Lando just kissed this Star Wars: The Last Jedi character

Warning: This article contains spoilers from Star Wars #31. 

Star Wars #31 continues the story of the Rebellion’s heroes in the time period between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. In this issue of the comic series, the heroes are stuck in No-Space, an area of space previously controlled by the Nihil during the High Republic era.

There are a lot of fun connections to the High Republic in this issue as the characters and the audience learn more about the current inhabitants of No-Space and how they connect to the Nihil and the truth behind the legendary Kezarat Convoy.

While these connections and developments are intriguing, the juiciest moment in Star Wars #31 occurs toward the end of the comic when Lando Calrissian and Amilyn Holdo kiss.

Played by Laura Dern in The Last Jedi, Holdo cemented her legacy by sacrificing herself and saving the Resistance in a heartstopping scene referred to as the Holdo maneuver. Her character has been further explored in the novel Leia: Princess of Alderaan by Claudia Gray and in the current run of Marvel’s Star Wars comics, including Star Wars #31.

She is trapped in No-Space with Lando, Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Chewbacca, and Lobot in this story. Lando and Holdo are put together when the group are separated in pairs and placed in separate quarters.

As they dwell on their group’s current predicament, they begin to form a connection, with Lando even opening up to Holdo about how it seems like no matter how he tries to change and be a better person, he will always be seen as a scoundrel because of his reputation. Holdo helps him see that while he will never be able to control how others see him, he can control how he feels about himself and work toward becoming the best version of himself.

After this heart-to-heart talk, they discuss how to pass the time as they wait in their quarters, with Holdo being the one to initiate the kiss between them.

Even though both characters appeared in the sequel trilogy films, they never crossed paths, with Holdo only being in The Last Jedi, and Lando only being in The Rise of Skywalker. They are two characters who fans don’t typically associate as being connected, but their personalities do mesh well together, and both played important roles in the Rebellion long before their time with the Resistance.

Another connection that these characters share is that both of them have been confirmed to be LGBTQ+ outside of the movies. Lando was confirmed to be pansexual in the leadup to Solo: A Star Wars Story. Leia: Princess of Alderaan heavily suggested that Holdo was queer and the novel’s author Claudia Gray later confirmed that Holdo is queer.

Even though Lando and Holdo have been prominent characters in the Skywalker saga, many fans have been understandably frustrated that the movies shy away from their queer identities, and that they are only confirmed as LGBTQ+ outside of the films.

Seeing two queer characters kiss and grow closer is a positive thing, but it is worth noting that the comic run has never acknowledged Lando and Holdo as queer, including in Star Wars #31. It will be important to see if this is acknowledged as the story continues and to see how Lando and Holdo’s relationship progresses moving forward.