Star Wars Rediscovered: X-Wing - The Rebel Opposition Review

"Stupid Wookie! He should have killed me when he had the chance."

Welcome to Star Wars Rediscovered and my review of X-Wing - The Rebel Opposition. Read on after the jump to find out my thoughts of this pilot focused series. 

Writer: Michael A Stackpole, Mike Baron

Artist: Allen Nunis

Ink: Andy Mushynsky

Colour: Dave Nestelle

Letters: Steve Dutro

Cover Art: Dave Dorman

Cover Art

The cover to this collection is amazing as I have come to expect from Dave Dorman. I love the realism that he puts into his art. I love the level of detail on the X-Wings flying past the pilot and the detail on his uniform. A great cover to start off this series!

Plot

Issue #1 starts with a squadron of pilots on a supply run on a planet. They are hoping to make contact with the leader of an underground movement. However they are attacked by Tie Fighters, they defeat them all but not before one pilot is shot and forced to crash land. This pilot is followed by another called Tycho. Tycho rescues him from his wrecked ship and they head to the nearest cave to spend the night. They are interrupted however by Princess Leia who suddenly arrives levelling a blaster at them demanding that they answer her questions. The pilot Wedge and the others are meanwhile are approached by the leader of the underground called Elscol who forces them to her destroyed hometown to show them that on this planet the Imperials and Rebels are working together to destroy her and her movement. At that moment they are attacked by the leader of the planet Moff Tascl who attacks them in this AT-AT. 
In issue #2 we rejoin Tycho and his fellow pilot where it is revealed that Leia is not Leia but a woman called Dame Winter. She convinces Tycho to try and spy on the Moff under the pretense of being an Imperial pilot. Meanwhile Wedge and Elscol escape the Moff's attack and make it back to her base thanks to the other pilots in their X-Wings. Elscol tells Wedge that they will arm him if they help him take down the Moff, he agrees so they travel to a weapon storage bunker where an empty Imperial Space

Trooper suit attacks them but is defeated by the Wookie Groznik. The issue ends with Tycho having sneaked into an Imperial compound and convinced a ranking Imperial that he is a downed pilot. He is taken onto a mission to defeat his friends. 
In issue #3 Tycho manages to warn his fellow Rebels about the impending attack so that they are not sitting ducks. The rebels survive the assault thanks to the advance warning and Tycho manages to survive although he is shot down by his own R2 unit. Wedge and the rebels finally manage to make contact with 'Targeter' and Elscol tells Vance to meet her and bring her to them as she trusts him. He however betrays her by taking the Space Trooper armour that was found in the weapon depot, this is witnessed by Tycho who is in the forest after being shot down. Vance arrives at Targeters location with a bunch of Stormtroopers and calls her Princess Leia. 
In the final issue Tycho is rescued by the Imperials and is taken with the woman who they think is Princesa Leia to see the governor of Kiidan and she is forced to have dinner with him. Meanwhile Vance returns to the rebels and tells them Leia has been kidnapped and so they devise a plan to rescue her. The Imperials hear of this impending attack and Tycho is drafted into the mission. However he quickly reveals his true colours and helps the Rebels in attacking the Imperials. Vance also reveals his true colours to Elscol and tries to attack her but is attacked himself by the wookie Groznik and then loses a hand to one of the planets feral creatures. The final battle against the Moff is won due to Groznik's strength and the Moff's backup deserts him due to his failure. Winter is revealed to be Princess Leia's assistant and a lookalike for her which is why people kept thinking she was the Princess. The issue ends with Elscol joining Wedge and his pilots  and they leave the planet. 

Interior Artwork

The interior art is of good quality with the artists doing a good job. The level of detail in character and environments is excellent and the colours are vivid. Some of my favourite panels in this series include
the panel of the Wookie and his former master fighting together. The use of colours and shadow works really well. 
All of the panels of the flashback back to the destruction of the Death Star. The yellow explosions looks fantastic. 

The final splash page of the Moff attacking Wedge and Elscol is epic. I love the perspective and level of detail. 
I really like the panel in issue #3 of Elscol's group firing on the Tie Fighters, the use of shadow on the figure and the orange coloured scene works really well and makes the scene almost look like it's in slow motion.
 I love the opening page to issue #4 where we have a full glorious page of Tycho waving down an Imperial unit. The level of detail and sense of scale is brilliant.

Conclusion & Rating

To conclude this was quite an enjoyable series choosing to focus on lesser known characters but is not poorer due to this. The artwork was consistently fantastic and it was actually nice to have a few issues away from Luke and Vader. 

Rating: 7/10 - Death Star

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