Star Wars: Legacy (Issue 20)
May 12th 2008 22:40
Category: Graphic Novels/Comics
“As Sith we understand the need to impose our will – on the Force and the Galaxy, when the Galaxy serves us, we will save the Galaxy…”
Darth Krayt, Dark Lord of the Sith, to Cade Skywalker.
“If you strike me down I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine….”
Obi Wan Kenobi to Darth Vader aboard Death Star Mk I.
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics.
Production Team: John Ostrander – script, Omar Francia – art, Brad Anderson – colours, Michael Heisler – lettering, Douglas Wheately – cover art.
Cost: AU $7.95/US $2.99.
When the Rebel Alliance defeated the Empire at the Battle of Endor and then retook Coruscant its ambitions to restore the Republic were finally able to see the light of day after so many years of hardship and so many tragedies. It seemed as if the tide was finally turning back towards democracy and the light side of the force, but it was all over oh so quickly. The New Republic lasted only a quarter of a century before it finally fell, not to the remnant forces of the Empire or even various internal threats such as the Hutts or the Black Sun crime syndicate, instead it was external forces and internal political bickering that destroyed the New Republic. A menace quite literally from beyond the stars dealt the death blow to the New Republic, shattering what little hope veterans and heroes of the Galactic Civil War had for any peaceful future.
The Yuuzhan Vong was an extragalactic species the like of which had never been encountered before by any of the sentient species who made up the New Republic, although they were not completely unknown to other groups within the galaxy. Although there was one group who had engaged with the advance scouts of this particular species during the days of the Old Republic; the Mandalorians. Canderous Ordo, who would later become Mandalore; the Mandalorian leader, encountered a scout ship of these aliens in the Crispin asteroid belt roughly four thousand years before their main invasion force reached the galaxy.
Scions of a bloodthirsty and highly theocratic martial culture the Vong effortlessly destroyed the Republic and all but wiped out the nascent Jedi Order. Like so many others before them though they underestimated the resolve of both the Jedi and those who in spite of the overwhelming odds still supported them with every fibre of their being. Even as the New Republic fell a new allegiance was forged from its ashes and ruins; bringing together the Jedi, the various scattered military forces of the New Republic, the enigmatic Chiss species and the Imperial Remnant into a single cohesive union. Thus was born the Galactic Alliance, a force which stood against the tide of the Vong and eventually defeated them. Stirring stuff, but even in its moment of triumph the seeds of the Alliance’s destruction were sown.
The Sith, long believed dead with the demise of Darth Sidious and Darth Vader, still existed. Just as the Jedi survivors of Order 66 had kept a low profile so to did the Sith keep a low profile in the wake of Luke Skywalker’s victory over the Emperor and the turning of his father back to the light. They were not ready for a struggle with neither the Vong nor the New Jedi Order, they needed to bide their time. And so hiding in the shadows they gathered and studied and marshalled their dark might until at last the time was right. That time came one hundred years after the defeat of the Yuuzhan Vong, when the Galactic Alliance after it had managed to weather the crisis that began with Corellia and divided the galaxy, was looking at means of restoring worlds that had been devastated by the Vong and also during the Corellian Crisis. At this time the Jedi Order under the leadership of Kol Skywalker, scion of that famous family, approached the ruling triumvirate of the Alliance with a proposal to restore these worlds.
Under the watchful eyes of the Jedi Order Vong shapers; genetic manipulators would embark on a campaign of Vongforming to hopefully heal and transform these damaged worlds. The first world to undergo this process was the heart of the Jedi Order; Ossus. When the galaxy saw the success that had been achieved with the process on Ossus the Galactic Alliance was inundated with requests from various impoverished systems seeking to undergo Vongforming. At this precise moment the Sith struck, this was the moment that they had been waiting for, the moment of their glorious resurgence. They craftily sabotaged the efforts of the Jedi and the Vong shapers and forced a schism between the Alliance and the Empire that led to open war. From that point on the Galactic Alliance was effectively destroyed, a century of peaceful co-existence washed down the gurgler by the machinations of the Sith.
But just as the Old Republic spawned holdouts that would form the Rebel Alliance in the wake of the Clone Wars and the Dark Times; so to did the Galactic Alliance spawn its own holdouts, namely the Galactic Alliance Core Forces (GACF) those who did not fall in the final battle of Camaas between the GA and the revitalised Empire. For seven years since the Battle of Camaas the GACF have been waging a hit and fade war against Imperial forces causing the newly anointed leader of the galaxy; Darth Krayt, no end of consternation. As if having the former emperor running around at large trying to create a schism in the Imperial forces wasn’t bad enough. Naturally in his ordering of the galaxy the new Dark Lord has no desire for potential opponents to be left at large, he orders his minions to take steps or else he will take steps in replacing them.
Of course it doesn’t help that the GACF is being led by Gar Stazi, a Duros admiral who has a considerable reputation as a leader as well as being a skilled combatant. Admiral Stazi knows his enemy and this has been one of the his strengths, even when his old sparring partner Imperial Admiral Sha Dun is forcibly retired by the actions of Darth Azard, he is still able to work out the stratagems of Dun’s replacement Dur Valan. After all it was Valan who he managed to outwit at that final battle around Camaas seven years ago.
It seems that the primary focus of this particular story arc is to recount some of the events that have happened in the Legacy era recent past as well as introduce the fans, both new and old, to some new faces from the other side of the fence, the valiant fighters of the GACF. Just as previous issues introduced the various sides involved in the schism between those Imperial loyal to Darth Krayt and those loyal to Roan Fel, along with those who feel caught in between it seems that a similar situation is occurring here.
With Darth Azard’s terminal methods of battle field promotion the onus is own the newly appointed commander of the Imperial Third Outer Rim fleet to do something about killing Gar Stazi and destroying his GACF once and for all. Quick to move is the dark side, impatient, always rushing without any real consideration of the consequences only looking to gain more power and crush any opposition. This is precisely what seems to be happening, the Empire and it’s Sith rulers want their foes destroyed and destroyed yesterday. The Sith are constantly seeking to impose and they often find creative and terminal ways to impose their views and dictums. Unfortunately for these wielders of the Dark Side they have a blind spot when it comes to their world view of affairs and cannot conceive that their will can and often is thwarted. Admiral Valan knows however that if he doesn’t meet the standards of his Sith masters he will end up so much Rancor food like his predecessor Sha Dur. Reacting like an Imperial officer of the old school he replace the non humans in his forces with humans and begins to set about fulfilling his masters wishes.
A trap is laid, one that the GACF and its leader cannot afford to pass up, but it is something that Gar Stazi is well aware of, that the Empire are looking to repeat the success of Camass when they effectively vanquished the Alliance as a political power and rendered its remaining forces into something just a step above a pirate or marauder fleet. As the good admiral tells his friend Jaius, he knows it’s a trap but it’s one that the GACF have to spring and hopefully turn to their advantage otherwise their cause will be lost. It’s another fine example of the Dark Horse team weaving some truly spectacular magic and expanding upon the Star Wars universe with their unique storytelling. Legacy just keeps going from strength to strength.
Darth Krayt, Dark Lord of the Sith, to Cade Skywalker.
“If you strike me down I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine….”
Obi Wan Kenobi to Darth Vader aboard Death Star Mk I.
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics.
Production Team: John Ostrander – script, Omar Francia – art, Brad Anderson – colours, Michael Heisler – lettering, Douglas Wheately – cover art.
Cost: AU $7.95/US $2.99.
When the Rebel Alliance defeated the Empire at the Battle of Endor and then retook Coruscant its ambitions to restore the Republic were finally able to see the light of day after so many years of hardship and so many tragedies. It seemed as if the tide was finally turning back towards democracy and the light side of the force, but it was all over oh so quickly. The New Republic lasted only a quarter of a century before it finally fell, not to the remnant forces of the Empire or even various internal threats such as the Hutts or the Black Sun crime syndicate, instead it was external forces and internal political bickering that destroyed the New Republic. A menace quite literally from beyond the stars dealt the death blow to the New Republic, shattering what little hope veterans and heroes of the Galactic Civil War had for any peaceful future.
The Sith, long believed dead with the demise of Darth Sidious and Darth Vader, still existed. Just as the Jedi survivors of Order 66 had kept a low profile so to did the Sith keep a low profile in the wake of Luke Skywalker’s victory over the Emperor and the turning of his father back to the light. They were not ready for a struggle with neither the Vong nor the New Jedi Order, they needed to bide their time. And so hiding in the shadows they gathered and studied and marshalled their dark might until at last the time was right. That time came one hundred years after the defeat of the Yuuzhan Vong, when the Galactic Alliance after it had managed to weather the crisis that began with Corellia and divided the galaxy, was looking at means of restoring worlds that had been devastated by the Vong and also during the Corellian Crisis. At this time the Jedi Order under the leadership of Kol Skywalker, scion of that famous family, approached the ruling triumvirate of the Alliance with a proposal to restore these worlds.
Under the watchful eyes of the Jedi Order Vong shapers; genetic manipulators would embark on a campaign of Vongforming to hopefully heal and transform these damaged worlds. The first world to undergo this process was the heart of the Jedi Order; Ossus. When the galaxy saw the success that had been achieved with the process on Ossus the Galactic Alliance was inundated with requests from various impoverished systems seeking to undergo Vongforming. At this precise moment the Sith struck, this was the moment that they had been waiting for, the moment of their glorious resurgence. They craftily sabotaged the efforts of the Jedi and the Vong shapers and forced a schism between the Alliance and the Empire that led to open war. From that point on the Galactic Alliance was effectively destroyed, a century of peaceful co-existence washed down the gurgler by the machinations of the Sith.
But just as the Old Republic spawned holdouts that would form the Rebel Alliance in the wake of the Clone Wars and the Dark Times; so to did the Galactic Alliance spawn its own holdouts, namely the Galactic Alliance Core Forces (GACF) those who did not fall in the final battle of Camaas between the GA and the revitalised Empire. For seven years since the Battle of Camaas the GACF have been waging a hit and fade war against Imperial forces causing the newly anointed leader of the galaxy; Darth Krayt, no end of consternation. As if having the former emperor running around at large trying to create a schism in the Imperial forces wasn’t bad enough. Naturally in his ordering of the galaxy the new Dark Lord has no desire for potential opponents to be left at large, he orders his minions to take steps or else he will take steps in replacing them.
Of course it doesn’t help that the GACF is being led by Gar Stazi, a Duros admiral who has a considerable reputation as a leader as well as being a skilled combatant. Admiral Stazi knows his enemy and this has been one of the his strengths, even when his old sparring partner Imperial Admiral Sha Dun is forcibly retired by the actions of Darth Azard, he is still able to work out the stratagems of Dun’s replacement Dur Valan. After all it was Valan who he managed to outwit at that final battle around Camaas seven years ago.
It seems that the primary focus of this particular story arc is to recount some of the events that have happened in the Legacy era recent past as well as introduce the fans, both new and old, to some new faces from the other side of the fence, the valiant fighters of the GACF. Just as previous issues introduced the various sides involved in the schism between those Imperial loyal to Darth Krayt and those loyal to Roan Fel, along with those who feel caught in between it seems that a similar situation is occurring here.
With Darth Azard’s terminal methods of battle field promotion the onus is own the newly appointed commander of the Imperial Third Outer Rim fleet to do something about killing Gar Stazi and destroying his GACF once and for all. Quick to move is the dark side, impatient, always rushing without any real consideration of the consequences only looking to gain more power and crush any opposition. This is precisely what seems to be happening, the Empire and it’s Sith rulers want their foes destroyed and destroyed yesterday. The Sith are constantly seeking to impose and they often find creative and terminal ways to impose their views and dictums. Unfortunately for these wielders of the Dark Side they have a blind spot when it comes to their world view of affairs and cannot conceive that their will can and often is thwarted. Admiral Valan knows however that if he doesn’t meet the standards of his Sith masters he will end up so much Rancor food like his predecessor Sha Dur. Reacting like an Imperial officer of the old school he replace the non humans in his forces with humans and begins to set about fulfilling his masters wishes.
A trap is laid, one that the GACF and its leader cannot afford to pass up, but it is something that Gar Stazi is well aware of, that the Empire are looking to repeat the success of Camass when they effectively vanquished the Alliance as a political power and rendered its remaining forces into something just a step above a pirate or marauder fleet. As the good admiral tells his friend Jaius, he knows it’s a trap but it’s one that the GACF have to spring and hopefully turn to their advantage otherwise their cause will be lost. It’s another fine example of the Dark Horse team weaving some truly spectacular magic and expanding upon the Star Wars universe with their unique storytelling. Legacy just keeps going from strength to strength.
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