Age of Resistance - Captain Phasma 1

Age of Resistance - Captain Phasma 1 is the second one-shot in the canon comic book anthology series Star Wars: Age of Resistance. It was written by Tom Taylor, illustrated by Leonard Kirk, and published on July 10, 2019 by Marvel Comics. The issue features the story "Fallen Guns," which is set before Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, and the issue also includes an essay written by Bryan Young.
==Publisher's summary==
ANOTHER GUN! STORMTROOPERS don't get a name. They are simply a tool of the EMPIRE [sic]. But PHASMA has a name, and one young soldier wants what she has. One stormtrooper has ambition. And this ambition is on a collision course with CAPTAIN PHASMA.
==Plot summary==
===The heat of battle===
A First Order stormtrooper named KM-8713 takes part in the fighting against the Demirians inhabiting the Iron Planet of Demir in the Unknown Regions. She serves under the command of Captain Phasma. While KM-9713 is a nameless stormtrooper, she aspires to be more than a mere stormtrooper.
As the stormtroopers advance on a Demirian stronghold, Captain Phasma implores them to be ready to charge into battle. She describes her troops as blasters in her hands, warning them that if they falter they are no loner fit to serve the First Order. KM-8713 warns Captain Phasma about an approaching Demirian gunship, which is charging up. Phasma tells her troops to get down.
The Demirian gunship destroys a First Order AT-ST walker and takes out several stormtroopers. KM-8713 survives the blast and helps a wounded stormtrooper named DB-7197 to his feet. She helps him across the battle but Captain Phasma orders KM-8713 to leave him since he will slow them down.
The stormtroopers are attacked by a Demirian warrior. KM-8713 shoots down the enemy warrior but the dying combatant throws a thermal detonator at the group. An unperturbed Captain Phasma throws the wounded DB-7197 onto the detonator, killing him. While a shocked KM-8713 watches in horror, Captain Phasma orders her to report to her Upsilon-class command shuttle to discuss what had occurred today.
===Captain Phasma's lair===
Later that evening, Captain Phasma meets with KM-8713 aboard her plush quarters in the Upsilon-class shuttle. While pouring wine, Phasma allows KM-8713 to remove her helmet. Phasma describes KM-8713 as a competent soldier and thanks her for saving her life. Phasma points out that her life would not be in danger if she had not stop to reprimand KM-8713 for helping the wounded soldier.
Phasma demands to know why KM-8713 had helped the soldier. KM-8713 explains that Phasma had taught them that they were guns and that it would be waste to leave a good "gun" like DB-7197 on the ground. Though KM-8713 believes that DB-7197 could have recovered to live another day, Phasma counters that compassion is weakness and that helping him could have cost her life.
Phasma lectures KM-8713 that in order to succeed, she must first survive and that calculated sacrifices have to be made. When asked, KM-8713 admits that her ambition is to follow in Captain Phasma's footsteps and become a First Order leader. Donning her helmet, Phasma instructs KM-8713 to ignore her fallen comrades and to focus on the goal ahead. She promotes KM-8713 to an officer and charges her with leading an assault on the Demirian base at dawn.
===The test of combat===
At dawn, Captain Phasma addresses the stormtroopers, charging them with seizing control of the Demirian stronghold. She tasks KM-8713 with commanding the assault. Under KM-8713's leadership, the stormtroopers march to the gates of the Demirian stronghold. They are met by several Demirian armored walkers, which inflict heavy casualties on the stormtroopers.
Despite their disadvantaged position, Captain Phasma orders her troopers to continue fighting. However, she discreetly withdraws from the battlefield. KM-8713 pursues her commanding officer, telling her that she is needed at the front. However, Phasma orders her to return. Just then, they hear a squadron of TIE fighters approaching.
The TIE fighters bombard the stormtroopers, Demirian soldiers, and walkers. A horrified KM-8713 implores Captain Phasma to tell the First Order to call off the attack. She realizes that Phasma sacrificed her unit in order to pull the enemy into the open. Phasma mockingly responds that she fought bravely and survived despite all the odds. Denouncing Phasma as a traitor, KM-8713 tries to shoot Phasma with her blaster.
However, Phasma's armor deflects the blasts. Phasma responds that her armor is worth far more than KM-8713's life. Phasma responds that she is not a coward because she is not afraid to do what has to be done. Phasma adds that she is not a fool to lead from the front but rather leads from behind a "disposable shield of patriotic idiots." Phasma guns down KM-8713 with her blaster.
The wounded KM-8713 pleads with Phasma not to leave her behind. However, Phasma retorts that she can't see her goal if she is looking over her shoulder. Phasma describes herself as a survivor and dismisses KM-8713 as a nameless, fallen gun.
==Media==
===Editions===
*UPC 759606092017; July 10, 2019; Marvel Comics
**00111; Cover A; Phil Noto
**00121; Cover B; Mike McKone & Guru-eFX
**00131; Cover C; Lucasfilm Ltd.
**00141; Cover D; Tonči Zonjić
===Cover gallery===
File:AORPhasma1.jpg|Cover A
File:AgeofResistance-PhasmaCoverArt.jpg|Cover A, cover art
File:AoR-Phasma-McKone.jpg|Cover B
File:AoR-Phasma-Movie.jpg|Cover C
File:AoR-Phasma-Zonjic.jpg|Cover D
==Appearances==
==Collections==
*Star Wars: Age of Resistance — Villains
*Star Wars: Age of Resistance HC
==Notes and references==
==External links==
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Category:Star Wars: Age of Resistance issues