Rebellion follows the Rebel Alliance directly after the Battle of Yavin, and the “Small Victories” arc is a story about Rebel One, the ship housed by Luke and Leia. The crew findsitself stuck next to Bannistar Station, one of the main fueling stations for the Empire, and decides to go on a suicide mission to destroy the place. Obviously things never go according to plan and everyone except Deena Shan and another crew member end up being held captive awaiting transport to the Emperor.

“Small Victories”, much like many other Star Wars stories, is about getting through tough times, and learning about oneself. Deena Shan finds hope when she’s all alone, and it’s this idea of hope that keeps the Alliance from falling apart. Also, when she starts gaining confidence in herself, she’s able to make a huge difference in the battle while managing to catch Luke’s attention—sexual tension? I think so.

Jeremy Barlow has written a very good script, with minimal boring needless dialogue, keeping the characters fresh and very much human. The emotional turmoil of Deena Shan is something that many people face daily—the questioning of oneself—and the reader is able to see how she overcomes the insecurity—she grabs a piece of glass and stabs the bad guy in the leg! Her many small victories lead to the ultimate saving of the day, and if you can win enough battles, you can win the war.

Official Thorn rating: 4 elephants