Thank the Maker

Thank the Maker was a 10-page comic featured in Star Wars Tales 6 and collected in Star Wars Tales Volume 2. It was written by Ryder Windham, with artwork by Kilian Plunkett, lettering by Steve Dutro, and coloring by Dave McCaig.

Plot summary
It is 3 ABY on Cloud City of Bespin, and Darth Vader and Boba Fett have received word from an Imperial lieutenant that the famous Millennium Falcon has just landed on Platform 327, coinciding with the Empire Strikes Back. The occupants of the Falcon, Han Solo, Princess Leia, and C-3PO meet Baron Administrator Lando Calrissian who leads them into Cloud City.

Lord Vader ordered his men to stay out of sight and that he would be in charge of the capture. The Lieutenant then tells Vader that the droid C-3PO fell behind the rest of the group and encountered Gamma Squad. As we all know, he gets blasted to pieces. Luckily for the Imperials, C-3PO's companions don't hear the shots. A disappointed Lord Vader warns the Lieutenant not to fail him again and to bring C-3PO before him immediately because according to Vader "its memory might contain valuable information."

Vader then turns to Boba Fett and tells him that his plans are working. Boba then suggests to Vader that Luke Skywalker would get here faster if word was spread that his friends were in danger. Vader then informs him that it is unnecessary since he already knows through the Force. The Lieutenant then returns with the pieces of C-3PO. He then states that the damage is quite extensive to the protocol droid and that by the way its parts were shattered, its likely it was made long ago.

The Sith Lord then has flashbacks of time when he was a nine-year old Anakin Skywalker back in 32 BBY. Anakin and Kitster are in a junkyard and discover the head of a droid. Kitster comments that it may have been a battle droid. However, Anakin replies by saying that he does not think so since its metal is thin. They then discover a whole structural framework. However, this is interrupted by the arrival of Anakin's Toydarian master Watto who scolds Anakin and makes him get back to work.



Later, Anakin decides to smuggle C-3PO home piece by piece. Kitster then asks him what use the droid would have at home and Anakin tells him that the droid would be used as a servant since it's a Cybot Galactica protocol droid. Anakin finds that the droid's balance gyro is quite old dating back several decades, prompting him to speculate how the droid ended up in this condition.

Following that, the lieutenant asks Vader if his technicians should attempt to recover its memory unit though Vader tells him to have it destroyed and then orders Fett to follow him to a separate room to discuss the next day's meeting with Lando.

The next day, everything goes as planned and Lando is shown admitting to Han, Leia and Chewbacca that he was actually working for Vader. Meanwhile, the Lieutenant receives word that C-3PO's parts were found in Leia's quarters. He then tells Vader about this as the Dark Lord orders his Stormtroopers to escort the prisoners to jail.

At Leia's quarters, the lieutenant explains that C-3PO's parts are in Leia's quarters because according to the Ugnaught workers, Chewbacca broke into the junk room and stole the parts. The Wookiee then brought them back to Leia. He then states that there may be more to this droid since the Rebels are interested in preserving the unit.

Vader again has flashbacks to the time he repaired the battered droid at his home. Anakin tells his mother Shmi Skywalker that the droid needs new photoreceptors though she responds by telling him that Watto will be furious if he learned about it. Anakin replies he had to do it since the moment he first encountered the droid, he knew it had to be repaired and that he had pity seeing it in its state.

Finally, when he reflects that the droid may have ended up in this condition trying to escape an old master, he persuades his mother, though she makes him promise that he would be responsible for it. Shmi states that he may only be allowed to keep things if he takes care of them, or else he didn't deserve to have them.

The Lieutenant then asks Vader if he should have the technicians examine it or have the Ugnaughts dismantle it. Before giving his answer, Vader shows a rare moment of reflection on his past, and touches C-3PO's head against his own. Vader tells the Lieutenant to give the droid to Chewbacca, having heard of the efforts Chewbacca made in order to retrieve the droid (Although he passes his actions off as giving the Wookie the junk that he deserves). He then proceeds to the interrogation chamber, where he has an "appointment" with Han Solo.

Appearances
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