“Rebel Mission to Ord Mantell” (1983) is one of those odd pieces of “Star Wars” history where many of us owned it as a kid, yet information on the product is scant. I got to thinking more about this half-hour audio drama (originally released on vinyl and now easily found on YouTube) when listening to “The Empire Strikes Back” radio drama.
Since both were written by Brian Daley and released in 1983, I wondered if “Ord Mantell” was a cut episode from the “Empire” radio drama, which was 10 episodes compared to the 13 of “Star Wars.” While some fans on the Internet hold this theory, Daley says in the 1995 “Empire” radio drama script book that he knew he had 10 episodes to work with before he put pen to paper. But it’s possible “Rebel Mission to Ord Mantell” percolated in his mind as he wrote the constrained “Empire” script.
At any rate, if you’re venturing through the radio dramas, you might want to consider “Ord Mantell” to be Episode 0 of “Empire,” as it feels like those early “Star Wars” episodes that encompass an entire adventure such as “A Wind to Shake the Stars” and “Points of Origin.”
As Daley also tended to do on the “Star Wars” drama (see “Prestor” Organa and the replacement of Jabba with Heater), he contradicts established continuity on “Ord Mantell.” The Goodwin/Williamson strips – drawing from Han’s dialogue in the Hoth caverns — had already chronicled the “Bounty Hunter of Ord Mantell” in 1981. In Daley’s defense, this was before Lucasfilm paid close attention to continuity (that era started with West End Games’ RPG work in the late ’80s), and as it turns out, there’s no reason both Ord Mantell stories can’t have happened on the Legends timeline.
Daley is the only connection between the radio dramas and “Ord Mantell.” Like the shorter “Droid World” and “Planet of the Hoojibs” (both based on Marvel issues), it was put out by Buena Vista Records and it features most of the actors from those Marvel adaptations. I couldn’t find a cast list on the web, and I don’t recall Star Wars Insider delving into these old records.
The robotic version of Threepio is most jarring, but it’s an interesting “What if” on what the character could have been. Han and Luke are a bit too laconic, but their inflections are spot-on, and Leia is suitably headstrong. Buena Vista makes subtle selections from the John Williams soundtracks; I never found myself thinking of movie scenes the way I sometimes do with “Star Wars” audiobook adaptations.
While “Ord Mantell” is passable entertainment for adults, it’s a great kids’ record. As the 33 rpm record spun on ol’ turntable back in the ’80s, I was genuinely creeped out by Cypher, the bug-like Imperial agent who murdered his egg mate Phoedris, a Rebel operative. I also found the stormtroopers who nearly catch Luke and Threepio to be a genuine threat.
Other plot points of note:
- The story is set right before the events of “Empire,” as the Rebels are already settled on Hoth. In a prologue, Han and Luke fly X-wings over a forest planet, pretending to be scouting for a Yavin-like world in order to throw the Empire off their scent. To make their escape, they fly close together to overlap their shields. While there are probably other stories where Han flies an X-wing, I can’t think of any offhand.
- Han hates Nalrithians as a species. One YouTube commenter sarcastically noted that it’s nice to find out Han is a racist. Yet it never struck me as horribly out of character. I imagine Han’s judgments are based on his many smuggling adventures. And it leads to a good discussion about speciesism (the hypocritical Threepio, who “can’t abide those Jawas,” rips into Han on the subject) while also foreshadowing the encounter with Cypher. Later, in the “Dark Nest Trilogy,” the Solos would be uneasy with their kids’ involvement with another bug-like species, the Killiks.
- The titular mission finds the Rebels stealing crates of cash from a corporation making its bribe to the Empire — fairly heady political stuff for a children’s record. As a kid, I pictured an Imperial hold filled with “vegetables or old shoes or whatever,” as the Rebels plan to swap the cargo.
- Luke and Han use the not-too-subtle code phrase “flying catch” in the climactic escape. Luke flies his small transport ship into the Falcon’s cargo bay. (Based on the image on the record’s cover, it doesn’t seem like it should fit.) Joss Whedon would dream up the same scenario (probably coincidentally) in 2005’s “Serenity,” using the code phrase “barn swallow.”
I consider “Rebel Mission to Ord Mantell” to be the last great work of Daley’s “Star Wars” catalogue. The “Empire” and “Jedi” radio dramas aren’t awful, but they are simply adaptations from one media to another, as the writer wasn’t given enough episodes to write substantial bonus material. And “The Protocol Offensive” comic book (1997), released after Daley’s death and adapted by Daniels from an unproduced “Droids” episode, is more of a historical curiosity than a good story.
Daley’s legacy rightly starts with the “Han Solo Adventures” and his bonus material in the “Star Wars” radio drama, but it shouldn’t end there, as “Rebel Mission to Ord Mantell” is a fun addition to the lore.
Comments
I love this audio drama and wish Lucasfilm had given Daley the opportunity to write more originals…or at least adapt his Han Solo Adventures novels. There’s very little information on it, and I’d love to know more about its production conception. It’s kind of a strange one off. But a very welcome one from my favorite EU author!# Posted By Tim Bungeroth | 7/16/15 5:40 PM
Agreed. It would be great if SW Insider explored this record in its flashback series, like it has done with “Splinter of the Mind’s Eye” and some other classics. It’s crazy that we don’t even know who played the roles. The guy who performs Han Solo does a particularly great job. I didn’t even realize Daley was the writer until maybe a few years ago. I think it’s listed on the record (which I sold at some point), but not in prominent type. Thanks for reading!# Posted By John Hansen | 7/17/15 11:52 AM
I too wish this wasn’t a one-off.
I came across this trying to research the music used. Some is Johnny Williams, but some is “original” (IIRC, some of the same music was used on the Marvel adaptations). The music is extremely Star Wars-y. I enjoy the Shadows of the Empire soundtrack, but it is very different. The Knights of the Old Republic video games music is very good and fairly Star Wars-y too. But I’d really love some “clean” audio of the music used here, with no dialogue or sound effects.# Posted By Terence Bowlby | 11/15/16 8:22 AM
I agree, they should put out a soundtrack of the best SW music from outside the main films and TV series. I would buy it. Not likely to happen, though, unfortunately, since there isn’t even a proper release of Ewoks and Droids on DVD/Blu-ray. Thanks for reading.# Posted By John Hansen | 11/16/16 12:11 PM