Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Star Wars #50In the final issue of Marvel Comics' The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, one surprising Rebel hero nearly killed Emperor Palpatine before the Battle of Endor. However, the cost of doing so would have been extremely high with massive amounts of collateral damage. That said, this particular Rebels' justification was more than understandable.

In Star Wars #50 by Charles Soule, Madibek Musabekov, and Rachelle Rosenberg, Luke Skywalker discovers a dark means to kill Emperor Palpatine. Known as the Grim Rose, this ancient box fueled by a mysterious darkness is the perfect assassination weapon, allowing one's enemy to be eliminated from worlds away, and all that's needed is the intended target's DNA. After collecting the box and a sample of the Emperor's blood hidden on Naboo, the Rebels start discussing the ethics of whether they should actually use the box, only for Chewbacca to catch everyone by surprise and activate the device himself:

While initially a major shock, Chewbacca's justification and reasoning for activating the box make perfect sense. However, the truth about the Grim Rose nearly turned the iconic Wookiee into an inadvertent mass murderer thanks to his bold actions in the Star Wars timeline.

Chewbacca Has Zero Qualms About Killing Palpatine

He'd Lost Too Much In The Star Wars Timeline

Just like many other Rebel heroes, Chewbacca lost and suffered far too much at the hands of the Empire to sit back and debate when the means of ending the Emperor was right in front of them. It's no secret that Kaskyyyk faced some of the worst levels of oppression since the dawn of Palpatine's Empire. This issue also serves as a tragic reminder that Chewbacca hasn't seen his family in years, a combination of his initial imprisonment by the Empire, his life-debt with Han Solo who helped free him, and his commitment to freeing the galaxy from Palpatine's tyranny before he can return home.

As a result, the chance to kill the Emperor right then and there wasn't even a question for the Wookiee warrior who's always been far more than a mere sidekick to Han Solo. That said, it's ittedly easy to slip and think of him as such. However, this issue serves as very strong and compelling proof to the contrary, reminding fans of all that Chewbacca has endured (and all that he's capable of as a result).

The Grim Rose Would Have Killed Thousands (Not Just Palpatine)

Chewbacca's Kill-Count Would Have Been Tragically High

After the Grim Rose was activated, it was revealed that it attunes itself to its target by identifying those in the galaxy who've been directly influenced and impacted by them one-on-one, starting at the beginning of their life and moving forward until they're found and killed. However, it's also confirmed that every being identified would be killed alongside the target. In Palpatine's case, this would be hundreds if not thousands of beings, a cost that was far too high for the Rebels to accept.

Thankfully, Luke finds the means of deactivating the Grim Rose before it can finish its dark work which would have turned Chewbacca into a mass murderer rather than the one who finally ended Palpatine alone. However, one can't help but respect the Wookiee for his boldness. Chewbacca was willing to do the hard thing and end the Emperor's life when the opportunity presented itself in the Star Wars canon, though he naturally agreed that shutting off the box was the right thing once the true cost was revealed.

Star Wars #50 is available now from Marvel Comics