A New Dawn - Books and Novels (Canon)

Review | Key Characters & Locations | Summary | Talking Points | Discussion

A group of Jedi younglings are in the temple studying the communication system used to alert Jedi across the galaxy that something has happened and immediate return to the Jedi temple is required. A young Caleb Dume asks the instructor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, if the signal is only ever used to recall the Jedi or if it is possible to use it to send out other messages. Obi-Wan admits that while it hasn’t been done it would be possible if the unexpected were to happen.

THIS IS OBI-WAN KENOBI
REPUBLIC FORCES HAVE BEEN TURNED AGAINST THE JEDI
AVOID CORUSCANT, AVOID DETECTION
STAY STRONG
MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU

Main Characters

• Kanan Jarrus (male Human) - A freelance rogue, Kanan is the former Jedi padawan, roaming the outer rim doing risky jobs
• Hera Syndulla (female Twi’lek) - An agent provocateur, gifted in undercover missions, working with the Rebel Alliance
• Skelly (male Human) - An explosives expert and veteran of the Clone Wars, he now works the crystal mines on Cynda
• Zaluna Myder (female Sullustan) - A lifelong resident of Gorse and expert in surveillance.
• Count Vidian (male Cyborg) - An efficiency expert dispatched to Gorse to increase production in the crystal mines
• Rae Sloane (female Human) - Brevet Captain of the Imperial Star Destroyer Ultimatum, escorting Vidian in his mission

Secondary Characters

• Okadiah (male Human) - Mine crew leader, bar owner, friend and landlord to Kanan
• Hetto (male Human) - Member of the Imperial surveillance crew Myder’s Mynocks
• Gord (male Besalisk) - Security chief for the Moonglow refinery, husband to Lal
• Lal (female Besalisk) - Owner/operator of Moonglow refinery, wife to Gord
• Baron Danthe (male Human) - Industrialist under the service of Count Vidian

Key Locations

• Gorse - Closely orbiting its nearby star, Gorse was a rare example of a tidally locked planet. Gravitational forces of its star caused one side of the planet to permanently face its sun while the opposite side of the planet was stuck in perpetual darkness. As a result the hemisphere of Gorse that baked in constant daylight experienced temperatures hot enough to melt droids. Only the humid night side of the planet was habitable.
• Cynda - The moon closely orbiting Gorse, it maintained an elliptical orbit, often bringing it close enough to cause earthquakes on the planet below. The surface was described as “icy” looking with an interior comprised of Thorilide crystal caverns.
• Calcoraan Depot - A storage facility in orbit above the planet Calcoraan. Owned by the business magnate Count Vidian.
• Calcoraan - A planet described by early explorers as “a child’s snow globe filled with blood”

Key Resources

• Thorilide - A volatile crystal necessary to building laser cannons for first Republic and then later Imperial ships.
• Baradium - A high explosive, depending upon the composition can be made into varying strengths.

Review

When Disney bought the Star Wars franchise, one of the first things they did was to move the existing EU into the new category of legends, that is to say that while the stories exist they do not count as official cannon. After doing this, Disney announced their plans to make a new unified Star Wars universe, all comics, books, video games, movies, etc coming out would be part of one unified storyline.

A New Dawn is the first novel to come into this new Disney-verse. Written by John Jackson Miller, it is 383 pages and includes a foreword by Dave Filoni and an excerpt from the novel Tarkin. Released September 2, 2014 A New Dawn, is set eight (8) years after Revenge of the Sith, and six (6) years before Rebels, A New Dawn tells the story of how Hera and Kanan first met in the mid rim system of Gorse.

The title A New Dawn, serves a dual purpose in this case, representing both to readers that a new beginning has come to the Star Wars universe and within the universe it represents the beginning of the rebellion.

As the first entry into the adult novels, I believe that Disney missed the mark with this novel. While not the worst EU book ever written it does have a more simplified style of storytelling and stars a cast that is more appealing to younger fans. On the plus side, it does have many things for fans to enjoy: females in the Empire, a returning fan favorite species in the Besalisk (Dex, Pong Krell), and a true beginning for the crew of Rebels. While the book itself did not impress me overly much, it did leave me wanting to read stories detailing how Sabine, Zeb, and Chopper all join.

My final grade for this is 2 Holocrons out of 5. It did have interesting points, but in the end felt sadly like too many recycled ideas to really hit the mark for an exciting new book.

Character Reviews

Hera Syndulla – Throughout the story, Hera is shown to be well skilled in multiple areas including stealth, hand-to-hand combat, piloting, and infiltration. It is never explained where she received the training in these areas, or how she became so proficient in them despite her relatively young age. Given her mission of intelligence gathering on Imperial surveillance techniques, her lack of computer skills is a huge flaw, requiring her to put the mission in greater danger by seeking someone else to handle those duties. She is overly impatient and headstrong, not given to accepting help easily. Character Grade B

Kanan Jarrus – The former Jedi padawan, Kanan, begins the story trying so hard to convince everyone else that he is just a rogue. His personal musings show him to be a self-styled ladies man, risk taker, alcoholic, street fighter, and general chancer. As the story progresses though his loyalty to his friends does bring out a much more selfless side to him allowing him to truly take the lead of the group and regain part of his Jedi heritage. Character Grade C+

Skelly – A paranoid war veteran and explosives expert, Skelly, suffers from what many would call PTSD. Unfortunately, the way Skelly is portrayed leaves much to be desired. Rather than being impressed with his passion, many find him contemptible and delusional. (While reading I personally found him annoying and kept wishing for him to go away.) Very gifted with explosives, (dangerous for a delusional person) Skelly is successful is destroying two Imperial shuttles with homemade explosives. Competent in what he knows, Skelly is a hindrance in almost every other area. Character Grade D

Zaluna Mynder – As a lifelong resident of Gorse, Zaluna, makes her living by spying on everything. Her years of experience have given her a great wealth of knowledge in computer and surveillance systems and how to counteract them. Sadly she goes mostly unused until the final third of the book when her skills play a necessary part in saving the day. Character Grade B-

Rae Sloane – As a newly minted Captain, Rae Sloane, makes for an interesting if controversial character. Shown in the beginning to be greatly limited by her own inexperience she caters to every demand made of her by Count Vidian, accepting her verbal barbs without comment. By the end she is shown to be able to make her own decisions, however rewarding her with a Star Destroyer to command seems unrealistic for her abilities. Character Grade C-

Count Vidian – The Empire’s expert in manufacturing, Vidian, is a self made Cyborg emphasizing his personal motto of tearing down what is ineffective to build a new system. Cold and callous in the extreme, he shows that he will use any and all possible options to advance his own career and achieve his objectives. Highly intelligent and cunning, but over confident in his abilities, he makes for an interesting antagonist. Character Grade B

Story Summary

Chapter 1: The Star Destroyer Ultimatum enters the Gorse system and collides with a freighter hauling Thorilide crystals. Ultimatum has arrived escorting the Count Vidian, whose purpose is to increase speed and production capabilities to better serve the Imperial war machine. In a demonstration of his brutal policies, he orders the destruction of the freighter that collided with them, rather than allows it to be out of service for repairs. Hera Syndulla sits in her stealth ship observing the chaos created by the arrival of the Star Destroyer, and decides to learn more about Count Vidian.

Chapter 2: When the space lanes are thrown into chaos between Gorse and its moon Cynda, freighter pilot Kanan Jarrus quickly tests the Imperial’s tolerance by refusing to comply with new demands. Responding to Imperial hails with flirtation and bravado, he comes to the decision that with the Empire having arrived it is time to leave Gorse. In a rush to offload his cargo he makes a risky landing on Cynda

Chapter 3: Unable to find droids to unload his cargo, Kanan simply begins to do it himself. In the process he runs into Skelly, who once again tries to convince anyone that the mining on Cynda must stop or else risk the destruction of the moon itself. In annoyance and hostility Kanan shoves Skelly off.

Chapter 4: The Imperials have ordered increased surveillance and security measures be put into place, thus forcing Zaluna Mynder and her coworkers into a more strict policing process for the citizens of Gorse. One of her coworkers, Hetto, makes a comment about how the new security measures are overly restrictive and offensive. Zaluna quickly shuts him up.

Chapter 5: Count Vidian begins a tour of the mines while Hera surreptitiously watches from a distance, as she attempts to get closer she encounters a stormtrooper and is forced to kill him.

Chapter 6: Skelly’s background in the Clone Wars is explained as he muses to himself. Upon learning that Vidian is on the moon Skelly makes plans to present Vidian with all the data he has about mining on the moon. Before he gets the chance, stormtroopers arrive with orders to arrest Skelly for seditious comments. Skelly runs from the stormtroopers determined to make himself heard one way or another.

Chapter 7: Vidian continues his inspection tour, removing several miners from the job. When he goes to remove Okadiah, Kanan, interposes himself into the situation. Choosing to defend his friend and explain how Okadiah leads a mine crew for the Moonglow refinery (which has the highest efficiency of all the crews), he warrants a brief closer look from Vidian. Hera is impressed, but reminds herself that she is not here to recruit but has another mission she must fulfill.

Chapter 8: While delivering explosives to a mine crew, Kanan spots a bomb that someone has already planted and it is about to detonate. Drawing on the force, Kanan manages to save the mining crew from harm while keeping his abilities secret. The explosion triggers a massive collapse in the tunnels endangering Vidian and forcing the Empire to secure the moon from the mysterious saboteur.

Chapter 9: Returning to his ship, Kanan departs Cynda before the Empire can lock down the hangar. Once on his ship Kanan discovers that Skelly has snuck aboard in an effort to avoid being arrested.

Chapter 10: Skelly swears the bomb was not to harm anyone but rather to serve as an example of what continued mining would do to the moon. In disgust Kanan binds Skelly. Hera, back aboard her ship, decides that it might be worth finding Skelly to see what he knows.

Chapter 11: Kanan hands Skelly over to security chief Gord of the Moonglow refinery. En route back to Ultimatum, Vidian muses to himself about the act of sabotage on the moon. During his musing he remembers what Kanan said about Moonglow. However, before he can do anything else he is interrupted by a call from Coruscant. His underling Baron Danthe is informing him that production quotas have been massively raised.

Chapter 12: Zaluna’s observation center has been taken over by stormtroopers; they have come to arrest one of the crew for sedition. Hetto has been captured on surveillance speaking with “questionable” persons and is charged with sedition. As Zaluna attempts to protest, Hetto quickly gives her information about a hidden data chip and a rendezvous he was supposed to make, asking her to go in his place. Hera makes plans to speak with Skelly.

Chapter 13: Kanan sits eating in a dinner, trying to convince himself why he is better off on his own. A gang of street thugs appear at the door to threaten Kanan before being driven off.

Chapter 14: Lal holds a holocall with Vidian, informing him that they have captured the saboteur from the moon. Vidian informs them that first thing in the morning he will be arriving to inspect the refinery operations. As a disturbance occurs outside, Hera sneaks in and frees Skelly, promising to find him later.

Chapter 15: The street gang has stolen a transport from the refinery, as they return to Hera for their pay they threaten her. Kanan steps in and fighting side by side they drive off the gang.

Chapter 16: Captain Sloane and her executive officer discuss the various orders Vidian has issued in her authority and the potential repercussions and rewards. Skelly has arrived at a former bomb shelter where he keeps all his research. Hera arrives shortly after him.

Chapter 17: After tricking Skelly about her identity, Hera gets him to explain what he knows about the potential for the destruction of the moon from mining. Believing she has made a mistake Hera goes to her scheduled rendezvous: the cantina run by Okadiah.

Chapter 18: Zaluna finds the data chip and rendezvous information, believing Hera is someone from a competing surveillance agency. Scared to go but feeling she owes it to Hetto, she heads to the cantina.

Chapter 19: Kanan arrives at the cantina and begins to work behind the bar just as Zaluna comes in. Zaluna comes in and goes behind the bar, under the top to disable the surveillance in the cantina. Coming back out from under the bar, Zaluna tells Kanan she is there to meet someone but isn’t sure who. Just then Hera enters.

Chapter 20: Kanan sets Hera and Zaluna up at a private table near the back. Hera was supposed to meet Hetto to gain information about surveillance procedures and how to avoid them. Zaluna hands her the data chip, and Hera opens it just long enough to verify that the information on it is the surveillance data she was hoping for. Skelly then barges in.

Chapter 21: Back and forth arguing ensues between Kanan and Skelly over the bombing on the moon. Zaluna is growing more nervous and takes the data chip back from Hera. After a couple minutes a group of stormtroopers enter the building. Llooking up they realize that Zaluna has disappeared.

Chapter 22: The stormtroopers are searching for both a spy and the pilot (Kanan) that transported the bomber (Skelly) down from the moon. Thinking and acting quickly, Hera and Kanan manage to trick the stormtroopers into leaving. Once the troopers leave, Hera talks over her plan with Kanan: to sneak into Moonglow and search the personal records for information about Vidian.

Chapter 23: Captain Sloane has traveled down to Gorse with Count Vidian. En route to the Moonglow facility they detour to another part of the city to observe a medcenter being imploded on orders of Count Vidian. The Imperials land at Moonglow moments before a hoverbus, driven by Kanan, arrives loaded with a new shift of workers (and Hera). Once inside the stormtrooper perimeter, Kanan gives Hera his ID badge to use as she sneaks off for her mission. Skelly attempts to sneak onto the property by sewer tunnels.

Chapter 24: During the inspection tour, escorted by Lal, Gord is notified of a person sneaking around the personnel department. Vidian dispatches his stormtrooper guard to accompany Gord. Skelly appears from behind some machinery and walks up to Vidian, determined to be a whistleblower about the mining on Cynda. Vidian responds by claiming the Empire will do what it chooses and attacks Skelly. Captain Sloane returns to report on the search for the intruder, and spotting the fight calls the stormtroopers to return. The return of the Captain distracts Vidian and provides a moment for Skelly to escape. However in his hurry he drops his data chip for Vidian to find. Sloane returns to her search and finds Kanan trying to get into the factory.

Chapter 25: Vidian is irate, as Skelly has managed to escape again. Hhe is fuming to himself as the tour continues into a chamber filled with vats of acid used for dissolving the crystals. A call comes from Coruscant, and Vidian has it patched into his personal systems. Baron Danthe is calling to inform Vidian that the Emperor has now tripled the original quota of Thorilide. In an intense rage, Vidian shoves Lal into an acid bath, using a pole to shove her out into the middle, urging her to die and dissolve faster so the pool can be used for Thorilide again. Hera hears screaming and arrives in time to witness the death of Lal. Gord comes running and arrives in time to see her final seconds.

Chapter 26: Hera just manages to stop Gord from jumping into the acid after his wife, telling him it was Vidian who killed her. Vidian is now convinced that the inspection is a waste of time and that there is no way to meet the new quota. In desperation he considers the information on Skelly’s data card. Sloane is questioning Kanan about his access to the facility when Hera returns with his ID badge. Growing increasing frustrated with both of them, Sloane is about to order that they be arrested when she receives a call from Vidian ordering a return to Ultimatum. Following the Imperials back outside, Kanan spots an open sewer grate underneath the Imperial shuttle just before the ship blows up. In the aftermath, Kanan sees Skelly mount an Imperial speederbike and take off.

Chapter 27: On the ground the Imperials are battered, but still moving. Gord comes outside to confront Vidian for killing his wife Lal. The stormtroopers restrain and beat Gord leaving him to crawl away as they board the hoverbus and make for the Imperial garrison. Commandeering a cab, Hera and Kanan deactivate the pilot droid and give chase to the Imperials. While Skelly is on a speederbike, he injects himself with painkillers, vowing to kill Vidian.

Chapter 28: At the spaceport, Vidian informs Sloane of his change in plans while awaiting a shuttle to carry them back to Ultimatum. Informed by Sloane that the ship carries enough explosives to test the theories, Vidian orders full preparation. As they reach the base, Hera informs Kanan that Skelly has changed. Kanan ignores her words more focused on retrieving the hoverbus and making an escape. The shuttle arrives and lands. Suddenly the Imperials are all running away and Kanan looks in time to see something thrown at the shuttle. He Ducks for cover as a second shuttle is now blown up. Running for the bus Kanan and Hera run into Skelly also trying to escape. Stormtroopers surround the group.

Chapter 29: Surrounded and caught in the open, the group is in trouble until a voice calls out for Vidian to surrender to arrest. Gord has arrived carrying a blaster in each of his four arms. Vidian gives the order to kill Gord, but before the trooper can open fire Gord begins peppering them with blasterfire. Seeking shelter, Kanan and Hera hide behind a shuttle wing before noticing that the hoverbus is moving. Acting quickly, they are able to board and find Skelly at the controls, trying to escape. In his control Skelly nearly runs Gord over with the bus, before Hera is able to wrench control away and aim the bus out over the walls of the base as Gord falls to blasterfire. Vidian reprimands Sloane for her failures, even as she comms Ultimatum to send down TIE Fighters and an additional shuttle.

Chapter 30: Hera guides the bus onto the interstate, followed closely by three Imperial Troop Transports. Skelly is half insane throwing small homemade bombs at the transports. Taking the bag of bombs from him Kanan throws one and manages to temporarily block the transports. Just as they get clear, TIE fighters begin to strafe the bus. Trying to track the dodging and swerving bus, one TIE veers into various cables between buildings and goes down. Turning the bus around, Hera heads back toward the transports. Just as the hoverbus looks to hit the crashed transports, Hera engages the repulsor and lifts the bus up and over them. Swerving to avoid a collision with the bus, the remaining TIE crashes into a smokestack.

Chapter 31: Trying to find a place to hide, Kanan tells Hera about the junkyard where the bus was originally found. Taking the bus back and leaving it with other scrap, Kanan and Hera start yelling at each other and Skelly when the door opens to the bus fresher and out falls Zaluna. Zaluna tells the others she had been hiding there since stormtroopers walked into the bar. Plotting their next move, Hera asks Kanan to hide them all at the bar. A new shuttle arrives to take Captain Sloane and Count Vidian back to Ultimatum.

Chapter 32: The group arrives back at the bar, Kanan hiding the others in a storage loft before going into the main building for some supplies. Encountering Okadiah there, Kanan finds out that stormtroopers were watching the spaceport and searching for them. Going back upstairs, he interrupts Hera lecturing Skelly as she nearly slips up revealing how to operate a rebellion. Zaluna interrupts them with intelligence about what she heard from the Imperials while on the bus, playing a recording for the group stating that the Imperials are going to blow up the moon.

Chapter 33: The crew debates if Vidian is actually desperate enough to blow the moon. Up on Ultimatum, the science team confirms Skelly’s theories and that blowing up the moon is possible. Plans are made to test the theory and make sure that enough Thorilide would survive the explosion to make it viable. Bets are taken among the Imperial crew as to the damage it could cause the planet. Hera begins to consider Kanan as a possible recruit to the rebellion.

Chapter 34: The group is sneaking around in the dark disguised as cultists reaching the graveyard they speak once more before beginning to part ways. As Kanan starts walking away the sky lights up as though dawn has come, looking up Kanan sees that there has been a massive explosion on the moon. Hera, Zaluna, and Skelly stand in disbelief at the sight trying to figure out what to do when a ship arrives overhead. Kanan is in the freighter to pick them up.

Chapter 35: Reaching space, Kanan hands the controls over to Hera, as they near the moon they can see that the blast was performed to funnel everything outward rather than to fall back to the moon. Reaching Cynda they find that while the containment field still works power has gone out. Putting on environment suits Kanan and Hera head out into the tunnels. Finding several miners dead, Kanan starts to worry and moves faster until he finds Okadiah. Okadiah is grievously injured but lives long enough to inform them that stormtroopers had come through and set their own charges.

Chapter 36: Vidian celebrates as he shows Sloane the results of their test, claiming to be able to harvest enough Thorilide to match 2000 years worth in conventional mining. He orders all empty ships in orbit to depart for Calcoraan Depot. Vidian heads back to his chambers to send his report to the Emperor, after telling Sloane what the rewards could be for helping him achieve their plan. Back on the freighter, the crew hears Vidian giving the order to go to Calcoraan, and then Captain Sloane ordering all traffic in system grounded, leaving a squadron of TIEs to enforce it. Anger and disgust overwhelm the crew and they vote to head to Calcoraan to try and stop Vidian.

Chapter 37: At Calcoraan Depot, Sloane is amazed by the structure before her. A massive space station designed by Count Vidian to serve as his main base and supply depot. In space around the depot is a unique, one of a kind harvester ship, capable of flying into debris clouds to gather and process minerals. Baron Danthe contacts Sloane seeking information on Cynda and details on the Count’s plans.

Chapter 38: Arriving at Calcoraan, the crew discovers the Empire has nationalized the mining of Gorse, and the explosion has been deemed an act of nature. The crew is ordered to land on the station and pick up a cargo of Baradium. Hera tells the others to load the cargo and wait for her to call; she plans to destroy the station.

Chapter 39: Disagreeing with Hera, the crew makes plans to send a fake report to the Emperor showing that it would be a waste to destroy the moon.

Chapter 40: Vidian provides a short tour of his Depot for Sloane while explaining the plan to destroy the moon. Once finished he sends her to supervise the explosives being loaded. At the cargo bay Kanan creates a distraction with the loading droids providing the crew an excuse to leave the docking bay.

Chapter 41: The crew sneaks around the depot, seeking to find Vidian’s office so that they can use his codes to send their false report. Skelly is beginning to show serious signs of injury from his beating at the hands of Vidian.

Chapter 42: Count Vidian is in his office reviewing his memory files and plans. It is now revealed that in a former life he was a safety inspector, Lemuel Tharsa, who nearly died on Gorse, but lived and remade himself as the Cyborg Count Vidian. He then worked his way into political circles, making a new life for himself by reinventing industries and gaining favor with Emperor Palpatine. His reminiscing comes to an end when both Hera and Kanan enter his office.

Chapter 43: Vidian, Hera, and Kanan all engage in a brief fight, before Kanan and Hera are imprisoned in stasis fields. Planning to interrogate the pair, Vidian summons his personal interrogator droid. The droid enters and hovers close to Vidian before turning and injecting him with a combination paralytic and sedative. Skelly and Zaluna enter the room; in her hands is a remote control for the interrogator droid. With Vidian unconscious, they search the office before realizing that all of the files and information they need are in Vidians cybernetic software.

Chapter 44: Zaluna hacks into Vidian, recovering the information that he used to be Lemuel Tharsa, and also discovering that the report he sent the Emperor was false. The real results show that the Thorilide would be near total loss after less than a year. They also find one file with high encryption that they are unable to slice.

Chapter 45: Back at the loading bays Captain Sloane is supervising the loaders when she is summoned to Count Vidians office. Reaching the office she finds the crew in the room having impersonated his voice with help from the droid. The crew captures her in a stasis field and Kanan tells her that he serves the Emperor directly and that he has vital information for her to get to the Emperor.

Chapter 46: The crew sneaks back to the freighter and departs the station heading back to Gorse. Still trapped in stasis, Captain Sloane manage to rouse Count Vidian, telling him one of intruders spoke to her. She reaffirms her duty to him. As thanks, Vidian arranges for Sloane to be made the permanent captain of Ultimatum.

Chapter 47: Traveling through hyperspace, Hera confronts Kanan about his reasons for coming along and helping. Later on the bridge Hera and Zaluna are speaking and Hera says that no one talks about the Jedi anymore. Zaluna admits that times were better when they did.

Chapter 48: Entering the Gorse system, the crew discovers that Ultimatum has beaten them back. TIE fighters are deployed to keep the cargo ships on strict flight paths. Off to the side of Ultimatum is Vidian’s harvester ship, Forager. Unable to send a warning about the Empire’s plans, Kanan comes up with a new plan to stop them.

Chapter 49: Broadcasting across all comm channels, Kanan, acting as though he has gone psychotic from the explosives, sends a warning that he is going to destroy every ship he sees, starting with the freighters. Hera pilots the ship towards pylons drilled into the moon. As they approach Kanan uses the ships one laser cannon to shoot at the tower disrupting the signals for the explosives. Captain Sloane orders all TIE fighters to attack. Kanan starts blasting TIEs and sending harassment fire at the other freighters forcing them to scatter.

Chapter 50: Continuing to blast TIEs, Kanan and Hera make plans to board Forager. Circling the ship, Hera spots one weakness and manages to sneak inside the shields. Count Vidian realizes that they have gotten inside and alerts all troopers on board to prepare to repel boarder.

Chapter 51: The crew has boarded Forager. Before leaving the freighter Kanan takes a moment to grab his lightsaber. Skelly wants to brings his bag of bombs but is refused and is initially told to stay with the ship due to his injuries but tells the others he will bring up the rear. Sneaking around Forager on raised platforms and catwalks the crew comes under sudden fire. Skelly falls out of sight and Hera immediately believes him lost. Hera and Kanan split up, Kanan taking Zaluna with him, trying to get her to the ships command core. Captain Sloane receives a priority message from the Emperor himself.

Chapter 52: Battling their way to the command center, Kanan stays outside at the door as guard, sending Zaluna inside alone. She reaches the communication console unscathed only to then be attacked by Vidian. Kanan hears Zaluna being thrown physically across the room and rushes in to help her. Hera still a distance away grabs a piece of equipment and starts driving it towards the command center.

Chapter 53: Sloane had walked into a trap but she didn’t know who’s. The intruder had told her all the information about Vidian, his former life, the fake report, and his plans. Unsure, she had contacted Baron Danthe and the information was proven correct. She arrives back on the bridge just in time to rescind detonation control from Forager. “Sloane clenched her fist. And all stormtroopers aboard the Forager, in the name of the Emperor, Arrest Count Vidian.”

Chapter 54: Vidian, disputed the claims, insisting Sloane is a fool who has been tricked by Gorse partisan. Enraged, he battles against Kanan. For his refusal to surrender, Ultimatum fires on Forager destroying her shields. Grabbing Zaluna and Hera, Kanan runs from Vidian seeking to escape the ship. As another blast rocks Forager, spilled chemicals blind Zaluna and Kanan is forced to reveal himself as a Jedi to save Hera from falling debris.

Chapter 55: Hera, Kanan, and Zaluna fly away in an escape pod, headed to the surface of Gorse. Vidian, wading through pools of acid and other chemicals, reached the freighter the crew arrived on. Waiting there is Skelly with his bag of explosives. Back on the escape pod, Hera and Kanan witness a bright explosion as Forager goes up. Through the Force, Kanan can sense that Skelly did it.

Chapter 56: Captain Sloane and her new patron Baron Danthe study the aftermath of the Gorse affair. Danthe is now in charge of mining Thorilide on Gorse. He has heat resistant droids capable of mining on the sunny side of the planet. By the Emperor’s decree Cynda is now a protected tourist site for Imperial elite. Hera and Kanan leave Zaluna on a new world quietly tending a garden.

Chapter 57: Kanan finally gets to see Hera’s ship, Ghost, and officially joins her as part of her crew, though he does not know she is already a part of the growing rebellion.

Points of Discussion

• Females filling multiple roles within the Empire
• Concepts from the Legends category making it into cannon (Emperor’s Hand)
• The unusual mix of character development, some overdone, some underdone
• The Empire destroying a planet years before the Death Star is operational

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