Showdown (Pizzazz)

"Don't you even want a breather?"
"Sure! But I don't think Princess Leia can afford it!"

―Odan and Luke Skywalker^[3]

Showdown was the seventh installment of The Kingdom of Ice, published in Pizzazz 16 in January 1979. This was the final issue of Pizzazz, ending the storyarc on a cliffhanger. The entire story arc was reprinted in the UK in Star Wars Weekly 57–60 in 1979, and Star Wars Weekly 60 also printed the story arc's conclusion for the first time.

Plot summary[]

The Imperial strato-hopper carrying a captive Princess Leia Organa has been grounded by an ice storm, allowing Luke Skywalker, Odan, C-3PO, R2-D2, and Fafnir to catch up by traveling through the underground tunnels bored by an ice worm. When the ice worm attacks the Rebels they are able to irritate it with the exhaust from their power skis, causing it to turn toward the surface and attack the Imperial strato-hopper.

The Imperial commander leaves his Stormtroopers to battle the ice worm while he takes Princess Leia on board an emergency snow flyer, heading for the Imperial Polar Base.