The fortunes of war can change dramatically. Occasionally, an army must withdraw completely from the battlefield or be utterly destroyed when their position becomes untenable. It happened to the British, French, and Belgians at Dunkirk in World War II. It happened to the Germans in northern Africa in that same war. And, as we learn in Clone Wars, Volume 3: Last Stand on Jabiim, it happened to the Grand Army of the Republic during the Clone Wars. (It also happened to the GAR on Hypori - see Clone Wars, Episodes 20 and 21.)

Jabiim, originally loyal to the Republic, becomes a battleground when a charismatic man by name of Alto Stratus siezes power in a coup and kills most leaders on Jabiim who are loyal to the Republic. The survivors request aid from the Republic, because they learn that the Seperatists are supporting Stratus with arms. The GAR arrives, but finds it hard to land reinforcements because of the almost continuous torrential rain. Those who do make it to the surface find themselves fighting in mud. Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and the clone Alpha find themselves in this quagmire. General Kenobi senses that the army he commands is being led into a trap as the GAR raids bases containing Stratus' troops, but can't think of any other way to fight the enemy. By the time it is over Obi-Wan and Alpha will be MIA's and Anakin will be given a direct order by Chancellor Palpatine that he will find very hard to follow.

Clone Wars, Volume 3 also includes the comic The Storm After the Storm. Withdrawing from Jabiim, Anakin fights under the command of Ki-Adi-Mundi and Asharad Hett (who was raised by Tusken Raiders) on Aargonar, a desert planet. When Anakin and Asharad find themselves behind enemy lines with a sandstorm approaching, and unable to contact the main Republic base, the two of them look for shelter and work to return to base. But Anakin's memory of his previous encounter with Tusken Raiders threatens to be fatal to both of them.

Writers Hayden Blackman and John Ostrander do a good job of developing Anakin's character in these stories. Anakin learns new Force powers during these battles: some for good, others for evil. The interactions between him, his fellow Jedi, and Chancellor Palpatine are all right on target and the artwork is well-done. All in all, Clone Wars, Volume 3: Last Stand on Jabiim continues the excellent work done by Dark Horse Comics in chronicling Star Wars adventures. Final rating: **** (on a scale of 0-4 stars).