"Star Wars #18: War of the Bounty Hunters: Collision Course" by Charles Soule

"Star Wars #18: War of the Bounty Hunters: Collision Course" written by Charles Soule, illustrated by Ramon Rosanas and Rachelle Rosenberg

We FINALLY get it!!!! The confrontation between Qi'ra and Leia! I'm not sure how I feel about it yet because it wasn't as epic as I had expected. But both women were fully in character with Qi'ra being manipulative and confident and Leia being wary and confident...neither woman really backs down from their stances. Despite it not being what I had expected--I really have no idea how I thought it was going to go down--it was still very clear that these are two powerhouse women with unmatched strength of will. I love it!

Leia says words I NEVER thought would come from her mouth!!! "Hope is for suckers." WHAT?!?! She and Chewie are absolutely devastated by the fact they think Han is dead. They did see his carbonite-encased body fall to the Jekara ocean below...so I don't blame them for fearing the worst. Having just lost the love of her life, Leia flashes back on moments of terror from the Rebels' war with the Empire, realizing that no matter how much they have accomplished in their fight, it all seems to end in tragedy and heartbreak. 

But what they didn't see was Boba Fett catching the carbonite block with one of his cables (see below), therefore ensuring the bounty hunter's final completion of his mission for Jabba. Qi'ra is the one to relay this news, but only after a long and protracted discussion with Leia that definitely feels manipulative. Of course, early in the conversation, Qi'ra makes it known to Leia that she's a manipulator at heart and Leia is super skeptical of the other woman from go (just look at the princess's face below!). 

Lando has his own sneaky plans of escaping the Rebels and finding a way to save Lobot. The saving Lobot part is admirable and it's quite clear that Lando deeply cares for his friend, but at the same time, the smuggler is being very underhanded and sneaky about the whole thing. He plans on going to Tatooine and using the talky droid that almost killed him and his friends from a number of issues back (it is supposedly currently in Jabba's possession) to heal Lobot. I wonder if Lando will immediately want to help save Han from that very same place once he discovers that his old buddy is not dead...

So we start with Lando, Lobot, Chewie, Leia, and C-3PO all on the Millennium Falcon as it has escaped the crazy space battle that went down on Jekara. They're trying to figure out their next move when the Crimson Dawn's Vermillion appears right on top of them with Qi'ra at the comms. The leader of the newly revived criminal organization wants to talk...alone...with Leia. 

Qi'ra tries everything to soften up the princess but nothing will work. Leia is pissed beyond recognition over what the other woman did to Han--not saving him when she had the chance, but parading him around like a priceless artifact. Qi'ra claims she only had the best of intentions and desired above all else to get Han back to the Rebels...but that she had to consider herself and her organization in matters as well. She wanted to save Han, but help herself while doing so. This is SO Qi'ra!!! It's exactly what she did at the end of Solo: A Star Wars Story--saving Han from death at the hands of Dryden Vos while simultaneously cementing her position as leader of Crimson Dawn. Qi'ra may just be the most cunningly conniving character we've met in Star Wars, aside from Palpatine of course.

Qi'ra shares her belief that Han has always been the good guy and that she's happy he found Leia and was able to be the good guy she always knew he was. She says that if Han and her had stayed together, he would've ended up walking a much darker path...which I certainly do not doubt. Leia is not one to be buttered up by anyone and so she keeps Qi'ra and her praise of Han at arm's length. Smart lady! 

As the issue concludes, Leia is faced with a choice: rush to save Han with Qi'ra's help OR return to the Rebel fleet and aid her people. Seems like an easy choice, but both women make the point that Han is the safest he could possibly be, hanging from Jabba's palace wall. So they part ways, with Qi'ra saying she'll gladly help when the time is right...very interesting...

Before the two women talk, Lando and Qi'ra exchange some quite humorous banter including:

Qi'ra-"I heard what happened on Cloud City."

Lando-"Temporary setback."

Qi'ra-"From what I've seen, your whole life is a temporary setback."

Lando-"Yeah, but it's temporary."

Sometimes, I really love Lando, he's so ridiculous!

And later, Lando says to Leia that Qi'ra can hold her own in a fight even without weapons, followed by "she held her own against Darth Vader. For a couple minutes anyway." Yikes! Burn!

I'd like to leave you with a few of my favorite panels:

Chewie finding out that Han is still alive...

Qi'ra looking regal as all get out!...

And an image of Han and Qi'ra on Corellia as scrumrats during a flashback story that Qi'ra tells Leia...that may or may not be actually true...

Super curious to find out how the story develops from here!! I have loved this crossover event, despite it being difficult to keep up with all the content--not complaining one bit! This has been an incredibly enjoyable ride so far and I don't imagine that will end any time soon.