Star Wars (2015) 9

Star Wars 9 is the ninth issue of the Marvel comic book series Star Wars and the second of five issues in the series' second story arc, Showdown on the Smuggler's Moon. The issue, written by Jason Aaron with art by Stuart Immonen, was released on September 16, 2015.
==Publisher's summary==
*Luke's lightsaber has been stolen and he must retrieve it!
*Meanwhile, the Imperials are closing in on Han and Leia…
*…set upon them by a mysterious woman from Han's past!
==Plot summary==
===Running into trouble===
On Nar Shaddaa, Luke Skywalker pursues the alien thief who stole his lightsaber through the streets of the ecumenopolis moon. The two leap over buildings. After a rough landing, Skywalker contacts R2-D2, telling him that they cannot let the thief get away with his lightsaber.
The alien thief grabs the engines of an airspeeder and taunts Skywalker for running like a farmer. As R2-D2 watches, Skywalkers uses the Force to jump after the thief, grabbing his leg. The thief's magna-glove short-circuits, causing them to crash through the skyscrapers onto a fruit market stand. Both survive the fall with the thief deriding Skywalker as insane.
Skywalker sees R2-D2 and wonders why the others have stopped chasing him. Just then, Grakkus the Hutt responds that is because he is in Hutta Town and demands that Skywalker surrender his blade. The Hutt is accompanied by two IG-100 MagnaGuard, who wield electrostaffs.
===Imperial entanglements===
On the uncharted world in the Monsua Nebula, the TIE fighter pilot Captain informs Admiral Keener that five TIE fighters were destroyed by the atmospheric storms but that they have located their targets. The TIE fighter pilots disembark from their crafts and orders Sana Starros, Han Solo, and Princess Leia Organa to get on the ground.
However, Leia fires at the TIE pilots. Solo asks Sana to give him back his blaster but Starros is determined to collect the bounty on her head. Solo then reveals that he is a rebel as well and is also on the Galactic Empire's most wanted list. Solo convinces Starros to turn the cannons of the Volt Cobra on the Imperials. Together, the three escape on the Volt Cobra.
===Prisoner of Grakkus===
Back on Nar Shaddaa, Skywalker spars with the two IG-100 MagnaGuard but is outmatched by their electrostaffs. Grakkus tells Skywalker that his MagnaGuards are relics of the Clone Wars designed to battle Jedi Knights and tells Skywalker he is not one. Grakkus demands to know who Skywalker stole the lightsaber from. The alien thief responded that Skywalker said that his father was a Jedi.
Grakkus does not believe Skywalker and ponders why the boy would be crazy enough to go to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Skywalker responds that he doesn't want trouble but Grakkus counters that he came to the wrong moon and knocks him to the ground.
Later, Skywalker awakes to find himself in the presence of Grakkus who shows him a blue holocron. Jabba tells Skywalker that he is in his home. Skywalker discovers that Grakkus has stored a collection of Jedi relics including statues, holocrons, records, and a Jedi starfighter. Grakkus explains that he obtained these artifacts through his extensive network of spice smugglers and bounty hunters.
Grakkus reveals that he used his agent to lure Skywalker to his den so that he could unlock a Jedi holocron. Skywalker, who is unfamiliar with holocrons, tells Grakkus he does not know how to unlock one. Grakkus does not care and tells the wannabe Jedi to figure it out. As he counts down to five, Skywalker uses the Force to unlock the holocron, which segments into several smaller holocrons.
Holographic figures of several Jedi appear including Jedi Master Phin-Law Wo, an unidentified Thisspiasian Master, and a Cosian Master. Skywalker gazes at a holocron of the Togruta Jedi Master Shaak Ti telling viewers not to let the deaths of the Jedi be in vain. Regarding him as the "last Jedi," Grakkus decides to add Skywalker to his collection. He orders his MagnaGuards to take Skywalker to the "Gamemaster" in the arena. R2-D2 begins transmitting a distress signal to the Alliance Fleet.
===Rebels in peril===
Back on the uncharted world, Princess Leia complains that the Imperials are jamming their transmission. Sana Starros tells her to forget the comms and to fire the canons. Leia hopes that they won't be torn apart by the starms. Starros asks if Leia is always "this cheerful". When Solo suggests that he take over the ship, both women tell him to shut up.
On a Rebel Alliance warship, the Alliance commanders receive a distress signal from R2-D2. Mon Mothma tells General Jan Dodonna and Admiral Gial Ackbar that Skywalker has been kidnapped by a local Hutt crime lord. Dodonna is perplexed that Skywalker was visiting Nar Shaddaa, which he regards as the largest nest of outlaws and assassins in the galaxy.
Admiral Ackbar asks how they can rescue Skywalker. Mon Mothma is unwilling to risk Alliance personnel and resources by sending a covert team into a Hutt-controlled world. An uneasy Mothma begs for Skywalker's forgiveness and wonders who would volunteer for such a perilous mission. Chewbacca roars in affirmation, leading Dodonna to respond that her question has been answered. C-3PO asks Chewbacca if they should leave at once but dreads the prospect of such a mission.
==Cover gallery==
File:Star Wars 9 final cover.jpg|Final cover by Stuart Immonen
File:Star Wars 9 Marvel 2015 Cover.jpg|Textless cover by Stuart Immonen
File:SW9Christopher.png|Action figure variant cover by John Tyler Christopher
File:SW9McKone.jpg|by Mike McKone
==Appearances==
==Collections==
*Star Wars Vol. 2: Showdown on the Smuggler's Moon
*Star Wars Vol. 1
*Star Wars: Han Solo
*Star Wars by Jason Aaron Omnibus
*Star Wars Modern Era Epic Collection: Skywalker Strikes
==Sources==
*The Marvel Art of Star Wars
==Notes and references==
09