Star Wars: Obsession #3 January 2005 22ppg, $2.99

Script: Haden Blackman
Artist, Cover Artist: Brian Ching
Colorist: Sno Cone Studios
Letterer: Michael David Thomas
Cover Colors: Brad Anderson
Book Design: Debra Bailey
Associate Editor: Jeremy Barlow
Editor: Randy Stradley
Publisher: Mike Richardson

CHARACTER
Featured
Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi

Supporting
Bail Organa, Alpha

Villain
Durge (dies)

DROID
battle droid, buzz droid, pilot droid, R2-D2 (Artoo Detoo), R4-G9

LOCATION
Maramere, Boz Pity

ORGANIZATION
Clone troopers

STARSHIP
Intervention, Banking Clan frigate, Trade Federation Battleship, Trade Federation cruiser, Corellian merchant ship, Escape pod, droid starfighter, droid tri-fighter, Jedi Starfighter [Eta-3] (blue deco; yellow deco)

COMMENTS
According to the inside cover, the events in this issue takes place 5 months before Revenge of the Sith.

How do you kill a character that can reform his body when it has been blasted into a thousand pieces by an explosion? If you guessed "Drop him into the fiery core of a sun." then give yourself a big pat on the back. Early on in the Clone Wars, group editor Randy Stradley had indicated that of Durge and Asajj Ventress, one would survive, although changed for their experiences, and one would die. Fans speculations were laid to rest with the final death of Durge in this issue, as some people may have assumed he dies in Episode 9 of the Clone Wars mini series.

SYNOPSIS
In orbit over Maramere, a Corellian merchant ship burns; explosions rip through the hull, planted as a trap for Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Anakin stands on the bridge against Durge, a near indestructible warrior hired by Count Dooku. He moves too fast for the young Jedi and easily takes him down.

Meanwhile Obi-Wan is fighting his way through a group of battle droids in search of the secondary hangars and Durge's ship. Anakin looks up from where Durge has thrown him and sees dozens of explosives on the inner hull. Using the Force he flings the active explosives at Durge. They explode and blast the bounty hunter's armor apart, but they do not kill him.

Obi-Wan has finally found Durge's ship and discovers a droid onboard that he can make use of. Anakin now makes use of the damage he has caused to the brutal warrior. Durge has been reduced to making guttural noises due to the fact that his voice box has melted. Anakin senses the damage that he has caused, and how hard it is for Durge to heal all that damage. The Jedi offers to help Durge and opens the door to the escape pod. Durge crawls in and Anakin launches the rescue pod.

Using the Force, Anakin directs the pod away from the wreckage but into the heart of Maramere's sun. Durge burns alive inside the metal sphere. Anakin gathers himself and then rushes off to meet Obi-Wan.

The other Jedi is on the run from the continued explosions ripping through the ship, with the head of Durge's droid in hand. The make it to their ships and blast out of the derelict merchant ship just as the remainder explodes.

But they are not out of the woods yet as a squad of vulture droids sweeps across them. The odds do not look good, until a Republic attack cruiser reverts from hyperspace and launches a squad of ARC-170 fighters led by clone trooper Alpha.

On board the cruiser Bail Organa welcomes the two Jedi, indicating that he must have received a distress call from them, otherwise why would he be here. Obi-Wan tells him he didn't send a distress call, but Bail smiles back at him. Kenobi thanks the Senator as Anakin decodes the ships logs from Durge's droid and realize that another of Dooku's agent was dropped off on Boz Pity a week ago.

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