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Zahn's latest effort is a mixed-bag. As with his excellent Outbound Flight/Survivor's Quest duology and the ever-popular "Thrawn Trilogy," readers can look forward to a tightly plotted story that deftly weaves several seemingly disparate narrative strands into one exciting finale. This time, his signature trademark storytelling style takes place in the period known as the Era of Rebellion (which designates the time frame during which the Classic Trilogy occurs) and stars the film's main protagonists (minus the droids whom Zahn admits he couldn't find a place for) six months after the Battle of Yavin (seen in Episode IV: A New Hope)
Fans of Zahn's prior novels will be thrilled to find eighteen year old Mara Jade in her role as Emperor's Hand. She is smart, principled, quick on her toes and tough as nails. It's a pleasure to revisit this character during her youth while she still naively believed the Empire stood for justice and Palpatine was a good man.
But the characters that really steal the show are the five rogue stormtroopers who come to make up the improvised squadron known as the Hand of Judgment. Running from the Empire is doubly difficult when you can't help but take time out to save locals and investigate a deadly pirate ring! Admittedly, there is some confusion as to who's who in this roster, and in a novel of 324 pages that includes quite a number of protagonists and antagonists, developing five new characters deep enough so that readers can delineate between them was going to be difficult at best. In this, Zahn is far less successful than Karen Traviss who's Republic Commando squadron have earned themselves a good four books and a place in many fans' hearts. But the guys from the Hand of Judgment are still an interesting bunch and their camaraderie and interactions are the highlight of the book. I wouldn't mind seeing more of them in the future.
The villains aren't quite as interesting as the protagonists. Caaldra, the head of the pirate ring seems almost interchangeable from the Commodore, another pirate captain, and there's no real depth given to either of them. But as they're foils in a larger plot, it's not noticeably distracting. Vader's on board too, and though used sparingly, he's always fun to have around. One of the best scenes of the book involves Mara's interactions with Vader (although there is an odd scene between the two towards the end of the book that has Vader behaving uncharacteristically bizarre.)
Sadly, the book is unable to maintain the high note that Mara and the stormtroopers bring to it. While the plot is well-realized, with just a minimum of coincidences to propel it forward, it lacks the epic scope of the "Thrawn Trilogy" and the deep sense of mystery and intrigue of his more recent duology. But those matters are trifles next to the book's biggest failing. Zahn stumbles in the very area long-time fans of the EU feared he might. It's blatantly obvious that the author simply has no knowledge of the era he's writing in. And while no real damage is done to continuity as some feared, Zahn's characterizations of Han and Luke are strikingly off, which is not to say that they don't sound like their film counterparts. In fact, it could be argued that Han and Luke sound almost exactly like they do in Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope. The problem is that they shouldn't.
Anyone who's been a long time fan of the EU or who's gone back and read the stories that take place in the days, weeks and months after A New Hope knows that Han, Luke, Leia, and Chewie have had a lot of adventures together. Sadly, Zahn doesn't seem to know that and his versions of them behave like distant acquaintances. In fact, Zahn has written a Han that is so unrelentingly bitter and resentful as to be almost unrecognizable. Worse, for someone unknown reason, the author emasculates Luke at almost every opportunity he gets. When I say these characters resemble their film counterparts, what I mean is that they do so in regards to their least likable traits. Han is irascible, sarcastic and just plain unfriendly. Luke is even worse: whiny, inexperienced, foolish and incompetent! (One can't help but wonder if this was done on purpose to provide a contrast with Mara Jade who's shown to be the epitome of efficiency and power.) Luke is led around by the spirit of Obi-Wan like a puppy on a leash as Obi-Wan basically tells him exactly what to do in nearly every situation. Zahn even has Luke whine that Obi-Wan isn't doing enough for him! Where is the Luke of Archie Goodwin's Marvel series and newspaper strips who was quick on his feet, quick to anger and full of ideas!? See, Goodwin took the Luke from A New Hope as well, but instead of denigrating him by focusing on his lamer qualities, he built on him to show the growth and transition Luke was making to the man he would become in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, impetuous yes, but courageous and loyal; volatile, but also smart and confident. Zahn instead takes Luke figuratively back to the farm, and apparently back in time, conceiving a version of him that behaves like a silly teenager. The only time Luke has any kind of positive impact in the story is when he's using the Force, otherwise he proves to be an embarrassment in practically every other situation. And there's no reason for it. There's no crystal star in the area that's messing up the Force, no lost girlfriend in the recent past, no clone emperor testing him with the dark side. Zahn merely doesn't have a handle on Luke, and he demonstrates that by portraying him in a pretty pathetic light.
On page 129, we get this paragraph: "Stormtroopers. Luke shivered. He'd grown up tangling with Sand People and had some idea how to deal with them. But Imperial stormtroopers were something else entirely. He and the others had survived a couple of brief encounters with them aboard the Death Star, but even at the time he'd had the feeling the Imperials had been taken by surprise and weren't operating at full efficiency... Their next encounter with the Empire's elite, Luke suspected, would be very different."
The above paragraph would lead you to believe that Luke is not only frightened of stormtroopers (so much so that he actually "shivered") but hasn't had any dealings with them since the Death Star. Anyone who's read any of the stories that take place in this period can tell you that Luke would not be shivering at stormtroopers, as he's dealt with quite a few of them and rather successfully! The paragraph is pointless, misleading, ultimately erroneous and damaging to Luke's character. It should have been excised. What should have taken its place was some sense of the camaraderie that exists between Han, Luke and Leia. But there isn't any. Not even a little.
Luke is googly-eyed towards Leia, as is Han, which is fine at this point. But after six-months of hair-raising adventures, they're also good friends. One of the best things about stories set in this period is the relationship between all of them. Yet you won't find that here. The reader is given no sense that these guys have been risking their lives for one another on one harrowing mission after another. In the hands of an author who knew and incorporated the history of these characters, a bout of acrimony amongst them could have been pulled off successfully as a sudden rift in their relationship would have proved interesting. But because Zahn chose to ignore all of the stories that take place in this time-frame, his versions of Han, Luke and Leia are veritable strangers who's only connection to one another is the events depicted in A New Hope (which is constantly referred back to) six months prior. The entire time I read their sections I was left wondering 'Who are these people and where are the real Luke, Han and Leia?!' Clearly, not in this book.
In fairness, Leia is written well. Zahn has a good ear for her and her dialogue is natural and fitting with the character at this stage of the game. She's not with the rest of the group, however, choosing to go off on her own for reasons we're not exactly sure of and that are less than satisfying (other than as a plot device.) We're likewise never clued in as to why Han's suddenly acting like a stone mite crawled up his butt. At the end of the book, Leia utters a magic sentence or two to him basically saying that since Chewie wants to join the Rebellion Han should just relax and join the Rebels for Chewie's sake. And just like that he's all better. (And they said Leia's Force powers were undeveloped!) At any rate, it might have been nice to know what triggered his bad mood in the first place.
The final third of the book draws tight all the loose strings, and the story works better here because its focus is on Zahn's strength: his own characters. Fact is the novel would've been much stronger without Luke, Han and Leia, not because they're not wanted, but because Zahn character-assassinates the former two so badly it takes you out of the story almost every time they're "on screen." For those who are exclusively novel readers, or exclusively Zahn readers, this may not seem as apparent. But to anyone who knows the EU, it's a major failing and a confirmation that no matter how fine the novelist is (and Zahn is a damn fine novelist) if he doesn't familiarize himself with at least the period he's writing in, he shouldn't be writing in that period. And at this stage of the game, SW fans rightly expect better.
The story itself is well-conceived and enjoyable in it's own right, but where it misses it misses big, and the mis-characterizations left a sour taste in my mouth. Allegiance is ultimately a missed opportunity. Traviss, Denning, Allston, Luceno, Stewart, and a half-dozen others would've researched this area thoroughly and crafted a fine story, giving readers not only the appropriate characterizations and relationships for the film's heroes, but nods and ties to the history presented in the older comics and tales that came before. Zahn instead chooses to give us Stacey, the Valley-Girl pilot from the fan-film parody Pink Five. This reader fails to be amused. Rather than cute references to non-canon sources, I suggest it's time Tim Zahn learns the Star Wars Expanded Universe beyond his own works, or simply stops writing books that take place in eras he chooses to know nothing about.
4 out of ten.
Star Wars Kids #1-5: The Rebel Thief Continuity Fix Mention of the character Sprool and the planet Dennogra in Star Wars Missions #11: "Bounty Hunters vs. Battle Droids" demonstrates that this story-arch has to have a measure of validity. Many, including myself, however had rendered it Infinities due to some irreconcilable continuity errors. Upon reexamination, I see that the only real contradictory passages occur in issue #1, which has Han say that he gave his reward money back to the Rebels (which we know is not true – it was stolen by Crimson Jack in the early Marvel issues.) The scene also depicts the immediate events after A New Hope, events that have been detailed in the Pizzazz and the aforementioned Marvel comics. Removing only issue #1 from this story arch improves matters by eliminating all the contradictory elements. And the story still works without it.
This short story from Kevin Anderson appeared in Gamer #3 detailing Darth Bane's mission to find an apprentice following the events of Jedi vs. Sith. The events of this story, however, constitute Infinities due to the publication of Drew Karpysyn's novel Darth Bane: Path of Destruction which provides a very different explanation of Bane's actions in Jedi vs. Sith as well as demonstrating that the young Padawan Rain also became Bane's first apprentice Darth Zannah (note: the New Essential Chronology published prior to Darth Bane tries to reconcile this by having Zannah meet Bane on Onderone.) Anderson's story has Bane attempting to warn the Dark Lords from using the thought bomb (when in the novel it was he that lured them into using it) and trying to preserve the Brotherhood of Darkness (whereas in the novel Bane vehemently seeks to bring about their destruction ... and does.) The short story also has Lords Quodis and Kaan appear as spirits scolding Bane for being a coward and Bane feeling guilt over the incident that he claims he tried to prevent. The novel, however, makes it clear that not only is Bane at this stage utterly devoid of emotions such as guilt, but that the Sith spirits could not have come back to haunt him as they were either utterly destroyed or trapped in stasis (until the time when Kyle Katarn released them years later.)
Review
Much more than a guide, The New Essential Chronology recounts the thousands of years of Star Wars history as has been told through nearly thirty-years of film, television, books, comics, videogames, roleplaying supplements and more. Complementing the 238 pages are all new, gorgeous full-color illustrations by Mark Chiarello, Tommy Lee Edwards and John Van Fleet. Including some of Kevin Anderson's text from the former edition, author Daniel Wallace adds all new information on the three films of the Prequel Era, the Clone Wars and the New Jedi Order, as well as supplementing quite a bit of additional information from recent titles as well as older sources that the prior guide failed to include (which was extensive). The new text is well written and easy to follow and a new color map graces the back pages (although well done it's by no means exhaustive). While no guide can substitute for the original materials themselves, this one does a fine job educating fans and authors with limited time on some of the more important historical information comprising the Star Wars Universe. Unfortunately, certain shortcomings from the first guide remain including a focus that is heavily weighted on modern material and scant on earlier, well-loved stories from the seventies and eighties. Whole chapters are devoted to plots from recent video games, while the period between the Classic Trilogy – and era jam-packed with stories – is given a few scant paragraphs (and it's not as if there wasn't room - page 129 is almost 3/4 empty!), and even then much of that material is devoted to recent sources. Admittedly, plot synopses from video-games is great for the many non-gamers who don't have the time, money or resources needed to invest hours upon hours of gameplay (and who may be resentful of the fact that Lucasfilm accepted this medium to tell exclusive stories that were part of continuity). But it doesn't weigh against the fact that Scholastic's Missions and Adventures series, Marvel UK (including Devilworlds), and Russ Manning's newspaper strips are absent from mention altogether. Granted, what is here is a tremendous improvement over the first Essential Chronology. And some of the nods to older material are quite clever (eg., the indication that the Slivilith from Marvel #55 is a Yuuzhan Vong creature is brilliant), nevertheless, a few scant pages covering the Era of Rebellion (the four years constituting Episodes 4-6) is nothing short of disappointing, especially considering the wealth of material that was published for that time period. Too many pages are spent on obscure West End Games Roleplaying sources (such as The Adventure Journal which told tales of unknown characters) than on comics and newspaper strips which focused on the main heroes of the films. One other glaring omission – which the first guide also dispensed with – is a bibliography. Why Del Rey/Ballantine would pass on the opportunity of presenting a complete list of their novels is beyond me. More importantly, a bibliography would have been a service to the fans looking to track down the original source material from which all the information in the book came. Dare I dream further, a cross-referenced index to the original source material would have been even more useful. I notice that the Official Site saw fit to provide something of this nature, and a good job the author did of it. But why isn't it in the book?! Ah well, I guess we could print it out and stick it in the back. The New Essential Chronology still has a long way to go to satisfy this fan. But despite its shortcomings, it's still a tremendous effort on the part of the author that manages to tie together an incredible amount of disparate information and provide ingenious continuity salves. For those disappointed over the first 'essential' guide, this one is a major improvement, and one that should satisfy both the new and hardcore fan alike....at least until a later "extended" edition comes out in years to come!
Young Jedi Knights: Fall of the Diversity Alliance
Continuity Notes
As per The New Essential Chronology, the Boba Fett that appears in this series (beginning in Shards of Alderaan) is NOT Boba Fett, but his daughter Ailyn Vel, who assumed her renowned father's identity and took the bounty. Ailyn's mother may be Sintas (last seen in Tales #7: Outbid but Never Outgunned) with whom Fett had a daughter.
Continuity Notes
Some of the internal dates listed in these four issues are incorrect. The New Essential Chronology has attempted to fix some of these. See below.
The New Essential Chronology attempts to fix the latter problem, but for unknown reasons alters the dates of issue 1 by two years to 60 BBY. It then seems to arbitrarily place the Battle of Galidraan (issue 3) twenty years later at 40 BBY. In the former case, I have stuck with the issue's internal dating. In the latter, I have based the date on the notion that the author erroneously dated the events from Geonosis rather than Naboo. Finally, The New Essential Chronology lists Jango's enslavement as lasting two years. This helps to place the events of issue #4 at 42 BBY.
Marvel #68: The Search Begins
Continuity Notes
Much has been written in recent times uncovering the long and sordid history of the Mandalorians. These issues of Marvel were the first to explore the culture beyond Donald F. Glut's novelization of The Empire Strikes Back which merely noted the Fett's armor was from a group of evil Mandalorian warriors who fought against the Jedi in the Clone Wars. In these issues, however, we travel to Mandalore itself and meet the last of a vanquished race of Mandalorian Supercommandos, Fenn Shysa and Tobbi Dala, who as the survivors of 212 Mandalorians were more concerned with restoring their own planet and culture than with the Galactic conflict. Later comics and roleplaying game supplements added many layers to the history of Fett and the Mandalorians, so much so that their history had begun to get murky. Then Episode II revealed shocking new information that appeared quite at odds with the earlier history. At last, author Abel Peña in an article in Insider #80 set the record straight regarding all things Mandalorian, tying in all the events including the Fetts, Clones, Jaster Mareel, Concord Dawn, Alpha 02, Fenn Shysa and Tobbi Dala in a single satisfying historical thread. The New Essential Chronology sums up the role Fenn And Tobbi played along with the mention in The Empire Strikes Back novelization: Following their decimation in the Battle of Galidraan in 44 BBY (see Jango Fett: Open Seasons), "Alpha 02, an aberrant Kaminoan clone of Jango Fett became obsessed with rebuilding the clans and recruited two hundred soldiers from police units on Mandalore... These new Supercommandos comprised the Mandalorian Protectors, and they struck against the Republic at Null, Kamino, and New Bornalex. Following many bloody battles, only two recruits remained – Tobbi Dala and Fenn Shysa, both of whom returned to Mandalore." Evidence too indicates that Darth Sidious had played a role in their deception. When the two men returned to their home planet, they found it overrun by slavers, and spent years battling them, eventually joining the Alliance of Free Planets temporarily to aid in their crisis against the Tof, and rebuilding the supercommando Protectors. Shysa became reigning Mandalore until his death (saving Boba Fett on the planet Shogun) when Fett took over and led them against the Yuuzhan Vong.
Continuity Notes
As per The New Essential Chronology which borrowed the information from Pablo Hidalgo's Holonet News features that appeared online and in the Insider, Obi-Wan and Anakin's trip to Skye occurred in 13-14th month after the Battle of Geonosis (21 BBY) just prior to the Battle of Jabiim. During this time, many young Padawans had lost their masters and were being assigned to masters who already had apprentices. Such was the case with an unnamed Jedi Padawan that accompanied Obi-Wan and Anakin to Skye. This salient point, as clarified by the article written by Rich Handley and myself in Gamer #1, highlights the fact that when Anakin returned years later as Darth Vader, he sought to disguise his former identity as Anakin Skywalker by claiming he'd destroyed Anakin and Obi-Wan, leading the S'kytri to assume that Vader had been the other unnamed Padawan. When Luke defeated the cruel despot, the Majestrix of Skye, it was this distorted version of the truth that they told him.
("The Kashyyyk Depths" or "Return to Kashyyyk") Review and Continuity Notes
Hard to imagine that this untitled Russ Manning Sunday newspaper strip that ran from July to September 1979 detailing an adventure with Han and Chewie on Kashyyyk remains unpublished. The strip acts as a prequel of sorts to another untitled earlier strip "The Constancia Affair" (titled and reprinted as a heavily edited – now rare – KB Toys promo comic). Like one or two other strips, it is in reality a flashback tale narrated by C-3PO to the tremendous Alliance computer known as Mistress Mnemos. Like other Manning Star Wars adventures, it's loads of fun and feels appropriately retro and nostalgic; in this tale, we see Kashyyyk as we should have – but didn't – in the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special. We explore the lower depths of Kashyyyk, meet the useful Sureggis, learn that Life Day is celebrated every three years. We also meet Gyla Petro, a scientist that Han saves from Imperials. Gyla remains with Han through to the later adventure told in the former strip ("The Constancia Affair") where she begins to suspect that Han may be a smuggler or Rebel. 3PO indicates to Mistress Mnemos that Gyla later gave Han reason to believe she might have been an Imperial spy, but sadly the story is never told. 3PO jumps to a story about Luke on Tatooine, promising to get back to the tale. Perhaps Russ Manning had intended to tell that tale, but he never did, passing away shortly thereafter in 1981. Archie Goodwin took over for him on the newspaper strips with "Planet of Kadril" (finally reprinted on Starwars.com's Hyperspace) furthering his own legacy that began with the Star Wars comics in Marvel, only this time with legend Al Williamson. Thanks to the efforts of Pablo Hidalgo and Lucasfilm, Manning's daily strips have been reprinted on Hyperspace as well, although, for some reason, they're reprinted without the color Sunday strips (neither the two separate stories nor the Sundays that were part of the daily strip), but we can hope that one day we'll finally get to see these rare Manning gems.
Continuity Note: For fans wondering how both this story and the Holiday Special can be included on the timeline, I've reasoned it as follows: Only one panel of the strip shows the Wookiees celebrating, but it's not a Life Day celebration; rather it appears they are celebrating the fact that the Orga root was obtained so that they could celebrate Life Day (notice they are holding it up). There's time for Han and Chewie to drop off Gyla and return for the actual ceremony and celebration. En route, they drop off the droids to Luke who informs them of his latest mission and his need for the droids. Perhaps Han spends some time with Gyla afterwards at some intergalactic watering hole, perhaps not. Either way, before he and Chewie can return her to her home planet of Kalgo 13 (as noted by C3PO to Mnemos), Luke contacts Han onboard the Falcon letting him know that Imperials have discovered his ship. Luke drops off the droids as a beacon for Han to locate the hidden entrance to the Constancia Rebel base. Han and Chewie become embroiled in Constancia's fight against the Empire and help save the day. Here the story ends, and a missing untold tale occurs of Gyla's possible treachery (or rather seeming treachery as 3PO doesn't note that she was definitively a spy – simply that she gave Han reason to suspect she might have been). Though we do not know the outcome, we do know that Chewie would not miss the opportunity to celebrate Life Day with his family for any reason! Here, the events of the much maligned Holiday Special would occur. For more information on the Holiday Special, click here.
Clone Wars: Volume II (Season 3)
Infinities It is clear from even a cursory examination of the third season of Genndy Tartakovsky's Clone Wars cartoon that it is irreconcilably contradictory on numerous levels to Labyrinth of Evil, Reversal of Fortune and the Revenge of the Sith novelization, each of which were deftly woven together to form a tightly structured tapestry. Written after the publication of Labyrinth of Evil, and intended to harmonize with it, Tartakovsky and the three other writers of the cartoon chose to diverge from the book along numerous major paths beyond anything which can be reconciled, even when taking into account the nature of the stylized medium. Thus, it stands as an alternate account of events, perhaps an in-universe holocartoon, but Infinities nonetheless. Lucasfilm's Sue Rostoni has stated that from a historical perspective, Labyrinth of Evil represents the accurate source. For a closer look at the contradictions created by third season, click here.
Review
"The Board is set; the pieces are in motion." Gandalf's line from that other final entry in a major blockbuster trilogy is apt to describe the lead-in novel to this May's final entry, Revenge of the Sith. James Luceno's Labyrinth of Evil describes the diabolical machinations of dark lords, Darth Sidious and Darth Tyranus, aka, Count Dooku, as the final part of their plan is set into action. Those who have been sleeping through the last two Star Wars films are unlikely to recognize these characters and probably don't even know what a Sith is. And in fact, many may have to go back and re-watch the maligned and misunderstood Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones to fully understand what is going on and what is about to occur.
Indeed, this isn't your father's Star Wars, and in many ways, that is a good thing. Where the Classic Trilogy boasted a more loveable cast, the Prequel Trilogy is chock full of story. Machiavellian manipulations, dark webs of deception, misguided loyalties and obscured motivations are the order of the day. Fans have waited years for the unveiling of the Clone Wars, and it doesn't let down. To any who have been following the comics, novels and cartoon series, the Clone Wars are, of course, a ruse, a game, a distraction used to advance the powers of the Dark Lords of the Sith, and in particular, Darth Sidious, the man who will one day rule the galaxy as Emperor. And everyone else, including (and especially) the Jedi, are his pawns in this vast game that promises to deliver this May. Labyrinth of Evil takes readers into the chaotic opening days before that vast conflagration unfolds...
Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi attempt to capture Nute Gunray, Neimoidian leader of the Trade Federation, but instead discover a more valuable item, a key that could lead them to the identity of the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Sidious. One clue unlocks another, eventually leading them to the heart of the Republic, Coruscant. But other events are at work and a trap is laid with Dooku as bait. Anakin and Obi-Wan are sent to Tythe to capture him, while Mace Windu and a team of experts pick up the trail of Sidious deep in the winding underbelly beneath the capitol. The time for the penultimate plan has arrived and Sidious appoints the leader of the Droid Armies, the fearsome General Grievous, to undertake the boldest maneuver of the Separatists yet: attack Coruscant and kidnap Supreme Chancellor Palpatine!
Labyrinth concludes just as Episode III begins. The action is fearsome and the pacing tight. Here too are the answers to some mysteries, in particular, that of Sifo-Dyas and the reasons he created a clone army and was eliminated. Luceno succeeds not only in preparing fans for the final and intense events of Revenge, but in capturing Lucas' own themes of apocalyptic despair and political doom. Labyrinth of Evil resonates because its political and sociological landscape is not all that different from our own, and as such is a biting diatribe against a jingoistic leadership plummeting headlong towards self-aggrandizement and global decay. And that, after all, is what good science-fiction and fantasy does.
Jedi's Honor: A Solitaire Adventure
Continuity Notes
This is a Solitaire Adventure from West End Games which allows you to essentially 'choose-your-own-adventure' throughout the course of the story. You play Luke Skywalker, who is looking for a new Rebel base, but ends up embroiled in a quest to save the son of a Jedi Knight from the clutches of an Imperial governor. As Luke has not physically seen Darth Vader since the Battle of Yavin, the story has been placed where appropriate. Unlike many games in this style, there is essentially one correct path which would be considered the 'historically' correct one. For those only interested in the story aspect, and not the game, that proper path is laid out below (with acceptable main variations in brackets). Simply follow the entry (not the page) numbers. Jedi's Honor: 1- 23 - 28 - 31 - 9 - 17 - 22 (or 32 - 26) - 14 - 8 - 5 - 41 - 27 - 59 - 55 - 64 - 46 - 68 - 61 - 58 - 76 (or 49 - 65) - 90 - 72 - 82 - 57 - 99 - 86 - 104 (or 74 - 98) - 85 - 108 (or 106 - 119 (or 87) - 96) - 75 - 93 - 120 (or 111) - 100 - 112 - 97 (or 127 - 136 - 140) - 121 - 130 - 126 - 142 - 117 - 123 - 132 - 138 (or 148) - 146 - 116 - 134 - 147 - 150 The End.
Ewok Adventures: Caravan of Courage/ The Battle for Endor
Continuity Notes
Timeline placement for these films have been an ongoing source of controversy. Internal evidence may seem to suggest that these films take place prior to the events of the cartoon series. Screenplay author Bob Carrau contributed to both the films and the cartoon series which followed it, and one might think the animated Ewok adventures were meant to be sequels to the two Ewok television shows. One striking piece of evidence is the fact that Wicket's youngest sister Winda is a cradled Wokling in the films, whereas in the animated series she appears to be a much older Ewok, capable of independent speech and movement. What argues against that placement is the fact that the cartoon makers saw fit to include Chukha-Truk, the woodcutter Ewok killed by the Gorax at the end of Caravan of Courage. This would suggest that the cartoons take place before the two films (or at least some of them.)
That brings us back to Winda. It's obvious the cartoon takes some rather large liberties with the source material, but it's also possible Winda looks younger asleep in her cradle than she actually is. A recent re-viewing of the cartoon series convinces me that it is intended to take place before the two films.
There's also been controversy regarding the placement of the Ewok films due to the fact that Wicket appears to have learned Basic (in the second film) from Cindel, yet does not understand it when he meets Leia. Some speculation suggested that he may have forgotten it over time, but the editors at LFL provide a much more plausible understanding. As per Insider #87, the reason Wicket does not speak Basic in Return of the Jedi (and thus cannot communicate with Leia) is because in fact he never learned it. Cindel Towani and her brother were actually speaking another language (which was translated into English for English speaking audiences much in the same way Ewokese was translated into English in the animated series.) Other retcons have been bandied about as well.
Another striking piece of evidence that places the films and animated series long before the events of Return of the Jedi is the complete absence of Imperial activity on the Endor moon or in the skies above. Death Stars are not built overnight and Death Star II was transported to the Endor system some time after the Battle of Hoth (Kyle Katarn, Shira Brie and others were known to have attempted to destroy it in passage.)
In the final episode of the cartoon series, Imperials discover the Endor moon and attempt to steal the Ewok Sunstar (in a vain attempt to dethrone the Emperor.) Several Ewoks stow away aboard the Star Destroyer, but return safely home. The episode suggests that this event led to the Emperor's decision to use Endor as the place for the habitation of the Second Death Star. Thus, the placement of the cartoons in between Episodes V and VI that Insider magazine's timeline indicated some years back seems likely to be in error.
Continuity Notes
2004 saw the DVD release of eight episodes of the Droids animated series. Converted into two feature-length presentations, each center on a common storyline and lack the original broadcast titles and music. The Pirates and the Prince contain episodes 5-8 of the Mon Julpa storyline: The Lost Prince, The New King, The Pirates of Tarnoonga, and The Revenge of Kybo Ren. Treasure of the Hidden Planet entails the Adventures of Mungo Baobab storyline, including episodes 10-13: The Tail of the Roon Comet, The Roon Games, Across the Roon Sea, and The Frozen Citadel. Another DVD should be forthcoming containing the Trigon One storyline (episodes 1-4) and the feature-length The Great Heep.
Notes
The first DVD release of the Ewoks cartoons was released in 2004 and included 8 episodes combined into two full-length episodes. The Haunted Village includes the first three episodes, The Haunted Village, The Cries of the Trees, Rampage of the Phlogs and episode 9 (which concludes the storyline involving Morag the Tulgah Witch) Sunstar vs. Shadowstone. Tales from the Endor Woods includes miscellaneous episodes from the first season, Wicket's Wagon (ep. 10), The Traveling Jindas (ep. 5), To Save Deej (ep. 4), and Asha (ep. 13). The original opening titles and song are absent from this release. A later DVD release should be forthcoming containing the remaining episodes from season 1 and 2. See Ewok Adventures above for continuity notes.
Review
Start of the new format which individually labels which stories are in-continuity (and which aren't) and in what era they take place. Set at three stories, this first issue is off to a bang with two excellent multi-parters and one well-done standalone starring Kyle Katarn and the first comics appearance of the Yuuzhan Vong. All of the stories are interesting and the artwork outstanding on each. My favorite, Nomad, by Rob Williams is Star Wars at its finest and Brandon Bandeaux' illustrations are worth the cover price alone. Jeremy Barlow has done a great job here and has even seen fit to include definitions for each of the different eras (which I'm going to utilize here as well). Keep 'em coming!
(for a detailed chronological breakdown with Darth Bane: Path of Destruction, click here)
Review by Rogueish (from the Dark Horse message boards)
So what is it all about? I guess someone said, shortly after The Phantom Menace, that there were some continuity issues that needed ironing out. Someone must have decided, "Hey, we need to do something about this rule of two business." For those uninitiated, the Sith Empire had been created by Dark Horse and set some 4-5000 years before ANH. (see the stories above - ed.)
Review
An instant classic! One of the best tales of the Clone Wars and one of the most powerful Star Wars stories ever told. Yoda heads off to Thustra, a pivotal planet in the Republic's war against the Separatists, and home to his old friend, King Alaric, who has chosen to side with the enemy. Yoda's quest to find a peaceful solution to the ever-worsening conflict may be hampered by a web of Machiavellian plots and deceits that even he cannot unravel. While there is no shortage of action, this is first and foremost an intelligent and thought-provoking story that deals with perspectives and principles. It also serves as the perfect bridge between Episode II and III poignantly demonstrating the results of the Jedi's continued allegiance to the Republic, and their unknowing adherence to the manipulations of the Dark Lord of the Sith. Author Jeremy Barlowe and artist Hoon together weave a beautiful and tragic tale of betrayal, grief and lost ideals set against the epic conflagration of the Clone Wars in a galaxy far, far away....
Continuity Notes
This digest-size issue comprises three separate Clone Wars tales told in the style of the animated series, and they are excellent, action-packed and beautifully illustrated! Obi-Wan and Anakin are trapped on a night planet and pursued by the Shadowmen in "Blind Force"! In "Heavy Metal Jedi" Mace Windu and Saesee Tiin must pool their different talents to face off against the Separatists most fierce droid creation yet! Finally, Kit Fisto continues his adventures undersea (as seen in the Clone Wars animated series) as he must search the depths for the mysterious leader of the Separatists on Mon Calamari in "Fierce Currents".
Review by Erik "woodstock" Houser (originally from the Dark Horse message boards)
You know how everyone has
their "first comic" that they read to death and are forever attached to? GAOTS
is my "first comic." Sure, I had read Dark Empire and Tales of the Jedi vol. 1
before this, but I never really attached to it. But then I got the floppies for
this... and fell in love with the whole concept of the comic. The whole concept
of Star Wars comics. I have read these issues countless times, as their current
quality proves. I haven't read them though since I started actively reading
comics in 2002, so it's great to go back and look at them with what I know about
the medium.
Cancelled title For an as yet undisclosed reason, this book has been cancelled. If anyone has any further information on this book, please email me. Plot synopsis from StarWars.com: William Dietz, author of the Dark Forces novellas, returns to Star Wars with Escape from Dagu. In the paperback novel, due out March 2004 from Del Rey Books, the Jedi Shaak Ti attempts to liberate Republic prisoners of war caught behind Separatist lines. The shroud of the dark side has fallen and the Clone Wars have begun. Thousands of solar systems are defecting to the Separatists' Confederacy of Independent Systems, led by the charismatic fallen Jedi Master Count Dooku. But the threat to the Galactic Republic does not end there, for the malevolent Count answers to a shadowy Sith Lord - one who harbors his own sinister agenda. The swamp planet Dagu, a remote place where the Confederacy has chosen to build a military base using prisoners of war, seethes with discontent. The slave laborers, including clone troopers, are determined to escape -- and the native reptilian Rybets have sworn to regain their freedom. Count Dooku has learned that among the prisoners is a courier with information that could bring down the Republic. Dooku has selected Artel Darc,a most cunning and capable Dark Jedi, to apprehend the courier. But Artel Darc doesn't know that Shaak Ti, the legendary Jedi Master, is among the prisoners. Nor can he fathom how awesome a weapon the desire for liberty can be -- even against seemingly impossible odds.
Empire #20 and 21: A Little Piece of Home
Continuity Notes
Issues 20 and 21 of Empire seemingly contain a continuity-error. As per Archie Goodwin's Star Wars newspaper strips (now in trade paperback as Classic Star Wars volumes 1-3), the main heroes of the Rebel fleet departed Yavin with the full intention of traveling to Hoth where they would establish a new base. The events in these issues, however, revolve around Leia's search for a new base for the Rebels shortly after they depart Yavin. The only plausible way to reconcile this problem is to assume that Leia is searching for a base in addition to the one planned on Hoth. Likely she fears the construction and preparation of Echo Base (a 20 month job) is too long a time to allow so many of the ships of the Fleet to drift in space above Hoth risking Imperial discovery, thus her urgency to find another base where those ships can hide.
Update: The seeming continuity-error of this issue and the following has been officially resolved in the introduction to Empire #24 which definitively indicates that the placement of these stories occurs after the Rebels have discovered Hoth. The length of time it took to establish Echo Base was 20 months. Therefore, in the first few months of construction, there would not have been sufficient housing for the majority of the personnel aboard the Rebel Fleet. Leia's frantic search for yet another (albeit temporary) base for the Rebels is thus understood as it occurs within the early part of the 20 month interim period following the departure of the Rebels from Yavin 4 to Hoth.
The Marvel Series: A Long Time Ago
Notes
The Marvel series finally got the royal treatment fans clamored for in late 2002 with the release of the trade paperback series, A Long Time Ago..., which featured computer re-colored strips on high gloss paper, and packing an average of 16 issues per book! These were reprinted chronologically and featured new introductions (which to some were the only disappointing element to this series as a few of the introductions were thought to be condescending and inappropriate). Originally these were to have the "Classic" moniker preceding the title (as with Dark Horse's other reprint series), yet for some reason it was dropped in favor of the shorter title. Some confusion has arisen in regards to this title as a prior six-issue reprint series was published by Dark Horse, likewise titled A Long Time Ago.... This limited edition series was the first to reprint a limited number of Marvel stories, however, it greatly differed in quality and content. The covers images can be seen below (click here) where they are described in greater detail .
Thus the American run of the Star Wars Marvel series was reprinted at last (excepting the Return of the Jedi adaptation which ran separately and which Dark Horse has reprinted twice before). Fans were likewise grateful to NOT see the Infinities logo (indicating stories which may be outside of continuity) affixed to this series indicating that 'officially' these stories stood their ground in the history of the Star Wars Expanded Universe where they belonged (settling once and for all the debate which had arisen, and on spurious grounds, back in the early nineties), and new writers have been quick to incorporate characters, places and events in new books, comics and young readers' adventures.
With the success of this series, many have begun to hope and clamor for more. The UK Marvel run, for instance, published its titles weekly, thus predicating the need for more stories to fill in the extra issues (Note: The UK issues ran far shorter than the US and in b&w. Also, the page length of the stories varied over the years, with other sci-fi stories filling out the magazine. There was even a brief period following TESB when the magazine went monthly). Some of these stories have been reprinted here in two issues called Devilworlds (now also out-of-print). Nevertheless, there is much more that has not (of the post TESB Marvel UK stories only "Death Masque" has not been reprinted). Marvel attempted to provide some of these for their US audience back in the early eighties in two paperback books. One was titled rather confusingly 'Star Wars' (now commonly referred to by its subtitle: 'Four New Adventures in Full Color') and the other 'Star Wars 2: World of Fire' (a three part epic by Chris Claremont of X-Men fame). Nevertheless, few in the US (Canada seems to have had these in greater amounts) saw these paperback-sized comics (marketing not being the juggernaut it is today) let alone knew of their existence, and they quickly went out of print to become collector's items. Along with the demand for these stories, Marvel (in the US and UK) released two series to accompany the animated Droids and Ewoks cartoons. These two series (respectively entitled Droids and Ewoks) have long been out of print, and though geared to a younger audience, curiosity and a desire for completion has driven many a fan to hunt down these titles and demand their reprinting.
For a great overview of the entire Marvel series, author of the upcoming Knights of the Old Republic series John Jackson Miller, has written an excellent article which you can check out here.
Classic Star Wars: A Long Time Ago
Notes Rich Handley and I wrote introductions for these six titles, although in the end they weren't utilized. We were given name credit, however, in the interiors which was a nice gesture. Unlike their similarly named counterparts, these six digest-sized issues only reprinted a handful of Marvel tales and in black and white. The stories were not reprinted sequentially and their cover images did not accompany the issue (although cover images from different issues graced the filler pages in the back which initially would have been the introductions, timelines or possibly cover images). Marvel is not credited in the interior and in fact their logo was removed from the cover images. The covers of these six issues were reproduced from well-known Ralph McQuarrie conceptual images utilized for the Classic Trilogy. Some fans expressed disapproval over the solicitation: for each Star Wars issue (free of charge), comic book stores had to purchase three other digest-sized titles (popular Italian comics translated into English). So to get all six Star Wars titles, the dealer had to get 18 Italian titles, the cost of which generally fell to the consumer. As a result, few dealers obtained them and many fans were unable to purchased the series. Fans hopes were restored, however, when news of the seven-issue color series of the same name came along a few years later (See above).
Notes
Another next-to-impossible quest was the search for Pizzazz magazines. Living in NY, you'd think you could obtain everything you wanted right at your fingertips. Think again. I scoured bookshop after bookshop, magazine specialty stores, comic shops, all to no avail! I finally located these in New Jersey in an old, near-abandoned warehouse which was run by a wonderful bookshop a few blocks down. While my friend got to start and complete his Marvel collection in one day (what took me months!), I was filled with joy at finally locating these incredibly rare magazines! Shame on Marvel for not advertising back in the day that these issues had exclusive Star Wars comics in them!
The run sadly but not unsurprisingly lasted only 16 issues which left the story hanging in mid-stream. While the UK got to read the entire storyline over a period of time in their Marvel Weekly run, the US didn't receive the conclusion until the Marvel Illustrated Book: Star Wars (aka. Four New Adventures in Full Color) came out in 1981, which featured the conclusion to this series as one of its stories (War on Ice). But if you blinked, or was eleven years old, which I was at the time, you missed it and spent a good part of your twenties haunted by the search for it. Finally, in the mid-nineties, issues 1-9 were reprinted as the ultra-rare Star Wars #0, which was exclusively released in certain toy stores and via the 'Another Universe' merchandise catalog (which also produced its alternate cover version). One can only hope that Dark Horse will one day reprint this ENTIRE storyline under one book once and for all! Story-wise, this was Roy Thomas and Howard Chaykin's other Star Wars tale (besides the early issues of Marvel) and like its Marvel counterpart, is pretty bizarre in a 'Land of the Lost' kinda way! Great fun and very indicative of the innocence of the times! Archie Goodwin took over at about the same time he took over the regular Marvel run, leaving Roy to return to Conan. These are some of the earliest tales to take place on the timeline.
Star Wars #28: Whatever Happened to Jabba the Hut?
Continuity Fix by the2ndQuest
The Jabba the Hut (one
t) of this story is actually one of Jabba's head accountants by the name of Mosep who
went by the alias of Jabba the Hut to collect debts for Jabba.
Star Wars #35: Dark Lord's Gambit
Continuity Notes
Leia's broken ankle is explained by the story which appeared only in the UK as issue #154 (it has since been reprinted by Dark Horse in Devilworlds #2) entitled, "Tilotny Throws a Shape". This phantasmagoric story was written by the brilliant Alan Moore and pays a debt of homage to the noted fantasy writer Lord Dunsany (1878-1957).
Marvel Star Wars #78: Hoth Stuff
Continuity Notes
This issue, despite an interesting story and gripping drama, has long been considered out of continuity for several reasons, namely:
While the first one might have been reconciled, both the X-Wing books and Shadows of the Empire squashed any chances of the latter two. However, in a recent story published online by Wizards of the Coast, the events of this tale have been brought back into continuity in a very amusing and appropriate way – as a tall tale based on an actual event. Wedge himself recounts this myth to new pilots prior to their training (and before coming face to face with a very alive Janson). For more details, you can read "Hoth: Under the Ice, part 3: Merchants of Death" here. As the story brings out, Wedge and Janson did fend themselves against Arns Grimraker and ended his life. Unlike Wedge's tall tale (as recounted in Marvel Star Wars #78) however, the event did not take months but days and Janson was not killed. Thanks go to Cory Hendon for bringing this story back into continuity in a plausible and exciting way!
Continuity Notes
Until recently when Dark Horse reprinted this issue in "A Long Time Ago, vol. 5: Fool's Bounty," UK fans might not have been aware that a page was cut out of their copy of this story. Apparently to appease UK censors, Marvel UK removed a page which featured a prostitute giving Lando and Chewie erroneous directions. The British version simply showed the aftermath of Lando and Chewie driving down the wrong side of a highway. The US and current Dark Horse trade reprint restores the page and clarifies why they made such a wrong turn.
The Hollace/David's series (aka. The Glove of Darth Vader series)
Continuity Notes
Despite some minor continuity-discrepancies, Lucasfilm
does consider these to be part of the Star Wars Expanded Universe. Note,
however, that the wedding celebration that is begun at the end of Book Six does
not in fact contradict the events of The Courtship of Princess Leia as
had previously been assumed. In
a letter sent by the author (and published in Star Wars:
Lostworlds), it is made plain
that the authors had intended a three-book sequel which was subsequently
cancelled. "If we had written #7, however, I would remind you
that it takes MANY STEPS to get down the aisle, and there is not one chance in
hell that Han and Leia would have made it to the end of the aisle and sealed
their marriage before a harrowing IMPERIAL ATTACK would have savaged their hoped
for wedding and left it all in ruins. No nuptials took place that night, my dear
friends.
Marvel Illustrated Book: Star Wars (aka. Four New Adventures in Full Color!)
Notes and Review
The "Holy Grail" of Star Wars novel and comic collecting! And indeed this book is both, as the title indicates, four comic stories in paperback book format. Apart from issue 107, Pizzazz and World of Fire which were a challenge to locate in their own right, this was the single most difficult book to find back in the day, and I used to literally dream about discovering it in some garage sale or in some antique store I'd stumble upon. Nobody had this book, and few even knew of its existence! Not the convention dealers, not the old book and antique shops, not even the comic book stores. And believe me, I scoured every one in the local area, if not in person, then by phone! I nearly gave in to despair when after years of constant vigilance, I couldn't find it. But the computer proved a valuable tool and I soon located someone willing to give me photocopies of it (incidentally you can now find beautiful color scans of this book online - follow the link here). Before long, via the Internet again, I found a lovely book store in Canada which had this book for a very nice low price (along with World of Fire) and the search finally ended... -- ed. The stories contained herein are excellent, some of Marvel and Goodwin's best, representing a number of the additional tales that UK-only fans got to read (due to their comics weekly schedule as opposed to our monthly). Others would appear in the Marvel illustrated book, World of Fire, and in our day in Dark Horse's Devilworlds two-parter (which reprinted all but one story, Death Masque). Way of the Wookiee tells the story of a botched Kessel Run of Han's (incidentally this one preceded the one that landed him in trouble with Jabba). Colonel Quirt and the events of this story are mentioned in Ann Crispin's excellent Han Solo Trilogy (Book 3) which shows the order of events as depicted on the timeline. Day After the Death Star is a great short story about the personal impact of war and killing, which also shows Chewie actually get the medal he so deserved (Leia gives it to him at the party that night). Weapons Master is possibly my favorite. It explains how someone from a "peaceful planet" with no weapons could have produced someone so formidable with a blaster as Leia. One of Goodwin's darker and more cynical tales, there's some interesting dialogue and character development here. This tale was also referenced in Ann Crispin's Han Solo trilogy. [Timeframe-wise, this story was moved to just before Splinter of the Mind's Eye where the Luke-Leia dynamic is strongest. Also, the story does not mention their Yavin 4 base which allows it to be placed in the period after the Rebels departed Yavin 4 and before Echo Base was prepared for settlement.] Finally, War on Ice, while the weakest entry of the four, also solves the mystery for those of us in this hemisphere who never saw the conclusion of the Pizzazz serials (the UK got it all eventually in their run) which ended abruptly with issue 16. Well here it is at long last! All in all, a great collection that is begging to be reprinted by Dark Horse (who did such a fantastic job with the regular Marvel series) for the rest of the world to enjoy! -- ed.
Marvel Illustrated Books: World of Fire
Notes and Review
My copy of this book was signed by Chris Claremont who I met in Manhattan back in the late 90's when he was on a book signing tour for the Willow sequels he was co-authoring with George Lucas (although Lucas was more of a ghost-writer on the project). He was a very nice man and seemed surprised to see this old Star Wars book appear before him. I remember discussing wi |
