imagine, was no mean feat for Lucas Marangon, but scenes such as the celebration on Endor, the cockpit of the Millenium Falcon with Lando and Nien Numb, were all blended fantastically into the plight of the Dorlanna, so much so, you would think they’d always been there.

The perfect way to re-affirm your love of ‘The Return Of The Jedi’, ‘Star Wars:Hyperspace Stories #12’ pays loving tribute to the movie, whilst adding a heartwarming tale of bravery and friendship to the mix, reminding us that after all the lightsaber duels, scary bad guys and battles in space, Star Wars really is all about the message.Chris Andrews