The Odyssey of Star Wars was released recently, retelling the original trilogy with epic poetry, and I almost missed it entirely. I picked it up spontaneously and was surprised by what a great read it was. Beyond the conceit of the book being well-executed and a blast to read, the level of detail really impressed me. There’s way more to go over than I would’ve expected, and a lot of it is really fun stuff. I doubt I got everything too, so feel free to tell me anything I missed.
- The opening of the book describes Vader chasing the Tantive through a number of different worlds as it flees Scarif for Tatooine, from bountiful Ukio to Roon to damp Kowak to Hypori to Iskalon to Vuzsa. All of those worlds are indeed on the route between Scarif and Tatooine as far as The Essential Atlas is concerned. The farming planet Ukio is from The Last Command, Roon is from the Droids cartoon, the tropical Kowak is home to the monkey-lizards, Hypori is from the Tartakovsky 2D Clone Wars show, Iskalon is from the classic Marvel comics, and Vuzsa is from Alliance Intelligence Reports.
- Tatooine’s moons are mentioned by name in Tatooine’s introduction. Ghomrassen and Guermessa are the two visible in A New Hope while Chenini was first seen in Attack of the Clones. All three are named after places in Tunisia and as far as I know got the names in Attack of the Clones tie-ins.
- Wroshyr wood from Kashyyyk is mentioned a couple times throughout the book and it’s been around since Heir to the Empire.
- The book ties the old notion that Jawa sandcrawlers are ancient mining vehicles in with the silicax ore found on Tatooine from Aftermath and The Mandalorian.
- When reflecting on Leia’s call for help, Obi-Wan recounts how Mace responded to a distress call to rescue a young Depa Billaba from pirates. This backstory comes from 1999 The Phantom Menace tie-ins, including the film’s Who’s Who pocket book.
- The introduction to Mos Eisley mentions how the planet is linked by hyperlanes with Arkanis, Ryloth, and Molavar (a planet from a Tales comic story). As detailed in The Essential Atlas, Tatooine shares the Triellus Trade Route with Arkanis and Molavar. Arkanis then connects to Ryloth along the Corellian Run.
- When explaining how he’s been across the galaxy, Han mentions how he’s been to places like Abregado-rae, Kal’shebbol, Bonadan, and “where th’ Imyni dwell.” Abregado-rae comes from the original Thrawn Trilogy, Kal’shebbol was a key setting in The DarkStryder Campaign, and the Imyni were first detailed in The Essential Atlas while their homeworld goes back to Adventure Journal. Bonadan was introduced in Han Solo’s Revenge, and you can probably guess the character who visited it there.
- There are plenty of Rebels references throughout the book, starting with Ahsoka’s fall at Malachor being mentioned as the last of Jedi Purge. Lothal and Loth-wolves are mentioned in a few analogies, as are Atollon and the Bendu. There’s also a reference to Maul having been trained on Malachor.
- The malia, “prey of the Ragoon,” are mentioned in a comparison during a battle. The malia and the Ragoon are from Jedi Apprentice: The Ties That Bind, which was set on the Ragoon world.
- The book is incredibly specific with its compositions of squadrons and fleets, all of them mostly accurate as far as I can tell, starting with covering the specific ships that escaped from Scarif: three of the original six corvettes, a single Nebulon-B, two transports, the Ghost, a single survivor of Blue Squadron, and the survivors of Red and Gold Squadrons. The book says Draven then led the corvettes, frigate, and Ghost away from Yavin to find new safe harbors, explaining why they weren’t present for the Death Star battle.
- The names of the two ISDs destroyed by the Hammerhead at Scarif, the Intimidator and the Persecutor, are mentioned. Those names came from ILM, who affectionately called the ships Timmy and Percy. The name of the Hammerhead itself, the Lightmaker, and its captain Oquoné were first given in the film’s novelization.
- Mon and Leia are shown to reunite on Yavin after Leia returns, only for Mon to entrust command to Dodonna and leave so the Rebellion’s leadership isn’t completely wiped out should they lose the battle. This was the premise of Mon’s story in From a Certain Point of View, “Contingency Plan.”
- Red Squadron’s composition is the same as it was in Jason Fry’s From a Certain Point of View story, “Duty Roster,” with some information from Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide and another From a Certain Point of View story, “Grounded,” mixed in:
- Red Leader, Garven Dreis of Virujansi
- Red Two, the young Wedge Antilles
- Red Three, Biggs Darklighter
- Red Four, Branon
- Red Five, Luke flying in Pedrin Gaul’s place after his death in Rogue One
- Red Six, Jek Porkins
- Red Seven, Harb Binli, an Eriaduan peer of Gaul’s
- Red Eight, Dinnes of the Tierfon Yellow Aces
- Red Nine, the Corellian Nozzo Naytaan
- Red Ten, Theron Nett
- Red Eleven, Ralo Surrel
- Red Twelve, Puck Naeco, double ace
- Green Squadron is said to add ten more X-wings to the battle. Their participation goes back to the original novelization of Star Wars and was mentioned in the From a Certain Point of View story “Sparks.” It also just makes sense considering there are only twelve Reds and you can see more X-wings approaching the battle in the film.
- The mentioned members of Gold Squadron include Evaan Verlaine, Lepira, and Woolcob. Lepira is visible in the briefing room and was given his name by the Customizable Card Game. Woolcob was mentioned in Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide and said to have flown at Yavin in “Grounded.” Evaan is a major recurring character originally from the Princess Leia miniseries who was established to be the lone surviving Y-wing in the film by Galactic Atlas. The book later identifies the surviving Y-Wing as Gold Three, which was Evaan’s designation in Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide.
- The TIEs that participate in Yavin are said to be Victor Squadron, while Vader’s wingmates are Victor Two and Three. I believe this is completely new information; older sources going back to Legends called it Black Squadron and said Vader’s wingmates were Black Two and Black Three, while Inferno Squad had Iden fly at the battle as Sigma Three. That said, the callsigns Victor Two and Three were mentioned in Battlefront.
- Probe droids are said to be dispatched across the galaxy to planets including Cophrigin (Tales), Sha Qarot (Heir to the Jedi), Dresscol (Gamemaster Kit), Jinet (Flashpoint! Brak Sector), Tibalt (The Freemaker Adventures), Bovo Yagen (The Corellian Trilogy), De’nel (Flashpoint! Brak Sector), Zandrax (Dawn of Defiance), Intran (Flashpoint! Brak Sector), Kemix (Living Force), and Udine (Adventure Journal). Almost all of those worlds were actually the sites of Rebel bases or activities at various points.
- Jhas is mentioned as Hoth’s neighbor; it’s a gas giant in the Hoth system first mentioned in an online Wizards of the Coast RPG supplement.
- Before moving to Hoth, Vader and Death Squadron are said to be at Qeimet in the Juris sector. The system was first mentioned in the Imperial Sourcebook before The Essential Atlas established it to be the setting of that scene in the film. The Juris sector is from Galaxy Guide 10, and Qeimet was placed there by the Atlas Online Companion.
- Death Squadron is said to be comprised of the Star Destroyers Avenger, Conquest, Stalker, Tyrant, and Devastator, which is the lineup given in The Essential Atlas.
- Toryn Farr and Trey Callum are both mentioned during the battle, both originally getting their names from the Customizable Card Game. Hobbie’s death is also mentioned because I suppose that knife hasn’t been twisted enough.
- The book says Vader leads the 1st Legion during the assault on Hoth. The legion was introduced in Thrawn: Alliances to replace the 501st as Vader’s personal stormtroopers, with the logic that Vader wouldn’t want to be associated with the same group Anakin once led. The 1st is called “Vader’s fist” once as a wink to the 501st.
- Luke’s route from Hoth to Dagobah is said to take them through lightspeed past Ione (Galactic Gazetteer), Burnin Konn (Galactic Gazetteer), Polmanar (The Isis Coordinates), Seswanna (Imperial Sourcebook), and Shumavar (Young Jedi Knights). I remain very impressed with the detail in this book because that is still consistent with The Essential Atlas.
- Zenda’s scarlet jewel is mentioned in a comparison at one point; that’s the identity that was given to the gemstone in Queen Amidala’s headpiece by Episode I: The Visual Dictionary.
- The Clone Wars battles mentioned by Luke include ones on Ryloth and Teth, which were seen in The Clone Wars.
- The text mentions the searing rock of Tremaal, which is from Coruscant and the Core Worlds.
- The introduction of the bounty hunters is loaded with pieces of their backstories from elsewhere. Bossk’s father Cradossk, originally from The Mandalorian Armor, gets a mention. Zuckuss and 4-LOM are still none too happy about Han having stranded them as prey of scorpion droids, an event shown in the Adventures comic. Likewise, Dengar still remembers Chewie dropping him with a detonator off a Nar Shaddaa rooftop in Jason Aaron’s Star Wars run, and there’s an allusion to Dengar’s history from The Clone Wars. All of their respective ships (the Hound’s Tooth, the Mist Hunter, Dengar’s JumpMaster, and the IG-2000) get mentioned. I believe all of them are from Tales of the Bounty Hunters and Shadows of the Empire. Boba’s armor being made of beskar is also mentioned, which was first established by Scum and Villainy but recently made prominent in The Mandalorian.
- The Falcon performs a Segnor’s Loop on the Avenger, a fighter maneuver originally from Adventure Journal.
- Aside from tibanna, the gasses that make up Bespin’s atmosphere are said to include durilliam (“The Crimson Corsair and the Lost Treasure of Count Dooku”), rethen (Galaxy Guide 2), and clouzon-36 (Rebels).
- Lando recalls losing the Falcon to Han on Numidian Prime in Solo. I guess that doesn’t really fit my criteria. Nevertheless.
- The Bespin dining room has a painting of Lord Figg, the founder beloved by the Ugnaughts, which is backstory first from Galaxy Guide 2.
- The book says Vader’s silence fills the room during his fight with Luke much like when the river moon of Al’doleem would hush to hear the echo of a gong struck in the distant monastery. The river moon and its Jedi monastery were the setting of much of the first arc of Charles Soule’s Darth Vader comic, where Vader fought Kirak Infil’a and won his kyber crystal.
- Luke’s leap from the carbon freezing pit is said to be as high as any made by Tarados, Tassu, or blind Jarrus. Tarados Gon and Nicanas Tassu are two of the Jedi from the Geonosis arena in Attack of the Clones, and I think I can recall Kanan managing some impressive jumps in Rebels.
- The denizens of Jabba’s palace drink spotchka, which is a drink that pops up a lot in The Mandalorian. Fennec finds and drinks some in the palace at the very end of season two.
- I don’t normally mention the names of film species but it made me happy to see “Yuvernian” used because that species can only be barely glimpsed in one shot of the film and got its name from What’s The Story.
- Obi-Wan explains to Luke that the fate of every planet in the galaxy rests on his confrontation with Vader, and he has a long list of worlds ready to back that up. In the Core, he mentions Coruscant, Caamas (Specter of the Past), Corellia, Duro, Tangenine (Battlefront: Twilight Company), Eufornis (Servants of the Empire), Kuat, Chandrila, Brentaal (Adventure Journal), Dowut, Ganthel (Adventure Journal), Plexis (Galaxy Guide 10), Corulag (Heir to the Empire Sourcebook), Tinnel (Adventure Journal), Anaxes, Hosnia, and Balosar. In the Mid Rim, he lists Trandosha, Naboo, Bothawui, Naator (Battlefront: Twilight Company), Phorsa Gedd (Battlefront: Twilight Company), Ithor, Coyerti (Battlefront: Twilight Company), Haidoral (Battlefront: Twilight Company), Kashyyyk, Shu-Torun (Kieron Gillen’s Darth Vader run), Takodana, and Malastare. In the Outer Rim, he says Kessel, Lothal, Ryloth, Nal Hutta, Sullust, Dathomir, Mon Calamari, Bith, Tatooine, Cantonica, Carlac, and Ord Mantell. Finally, he covers worlds beyond, such as Ilum, Csilla, Jakku, and Ahch-To. I won’t granularly cover where the placement of every single world comes from but suffice to say they are all accurate, aside from Ord Mantell being in the Outer Rim instead of the Mid Rim and the placement of Naator technically being new.
- The Rebel fleet that masses at Sullust before Endor is said to consist of eight corvettes, five frigates, sixteen GR-75s, seven Dorneans, the Spectres’ Ghost, four Corellian gunships, ten X4s, three B-wing squadrons (Blade, Blue, and Gray), five A-wing squadrons, Y-wings and U-wings, three X-wing squadrons (Corona, Yellow, and Red), and twelve MC80s (including the Independence, Liberty, Defiance, Nautilian, and Home One).
- The Ghost‘s presence at Endor was established by Forces of Destiny, which showed the ship and Hera there for the aftermath.
- The Rebel Files includes a memo from Lando to Ackbar offering X4 gunships and four Corellian gunships for the Endor fleet. The former is originally from the Galaixes MMORPG and the latter from The Rebel Alliance Sourcebook.
- Blade Squadron’s B-wings and their fight at Endor was depicted in the Insider short story called “Blade Squadron.”
- Yellow’s presence at Endor was mentioned in Shattered Empire, while Corona was shown at the battle in Lost Stars.
- The Independence and Defiance are originally from the X-Wing games, while the Nautilian was identified in Aftermath: Life Debt.
- The rebel leaders at the fleet are said to include Cracken, Syndulla, Delto, Nantz, Forell, Massa, Tantor, and Veertag. Cracken and Syndulla need no introduction. Delto and Forell are Rogue One extras identified in the film’s Visual Guide. Nantz (Shield of Lies), Massa (The Essential Guide to Warfare), Tantor (Force Commander), and Veertag (the classic Marvel comics) come from a variety of different sources but it was Moving Target that showed them all aiding in the planning before Endor.
- Ackbar is said to be fighting for the martyred Mon Cala king Lee-Char. Lee-Char is originally from The Clone Wars while it was Kieron Gillen’s run on Star Wars that showed his death in the years before Endor.
- Bakura is mentioned to be near Endor in the latter’s introduction; the planet was introduced in The Truce at Bakura, which took place in the immediate days after the battle.
- The text alludes to the Jedi Temples on Vrogas Vas and Tython. The latter has a long history stretching from the original drafts of Star Wars through the last season of The Mandalorian while the former was created during Jason Aaron’s Star Wars run for use in the Vader Down crossover.
- The Ewok village is said to be safe from the gorax’ claws. The mighty gorax was the antagonist of the TV movie Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure.
- Chirpa is said to consult with his greatest hunters, Teebo and Asha Fahn, and Logray before committing to aid the Rebels in the battle. Asha was originally a character in the Ewoks cartoon, but her surname and this consultation was established by Tom Angleberger’s junior novelization of Return of the Jedi, Beware the Power of the Dark Side!
- Leia sinks into Han’s arms as the wroshyr forests of Kashyyyk bend before the Mrawzim hurricane. The violent Mrawzim storm comes from Aftermath: Life Debt.
- The text mentions the prairies and nerf farms of Jaresh. The moon is originally from Adventure Journal but Moving Target visited it and established those mentioned details.
- Vader recounts some of the Jedi he has not hesitated to cut down in the past, including Jocasta, Ferren, Cin, Koth, Shaak Ti, Ahsoka, and Malreaux. Jocasta, Ferren, and Koth were all killed by Vader in Charles Soule’s Darth Vader run. Cin Drallig and Whie Malreaux are two of the Jedi he cuts down in the security tapes in Revenge of the Sith, and Whie’s surname comes from the wonderful Yoda: Dark Rendezvous. Shaak Ti was executed by Vader during the assault on the Temple in a scene deleted from Revenge of the Sith.
- The Harbinger, Devastator, and Vigilance are Star Destroyers said to be at the battle. The Harbinger and Vigilance were placed there by “The Levers of Power,” while the Devastator‘s presence was a key plot point in “Blade Squadron.” Corona is said to strike at the Subjugator, as seen in Lost Stars. Meanwhile, the Grays and Horton wreck the Vehement, which was placed at the battle by X-Wing Alliance and “The Levers of Power.” Horton was originally a character from the X-Wing books before the Customizable Card Game retconned him into being the film’s Gray Leader.
- Keir Santage and Norra are said to be the pilots that follow Lando and Wedge into the second Death Star. Santage is a film extra that got his name from the Customizable Card Game while Norra and her role in the battle are from Aftermath.
I was gonna sleep on this one TBH, but this post may have convinced me to pick it up. Some of these deep cuts are amazing to see, especially considering this is an adaptation of the OT! Depa backstory in an OT adaptation is insane, but I love it. Great stuff!
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