Mission to Muunilinst The Mission to Muunilinst was the assignment to recover the financial assets of the Alliance on Muunilinst , after the Destruction of Alderaan . Prelude . With Alderaan destroyed , a large percentage of the Rebellion ' s monetary funds were eradicated . Fortunately , a portion of the wealth was deposited on the banking world of Muunilinst . General Jan Dodonna entrusted Leia Organa to retrieve the datacard containing their financial access codes . Together with Luke Skywalker and their droid companions , R2 - D2 and C - 3PO , they were to make contact with Mak Luunim and recover the reserves . Han Solo and his partner Chewbacca volunteered to transport the party to Muunilinst . The Mission . The " Millennium Falcon " made the jump from Yavin Prime to the Muunilinst system , and was immediately assaulted on reversion . Experiencing a failure with the offensive weaponry , the " Falcon " was at the mercy of its attacker , a single TIE Fighter . A " Preybird " - class starfighter came to the aid of the " Falcon " , and destroyed the Imperial fighter . In the conflict , the " Preybird " was damaged , and made an emergency landing on one of the moons of Muunilinst . Feeling an obligation to aid their rescuer , the crew of the " Millennium Falcon " followed him down . They followed a blood trail to a cave , where they found a badly wounded man who introduced himself as Tobin Elad . While trying to help the man , the resident of the cave returned home . The reek detected intruders and immediately attacked . In a moment of ill - advised blaster fire , Han Solo collapsed the entrance to the underground chamber while killing the beast . Realizing that time was a factor for the survival of Elad , Luke employed his lightsaber to bore a hole in the landslide , and liberated the party . After nursing the wounded man back to health , the crew determined he could be an asset on their mission , so they made planetfall on Muunilinst to continue their task . After visiting Mak Luunim ' s apartment , the group was informed by Luunim ' s assistant that his employer had recently been put to death . It was then that a band of stormtroopers entered and attacked the rebels . Fighting their way to freedom , the party made an escape to the fringes of Pilaan . They entered a cantina on the outskirts of the city in the hope of uncovering information to complete their assignment . In the cantina , they discovered that Luunim owed many individuals money , especially a well respected Muun known as Nal Kenuun . When the party heard that Keenun had been to Mak Luumin ' s abode , they assumed the datacard was in his possession . The rebels needed to contact Nal Keenuun . After leaving the cantina , the crew encountered a Dug , introducing himself as Grunta . He had overheard that they were looking for Keenum and offered to take them to him . On the way , he and his three companions ambushed Leia and her associates , trying to earn a few credits , the hard way ! A melee ensued in which Grunta was killed , and the three remaining Dugs retreated . At that time , a squad of stormtroopers , using poison darts , arrived to apprehend the rebels . The party awoke to find themselves captors of the Muun they were seeking , Nal Keenum . They learned that Keenum held the datacard they sought . Unfortunately , the Dug they eliminated was an employee of Keenum ' s , and was the favorite to win the Podrace two days hence . In order to retrieve their property , the rebels had to replace the pilot they terminated , " and " win the race in order to recover the missing datacard . Not knowing what to do , Luke blindly offered to take the place of the Dug . The Podrace . The day before the podrace , Luke Skywalker was permitted to make a practice run in the pod vacated by Grunta , a Plug - 2 Behemoth manufactured by Collor Pondrat . Unfortunately , due to a defective current filter , one of the pod ' s engines overheated and " flamed - out " , causing it to enter an uncontrollable spin . Luke had to eject and allow the pod to crash , destroying it for the race . The young pilot returned to his tent to mend his wounds and study maps of the race circuit , while Leia and Elad petitioned Kenuun to relinquish another of his many podracers , so Luke could practice . They were able to attain a Keizar - Volvec KV9T9 - B Wasp in time for Skywalker to make a practice run the same afternoon . On the day of the race , Leia Organa attempted to dissuade Luke from entering the race , but he was determined to start . He realized he would not be able to compete without the aid of the Force . Not allowing thoughts to become a factor , young Skywalker " felt " his way around the course , He entered the first leg of the race with confidence , negotiating the paths of the narrow gorge , passing two other pods and setting his sights on the leader . The second leg wound through a labyrinthine network of underground caves and tunnels , known as Aliuun Gorge , ending in a near ninety degree climb . Luke gained on his competition , as he exited the ravine , and embarked on the final leg of the race . Entering the wide plains for the final straightaway , the novice podracer challenged the Bin Gassi for the lead . The Nuknog piloting the pod veered to block his young challenger and careened out of control , allowing the " Wasp " to make the pass and assume the lead . Luke Skywalker maintained his advantage and won the race , making the Imperial assassin , X - 7 , posing as Tobin Elad , wonder if the young rebel was in fact the pilot who destroyed the Death Star , and the one whom he was sent to eliminate . Aftermath . Back at Kennun ' s home after the victory , Han , Luke , and Tobin Elad were granted the datacard as promised . However , Nal Keenun discovered the bounties placed on the heads of Han Solo and Tobin Elad and refused to let a profit slip past . After a standoff trying to arrest the pair , Elad said he would gladly go with the Muun if he agreed to let his friends go free . It was then that Leia entered with the pet Krayt dragon , belonging to Nal Keenun , threatening the goodwill of the serpent . Seeing no other option , Keenun was forced to see the Rebels safely off planet . On the " Millennium Falcon " after lift - off , Leia Organa confided in Tobin Elad , and invited him to join the rebellion . After this meeting , he contacted his master , informing him that his " Target " may be Luke Skywalker , due to his surprising victory in the podrace .