#shards of alderaan

[jayaorgana]

"We're children of Alderaan too because you passed on what you learned there to us"

[rulimaquina]

Ailyn Vel impersonating her father, Boba Fett, as seen in the cover of Star Wars - Young Jedi Knights: Shards of Alderaan

[rotzaprachim]

the secret rogue one wedding scene but jyn and cassian’s chuppah was held by bodhi and chirrut and baze and k2so, who kept threatening to drop it so that the ceremony would be cut off. of course it couldn’t be a stationary chuppah - their home is their friends and family, of course their wedding would have to be something that moved with them. and under the chuppah jyn and cassian each continued their favorite hobby of circling each other but seven times, now, for the days of Creation. and they got married wrapped in a tallit an old woman gave Cassian - not someone he knew, not someone he’d ever met before, but a woman who saw his face and heard him speak and wanted to know if he was of kenari, yes, she recognised his accent, she thought he looked like a little curly-haired boy she’d once seen tucked under his father’s tallit at the massive Kenari kol nidre services- it would mean nothing more to her than for her own tallit that once was tied away under her clothing as she ran to be used for an occaision of joy. 

and the cloth on their chuppah was one the rebels embroidered collectively in the styles of kenari and fest and ferrix and alderaan and everywhere to be Remembered, and they used the thread from their uniforms and the thread frayed from stolen imperial flags to stitch a new pattern of leaves and flowers and roots. and jyn’s vows had something from megillat ruth, certainly - “Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus and more wil the LORD do to me, if anything but death parts me from you.” and they broke the glass for the destruction of the temple in Yerushalaim and for the shards of the homelands they carry with them everywhere, for the sorrow carried by survivors even amidst the sweetness of life. 

and there was definitely at least one full on band, and dancing in the streets. cassian said he wanted a small ceremony but melshi (ride or die) was like, hundereds of people were willing to die on your word, how many people do you think would come to your WEDDING???? so there were at least five hundred people and it lasted until well into the next morning, but before then, after the ceremony, while the band was just starting to warm up, cassian and jyn scampered into an old engine room for the yichud and she tucked her head into his shoulder in the moment of peace and he welcomed her home. And one of the gifts they got from their wedding was a mezuzah and cassian asked if she wanted to affix it to the door of their rebellion-assigned quarters or the side of one of the requisitioned ships but she said no, no, if it was alright she’d rather he take it with him until there was some point there could be a doorframe that was theirs permanently to mark as their home 

[magnetarbeam]

I don't know if it's just because of fanart that I always pictured Zekk as having, like, light brown skin, but Shards of Alderaan referring to him as "pale-skinned" really threw me for a loop.

But I'm still gonna picture him with light brown skin.

(Especially since Kyp grows his hair out in LotF, so they need at least one visual difference by Voices.)

[jedijourneys]

Kallia’s Journal; Entry Nineteen

The hiss of a blade's ignition breaks the tense silence. The lightsaber resonates within the padawan's hands, illuminating the crumbling walls and twisted debris of her ancient surroundings. Voss was a vibrant world, blades of grass akin to shards of soft gold, trees that sway with scarlet leaves. The sky is akin to fire, and even its fauna appear in painted hues, alien to the surrounding galaxy.

She was not there to gawk, though. She had already had that chance. The hum of lightsabers echo through the chamber, not one nor two, but many. The snarls of cybernetic beasts tear through shadows, and the challenges spoken by fanged Gormak do not shudder with fear in the face of such overwhelming odds. They were prideful, stubborn in nature, a people of warriors with brazen hearts. Some would call them foolish. The Jedi's purpose was to put a stop to the cybernetic enhancement of Voss's beasts, but the Gormak would not lay down their weapons without a fight.

She recalls the memory where she sits with comforted ease, having found her peace within the force. She remembers the smell of burning flesh as Lyceus is struck with searing flame, and she remembers the sound of crunching bone in the midst of a violent grapple. She recalls the sickly snap of a neck and skull as a padawan extinguishes the life of a foe. The sensation was akin to a wave across a sea, a feeling of death that exploded throughout the surrounding force to draw both eyes and minds. It is a sickly sensation, Kallia knows. But this death was not at her own hands.

Aza Sun, who so often radiates with light, who's presence projects serenity and peace, and whose mind is as gentle as his hands. Pushed to the brink, a Jedi would do as they must. In many cases, death seemed unavoidable. Kallia has felt this, seen this, and understood this, but Aza wavers in the face of his own lethality. A cruel reminder of the power that a Jedi, even a young one, could wield. She hadn't known how to comfort him, though she had tried. Time and meditation would heal such spiritual wounds.

Eyes open and she can feel the cold again, can see the flakes that swirl toward the frosted ground. The Alderaan Temple sparkles with ice, and the sun pools light upon snow covered steps. Mere hours ago, she had attended an insightful class on Force Sight, and now she found herself meditating in the frost. She is thoughtful, carefully combing through recent events, learning from her own mistakes, as well as those of others. She quietly logs these events within her journal, before rising to her feet.

Lightsaber in hand, Kallia makes her way to the combat dummies to perform her daily exercise routine. The heat of the blade ripples through the wintry air, as flakes of snow sizzle against a vibrant blade. What had happened to Voss had yet to be concluded. At any moment, the enclave on Voss could be attacked, and when that happened, Kallia would ensure that she was ready.

[lizartgurl]

"Zekk! You look..."

"Alive?"

"Well, barely."

In my imagination their reunion in Shards of Alderaan is more romantic than it actually is.

[roseunspindle]

What I Read August 2019

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27209460-the-invisible-library

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39964740-the-binding

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22238179-the-tropic-of-serpents

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27984704-the-reborn-king

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1692427.The_Dark_Moon

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2226187.King_s_Shield

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17383918-allegiant

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6449648-bunny-drop-vol-1

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/855703.Shards_of_Alderaan

[spacecravat]

"The sun shone directly into [Luke's] clear blue eyes, but he didn't blink."

Okay Luke, that's kinda weird

[yjk-imagines]

“Hey Angel” (Jaina Solo x Zekk)

“Soulmates who can feel each other’s pain - with jaina and zekk! pretty please“ @thespacebuns​

Taking place during their years at the Jedi Academy, rather than NJO.

Jaina glistened with just as much sweat as the corpse that lay in front of her.

Within the unseen depths of the force, Zekk struggled against the dark side for control of his agency, and Jaina felt his temptation as keenly as if her father had tossed her out the airlock with a tow cable tied around her waist just before making the jump to hyperspace. She was burning and freezing at the same time, she was shaking too much she almost didn’t feel the hand on her shoulder.

“Hey,” Jacen’s lopsided smile matched the one their father was so famous father, “Why can’t you ask a Jawa for money?”

Jaina didn’t have the strength to groan. “Why?”

“Because they’re always a little short.”

Jacen knew she was out of it when she laughed, however muted it was.

“Come on, it’s my turn. You need to rest.” Jacen wrapped his arm around hers, using just a touch of the force to lift her out of the chair next to Zekk’s bed. 

“Okay, okay, I’m going,” Jaina slurred. She yanked her arm from her brother’s grasp and stumbled to the fountain she’d built into the wall herself. She splashed some on her face in an attempt to cool herself off.

“What’ve you been doing in here? You look like you overdosed on spice.” Jacen looked between Zekk, undisturbed in his coma, and the old smuggler, Peckhum, slumped over in the other chair.

“Just sitting,” Jaina insisted, wiping her face on her sleeve. “How go the temple repairs?”

Jacen glanced at the stump lizards in his hands, all that remained of his little menagerie in the aftermath of Shadow Academy’s attack.

“The ronto freaked out. Set us back a couple of days.”

“Great,” Jaina grunted, leaning against the doorway, completely winded from the walk between the bed and the sink.

“Jaina?” Jacen called out of her, settling in his lizards for a two-hour shift watching Zekk’s prone form, “You might want to see Uncle Luke.”

-

Tenel Ka and Lowie dug through the rubble of the avalanche caused by the ronto, assisted by the arrogant young Raynar Thul who, with his robes covered in dust, looked anything but arrogant, Jaina was pleased to see.

“Any of you seen Uncle Luke?” She asked, steadying herself in her swaying.

Lowie growled an answer, pointing up what remained of the staircase on the side of the ancient Massassi Temple. Jaina waved off Em-Teedee’s usual flowery translation of the simple directions, but she couldn’t shake off the firm touch of Tenel Ka’s one remaining arm as she removed the bracer on her arm to feel Jaina’s sweaty forehead.

“Are you certain you are well, friend Jaina?”

“No, but what else is new?” Jaina shrugged off her friend’s concern, causing more concern in Tenel Kal, Lowie, and even young Raynar, but they returned to the mountain of work at hand once they were certain that Jaina would not slip on the dewey steps.

Grand Jedi Master Skywalker descended a few steps to greet his niece, catching her just in time as she fell forward, clutching at her eyes.

“Jaina?”

“‘M fine, just got some light in my eyes,” She muttered, rubbing her eyelids so hard she saw stars.

Luke looked around. It was a misty, overcast day, and the only metallic objects in sight were the tiny rivets on the excited ronto’s harness, hardly noticeable from their distance.

Luke sat down on one of the larger zigguraut steps, encouraging Jaina to do the same. “Want to tell me what’s going on?”

“No, but Jacen wants me too,” She finally dared to open her eyes, squinting to adjust to the light.

Luke decided to ease into the subject. “How is our friend Zekk?”

“Still comatose, but I think he squeezed back when I held his hand today,” She said. When it came to the young Coruscaunti scavenger, Jaina was endlessly hopeful, proven by his time as the Shadow Academy’s Darkest Knight. 

“Good to hear. Are you feeling well?”

“Why does everyone ask me that?” Jaina asked, collapsing back into a pile of vines and leaves.

“Because you look almost as bad as Zekk does,” Luke said, his voice serious as he addressed his niece. She had inherited the better part of her parent’s stubborn nature, that was for sure. 

Jaina’s eyes were open now, staring up at the clouds far above. If you strained, you could barely make out the gas giant of Yavin, outlined in a reddish haze.

“It feels like something’s...struggling inside me, like I’m watching a couple of Jacen’s beetles fight, but I’m both of the beetles, and I’m losing.”

Luke nodded, urging her to continue as he plopped down in the foliage with her.

“My body can’t decide if it wants to be hot or cold, and I’ve got this splitting headache, and I’ve tried to eat something to bring it down but I’m scared I’m going to throw up and I’m getting these weird, dark dreams at night, but I can never remember them when I wake up.”

Jaina looked over at her eternally wise uncle, but he simply stared up at the sky as she had, lips pursed in thought.

“For now, go get some rest. Perhaps it’s just stress. When Zekk wakes up, we’ll talk some more.”

Jaina sat up and looked around at all the damage that still remained to be fixed. She felt guilty leaving everyone else to deal with this while she slept, but if Uncle Luke was making her, then she didn’t have much of a choice. What if he told mom?

-

Jaina felt slightly less crummy after her nap, especially when Jacen burst into her room with the news that Zekk was awake! However, he almost suplexed her back into her cot before he could tell her that Peckhum had fed him some soup, and their oldest friend was now sleeping, but he was on his way to recovery.

Uncle Luke was right though, whatever had caused her strange ailment was gone now. Maybe she had been too worried about Zekk. 

But he was her friend! Her best friend! There was no such thing as being too worried when it came to things like that, was there?

Repairs were taking a break to recalculate how much more supplies would be needed to fix the temple in the aftermath of the ronto’s freak-out (which Jacen insisted was not the creature’s fault, as usual), so Jaina took a walk to her favorite river. 

It was muddy in the aftermath of the battle. It would take a while for nature to return it to the crystalline state Jaina, Jacen, and their fellow trainees enjoyed to much. For now, Jaina kept herself content with sitting on a mossy boulder, tossing smaller rocks. The ripples quickly disappeared into the current, and Jaina pouted.

Then, a flat pebble whizzed past, skipping twice before it disappeared along with all the rocks she had thrown. 

“Is this a private game, or can anyone play?” A familiar voice asked.

Jaina glanced over her shoulder before scrambling down from the rock.

“Zekk!” She cried. She tried to remind herself that Zekk was still recovering, but threw her arms around him anyway, sending them both stumbling into the river, where they were both caked with mud. 

They helped each other out, brushing off the mud as best as they could.

“You look-”

“Alive?” Zekk finished for Jaina, smiling slightly.

She raised her eyebrows, “Just barely.”

“I actually feel better than I look. By a little bit at least.”

“Well that’s a relief,” Jaina chuckled, feeling dizzy and tongue-tied as Zekk’s green eyes, underlined with purple shadows, met hers. 

“Do you need to sit down or anything?” She gestured to the boulder she had previously been perched upon.

Zekk shook his head. “I’m a bit shaky after so much lying in bed, but I feel restless. I thought maybe we could take a walk in the jungle? Together?” He asked hesitantly.

He needn’t have worried. “Well then,” Jaina slipped her muddy hand in his. “What are we wading for?”

Zekk groaned at the joke. “I think your brother is having a bad influence on you,” He warned. 

Jaina’s laughter echoed up and down the riverbank, not noticing that Zekk was massaging the same spot on his elbow where a bruise had formed on her from their tumble into the river.

[virtualtoybox]

Shards of Alderaan - A Star Wars Story

“I trust you all to keep this mission between the five of us? I can’t imagine the New Republic will be too pleased with what we’re doing here.” 

Oceans Eight/Birds of Prey style star wars film of Leia Organa establishing a covert team of her most trusted and skilled confidants to help her steal back alderaanian artifacts from the everlasting remnants of the empire behind the New Republics slow moving bureaucratic back and end up uncovering deep corruption within the very system Leia has been giving her life to help build thats it thats my star wars pitch

[jayaorgana]

Shout out to Tenel Ka's evil grandma. Alright!

[oh-no-eu-didnt]

Crevasse City was a city located on Alderaan. In accordance with Alderaanian architectural theory, it was constructed to be one with the enviornment, rather than interrupt it, flowing with the canyon. Newer construction was located downward, although the lowest level was untouched, home to beautiful crystal formations.

Source: The Illustrated Star Wars Universe (Art: Ralph McQuarrie; 1995)

First Appearance: Young Jedi Knights: Shards of Alderaan (1997)

Read more on Wookieepedia.

[thewriterowl]

We often read about Din being very chill with who Luke's Father was, but how would you imagine him having some... Reserves, on the subject ?

I actually did this a bit in What the Stars Let in. For the most part, I think Din would follow the "you are not your father" mind-set that is set up within the Mandalorian culture--but it is interesting to think about because:

Anakin did a lot of terrible things that directly impacted Grogu (who has become Din's whole world)

Anakin (twisted up or not) supported the man who caused the war which killed Din's parents and many friends on his home planet (and probably many, many friends in his clan of Mandalorians) and then had him and so many others displaced (and from the sound of it, potentially a few times in his life as a Mandalorian)

Let's face it, Vader is out of a nightmare for most...but he'd be almost a living embodiment of Din's fear (the man looks like a hellish droid)

Vader was on the Death Star, not Palpatine, when Alderaan was destroyed. That was a world filled with innocents and families and children--a man like Din, who embodies the love Mandalorian's have for kids, would loathe someone who would do something like that

If he knew about Vader (who was a secret at first, but seems to have become more well known by the time RotJ) for any reason, he would not have apathetic or disinterested thoughts about him. He would hate him. If he was able to find out Grogu's story more and be able to get the connection on what the man did...yeah, his blood would boil. As we have seen, Din has a temper but it can be a bit fleeting (i.e. the Jawas) except when it concerns his son. He will become a protective, terrifying man if you do wrong towards Grogu.

I can easily see him struggling with the code of someone being more than their father or blood with a history like Vader's--even if it is Luke. He wouldn't want to feel like that, he'd want to feel like he can honor that belief, but things like this aren't easy for everyone and even though he would come to terms with it and let it go, it could really affect how he views and even trusts Luke for a while.

He may not be mean (if they have known each other for a little bit) but he may close himself off to Luke as he tries to come to an understanding of what this is and needing to look internally at himself to realize has more prejudice than he originally realized.

If we keep it closer to "canon" (or what would be more "realistic" Dinluke) I think he would be more awkward and a bit cold than cruel. I think Luke would sense this and be hurt but be understanding and let him have his space to come to terms with the shock of it.

My (Luke) whomp-loving self would probably over-exaggerate and make it so much worse for fanfiction purposes--but I think they would more spend some weeks apart so Din can do his own version of meditating and soul searching so he can come back and talk with Luke about it with a clear head. They'd need to work on it a bit, but no regretful words would be shard and they would heal from it and support each other with it, no doubt.

[geneer-gebubu]

I posted 332 times in 2021

315 posts created (95%)

17 posts reblogged (5%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 0.1 posts.

I added 1,339 tags in 2021

#star wars - 297 posts

#expanded universe - 294 posts

#star wars legends - 285 posts

#star wars canon - 207 posts

#star wars aliens - 56 posts

#starship - 48 posts

#galactic empire - 47 posts

#star wars video games - 43 posts

#star wars planets - 32 posts

#rebel alliance - 30 posts

Longest Tag: 62 characters

#they've been on a big rebels kick and are very good at drawing

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

Crevasse City was a city located on Alderaan. In accordance with Alderaanian architectural theory, it was constructed to be one with the enviornment, rather than interrupt it, flowing with the canyon. Newer construction was located downward, although the lowest level was untouched, home to beautiful crystal formations.

Source: The Illustrated Star Wars Universe (Art: Ralph McQuarrie; 1995)

First Appearance: Young Jedi Knights: Shards of Alderaan (1997)

Read more on Wookieepedia.

382 notes • Posted 2021-03-03 22:20:44 GMT

#4

R-3PO was a moody red plated 3PO-series protocol droid abandoned in Echo Base on Hoth by his previous master. Despite his unpleasant demeanor, Alliance Command had R-3PO uncover infiltration attempts, which he excelled at. He had a tattoo on his left buttock reading “Thank the Maker.”

Source: Hoth Limited (1996)

First Appearance: Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Read more on Wookieepedia.

498 notes • Posted 2021-07-01 21:21:05 GMT

#3

Juhani was a Cathar Jedi padawan during the Jedi Civil War. A fiery warrior, Juhani was brought into the Order following the Mandalorian Wars. She was passionate and a capable fighter, wielding a blue lightsaber. Juhani was also the first canonical lesbian in the Star Wars universe.

Source: Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes (2015)

First Appearance: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (2003)

Read more on Wookieepedia.

550 notes • Posted 2021-02-10 16:40:43 GMT

#2

Depa Billaba was a human Jedi Master and member of the High Council during the Clone Wars. Possessing a strong connection to the Force, Billaba’s enlightened nature allowed her to master the dangerous Form VII of lightsaber combat, invented by her master Mace Windu. Billaba was serene and collected, a true master of the Force. Her apprentice, Caleb Dume, became a hero following the Clone Wars.

Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20190909214851/https://www.starwars.com/news/nycc-2018-women-of-the-galaxy-panel


First Appearance: Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace (1999)


Read more on Wookieepedia.

631 notes • Posted 2021-01-01 16:49:03 GMT

#1

Hot chocolate was a beverage popular around the galaxy. A variety of chocolate milk, hot chocolate was one of Luke Skywalker’s favorite drinks, and the Jedi went as far as to bring a secret stash aboard the Millennium Falcon. The Empire typically frowned on the drink, seeing it as low-class.

Source: Union 1 (Art: Robert Teranishi; 1999)

First Appearance: Heir to the Empire (1992)

706 notes • Posted 2021-01-19 16:40:47 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

[atamascolily]

Say whatever else you will about Brakiss, he knows how to make a dramatic entrance:

On the other side stood a young-looking man dressed in flowing silvery robes. His smooth skin and silken blond hair seemed to glow. He was one of the most beautiful humans Jacen had ever seen-perfectly formed, like a holo simulation of an ideal man, or a sculptor’s masterpiece chiseled out of alabaster.

Quoth literally everyone encountering Brakiss, ever: Oh, shit, he’s hot. 

I’d forgotten Brakiss was blond, which makes the Luke parallels EVEN MORE OBVIOUS AAAAAAA. I always imagine him in my head as Space Edwards Scissorhands, but Tamith Kai is the goth one of the Shadow Academy’s Evil Power Duo with her violet eyes, pale skin, and dark hair and jumpsuits. 

(does this mean that Tamith Kai is the Mara analogue here or am I reading too much into this)

“Welcome, new recruits,” he said in a gentle voice that carried undertones of music. “I am Brakiss, leader of the Shadow Academy.”

Obviously, Brakiss has leveled up on his charisma since The New Rebellion, lol.

 “Brakiss?” he said. “Blaster bolts! We’ve heard about you. You were an Imperial spy planted at Master Skywalker’s academy, trying to steal our training methods.”

Brakiss smiled as if inwardly amused.

“That’s right,” Jaina continued excitedly. “Master Skywalker figured out who you were, but when he tried to turn you to the light side-to save you-you couldn’t face the ugliness inside yourself.”

Brakiss’s smile never faltered. “Ah, so that’s how he tells it? Master Skywalker and I did not agree on the … particulars of training in the Force. But he had at least one good idea: He was correct to bring back the Jedi Knights. He realized that the Jedi were the preservers and protectors of the Old Republic. They unified the decaying old government and kept it alive long after it should have dissolved into anarchy.

“And now that there is anarchy among the remnants of the Imperial forces, we need such a unifying force. We have already found a powerful new leader, a great one”-Brakiss smiled-“but we also need our own group of Dark Jedi Knights, Imperial Jedi, who will cement our factions together and give us the will to defeat the wicked and unlawful government of the New Republic and bring about the Second Imperium.”

OH MY GOD, HE COMES OUT AND SAYS IT. I cannot believe I’d forgotten this!!

I don’t know why Brakiss is so gung-ho about kidnapping Luke’s students, except for the “fuck you” value. It is an objectively stupid plan since they’re too old to indoctrinate effectively, and he had a much easier time with Zekk, who was angry about not being a Main Character.

“This is not a school of darkness. I call this a Shadow Academy, for what does life create by its very nature, if not shadows? And it is only through using the full range of your emotions and desires-the light and the dark-that you will become truly strong in the Force and fulfill your destiny. The light side by itself offers only limited power. But when the light is blended with the dark, and you work within the shadows, then you achieve your full potential. Use the strength of the dark side.”

Is this Grey Jedi discourse before Grey Jedi were a thing? No, it’s the Shadow Academy, because it’s a shadow of Luke’s academy, with Brakiss mimicking Luke’s pedagogy in almost every way possible. But is it really a Legends novel if the Solo twins haven’t been kidnapped?

You can tell Brakiss is super-edgy because he spends his time contemplating  destruction on a galactic scale:

Now, as he pondered, he stared at the brilliant images surrounding him on the walls: a waterfall of scarlet lava on the molten planet Nkllon; an exploding sun that spewed arcs of stellar fire in the Denarii Nova; the still-blazing core of the Cauldron Nebula, where seven giant stars had all gone supernova at once; and a vista of the broken shards of Alderaan, destroyed by the Empire’s first Death Star more than twenty years before.

Brakiss recognized great beauty in the violence of the universe, in the unbridled power provided by the galaxy or unleashed by human ingenuity.

Ready for some more pathos?

Brakiss drummed his fingertips on the slick surface of his desk. Occasionally, he felt twinges of sadness for having left the Yavin 4 training center. He had learned much there, though his own mission for the Empire was always uppermost in his mind.

Your daily reminder the Empire is a piece of shit:

The entire Shadow Academy was filled with self-destructive devices: hundreds, if not thousands, of chain-reaction explosives. If Brakiss did not succeed in creating his troop of Dark Jedi, or if the new trainees somehow staged a revolt against the Second Imperium, the Imperial leader would trigger the stations self-destruct sequences. Brakiss and all the Dark Jedi would be destroyed in a flash.

A hostage to darkness, Brakiss was never allowed to leave the Shadow Academy. By order of the great leader, he would remain there, confined, until he and all his trainees had proven themselves.Brakiss found that sitting on a huge bomb made it difficult to concentrate.

Chekhov’s gun? Chekhov’s SPACE STATION, am I right? But also: Brakiss is still effectively a prisoner of the Empire himself, determined to inflict his own trauma on the next generation and also to get back at Luke Skywalker for forcing him to face it.

Also, let’s just contrast this with the New Republic’s extremely laissez-faire approach to the New Jedi Order during the Bantam era, shall we?

It’s really interesting to re-read Shadow Academy  after Red Harvest, not only because of the YA vs. adult fiction shift, but because Red Harvest is what an actual Sith Academy would look like, rather than the Shadow Academy’s playacting. The Shadow Academy is composed primarily of lies and illusions, the Sith Academy is violent and cutthroat and deadly.

“You young Jedi Knights continue to impress me. Master Skywalker must be doing a good job selecting his candidates.”

“Better candidates than you’ll ever get,” Jaina said, finding the strength to defy him despite her injuries.

“Indeed,” Brakiss agreed. “That’s why we decided to take some of those that he has already selected. You three were only the first we obtained from the Jedi academy. You’ve shown such potential that we are now ready to kidnap another group from Yavin 4. From there, we’ll have all the Jedi students we could possibly use.”

OH MY GOD BRAKISS COULD YOU BE ANY MORE TRANSPARENT IN YOUR ‘NOTICE ME SEMPAI’ ANTICS??!!!

But then Luke shows up so we get a dramatic reunion sequence with deliberate parallels to A New Hope: 

When the red door slid open ahead of him, Luke Skywalker stood transfixed. He stared at the sculpture-handsome face of his former student.

“Brakiss!” he whispered in a voice that carried across the docking bay, even above the chaos of shrieking alarms.

Brakiss stood where he was with a faint smile. “Ah, Master Skywalker. So good of you to come. I thought I sensed you here on my station. Are you impressed at how well I have done for myself?”

Fortunately, Luke deliberately refrains from pulling an Obi-wan and escapes with the others instead of confronting his wayward ex-student, so the final confrontation is dodged. But just in case you were wondering where Luke stood on the matter:

Luke Skywalker’s gaze did not waver. “No one is completely evil. Or completely good.” He flashed a rueful smile. “At least nobody I’ve ever met.”

Luke still holds out hope that Brakiss is going to come back, and it’s not happening, at least in canon, but damn if that doesn’t make their relationship even more tragic than it already was.

[rggzy-reads]

Alrighty, so I want to outline a project I’ll document on this blog! Ever since I picked up a copy of Vector Prime by RA Salvator at a thrift store, I’ve been very intrigued by the Star Wars Legends timeline as it pertains to the New Jedi Order- I enjoyed my time with it but there were so many questions I had! So many characters, and new villains, and background politics with the New Republic. So I set out to try and find a way to understand what the hell was going on- by reading, in chronological within the universe order, every main book post Return of the Jedi. (Thank you Wookiepedia and your Legends Timeline, the ability to filter out pretty much every category other than the adult novels and young adult was life saving https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Timeline_of_Legends_books )

This journey has been going on since March of 2022, and will probably be going on for a while, as I’ve finished about 8 out of 97ish books. But what am I interested in when it comes to reading all of these? I think the most important thing is the lore, I’m interested in how cohesive of a universe and story this series of books presents. Surely it’s different from Canon, and so far the lore even paints a much different picture than the prequel movies. I love trying to find all the little details, and then see if any of those details are expanded upon in further books. I’ll certainly comment on the quality of the books too, as even at this point I’ve read some straight up bad books imo. My prediction for how I’ll feel at the end of this? Probably satisfied in a job well done, but I have a feeling I’ll find the whole timeline to be pretty inconsistent and messy, but fun!

This is my complete list:

- Truce at Bakura

- X-Wing Series

X-Wing: Rogue Squadron

X-Wing: Wedge’s Gamble

X-Wing: The Krytos Trap

X-Wing: The Bacta War

X-Wing: Wraith Squadron

X-Wing: Iron Fist

X-Wing: Solo Command

- The Courtship of Princess Leia

- The Thrawn Trilogy

Heir to the Empire

Dark Force Rising

The Last Command

- X-Wing: Isard’s Revenge

- Jedi Academy Trilogy

Jedi Search

Dark Apprentice

Champions of the Force

- I, Jedi

- Castilla Cycle

Children of the Jedi

Darksaber

- X-Wing: Starfighters of Adumar

Planet of Twilight

- The Crystal Star

- Black Fleet Crisis

Before the Storm

Shield of Lies

Tyrant’s Nest

- The New Rebellion

- The Corellian Trilogy

Ambush at Corellia

Assault at Selonia

Showdown at Centerpoint

- Thrawn Duology

Specter of the Past

Vision of the Future

- Junior Jedi Knight Series

The Golden Globe

Lyric’s World

Promises

Anakin’s Quest

Vader’s Fortress

Kenobi’s Blade

- Survivor’s Quest

- Young Jedi Knights Series

Heirs of the Force

Shadow Academy

The Lost Ones

Lightsabers

Darkest Knight

Jedi Under Siege

Shards of Alderaan

Diversity Alliance

Delusions of Grandeur

Jedi Bounty

The Emperor’s Plague

Return to Order Mantell

Trouble on Cloud City

Crisis at Crystal Reef

- New Jedi Order Series

Vector Prime

Dark Tide I: Onslaught

Dark Tide II: Ruin

Agents of Chaos I: Hero’s Trial

Agents of Chaos II: Jedi Eclipse

Balance Point

Edge of Victory I: Conquest

Edge of Victory II: Rebirth

Star by Star

Dark Journey

Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream

Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand

Traitor

Destiny’s Way

Force Heretic I: Remnant

Force Heretic II: Refugee

Force Heretic III: Reunion

The Final Prophecy

The Unifying Force

Dark Nest I: The Joiner King

Dark Nest II: The Unseen Queen

Dark Nest III: The Swarm War

- Legacy Series

Legacy of the Force: Betrayal

Legacy of the Force: Bloodlines

Legacy of the Force: Tempest

Legacy of the Force: Exile

Legacy of the Force: Sacrifice

Legacy of the Force: Inferno

Legacy of the Force: Fury

Legacy of the Force: Revelation

Legacy of the Force: Invincible

- Crosscurrent

- Riptide

- Millenium Falcon

- Fate Series

Fate of the Jedi: Outcast

Fate of the Jedi: Omen

Fate of the Jedi: Abyss

Fate of the Jedi: Backlash

Fate of the Jedi: Allies

Fate of the Jedi: Vortex

Fate of the Jedi: Conviction

Fate of the Jedi: Ascension

Fate of the Jedi: Apocalypse

- X-Wing: Mercy Kill

- Crucible