Han Solo's Final Heist Was a Secret Poe Dameron Team-Up We Never Saw

SPOILER WARNING: Major spoilers ahead for Marvel's Poe Dameron Annual #2, by Jody Houser, Andrea Broccardo, Stefani Renee, and VC's Joe Caramagna, in stores now.

As good as it was, one of the biggest disappointments of J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: The Force Awakens was that we didn't get to witness Han Solo (Harrison Ford) in a leadership role with the Resistance. Many anticipated seeing him marshaling the troops, given the way he helped lead the charge to save the galaxy in 1983's Return of the Jedi, but it never happened.

Seeing as the Empire simply evolved into the First Order, it was expected Han would be right there alongside Carrie Fisher's General Leia as she continued the fight against Supreme Leader Snoke. But it wasn't to be; Han and Chewbacca were off on their own, sifting through the galaxy and trying to make sense of Han and Leia's son Ben's descent into darkness as Kylo Ren.

Well, for those who wanted some backstory to the galaxy's best pilot, the Poe Dameron Annual #2 offers new insight into the rogue's final heist. Turns out, Han and Chewie's final run was an inadvertent team-up with Poe and his Black Squadron.

In the film, it was explained that Han had separated from Leia to process what happened to their son, with Chewie keeping him company. He didn't have the energy to fight alongside the rebels anymore, a fate similar to Luke Skywalker who also abandoned ship and became a recluse on the ocean planet, Ahch-To. Leia hinted that her estranged husband was off pulling heists and smuggling once more, something confirmed in the film when Han and Chewie met Rey and Finn to try to get back the Millennium Falcon (which Rey found on Jakku). However, they were all attacked by the Guavian Death Gang and Kanjiklub, due to Han owing them money, indicating Han was up to his no-good schemes and they were catching up to him once more.

In terms of exactly what Han was doing, though, Abrams left it to our imagination to fill in the blanks. Now, however, the curtains are peeled back, and we see Han and Chewie, as sharp as ever, impersonating First Order officers to steal a special chest from an alien trader named Mek Nu'tiv. In the middle of the job, Poe's Squadron attacks, disguised as smugglers themselves, as they've been instructed to by Leia (who got wind that the First Order was making a move for the artifact).

Poe and Co. never realize Han and Chewie are on board, thinking they're Kylo Ren's officers. Han, though, is more perceptive and quickly figures out it's Leia's agents on the hunt, and he decides that the chest must be of special value to her. The duo help neutralize Mek Nu'tiv's forces and leave the chest behind for their former comrades. Poe's left confused as to who these mystery allies are, but nonetheless he graciously accepts the aid and takes the chest back to Leia. She reveals it holds the archives of Alderaan (her destroyed planet from A New Hope). What's more, the case itself is made from precious metals and worth a lot of money. The Resistance has to sell it as it needs funding, no matter the sentimental value to their leader.

As Poe recounts the ordeal, there's a slight hint that through the Force, Leia recognizes Han and Chewie helped them out. The smugglers themselves realize the rebels are getting desperate and depart, ready to call it a career. That is, until The Force Awakens called them back into action, reuniting them with the Resistance on D'Qar.

Alas, this would be Han's final heroic endeavor. As we all know, when he helped Leia's army destroy the Starkiller Base, he died at the hands of Kylo Ren. At least they can take comfort knowing that his death wasn't in vain, nor were his actions before that.

As this issue shows, even though he left the rebels to their own devices, Han was still a loyal hero, helping them even when least expected. His final heist may have come up empty personally, but it helped the fire of the rebels burn on.