Star Wars Republic Commando: True Colors

by Karen Traviss

Book Review by Dan Tres OMI

There's one thing that bothers me, sir. They say Master Yoda referred to the war as the Clone War after the Battle of Geonosis. It was the very first battle of the war. Why did he identify the war that way, by the clones who are fighting it? Have we ever said the Fifth Fleet or the Corellian Baji Brigade War? What does he know that we don't?

-- General Bardan Jusik, confiding in General Arligan Zey ( an excerpt from Karen Traviss' True Colors).

I thoroughly enjoyed Traviss' third installment of the Republic Commando series. There is not much action in this book but Traviss goes to work in the drama department. We learn more about Omega squad and the other Clone Commandos and Null ARC Troopers who Kal Skirata, the Mandalarian who Jango Fett had hired to train several units of the Clone Commandos, takes under his wing as his own sons. The story made me want to read more versus waiting on action scenes. I assumed that Traviss would begin the story close towards the end of the Clone Wars. Instead she starts about 18 months after the battle of Geonosis.

Traviss also throws in several interesting intelligence reports about how the war is being conducted. As the Null ARCs learn that the Separatists' droid production has been over exaggerated and that the war could be over if a series of strong pushes were conducted instead of spreading the Jedi and the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) thinly across the galaxy. Jedi General Arligan Zey, head of the Special Forces, makes note of this several times and notifies Master Mace Windu who in turn let's Supreme Chancellor Palpatine know what the intelligence on the ground is telling him. Like most wars, the Clones realize that it is the politicians who run the war. Doing the math, the Commandos and Skirata learn that the Clone Wars are being fought for entirely different reasons then everyone expects.

We also learn that the Republic has no plans to purchase new clones or take care of the ones they already have. When one of the members of Omega is put in a coma, they learn the shocking truth that any clones who are too hurt to return to the field are exterminated, Skirata decides to take matters into their own hands. Skirata has always wanted to reverse the aging process of the clone army. When he learns that Ko Sai, the Kaminoan chief geneticist, faked her death during the Battle of Kamino the chase is on. The Commandos also learn that Palpatine is also looking for Ko Sai for her secrets into the aging process. Add the Separatists and other companies who are involved in cloning and time is winding down.

Again, there is not much action but the story seems to be winding for a big spring. Traviss must have some great stuff in the works for all the Republic Commando fans. Again Traviss' expertise with all things military shines through. Her tweaking of the Mandalore culture is just the icing on the cake.

Political leaders and Sci Fi

I know I often complain about how in Sci-Fi several white writers somehow leave people of color out of the future. Movies are the most recognizable ways in which this is done. Look at joints such as The Minority Report (which Philip K. Dick's short story takes place in a different city). In this K. Dick remake, Washington D.C. was devoid of black folks. Or the the Star Wars OT where all we had was Lando Calrissian. I could go on and on. However, there are times when Sci Fi has its shining moments when it comes to people of color.

Take joints such as the latest incarnation of Battlestar Galactica. Admiral Adama is played by Edward James Olso. Even GL did his think using Temeura Morrison as Jango Fett and the template for clones. I knew Boba Fett was a brother!

What I notice, and maybe this is a bad thing, is that when there are people of color in Sci Fi they hold positions of power. Take the Matrix or movies such as “Bruce Almighty” and “Deep Impact.” Are we saying that only in fantasy worlds people of color can hold power?

So folks like Jared Ball or Barack Obama have no chance?

Well, I have learned that usually Sci-Fi movies, books, and other forms of media are brief glimpses into the future. They are written to keep humanity hopeful in an often bleak world. Then again, throughout the world, people of color hold positions of power. Most come from humble origins.

We are not invisible anymore.

We are so behind...

First up, Happy New year to all. 2007 was kind of a busy year for us. There are a few books we have not caught up to. We promise to get to them before the month is out.

One of course is the latest Karen Traviss Clone Commando joint, True Colors (Star Wars: Republic Commando). I am dying to read this piece. It should be on point. It takes place during the Clone Wars. It also answers a lot of questions.
The latest installment of the Legacy of the Force series was released in Nov of '07. It is entitled Fury (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force, Book 7). Billie Wheelz has read it (hint, brother, hint). Let's see what happens.

So we have a lot of catching up to do.

Thanks for the support.

Let's keep it great for '08

P.S. -- check some of the new links

MacGruder, What's the deal?

People really bug when I tell them that Boondocks started off as a comic strip. I usually have to show them the actual strips. Then again we Americans, no matter what stripe, have the attention spans of fleas. We also get a geography lesson when we go to war. So I honestly do not understand why I am tripping about it.

What attracted me to the strip way back 1999 was the numerous Star Wars references. I felt like I had finally come home. I had a comic strip that talked to me (other than the Source's Underground which they got rid of sometime in the mid 90s).

In one story arc, Huey Freeman expressed his disappointment in Episode I. His anger was manifested in this character who was a white, disgruntled Star Wars fan who dressed up like a Jedi. He asked Huey if he should kick GL's tail in public. Huey shrugged. Well the next thing you know, this guys is on TV. He was arrested for assaulting GL. Then he claims Huey told him to do it. It was priceless.

My question is why hasn't this story arc, or something to this effect, appeared on the cable show?

My first reaction is that anything SW will go over people's heads. Let's face it, the people that watch Boondocks will probably be the same crowd that watched Dave Chappelle. Money wise this is a good thing. But Chappelle even admitted that most of his fans did not get what he was talking about with it came to Race and politics. Let's be quite honest, the same thing is happening with Boondocks. Take the MLK episode for example. Macgruder and his writers were in no way trying to disrespect the Rev. Dr. MLK. They were asking what he would think of African Americans after all of their struggle.

Honestly, it just wouldn't sell. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the show but it comes no where near the political satire found in the comic strip. There are several story arcs found in the strip that I know won't make the cut onto Cartoon Network.

But can't a brother get one Star Wars ep?

Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Inferno

Inferno (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force, Book 6)
by Troy Denning

Book review by Dan Tres Omi

The kid gloves are off. Jacen Solo/Darth Caedeus has reached the point of no return. The Jedi are forced to make a decision that would change the face of the latest Galactic Civil War. Luke Skywalker has to make his move and Ben is the key to his sanity. Troy Denning's Inferno brings the pain as we near the climax of the Legacy of the Force miniseries.

Jacen/Caedeus has one final plan to crush the Correllian insurrection and the Confederate planets. It involves the cooperation of the Jedi Knights and the Hapes Consortium. Many planets have left the Galactic Alliance (GA). This has stretched the military forces of the GA thin. Yet Jacen/Caedeus feels that one strike will end it all. Using the force, Jacen/Caedeus finds no flaws in his end game. To ensure the cooperation of the Jedi Knights, he holds the Jedi Academy on Ossus hostage.

Of course, things do not go according to plan. Ben decides to take revenge on Jacen/Caedeus. Luke finally decides to take action against Jacen/Caedeu. This is something the Jedi have been itching to do. Jaina, Zekk, and Jagged Fel decide to free the hostages on Ossus. It is there that Jacen/Caedeus loses it. To make matters worse the Bothans get involved with the Wookies debating on whose side to take. Eventually, the Wookies side with the Jedi thanks in part to the intervention of Han and Leia.

Several characters meet their end. Finally, a confrontation between Luke and Jacen happens. Jacen is left with half a foot in the grave. Ben sees Jacen for who he is. At one point, Luke is thought to have been killed. Despite the heavy losses to the Fifth fleet, Jacen makes it back to Coruscant.

Overall, the plot went along very fast. Too many things happened at once. This makes sense. The previous books led up to this point in the story. Alema Rar is still alive and actually hunts down some Sith to get some answers from them. This adds another element to the story. However, I still find Alema Rar's character to be useless. I don't understand why she is still alive. If anything she creates more questions and problems then there needs to be.

Jacen/Caedeus was not as formidable as I assumed. If anything he is more of a nuisance. One would think that all the power that Jacen possesses that was discussed in the Dark Nest trilogy and the earlier Legacy of the Force novels would not allow people to get the drop on him but they do. I am not saying he should be as powerful as Palpatine was and he is not omnipotent but all this talk really makes me wonder. To be honest, Jacen comes off as a joke. My assumption was that he would beat Luke easily. Instead Luke seems to toy with him. Or is it that Luke has never had the opportunity to use his full Force powers. Then again, both Jacen and Luke come from the same bloodline.

I did expect another major character to die. Yet only quite a few minor characters were killed off. Killing one major character every thirty books is not realistic. Not everyone can escape death several times over (If Han and Leia do one more death defying escape on the Millenium Falcon, I swear I will slit my wrists). Denning however, pulls it off as things start to move fast.

The next book should be even better.

Star Wars Death Star

Death Star (Star Wars)
by Michael Reeves and Steve Perry

This book seemed to have popped up out of nowhere. The dates for the release kept changing. The heads at Lucas Films did release the advertisement for it. I walked into a local book store and spotted it hidden among the shelves. For those that spend some time in the Expanded Universe (EU), we learn in Episode II and in the Battlefront II video game that this weapon was in development even before the onset of the Clone Wars. Wilhuff Tarkin of Eriadu had Imperial military ambitions even before the rise of Palpatine in the Galactic Senate.

Both Michael Reeves and Steve Perry worked on the wonderful Star Wars Medstar duology which featured Uli, Bariss Offee, Den Dhur, I-5 and other fleshed out characters that gave life to the background of the Clone Wars. The events in this book begin a little over a year before the events in Episode IV. They end in the destruction of the firsts Death Star at Yavin 4. Perry and Reeves introduce new characters but also bring back characters that most Star Wars fans are familiar with.

Darth Vader and Wilhuff Tarkin who is newly given the title of Grand Moff are given several chapters on their own. Admiral Daala makes several appearances. We learn more about the relationship between Tarkin and Daala. Admiral Motti who everyone remembers for doubting the Force in Episode IV is given much more background then in the movie. Dr. Kornell “Uli” Divini of the Medstar duology also returns. His luck continues to deteriorate as the story unfolds. The readers are introduced to Seargent Nova Stihl, a prison guard who is also a martial artist, Celot Ratua Dil, a Zelosian thief who also has his share of bad luck, Lieutenant Commander Villian “Vil” Dance, an ace TIE fighter pilot, Teela Kaarz, an architech who chose to support the wrong political party and sentenced to life in prison, Master Chief Petty Officer Tenn Graneet, a career artillery gun men who dreams of being the Non Commissioned Officer who runs the big gun on the Death Star, and Memah Roothes, a Twi'lek cantina owner who gets a chance to manage a cantina on the Death Star.

Eventually and in some form, each person makes their way to the Death Star and cross paths. When the Death Star is fully operational and is used to commit several atrocities each person begins to question their roles in the process. Even Memah Roothes, who runs a cantina, sees her indirect role in the overall grind of the Imperial military. The characters make the story realistic.

After the first 2/3's of the book, we are thrown into the events in Episode IV. Vader attacks the Tantive IV over Tattooine, Princess Leis is brought on board the Death Star to be tortured, she is rescued, Obi Wan Kenobi fights Darth Vader, and the Death Star is destroyed. This time, we see the events through the eyes of the supporting cast. We see how the news of all these events are viewed by the crewmen and woman of the Death Star. This gives a different perspective from the view of the Imperial servicemen.

The only flaw is that the actual origin of the Death Star plans are still a mystery. It is only alluded that the original plans were put together by the Geonosians and improved upon by several architects, technicians, and scientists such as Qui Xux at the Maw Installation. Even Tarkin does not say how he encountered the plans. We know he became its number one advocate but other than that, it's origins are obscure.

The book is a must read. It adds depth to the entire Galactic Civil War and puts faces on the ground troops and pilots in the Imperial military. The assumption is that everyone in the Imperial military toed the party line. It was cool to encounter people who were force sensitive but had no clue that they were in such characters as Nova Stihl. We also learn about how Darth Vader was able to push out the memory of Padme Amidala. Vader still questions the Emperor's loyalty to him even after almost 20 years of service.

A few things...

I know I have been so behind on posting here. I have a book review coming up so stand by. Until then, here are a few jewels:

1. John Ridley -- if you don't know this brother, that's okay. He has a blog and a few dope gigs. He has a nice blog on NPR called Visible Man. He has a pretty dope comic series entitled the American way. Recently, old GL hired Ridley to write "Red Tails" the story of the Tuskeegee Airman. This is going to be so dope.

2. My brother from another mother, C'BS, has moved his dope sci fi blog over here. What you know about Blue Black Atlantis? Head over there, read, and comment. Also pass it along.

3. Also check out another comic book afcionado, Afro Nerd. he even had a podcast. big up

What they really think about Luke...

never thought about it like this...

Legacy of the Force: Sacrifice Book review

Sacrifice (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force, Book 5)

By Karen Traviss
Book Review by Dan Tres Omi

Omi's Note: WARNING! There are spoilers in here, read at your own risk.

After the disappointment of Traviss' Bloodlines, I was hesitant to pick this chapter up. However, I was compelled to because of two reasons: Jacen Solo was going to kill someone important in the Star Wars EU and he was going to choose his Sith name. However, Traviss did redeem herself. Don't get me wrong, Traviss is a great writer and she has taken the Mandalorians to another level and I can't think of anyone who could have done it.

In Sacrifice, Traviss emphasizes the political intrigue in the Star Wars Universe. Jacen Solo figures out a way to change laws through the bureaucracy without even lifting a finger. Jacen pretty much takes a few notes from Emperor Palpatine who slowly yet subtly changed several laws to gain more political power. Along with Admiral Cha Niathal, Solo continues to consolidate power, imprison political enemies, and acquire military resources. Soon, Solo and Admiral Niathal overthrow Cal Omas in a bloodless military coup. Solo and Niathal share the office of the Chief of State.

In the meantime, Boba Fett assumes his position as the Mandalorian head of state. With the advice of the most prominent Mandalorian clans, he recalls all Mandalorians to return and rebuild their planet. At the same time, Boba Fett does find a cure for his degenerative disease. He even goes on a hunt with his granddaughter, Mirta Gev. During the current crisis, Boba Fett decides to sell arms to the highest bidder but to keep the Mandalorians out of the conflict. Fett explains that if individual bounty hunters from the Mandalore can choose to take jobs but officially they will remain neutral despite the fact that they make some alliances with several species who have taken sides in the latest conflict.

Ironically, Luke Skywalker has no clue to what is going on. I would like to say that this is due to his naivety and his hope that Jacen would come to his senses. Ben Skywalker starts to slowly doubt Jacen's decisions and finally leaves his adolescence when he assassinates Gur Dejjen. Mara Jade Skywalker finally wakes up from her Jacen worship and decides to go after him after she learns that Lumiya is in cahoots with Jacen.

I enjoyed this book tremendously and actually wished it kept going and going. There was enough action in between the political sword play to keep the reader going. At this point of the saga, almost all of the characters are at the tipping point. Jacen Solo is ready to pounce on any of the Jedi even Ben Skywalker. The climatic battle between Mara and Jacen is worth the price of admission. The final scenes with Ben and his mother are touching and add much foreshadowing to the book's ending. Almost everyone realizes that they have to make some tough decisions in the days to come. Traviss really sets things up for the next author to take the baton.

My only beef is that I felt that Luke should have been killed. Alema Rar lives yet again. She remains such an anomaly and I pray that the writers finally tie her into the story. I feel that she is a character that should have remained in the Dark Nest trilogy. Killing Luke would have forced the Jedi's to take real action instead of waiting in the wings. Yet their inaction is reminiscent to what happened to the Jedi prior to the Clone Wars. Unlike Bloodlines, this chapter fits perfectly into the saga. There are several more surprises in these pages. It is clear that the endgame is near.

Making your own lightsaber

I know its been a minute. Our family just made a big move to a different state and I was gone for some training as a Sith Lord. But while I was away, the wife learned how to make a lightsaber. I will make her a Star Wars fan yet...

thanks to the folks at Instructables:



Here is the rest of it...

What If...

On Tuesday, August 14th, 2007 podcasting of Voice of the Republic, the guys discussed a question that asked: what if Anakin Skywalker allowed Mace Windu to kill Palpatine? It is a very good question. One that Billie Wheelz and I discussed several times. It's something he and I discuss over a few beers and a few hours.

As on Voice of the Republic (VOR), we will begin at the point where Mace Windu, Kit Fisto, Saesee Tin, and Agen Kolar head out to arrest Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. Master Windu commands Anakin to stay in the Jedi Council chambers. Fast forward and we find Mace Windu ready to strike Palpatine down while his fellow council members lie dead all around them. We all know what happens. This time, Master Windu kills Palpatine. Now let's assume that Anakin does nothing and walks away. What would happen?

Well, at that point Windu would fall to the dark side. Many of the Jedi, including Windu were teetering over the edge. Now he may not have fallen exactly at that point, but he would have taken the first step towards it. Remember, Yoda warned against this when Master Kidi Adi Mundi suggested ousting Palpatine during a council meeting.

Several Jedi left the order because they felt that the Jedi Council's stance on supporting a corrupt Senate was going against the tenets of the Jedi. If one read the books and comics of the EU, one will find many Jedi claiming that the dark side was now everywhere. While watching the movie, one gets the idea that things are not the same. That like Gil Scott Heron suggested, the winter is here.

In our scenario, Anakin would not need to make any moves. There will be some Jedi who would think that Master Windu's move was unforgivable and call for his removal from the Council. With three other members of the council dead, new members would be needed. This would cause a split in the Jedi Order. There will be those who will take sides with Mace Windu and those who would not.

We must keep in mind that with Palpatine dead, the Separatists would not know what to do. Their leaders all wiped out, some would consider surrender while others would continue to fight. In the Senate, there will be internal squabbling over who would become the Supreme Chancellor. It is easy to figure out who would be on which. The List of 2000, who signed the petition asking Palpatine to resign several of his executive powers, would be considered the peaceniks. They would sue for peace with the Separatists to sit at the negotiating table. There would be several Senators who would not fall for this. This would bring the Republic into further strife with new systems going to the Separatists and several doing their own thing. Now add the Jedi into the mix. There will be several of them caught up in the political confusion and end up fighting the people they were sent to defend. Now the clone troopers would become occupational forces throughout the galaxy. Mace Windu and his Jedi co-horts would have to either take over or dissolve the Senate.

Did I just mention the clones? Remember that they have pledged allegiance to the Republic and the office of the Supreme Chancellor. Palpatine represented the Republic. So in a sense, Order 66 would still be sent out. So several clones would turn against their Jedi commanders. This time however, many of the Jedi would know what happened on Coruscant so many more will survive then if Palpatine made the order. As a matter of fact, we might find that some Clone commanders will continue to follow their Jedi leaders since the Jedi Council have taken over the office of the Supreme Chancellor.

In the middle of all this, we have Anakin Skywalker. His entire goal was to save Padme Amidala and his children. Whose side would he take? Well remember, he has always said that the Senate should be dissolved. That a strong man should be in charge and if no one liked it, they should be taking to the clink (Episode II). Yet his only chance to save his wife is now dead. Where would he get this knowledge? Well, as a member of the Jedi Council he can now pillage the Jedi holocrons in their library. He would have to be made master now since there is a shortage of masters on the council. There would also be Jedi who still feel that he is the One. At this point, they will assume that he should run the council since his militant approach to problems would be ideal in this era of strife.

So in closing, Anakin would still fall to the Dark Side. It would just take longer for him to get there.

You be the Judge (Youtube)....

big up to my folks on Voice of the Republic...

Dilemmas and Loyalties Part XIV

As Alef Ulo sped towards the Star Destroyer, he noticed several Republic fighters streaking from the capital ship. It was only a matter of time before the rest of the fleet over Boz Pity would be alerted. He continued on his course. He flew as close to the Star Destroyer as he could. It would keep some of the turbo laser batteries from firing at him.

As he crossed the centerline of the capital ship, he changed his direction and dove towards the battered Separatist Fleet. The Repuiblic fighters followed him. No batteries opened up. Ulo trusted in the Force. In that Separatist Fleet he knew he could find spacecraft with hyperspace capabilities. On his panel, he realized that the Coruscant Dawn was also in pursuit. He thought of the clone commandos on board. Everything seemed so heavy. Everything seemed clouded. Surely, the Sith were behind this.

Ulo had to get to the bottom of this all.

Dilemmas and Loyalties Part XIII

Alef Ulo's heart beat accelerated as he pulled out of the docking bay. He could not think of what to do so he allowed the force to guide him. He understood that the V Wing had no hyperdrive capabilities. The V Wing was not the fastest ship in the Republic fleet. If he was pursued, he could get caught. Yet getting to Coruscant was the key to all this. He looked at his scanners to find that Coruscant Dawn was in hot pursuit. He was already being targeted. The gunship will take him out quickly. He was still unfamiliar with the controls of the V Wing. He rarely flew his Jedi starfighter.

He decided to circle back towards the Venator class Star Destroyer. He zipped past the Coruscant Dawn. It continued to track him but did not fire. Obviously taking a shot at Ulo's V Wing could hit something else. He continued to head towards the star destroyer. He has never been this close to one. It was bigger than most capital ships he has seen.

He headed straight forward and noticed something a few kilometers away. It was a fleet of lifeless Confederate starships. That was where the Force was leading him. He continued on his trajectory and waited on his chance.

On the Dawn, Commander Len knew he was in trouble. Ulo has him in a predicament. He decided to contact the Majestic for assistance. He had to capture this Jedi. He knew that anyone else would try to kill him.

Some treats

been a minute... a big move to Ohio

On Movies

I know this is old news. It's been on several of the podcasts that are SW centered. Skymovies did a survey and learned that the most watched films by men is the Star Wars trilogy. Get this: the second most watched films by women are the SW trilogy. That blew me away. What is worse is that it was beaten by Dirty Dancing. Go figure.

What bugs me out is that despite all of this, we SW fans are still treated like geeks. Like we are some nerds who don't get any booty (you know I break that stereotype completely)

more on this later...

an old school banger:



finally check out star wars mash ups... pretty cool stuff.

Dilemmas and Loyalties Part XII

All hands were called to form a perimeter around the LAAT/i. Some of the clone pilots and general staff hid behind parts, boxes, and other aircraft. Commander Len positioned himself behind the phalanx of clone troopers. He removed his side arm from its holster. He never realized he would be using it on a Jedi. He did not need any voice enhancements to allow his voice to travel through the small bay. He hoped that Alef Ulo would just surrender to avoid any further bloodshed.

“This is Commander Len, Jedi Alef Ulo. You are to surrender your lightsaber to be escorted to your quarters. You will be returned to Coruscant for detention. These are direct orders from the Emperor himself. If you refuse, we will shoot to kill.”

He waited. There was no answer. The clone troopers who were sent to retrieve the commandos and the Jedi slowly walked out with no weapons. Then the LAAT/i began powering up. The phalanx of clone troopers instinctively headed towards the aircraft with their weapons drawn. Two clone pilots approached the unarmed clone troopers gesturing them to remove their helmets.

Commander Len heard another noise in the hangar bay. It was another ship. He looked around to find some of the staff firing their rifles in the direction of where the V Wing was stationed. He yelled out to the other clone troopers but realized that he could not be heard through the noise. Yet they realized that the Jedi was not in the LAAT/i. Immediately they ran in the direction of the V Wing. Len followed and noticed that some of the blasters were “yanked” from the hands of his staff and troopers. He arrived in the vicinity to find Alef Ulo sitting in the cockpit of the V Wing. He also noticed a clone trooper slumped on the ground. He shook his head. The vehicle was being prepped by the now unconscious trooper. The Jedi would be getting away.

Commander Len reached for his comlink.

“Make sure that the bay doors are locked!” He repeated over and over.

He watched in horror as they opened and the V Wing shot out of the bay. As quickly as the bay became loud, it was just as quickly quiet.

“Battle stations!” Commander Len barked. He reached for his comlink again. “Follow that V Wing and train all batteries on it. Shoot him out of space!”

Commander Len realized he would regret that order later on.

Darth Bane and the a different view of the Sith

Omi's Note: This is a side bar to the Darth Bane review that I posted last week. The book as well as other's such as Star Wars: Traitor, give a different view of the dark side. I must point out that Billie Wheelz and I hold Vergere's view of the Unifying Force. That view is that there is no dark or light side of the force. There is just the force. People can be self centered or selfless in their approach to it. If one reads Traitor they will understand further. This book demonstrates Jacen Solo's approach to the force that set him apart from the other Jedi.

Growing up, we are given stories of good and evil. Even our religions are masked with concepts of people being either good or evil. Some are considered naïve and just fall into a category that is easiest. As we get older however, we realize that the lines are blurred. Of course you have people who are just evil but then there are people who are either victims of circumstance or have a noble idea that goes wrong somewhere. There is a saying: “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

Take Darth Bane. He realizes that the Force will redeem him. It will provide a better life for him then living as a miner on a backwater planet. Unfortunately for him, Bane lived a harsh life. His understanding of the universe and the Force was shaped by this. He felt that pain, passion, and self centered ideology were the key to power. His fellow Sith however looked at the force differently. Yes, they were the enemies of the Jedi but they felt that the Jedi were corrupt. The Sith of his time (which is 1,000 years before the Battle of Yavin or BBY), saw the the Republic was also corrupt and only cared about certain people. They wanted to shape the galaxy in their own image. They stopped their infighting and decided to unite to bring the galaxy together. Although they were totalitarian in their approach, their idea was to create a galaxy that worked.

It is Bane's approach however that triumphs and eventually destroys the Jedi. Although this takes over 1,000 years to work and only allowed Palpatine another 20 years of power it was successful in uniting the galaxy and fixing several of the political problems therein. Of course there were flaws such as the Xenophobia exhibited by Palpatine and his co horts, but things went smooth. Yet 135 ABY (After the Battle of Yavin), we see the Republic broken again, the Sith are running things and the Jedi are on the run. I skipped the Yuuzhan Vong War and the Correllian insurrection but we will go over those later.

This time the Sith are many instead of the rule of two. Their approach is much like that of the Sith in Bane's time. They united to bring the Sith to power and the galaxy under control. I am not saying the Sith are good but it brings many political ideas to question.

Take for example, modern dictatorships. Look at the Former Soviet Union. Yes it was rife with bureaucracy and supply issues that caused long lines for basic foodstuffs, but there was little crime and the government took care of health needs and the like. Now it has reverted back to Russia and it is rife with economic and social problems. Here we see the debate between democracy and a totalitarian government. I think the Star Wars EU covers those parallels.

What makes the Sith intriguing is that many of them want to do good. Many of them want to fix problems. At times, the Jedi want to do the same thing and also go about it the wrong way. During the Old Republic, the Jedi often became elitist in their ways and actions. The Mandolarians had issues with the Jedi who they felt meddled in affairs that they had no business being in (sort of like the Iraqi's). It is because of the Jedi that the Mandolarians are a stateless society. We learn as we get older that things are not as evil as they seem and some things that seem good are not all the way good. Catch my drift?

Again this is just something to think about. It makes one look at the EU differently.

Path of Destruction: A Novel of the Old Republic (Star Wars: Darth Bane)

Book Review by Dan Tres OMI:
Path of Destruction: A Novel of the Old Republic (Star Wars: Darth Bane)
written by Drew Karpyshyn

For those of you who are readers of the Dark Horse (DH) comics, one will be familiar with Darth Bane. When fans get to the movies, the assumption is that the Sith have always been a two man show. One would be the master who embodied the power of the Dark Side and the other would be the apprentice who would crave the power. There was a time when there were several Lords of the Sith and there were many Sith academies throughout the galaxy. Each time, the Jedi were able to defeat the Sith because quite frankly the Sith would succumb to infighting. They were to envious of one another. They would spend too much energy fighting themselves then they would the Jedi.

Over one thousand years before the Battle of Yavin, the Sith have taken over a great portion of the galaxy. They have the Republic and the Jedi on the run. The Sith was finally united under Lord Kaan. It was through his leadership that enabled the Sith to gain the upper hand. Things look grim for the Jedi as more and more worlds fall the Sith. The Sith take advantage of the crumbling Republic by convincing more and more worlds to join their cause.

Enter “Des,” a miner on the backwater world of Apatros. He lost his mother at a young age and is abused by his father and other fellow miners. His father gives him the name “Bane” because he felt that his only son has brought him nothing but misfortune. Des never knew he was a Force adept. He just followed that “instinct” that helped him through fights and sabacc games. After a series of altercations, Des is forced to finally leave Apatros and join the Sith cause. In several battles, Des proves himself to be a tough and reliable foot soldier. He is promoted to a sergeant and is soon leading the charge. After refusing to lead his troops into a suicide mission, Des physically removes his commanding officer and changes their plans. His mission is a success after Des preforms several superhuman feats. It was through his action that the Sith Lords take note. He is arrested under the orders of Lord Kopecz and sent to the Sith Academy on Korriban. Des finally accepts the name Bane as he begins his apprenticeship in the ways of the Sith.

The book is superbly written. The perspective is that of the Sith so the Jedi are bathed in a negative light. Despite his insistence on hurting others and his hunger for power, one can help but to root for Darth Bane. He betrays everyone that even attempted to help him. Karpyshyn walks the reader through Bane's miserable life. Even after so many setbacks, Bane refuses to give up and finally realizes the solution to the Sith problem. Karpyshyn drops subtle hints throughout the book but the reader only comes to the conclusion towards the end.

The book focuses on the dark side of the Force. This is rarely done at all. Even when we see Jacen Solo start down this path, the authors tend not to focus on the subtleties of the dark side. Karpyshyn fills the reader in. He makes the reader feel sorry for Bane. If he was born on another world, things may have been different. He may have become a powerful Jedi. Bane does go on a path of destruction.

Despite the fact that Bane is physically imposing and powerful, he learns that it is not physical strength that will help the Sith win the day but it is their treachery, patience, and cunning that will prevail. Once he learns this he sets his plan in motion to beat the Jedi. Yet Bane begins with the destruction of the Sith order.

There is one major flaw in the book. There is a mention of the Vaapad lightsaber style. If one checks the EU, one will learn that Mace Windu was the creator of this style of fighting. While Vaapad does force the user to hinge onto the dark side, only the most powerful Jedi can wield it. However, it is mentioned in an event that transpired over 900 years before the birth of Mace Windu. Also if one has read the DH comics, one will find much of the material to be all too familiar. The book is still worth reading because one learns how Darth Bane set the Sith up for destruction.

Special Guest blogger...

Omi's Note: We have always promised our readers guest bloggers. Well here it is. As a matter of fact, it's a she. She goes by the name of Geekgirl Elitist and is a part of our wonderful community of bloggers. Read and Enjoy...

My affair with Star Wars has been cultivated since 1979. I was too young to see the movie when it premiered in '77. Okay, I was only 6, and I only cared about the Jackson 5 or The Monkees. SciFi had later become my love when I watched late night episodes of The Twilight Zone.

My first encounter was with my best friend, Leslie. We were in the 6th grade in Sacred Heart School, in Vailsburg. She told me about galaxies far, far away and at that time, she was the ultimate Star Wars fan. I can still hear her now, going on and on about how our safety guard looked like a young Han Solo. She was so immersed, she even signed me up for the Kenner Star Wars fan club. I even still have my Princess Leia pencil around here somewhere. I can even remember the countless mornings we would end up late for school because of her showing me her latest Star Wars doll collection. There was a time when the Star Wars dolls were actually full size, instead of the tiny action figures being sold. Now that I think about it, she had some of the little ones too. I never told her, but, I took her Lando Calrissian for a week. My Black Barbie had to see the beautiful nubian that was Lando. Actually, Billie Dee was my first celebrity crush because of Lando Calrissian.

When I left Sacred Heart, I left Star Wars. So I thought. By the time I had seen the last movie, Return of the Jedi, I thought I was done with it. My interests became makeup and boys and Michael Jackson. The Star Wars trilogy had become the 3:00 movies on Sunday afternoons. My love faded.

1992. I had a boyfriend who believed deeply in the force. I thought he was nuts. We read the comics and during this time, we were a rap duo. I named myself Shug Ninx. He was a smuggler who ran with Salla Zend in the Star Wars graphic novels. We would build all night about how the force was real and how all we needed to do was tap into it. We would smoke and play Empire Strikes Back while listening to Diamond D and Digable Planets. He would speak softly in the background, trying to guide my combos to defeat Deathstar bosses. Sometimes, I think he really was a Jedi, well, in his mind. There was a beauty in his voice when he would speak of Yoda's teachings. It was as if he was there. But, then my reality set in. Instead of worrying about getting to the Hoth level in Nintendo, I needed to begin my adult life. Thus beginning my life as a techgirl. Again, my love for Star Wars faded.

Present. My love was restored. When I saw Episode One, my childhood had been restored. All the new technology showed me the things that I wished I had seen back in '79. Yoda had CGI. It was then I learned a new respect for him. I think I gasped loudly, embarassing my boyfriend, when Yoda unsheathed his light saber, and began to administer Count Dooku an asswhuppin'. I got to learn the truth about Darth, even though I knew the whole story. I even watched the Cartoon Network Clone Wars everytime it came on. Mad dudes got deaded when they called or came over. If Clone Wars was on, it was a platonic blockbuster night. If you weren't prepared to build about it after it ended, I showed you the door. Some dudes still don't understand why I told them to bounce.

In this geekgirl life I've tried to hide, I've collected a few things. I own a light saber, and a bronze Millenium falcon. What I haven't said was, yes, I carried my light saber to the premiere of Revenge of the Sith. My boys didn't believe I had one, but, I do.

For 3 decades of my life, Star Wars has been my cult classic. My personal sci-fi love.

The reason why I still look into the atmosphere trying to imagine galaxies, far, far away....

Treats

The New joints.

Some more treats:

1. The teaser trailer for the Clone wars animated series. The word is there will 100 episodes of this. GL does not have a home for this yet meaning no TV or cable network has stepped up. I am sure that once GL makes the big announcement, there will be a bidding war.

2. The winner in Atom Films Star Wars Fan Films... these folks did work...

3. Billy Dee Williams on an old episode of Scrubs...

Enjoy...