Star Wars 86 : The Alderaan Factor Star Wars 86 : The Alderaan Factor is the eighty - sixth issue in the " Marvel Star Wars " series of comics . Publisher ' s summary . " Who are they ? What part of the galaxy do they come from ? What do they want ? Han , Luke , and Leia better find out — or face total disaster ! " Plot summary . Some time before the Battle of Endor , Leia Organa is running through a Rebel cruiser with Luke Skywalker at her heels . Leia is about to depart on a mission to the planet Yinchorr , and Skywalker tries to convince her to let him go with her . However , in an attempt to earn the Yinchorri ' s trust , she has agreed to not bring any Rebel soldiers with her . Skywalker is still worried for her , since there is Imperial activity in that sector , and he gives her an emergency beacon to signal him in case she runs into trouble . A Yinchorri shuttle arrives to take Leia to the desert world , but on the way there , the Yinchorri commander reveals that she is actually going to be used as a hostage to trade to the Empire for the safety of the Yinchorri Elder Council , whom Imperial Governor Marcellin Wessel has captured . However , on the way to turn over the Princess , their TIE fighter escort begins to fire on them , as Wessel is content to just kill the Rebel leader . As the Yinchorri panic , Leia springs into action , takes control of the blaster cannon , and fires back . The Yinchorri pilot is able to outfly the TIEs , and Leia shoots down one of the starfighters . However , right as Leia shoots down the second starfighter , their ship is hit by the Imperial craft ' s weapons , and both ships crash land in the desert below . Immediately before the crash , Leia is able to activate her emergency beacon . Back with the Alliance Fleet , Luke , Chewbacca , and Lando Calrissian receive the signal and leave immediately in the " Millennium Falcon " to rescue her . Back on Yinchorr , a stormtrooper reports to Wessel , telling him that Princess Leia ' s ship was shot down but that both TIE fighters were destroyed as well . Wessel , wanting to confirm Leia ' s death , organizes a party to track down the crashed shuttle . At the same time , the TIE pilot of the second craft has survived , and he makes his way to the crashed Yinchorri shuttle . Although the man has orders to kill the passengers of the Yinchorri shuttle , he recognizes Leia and decides to ignore orders , freeing her . The TIE pilot is actually from Alderaan , and before joining the Empire , he had been a common servant on the world . Leia , shocked that an Alderaanian would serve the Empire , calls the man a traitor to his homeworld . Despite her insults , the Imperial helps her to safety , claiming that Leia ' s father , and not the Empire , was to blame for opposing the Empire and causing Alderaan ' s destruction . As the two argue , they are oblivious to the fact that they are being stalked by the rolk - mahgir , fearsome native beasts . In their continuing trek across the desert , Leia attempts to make her captor realize the evils of the Empire . He shows her a small rock from Alderaan , bought from a trader on Tatooine . The Imperial has fashioned the rock into a necklace , as his own souvenir of his lost homeworld . Leia is outraged by his attitude towards the destruction of Alderaan , claiming that the memento is a symbol of the slaughter of millions . Drawn to their loud outbursts , the rolk - mangir attack , grabbing the Imperial by his leg . Leia is able to get ahold of the man ' s blaster , and she fires on the beasts , driving them away and saving the Imperial ' s life . Meanwhile , Luke , Lando , and Chewbacca have arrived above Yinchorr tracking Leia ' s emergency signal . However , Wessel ' s group is also closing in on Leia ' s signal , and they are about to arrive at her position . Trying to escape the rolk - mahgir , Leia and the Imperial are forced to dive off a cliff to a lower ledge to avoid the beasts . In the jump , Leia nearly slips off the ledge to her death , but the Imperial grabs her arm and pulls her to safety . The two begin to reminisce about Alderaan , but Leia once again brings up the destruction of Alderaan , still appalled over the man ' s service to the Empire . Sensing that there is still some good in the soldier , she asks him to come with her and join the Rebellion . The Imperial is still hesitant to leave the Empire , claiming that it is too much of a risk to give up all he has for " a dream that might never come true " . When Leia claims that he is not even a man if he believes that , he is greatly offended and points his blaster at her , deciding to take her to the approaching Imperials . Wessel is pleased with finding the princess , and he immediately orders his men to kill the Yinchorri council , claiming that Leia is next . The Imperial soldier is shocked at Wessel ' s cruelty , beginning to see the truth in Leia ' s words . Before Wessel can execute Leia , the " Millennium Falcon " comes to the rescue and destroys Wessel ' s ground vehicle . In the resulting chaos , Leia runs for the ship , but Wessel attempts one last time to kill the princess , aiming his gun at the woman . The Imperial recognizes Wessel ' s intent , and he shoots Wessel ' s gun out of his hand . He claims that Leia was right about the Empire , and the two make their way to the " Millennium Falcon " which has landed a short distance away . However , before they can board the ship , the Imperial soldier is shot by one of Wessel ' s men . Leia grabs the man ' s hand as the ship lifts off , pulling him into the air . The Imperial struggles to hold onto her hand , but he is too weak from his injuries and slips from her fingers , falling to his death . As Lando and Luke pull her into the ship , Leia looks into her hand where she is still holding the Imperial ' s Alderaanian rock and begins to cry . Behind the scenes . The events of this story take place before as indicated by the foreword to the comic . The spelling of " Yinchor " was changed in later mentions , adding a second " r " to the name . In the same fashion , the " Rolk - mahgir " had their name changed to the " Rolk - mangir " in later mentions . This issue was the only Marvel Star Wars issue written by Randy Stradley , who later went on to work for Dark Horse Comics . After this comic , Stradley was asked to write another story by editor Ann Nocenti , but she wanted the story to involve Hoojib s . Stradley found it difficult to write an exciting story about " telepathic bunnies , " and so " The Alderaan Factor " was the first and last job that he did for Marvel . After the " Star Wars " comics license went to Dark Horse , Stradley would write two other comics stories under their publication involving the planet Yinchorr : " " and " Crimson Empire " .