Final Round

"Final Round" (German title "Die letzte Runde") is a comic strip written by Jeremy Barlow, illustrated by Ingo Römling, and edited by Gunther Nickel. The story was published in the 34th issue of the German Star Wars Rebels Magazine, which was released on August 2, 2017. It was later published in English in the February 2019 issue of the Australian magazine K-Zone.
==Plot summary==
Hera Syndulla, Garazeb Orrelios, and Rex arrive on Starlag XIX, an isolated private prison station owned by Tolteck. A prison guard leads them through halls of cells, and Orrelios voices his concern about the amount of time they are spending there, regarding the prisoners around them with disdain. Syndulla tells him she doesn't like the situation either, but they need to complete their mission of extracting Ketsu Onyo. They come face-to-face with Tolteck, who is surrounded by several others who appear sinister. Onyo is bound behind his desk. Syndulla moves to give Tolteck the credits for their arranged exchange, but he announces he is changing the terms of the deal, and that if the rebels want Onyo back, they will have to fight for her.
Orrelios is taken to a large arena where he will have to fight one of Tolteck's prisoners in a death match as the owner and his companions watch from a balcony. Rex reassures him that he and Syndulla will find a way out of the situation, but Orrelios does not seem so sure. The guards bring out the Lasat's opponent, Aaston Lok, nicknamed the "Skull Crusher of Rotoga," and the crowd chants the prisoner's name. Resigned, Orrelios states that he's had enough of the place. However, Lok is shocked to find he is fighting a Lasat, and he refuses to participate. In response, Tolteck activates his shock collar and demands he does what he's told. Lok effortlessly knocks Orrelios over the ledge of the fighting platform, but when he pulls him up, Lok says that Orrelios may be the last of his kind, refusing to be the one who wipes them out. Orrelios replies that there are other Lasat, and Lok growls at him to play along; the two pretend to fight so that Tolteck will not activate the shock collar again. During this time, Lok explains that the Lasat's participation in the fight indicates that Tolteck already has control of the rebels. He says the owner buys debts as well as bounties, emphasizing that he and his friends would not be able to leave. Lok says the prison holds some serious criminals, but most of the inmates are ordinary people who miss their families.
Meanwhile, Rex speaks to Syndulla, concerned that things are getting worse every minute and thinking they should leave. Tolteck laughs at this, saying the only place the rebels will go is Drisk's labor colony, one of the owner's aides who states he has already paid for them. At that moment, Rex hears over his comlink from Tonk, who is waiting outside with his group of rebels. Unknown to Tolteck, Tonk's crew have placed explosives on part of the prison complex's exterior, and Rex gives the signal for them to activate them. The resulting explosion distracts the activity in the arena, giving Syndulla and Rex enough time to uncuff multiple prisoners, including Onyo, and they begin attacking Tolteck and his men.
Lok shows Orrelios the way out of the complex, who suggests the prisoner come with them. Lok disagrees, believing he deserves to be left in captivity, but he runs alongside the Lasat as they meet up with the rest of the rebels. Lok struggles to hold open a heavy door and tells them their ship is down the next corridor. As the door is closing, Lok insists that Tolteck cannot get away with his operation, telling Orrelios that the prisoners' families need to know they are still alive, and Orrelios agrees. Syndulla, Orrelios, and Rex escape aboard the Phantom II, and when Syndulla asks if Tonk will be meeting them at Chopper Base, he says he and his crew are headed for another mission given to them by Commander Jun Sato. Orrelios insists they go back and help the other prisoners, feeling guilty for his initial judgment that they were all worthless, and Onyo says that Tolteck will certainly be seeing her again.
==Appearances==
==Collections==
*Star Wars Rebels TPB
==Notes and references==
==External links==
*Star Wars Rebels Magazin #34: Die letzte Runde on Jedi-Bibliothek.de
*K-Zone Magazine (February 2019) on Readly (Requires Subscription)
Category:Star Wars Rebels Magazine comics