"Bounty Hunters #19: Flight of the Dark Squadron" by Ethan Sacks

"Bounty Hunters #19: Flight of the Dark Squadron" written by Ethan Sacks, illustrated by Ramon F. Bachs and Bryan Valenza

I swear I've been reading these issues from all the different series in the order determined by date of purchase on my Comixology...but wouldn't you know it, I've been so confused by the "Darth Vader" series' inclusion of Valance because I hadn't read "Bounty Hunters #19" yet!! "Darth Vader #18" and "Darth Vader #19" both take place AFTER this issue of "Bounty Hunters." Why they were released out of order, I have no idea, but gracious, when you're mixing characters from different series you have GOT to pay attention to the timeline or else things are left utterly confusing. I'm just glad it all makes sense now!

Essentially, this issue has Valance on a mission...to kill his childhood hero, the man who inspired him to join the Empire in the first place--Captain Tarl Sokoli. After accomplishing said mission, Vader announces that Valance is ready to join Ochi--Ochi and Valance both feature heavily in the two Vader comics linked to above which led to my initial confusion, but now I see that this issue sets up Valance's future tenure with Ochi. 

So, back to Tarl Sokoli. This guy is a complete douche. (For more context in regards to his history with Valance, see "Bounty Hunters #18".) In a flashback, Valance and Han are headed to one of his lectures at the Imperial Academy on Carida and Valance runs smack into the man. Valance gushes over him and all Sokoli can utter are terribly mean and vicious attacks. He starts off with a fairly mild response to Valance slamming into him, "I would urge you to watch where you are going, cadet, but you appear to be missing an eye." But then Valance starts gushing and it all falls apart. Valance--"We met before. I was just a child when you led the liberation of Chorin." Sokoli--"I don't remember that one. So many battles since then." Valance--"Well...what you did that day inspired me to join the navy and..." Sokoli--"Then I am truly sorry." Valance--"But...but...I'm working my way back to flying TIEs to serve the Empire like you." Sokoli--"Son...the Empire has already taken what it can from you. Literally, as far as I can see. I'm truly sorry I led you astray all those years ago. The truth is, you're never getting in a TIE fighter cockpit ever again." All this leads me to wonder why in the world Valance is apprehensive about killing Sokoli. I mean, he was the reason Valance joined the Empire and was thus the ultimate reason for Valance becoming a cyborg--which he despises about himself. It seems the former bounty hunter is just so stuck on that distant childhood memory that he keeps hoping he'll be able to get through to Sokoli and once again see the inspirational man from his past...

After the flashback, we're back in the present outside the Eriadu System where Valance and the rest of Dark Squadron are set to attack Sokoli's ship, the Forerunner II. Dark Squadron are flying red and black TIE defenders that are freaking gorgeous!!! See them pictured below. One of the Dark Squadron pilots is spooky as all get out and clearly mentally disturbed. He just keeps repeating "Kill" over and over again... Valance does end up getting onto Sokoli's ship by doing a very typical super dangerous maneuver--flying straight into the command tower windows. Once inside, Sokoli is just as mean and vindictive as he was back when Valance was a cadet, "Ah...so you were one of those young converts from some backward planet I saved. All grown up and disillusioned. If it's any consolation, the Empire ended up disappointing me too." Valance has finally had enough and shoots Sokoli right in the chest with his palm cannon.  

Our other group of main characters is in Ord Mantell City: Losha, T'Onga, Bossk, Zuckuss, Tasu Leech, and the Nexu. They're all getting restless staying in a safe house trying to figure out what their next steps will be to find Cadeliah. As Tasu Leech says, "I was getting bored of just watching Bossk's feet grow back." Hahaha!! See the crew all together, with Bossk's feet in a bacta-bath below. They develop a plan with the help of Zuckuss: the Gand has been tracking 4-LOM ever since they split ways and as he says, "Zuckuss' partner Four-Elloem is the best slicer in the galaxy. Plugged into a big enough receiver, the droid can find any transmission that mentions her." So the group sets off to locate 4-LOM and find Cadeliah once and for all.

Finally, we see Vader in his meditation pod discussing Valance's mission with Lieutenant Haydenn. Turns out, there was no connection between Sokoli and Crimson Dawn after all, it was merely his public dissatisfaction with the Empire that put him in the firing line...and he was the perfect target for a test of Valance's will and loyalty. Talk about Vader being underhanded and devious as heck!!

Fascinating stuff over all! I wonder if this series will now focus much more heavily on T'Onga and crew with Valance making a full move to the "Darth Vader" series at least for the time being. Guess we'll see...

-Marie E. Wilson a.k.a. @AliaMorgaine