Review: ‘Bounty Hunters’ #41 Is an Emotional Payoff for the Ages
Bounty Hunters in 2023 has been an extended, never-ending bad day for Beilert Valance. It began with an unbelievable high in issue #30 but was immediately shot down by the machinations of the Empire. His memories were taken from him. He had his humanity stripped. Now, to top it off, a deadly droid scourge has waltzed into his brain.
When Inferno Squad wiped his memories, it was never a question of if there would be a chance to get them back. When he fell under the influence of the Scourge, it was never even a question of if he would return to his old self. That’s just storytelling 101. The good guy gets their flowers nine times out of 10 at the end of the day. Instead, the drama would come down to one thing: execution. Could Ethan Sacks stick the landing and make Beilert Valance’s salvation as emotionally resonant as it can be, no matter how the cards fall?
Bounty Hunters #41 is as dramatic as they come. The infected Beilert Valance has T’onga and Zuckuss on experimentation tables. The Scourge wants it all, making this final battle all the juicier. There is also the art from Davide Tinto that goes about as hard as anything I’ve seen in a Star Wars comic. Because there’s so much to get to in this issue, there is the odd pacing concern, but that doesn’t stop our heroes’ last stand from being the payoff worth waiting for.
One last bit of housekeeping: If you are wondering if this issue has Dark Droids #5 spoilers similar to Star Wars #41, it technically doesn’t. But I’d still wait to read this issue if you are concerned.
Spoilers ahead…
Jyala Haydenn’s quest for redemption began last issue when she backed up Valance’s processor onto a drive, which would restore everything Valance knew up to that point. It continues when she passes the drive off to Losha and Vukorah, fresh off cleaning up an attack from some droids. Haydenn confirms that the drive has Valance’s memories up to the point they met, accepting Valance might not remember her if it works.
I can’t say her choice redeems the character, but it is a great place to end Haydenn’s arc (if it is the end). We all should strive to do a good thing for others, even for those we can’t possibly hope to make amends with. Moving on with your life while knowing Valance gets a new lease on his is admirable.
Before we move on, I have to criticize Vukorah a little bit. This is a brand-new character. She is entirely unrecognizable, and the character’s writing in this issue rubbed me the wrong way. Goofy doesn’t bother me, but this is a complete 180 from the vicious crime lord we once knew. In comparison to Haydenn, Vukorah’s redemption was wholly earned. However, this aloof personality trait has never been this front and center. She plays off Losha well, but it was a bit out there.
The rest of the issue plays out on Epikonia. Valance walks T’onga (and the readers who aren’t caught up on Dark Droids) through what is happening. Essentially, the Scourge has finally found a way to extend its reach into regular old humans more reliably.
Naturally, T’onga isn’t willing to play along and breaks free. She blasts Zuckuss’ binds as well, and the fight is on. It gets to a point when T’onga has her gun trained at Valance’s back, psyching herself up to pull the trigger. T’onga agreed to do the deed if it came to it… but she can’t do it. She falls to her knees, and the droids regain control. The whole first stage of the fight couldn’t quite overcome its rudimentary nature. Something had to eventually give, turning this into a bit of a “flip factory” as you mindlessly flip pages.
Then, something gave as a tooka-cat came crawling into view. Then, a few more. Then, it becomes apparent they are bringing a toy with them. And this is not just any toy. Suddenly, thermal detonators blow the place up, leading to a glorious spread from Tinto of tooka-cats relishing in the mayhem behind them. I’m going to need that framed.
Of course, this intrusion can only mean one thing. Losha and Vukorah have arrived. They don’t waste any time, sending Valance flying. This allows for a touching reunion between T’onga and her wife. One of the cute running gags is that everyone is confused about why Vukorah is along for the ride. It’s a nice reminder of where we’ve come with her. Now, one of the bounty hunters’ original adversaries is back, and she’s ready to make amends.
T’onga and Losha’s reunion features another of my favorite panels from Tinto. He is an artist who likes cartoony flair, but he knows when to let a moment speak for itself.
Now it’s time for me to play bad cop as Valance reenters the fray. Losha gives up the drive, Zuckuss grabs hold of Valance, and T’onga makes her move. My fears of it being as easy as sticking the drive into Valance’s head were confirmed as he awakened from his slumber. I’m sorry, but the immediacy of this transition was too easy.
I don’t envy Sacks, who had to cover tons of ground in this issue. As the series’ penultimate tale, he must resolve any lingering plot thread unnecessary for the finale. He did that with Haydenn at the cost of pages that could have been used to flesh out Valance’s transition back to his normal self. Needless to say, I’m happy the series finale is a super-sized issue. This one could have used that treatment, too.
While the transition was weak, the aftermath was not. The fight against the Scourge is not over, who has just lost one of its generals. It’s pissed, but so is our favorite human-cyborg. Tinto provides one of my favorite Valance action set pieces. I can’t help but think of issue #30 when he was fighting from a place of anger, trying to break free from the chains of the Empire. He’s doing it again here, but there is a confidence rarely seen in Bounty Hunters. This is Beilert Valance at his finest, and what an utter treat to see him on display so brilliantly. He’s finally free. As a final hurrah for Davide Tinto before Paolo Villanelli returns for the finale, well done, sir.
Afterward, the bounty hunters recollect themselves. With the Scourge defeated (there’s your Dark Droids #5 spoiler), we see our characters happy to be together again. Let me say that again. Happy. How often have we said that about Bounty Hunters?
The turmoil was worth it, but the job is not done. There are a lot of questions surrounding Valance. He has a lot to catch up on, but he has one thing on his mind. The last thing he remembers is the War of the Bounty Hunters and Han Solo — one last debt to be paid for an old friend.
Heading into Bounty Hunters #42, Sacks did all the hard work. In a way, issue #41 was a series finale already. The main plot was resolved with tons of setup for the future. T’onga, Losha, and Vukorah have agreed to work together. Is that a spinoff series in the making? Probably not, but Sacks will need work after a four-issue Jango Fett series. And is there a future for Valance and Haydenn? Time will tell.
Valance’s mission to Tatooine has the challenge of feeling like an epilogue rather than a series finale. The hook for me will be finding out what happens when Boba Fett and Valance come face-to-face. No matter how it all ends, take your victory lap Ethan Sacks. This issue was worth the wait and emotional investment.
RATING: 8.5/10
Nate uses his love for Star Wars and movies in general as a way to cope with the pain of being a Minnesota sports fan. When he's not at the theater, you can usually find Nate reading a comic, listening to an audiobook, or playing a Mario video game for the 1,000th time.
