Qi’ra burned some of her most valuable Crimson Dawn assets to try and help Leia get Han back. It was on Qi’ra’s orders that Bokku attacked the Empire, a move that led to Darth Vader wiping out the entire Hutt Council, other than Jabba. Qi’ra shares with Leia that Bokku the Hutt was in her pocket, as was the Imperial officer who allowed Leia and her friends to board the Executor. Now it’s clear that Qi’ra and Crimson Dawn are even more influential at this point than initially realized. While Qi’ra and Crimson Dawn have been off the galaxy’s radar for a while now, War of the Bounty Hunters put them back on the map when they capture Han Solo in carbonite and auction him off at a high-profile event. This is the last tie-in to WAR OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS, like a coda, which includes a meeting long foretold – Leia and Qi’ra coming face to face. Starting to get (strong!) reactions from early readers to STAR WARS #18, which lands tomorrow.

Qi’ra seems to genuinely admire Leia and wants what’s best for her, but is also being calculated about how to use a connection with Leia - and by extension the Rebellion - to her advantage. The end of Star Wars #18 hints that the story about Han standing up for what was right as a child might not even be true, but it doesn’t matter, as it was part of Qi’ra restoring the spark of hope within Leia. Qi’ra helps revitalize the hope that Leia lost after believing Han died in War of the Bounty Hunters #5 while planting the seeds for a potentially advantageous relationship. She also tells a story of bravery during Han’s childhood, explains the lengths she took to try to help Leia get Han back, and reveals that Han is alive and in Jabba’s Palace. Qi’ra admits that she manipulates people while Leia inspires people and that each of them needs to embrace who they are. Qi’ra gains some trust by making it clear that she believes Han is better off with Leia and that Leia brings out the best in him. This is likely part of Qi’ra’s plan to strike at Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader, as hinted at in the end of War of the Bounty Hunters #5. Instead, Qi’ra uses the meeting to forge a potential alliance with Leia and the Rebellion. The meeting between Leia and Qi’ra, fortunately, doesn’t fall into the trope of women jealously fighting over a man they both love.

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