Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Star Wars #49
Summary
The newest issue of Marvel’sStar Warshas revealed how the Rebellion finally destroyed one of the last pieces ofGrand Moff Tarkin’slegacy. Having been aboard the first Death Star during its destruction inA New Hope, the majority of the galaxy moved on from the high-ranking Imperial leader. However, the notable exception was the Empire’s Commander Zahra, his former protege. However, Zahra herself has finally met her own spectacular demise in theStar Warscanon.
InStar Wars #49by Charles Soule and Jethro Morales, Zahra returned to torment Princess Leia once more. Despite no longer serving the Empire after Leia left her for dead during their last clash, Zahra was seen leading a band of raiders who helped her set a trap for Organa. However, she was still defeated by Luke and Leia and offered the chance to surrender by the issue’s end. Refusing,Zahra stubbornly chose to cling to her vengeance, resulting in the Rebellion bringing her ship down:
Having attempted a suicide run at Luke and Leia,there was no other option beyond the one Zahra chose with the Rebellion having to open fire, taking her out and with her the last living product of Grand Moff Tarkin’s dark legacy.
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Commander Zahra Was Tarkin’s Powerful Protege
A Bitter Rival of Princess Leia’s
Following the death of Tarkin and before that the exile of Grand Admiral Thrawn following the Battle of Lothal,Commander Ellian Zahrawas chosen to lead the Imperial Navy, having been trained by Tarkin himself. To that end,Zahra was tasked with leading the assault on the scattered Rebel fleet in the wake of the Battle of Hoth. Likewise, Zahra blames Leia personally for the death of her mentor, relentlessly hunting her and the Rebellion down for weeks before the Alliance was able to safely regroup using new communication codes the Empire hadn’t cracked.
Before Princess Leia defeated Zahra and left her for dead, the Imperial commander had made it her unyielding mission to demoralize Leia and the Rebellion before she intended to execute Organa herself. Likewise, it seems as though this was still Zahra’s mission even after she was no longer with the Empire, believing that Leia’s head would restore her command. However, Zahra is now no more thanks to the Rebellion she desperately wanted to destroy (just like her own mentor).
Zahra’s Death Officially Ends Tarkin’s Legacy
The Grand Moff’s Revenge Is Over
Zahra had commanded the Imperial Fleet aboard theStar DestroyerTarkin’s Will, keeping the ship’s damage from the Death Star explosion as a dark badge of honor rather than taking it in for repairs. Likewise,Zahra’s resolve to seek vengeance for Tarkin’s death is quite impressive, even after she lost her ship and command within the Empire. That said, it’s poetic that the Rebellion was able to end one of the last holdouts of Tarkin’s legacy just before the destruction of the second Death Star and the end of the Empire itself.
Star Wars #49is now on sale from Marvel Comics.
Grand Moff Tarkin
An accomplished military officer during the Clone Wars, Tarkin caught Palpatine’s eye due to their similar philosophies. Tarkin swiftly ascended to a position of significance after the establishment of the Empire, and became governor of the entire Outer Rim, even taking over the entire Death Star project. He was the one responsible for the destruction of Alderaan, but himself died when the Death Star was destroyed.
