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Author	Topic: Mike's 20 Most Memorable EU Moments
Excellence Registered: Jul '02	Date Posted: 11/16/05 4:26pm Subject: RE: Mike's 20 Most Memorable EU Moments
	Sorry . . . Katarn-Chiss bartender is from Jedi Outcast. Since you saw an actual Chiss, I thought it was more memory-retained for fans than . . . something Sadow did in a very horrible comic. -----signature----- Rock-a-by baby, on the treetop, Beaming with pride, the filth they hold, But when the wind blows, my temper implodes, High above a pit, filled with sharkticons, Down will come hardcover addicts, beaming no more. ©
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Mastadge Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Jun '99	Date Posted: 11/17/05 4:06am Subject: RE: Mike's 20 Most Memorable EU Moments
	If you're not going to get attached to the characters . . . what's the point of reading the book? It's like that line from Catch-22: "He knew everything about literature except how to enjoy it." -----signature----- "This will be our reply to violence: To make music more intensely, More beautifully, More devotedly than ever before." - Leonard Bernstein
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Rogue1-and-a-half Title: Manager: Amphitheatre Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 11/17/05 8:33am Subject: RE: Mike's 20 Most Memorable EU Moments
	CooperTFN posted: You know, I worked my ass off flipping through stuff for those quotes, and now you're just leeching them all off me. I leached the Cloak of Deception one cause my library couldn't get it fast enough for me. But I actually held Shadow Hunter in my hot little hands and paged to the quote in question. It was like a ritual. -----signature----- Don't be a fool, don't be blind Heart of mine If you can't do the time, don't do the crime Heart of mine
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Rogue1-and-a-half Title: Manager: Amphitheatre Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 11/17/05 2:21pm Subject: RE: Mike's 20 Most Memorable EU Moments
	And now another Worst Pick: 3. Maybe you should be a Jedi Racer, instead of a Knight – I, Jedi, Michael Stackpole. This will forever be the great memory, the moment when I decided once and for all that the EU and the movies were different universes. I eventually refined that to a personal canon, but this ugly moment still stands. It’s the retconn of all retconns: the pretentious Mary Sue author goes back to fix the cheesy and lazy writer. It was, as I could have predicted, the train wreck to end all train wrecks. It climaxed here when Corran Horn and Luke begin a brawl. The first stupidity comes when you realize that Stackpole actually thinks Corran is a BETTER SABER ARTIST THAN LUKE SKYWALKER! LUKE FREAKING SKYWALKER. THE GUY WHO BESTED VADER! And then the fight turns into a hilarious slapstick effort that put me in stitches. How idiotic. And then, just to end the chapter nicely, Corran decides to lecture Luke about how he doesn’t understand the Force, how to train people or anything and is, as pointed out above, not even qualified to be a Jedi Knight. Again, this is the same Luke Skywalker who trained with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda. Being lectured by the Corran Horn who trained himself via a mail order program with his astromech or something. Stackpole: eat a bag of hell. Kthxbye. -----signature----- Don't be a fool, don't be blind Heart of mine If you can't do the time, don't do the crime Heart of mine
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Excellence Registered: Jul '02	Date Posted: 11/17/05 10:06pm Subject: RE: Mike's 20 Most Memorable EU Moments
	That's your style of reading, Mastadge. Who says you have to attach feeling to fictious folks? Does it make the read any less enjoyable? I'm conversant with enough writing patterns to know when character deaths come. I only need to decipher your key, and the airlock opens. -----signature----- Rock-a-by baby, on the treetop, Beaming with pride, the filth they hold, But when the wind blows, my temper implodes, High above a pit, filled with sharkticons, Down will come hardcover addicts, beaming no more. ©
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DamonD Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Nov '02	Date Posted: 11/18/05 3:28am Subject: RE: Mike's 20 Most Memorable EU Moments
	Rogue1-and-a-half posted: 3. Maybe you should be a Jedi Racer, instead of a Knight – I, Jedi, Michael Stackpole. Oh, don't open that old wound please. Luke's my favourite SW character...I've come to terms with the events of "I, Jedi" even though it's the literary equivelent of Stackpole kicking Luke in the nuts over and other, but that sequence in particular really rubbed me up the wrong way. Man, Corran was such an ass for a lot of that book...I don't have a problem with people questioning Luke or his choices, but he just went about it completely the wrong way. Luke was often getting bested and made to look like a moron against any New Hero or Villain Of The Week just for the sake of trying to dredge up Teh Drama for the reader. But it just made him look like a wally. Call me sick but I was actually cheering on Exar Kun a little bit when he broke Corran's leg, just in the hopes it would shut the guy up for a change. Even Stackpole seems to realise he's gone a little too far by the middle of the book, having Corran make an unconvincing half-apology to Luke and say how he still has much to learn as well. By the time of the NJO, I've accepted Corran Horn and like him. But as soon as Stackpole gets his hands on him, watch out galaxy... -----signature----- I love all 6 Star Wars films. Live with it. Member of FIGS, the Fantastic Ian (McDiarmid) Gushers Society.
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MetalGoldKnight Registered: Jul '02	Date Posted: 11/18/05 7:12am Subject: RE: Mike's 20 Most Memorable EU Moments - Date Edited: 11/18/05 7:34am (1 edits total) Edited By: DamonD
	DamonD edit: They were all movie moments and not EU. -----signature----- C3-PO: DIE JEDI DOGS DIE lol best scene ever -Return of the Jedi radio drama
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Rogue1-and-a-half Title: Manager: Amphitheatre Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 11/18/05 2:19pm Subject: RE: Mike's 20 Most Memorable EU Moments
	12. What could you hate enough to destroy me? – Resurrection, Ron Marz/Rick Leonardi/Terry Austin It shouldn’t have worked. I keep remembering that. I should have sucked. A duel between Vader and Maul. It was nothing more than a fanboy wet dream and it should have sucked. But it didn’t. The story is a masterpiece. It opens with one of the most menacing openings I’ve ever seen: Vader watches impassively as his stormtrooper escort struggle for air. The last one standing claws at Vader’s suit, begging for his life and only after he collapses does Vader state, “It’s not me.” And that quickly, we get to the action. That opening, setting up another dark power, is a brilliant one and then Maul is introduced. Key to this stories appeal is that it doesn’t give us a cheesy explanation for Maul’s resurrection. It chooses not to give us one at all. Kudos. The fight itself is brilliantly choreographed, beautifully drawn, clear and intense. And at the final moment of the battle, Vader gains the upper hand. Maul has stated that there is greater hate in him. Vader proves him wrong. And what does Vader hate enough to gain the upper hand? The thing he despises above all else in the galaxy: Himself. The stunning image of the lightsaber wound to Vader’s midsection stands as a brilliant metaphor for the self mutilation of his mind. It’s a stunning moment, dark and tragic. It should have sucked. But it didn’t. It didn’t. -----signature----- Don't be a fool, don't be blind Heart of mine If you can't do the time, don't do the crime Heart of mine
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Ashandarei Registered: Oct '04	Date Posted: 11/18/05 6:01pm Subject: RE: Mike's 20 Most Memorable EU Moments
	Right on. -----signature----- What is dead may never die, but rises again, harder and stronger.
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Cull_Tremayne Registered: Jun '05	Date Posted: 11/19/05 3:13pm Subject: RE: Mike's 20 Most Memorable EU Moments
	Since most of the best book moments have been mentioned, I thought I'd do a more comic-centric top 20 moments. 20. Vua Rapuung and Anakin Solo- For me, Conquest is the best book in the New Jedi Order. At this point in the NJO, I thought that the Vong would continue to be a faceless evil throughout the story. That we would never really get inside one of the Yuuzhan Vong besides their devotion to the Gods. Vua Rapuung changed all that. A noble warrior, Vua had been changed to a shamed one by his jealous lover. In an effor to prove to his brethren that he did not deserve to be shamed, Rapuung joins forces with Anakin Solo and ventures across Tatooine. When Rapuung sacrifices himself it's one of the most powerful moments in the NJO for me, and it really made me believe that the Vong could be redeemed. 19. "I don't like being reminded of the past"- I'd all but given up on the Empire series of comics. All the characters seemed generic and unoriginal. Fortunately an amazing cover featuring Vader on Empire #19 made me give it one last try. I wasn't disappointed. A brief story about a group of Falleen looking to assassinate Lord Vader. As the Falleen spring their attack they yell to Vader of revenge for his slaughter of a major city on Faleen, but they are no match for the Dark Lord. Slaughtering all of the Falleen with calculated ease he utters a cryptic warning. But as the reader we can see the truth in the response, "But you'll never escape it." 18. Quinlan Vos vs. Volfe Karkko- I don't know why this sticks with me, it's not original or new, but somehow I see this as the most artistic battle scene in any of the comics. As Quinlan and Volfe bring their sabers to bear, Zao, Tholme, and T'ra Saa encourage Quin to empty himself of all passion, to let his emotion go. Both strike at the same time and they land apart from each other. Volfe's legs separate from his torso, as his dead torso hits the dirt. I always really liked this confrontation because it reminded me of an old fashioned gunfight. 17. Tai dies- In the old Marvel comics, the ruthless Nagai ravage several worlds as the new heartless enemy to the Republic. In our first glimpse inside the mind of a Nagai, Princess Leia captures a young Nagai soldier named Tai. At first he is hostile to the Rebels, but through Leia's unconditional kindness, Tai is slowly swayed. As Leia and her crew are called to another planet, Leia once again shows her heart as she sets Tai free. Tai returns to his people and strides into headquarters to make his report. In a short speech, Tai reveals to his Nagai brothers that he had been saved by one of their sworn enemies. Before the Nagai can consider his words, Commander Ozrai denounces Tai as being weak and throws a knife into his chest. We see the horror in Tai's eyes as he slumps to the floor, and his eyes glaze over. This is such a deep moment as the writer took such a long time developing the character. To see his fate dealt with so unsympathetically was really refreshing and showed that the author held more importance for the story than he did for his characters. 16. Free Memory- I really love this story in Star Wars Tales #9, and it has even more significance after we've seen all that Artoo has recorded in the Dark Nest Trilogy. The story revolves around Artoo getting his memory cleaned because he has been acting up lately. As C-3PO finds him hiding, Artoo reveals several emotional recordings that happened off-camera. Even C-3PO senses the irreplacable history here and sends a call to maintenance that Artoo has no need for a memory wipe. In a touching statement between two life-long pals, Threepio ends the story with feigned ignorance. "Really Artoo...I'm quite certain I have no idea what you're talking about." 15. "And none was offered"- With one of the best characterizations of the cruelty of Vader, Crimson Empire shows just why it's one of the most popular storylines to come out of Dark Horse. In a flashback to Kir Kanos' days training to become an Royal Guard, the Emperor and his brooding apprentice Vader enter the training ground of the Guards. Vader calls out to he many recruits to show him their best. Burr Danid steps forward and Vader and Danid enter the Squall, a metal platform above a bottomless pit. Throwing Danid a double bladed sword, Vader orders that he "hold nothing back". Wielding his own metal sword, Vader ruthlessly takes the fight to Danid. Vader Smashes his boots directly into Danid's face, sending Danid's sword scattering across the platform. As he scrambles for his fallen sword, Vader ruthlessly chops off Danid's hand. Gripping his bleeding stump, Danid kneels on the outside of the platform. Placing his foot against Danid's chest, Vader sends a loyal recruit into the abyss. Vader warns the rest that if he was their best, then they are "not yet fit to serve the Emperor". As Kanos remembers the poignant scene, he remembers that "To his credit, Danid did not as for mercy, and none was offered." 14. Vilas halved- The first book in the YJK series that made me believe that it wasn't just a kid series, Lightsabers defintely captured the feel of the entire series. Zekk, an orphan with force potential that lives in the underworld of Coruscant is taken under the wing of Brakiss inside the Shadow Academy. Throughout his training, Zekk is constantly taunted by the Dathomiri Dark Jedi Vilas. With black hair falling across his eyes, Vilas continually batters Zekk with criticisms. In a final showdown to determine who will become the leader of Shadow Academy, Zekk and Vilas are forced into an anti-gravity chamber where they are forced to fight to the death. As both combatants try to adapt to the absence of gravity. Vilas tricks Zekk into putting himself right where Vilas can make the killing blow. Sensing the attack, Zekk whirls with uncalculated speed. As Vilas' torso floats lifelessly, Zekk looks into his enemy's lifeless eyes and is shaken to the core at the realization that this death could have been his own. 13. You are worthy- Vector Prime is a great book, not because of the first introduction of the Yuuzhan Vong or of the revelation of who Nom Anor really is, but for a new character, Yomin Carr. This ferocious beast of a person disables and kills everyone at a base on the rim of the galaxy in a scene easily likened to a horror movie. Carr is ferocious, biting electrical cables and killing ruthlessly just to satisfy his sick pleasures. As he moves to face Mara Jade, he has taken the new face of evil in the galaxy. Throughout the book, we were constantly reminded of the contempt that Carr had for these week aliens. As Mara skewers Carr, he questions his beliefs and understands what it is that this new galaxy offers the Yuuzhan Vong, an honorable death. 12. Quinlan Vos relents- In Quinlan's first story-arc, we're introduced to the first amnesiac Jedi. Throughout Twilight, Quin seems to be taking the worst path. He beats Bib Fortuna to a bloody pulp, he yells at his companions until they are reduced to tears, and then he tortures and kills Pol Secura, one of the Twi'leks responsible for his amnesia. By the end of the story Quinlan has hunted down the final Twi'lek responsible, Chom Frey Kaa. By this point there is no doubt what Quin will do. However, in a turn of events, Mace Windu arrives to return Vos to the temple. A cyclone of rage, Vos rejects and a titanic battle takes place. As the battle reaches its climax, Windu lays down his sword. In an impassioned speech Quin refuses to take the final step saying "To the depths of my being, I am a Jedi and I will not betray what I am". So nice to see a moral victory. 11. Uhl Eharl Khoehng- Definitely the best short story in Star Wars lore for me. Aldaric Brandl, a Dark Jedi who has retreated to an abandoned planet with only his young son for company. Aldaric and his son Jaalib are Drama lovers obsessed with the play Uhl Eharl Khoehng, a play of tragedy. In it, a wizard slowly steals the citizens of a town changing them into trees within his realm. In a final showdown, the king confronts the wizard for the fate of his people. The wizard refuses, but offers him the chance to serve him. In the ultimate act of defiance, the king burns the forest and his townspeople destroying both his own kingdown and the wizard's kingdom. Aldaric has other interests including training Dark Jedi. In a revelation, Jaalib rejects his father releasing his prisoners and setting them free. By the end of the story we see that Jaalib has become the prince and his father the evil wizard from the play. The ending is exceptionally powerful with Jaalib on his knees at Aldaric's feet uttering the last lines of the play "Long live the king". 10. All for you- A short story in Star Wars Tales set during the New Sith Wars, a mortally wounded Jedi crash lands in a primitive mountain town and requests that they hide an ancient holocron for him. A young boy in the town, Tenno, is constantly beaten by his father for questioning him. In a turn of events, Tenno learns that the elders of the town, including his father have decided to hide the holocron. Knowing that the Sith will destroy the town if they discover they have been working for the Jedi, Tenno rallies the young men of the town to steal the holocron for the Sith. During a town meeting, Tenno and the boys confront the elders and order them to hand over the holocron. In a dramatic scene, Tenno's father goes to hit some sense into him. Tenno knifes his father in the belly and he falls to the ground, blood spilling all over Tenno. In the confusion, a Dark Lord arrives to secure the holocron. As he makes his way to leave, Tenno runs out into the dust and pleads with the Sith to take the boys with him, citing that they've done unspeakable things for him. With a fit of rage, the Sith kills all of Tenno's friends yelling that the Sith do not need help, what they want, they take. Tenno slumps to the ground with his blood stained hands examining his broken life. The Sith gives a warning to the townspeople, "No one touches him, I'll know". Is it obvious that I enjoy tragedy? 9. Aayla vs. Bok A great battle scene from Rite of Passage, especially the ending, I like how Bok defies every convention. "Foolish Jeedai, I am Bok of the Morgukai. I spit on your mercy. I go my own way." This apparent suicide really stuck with me as a sort of feeling as though, there will always be evil, not everyone will be redeemed. 8. The Blood of the Innocent- One of the best conflicts in Star Wars is between Cay Qel-Droma and his brother Ulic. At the beginning of the Tales of the Jedi series, Ulic and Cay do not seem much different. Both strive for good and believe good will triumph. In their final showdown we see that Ulic has changed, he had become harder more realistic, but Cay is still an idealist; he still believes in redemption. As Cay battles with his estranged brother, his robotic arm is severed and he appeals to the good in Ulic. "I'm doing this because I love you!" But Ulic is too far gone, "Then you should have just left me alone!". Ulic cuts a gaping whole in Cay and innocent blood is spilled on the streets of Onderon. One of the most painful scenes for me. Especially when Ulic finally sees the results of his anger. So tragic. 7. No these Jedi are not the right ones! Jedi don't die! Jedi live forever!- The final scene in Jedi vs. Sith delivers. From the get-go we're told the myth that on Somov Rit you must use a nickname to hide your real name because if you say your real name aloud, the swamp demon will claim you. By the end the myth is proven true as Tomcat reveals his name to be Darovit, and his cousin Bug reveals his name to be Hardin. Confronting the Dark Darovit in the caves on Ruusan, Hardin is grievously injured as his leg is severed by Githany's lightwhip. In a dramatic scene, Hardin questions Darovit about his defection to the Sith. Darovit replies, "Don't you see? You should see yourself now! You hated it on Somov Rit--trodding in mud, eating roots and raw fish. And these Jedi were no better!" Hardin replies "Exactly! No better, no purer nor braver! Yet their cause made them noble! Made me noble! Don't you see?" I think its one of the most poweful conflicts in Star Wars and really tackles the issue of death in sacrifice in amazing light. 6. Save your mercy for someone else- I really liked Star Wars: Visionaries for its new and unique look at the Star Wars Universe, very well done, but the part I really liked was the story Entrenched. Another story about sacrifice. I especially like that Vader cannot understand why this man would die needlessly for a cause that is lost to him. And I love that theme of defiance in the face of overbearing opposition. 5. I know what you must be- The Darth Maul comics were just a joy to watch. There wasn't a lot of reading involved, just good old-fashioned slaughter by a famous Star Wars villain. The best part was the battle between Darth Maul and the Nightsister Mighella, the bodyguard of the leader of Black Sun. As Mighella rains down force lightning upon Maul, he fights back grips his lightsaber and cuts her in half. This wasn't just a good scene to show the ferocity fo Darth Maul, but it also made me feel sorry for Maul in that the way he had built up the ability to fight it was through daily training sessions, Yikes! 4. Quinlan Vos Falls- The first story that made me really appreciate Dooku as a masterminding genius is the tale in which he manages to turn Vos to the dark side. In the ending scene of Jedi: Dooku, Vos is desperately trying to save his aunt from death at the hands of Dooku. With the smoothness of a swindler, Dooku reveals to Vos that his aunt arranged the death of his parents. Vos screams at his aunt, "You are a deceiving, manipulative murderer--And you deserve to die! Craftily working behind the scenes, Dooku gives his approval with a request for Vos to "Avenge your patents, Quinlan Vos, Strike down this evil." As Vos makes the final step, he cuts his aunt apart. Walking away from the carnage with his arm around Vos Dooku really showed to me what a manipulative genius he was. 3. More Machine than Man- One of the best Vader stories to date, Moment of Doubt contains a bounty hunter that missed the meeting in ESB. Awarru Tark, a shabby looking hunter, is brought before Vader for briefing, but Tark has other plans. He throws several explosives into the door sealing himself and Vader in the same room. Equipped with a personal shielding device and laser gauntlets, Tark begins an all out assault on Vader using every possible resource. As Vader reaches into his mind he discovers that the man is not Awarru Stark, but a refugee who's entire family was killed by Vader. He had served up his entire body to make it into a vessel of revenge on Vader. But Vader understands the rage that is inside the man and decapitates the living weapon. In his personal quarters, Vader is shaken as he wonders what could make such a hate flow through a man. Looking at his own life, "Darth Vader wonders about a father who died more of a machine than a man". 2. The Tragedy of Saguro Autem- The best story from Ostrander. Saguro Autem, a Senate Guard, discovers that his brother is behind a plot to assassinate a senator. Forsaking his entire family for his duty, he runs to the senate building to stop his brother. Entering the empty Senate complex, he finds his brother seconds away from killing the senator. In a climactic showdown on senate podiums, the brothers chase themselves around the building. In the chase it is revealed that Saguro's brother, Venco, has a terminal disease. Saguro questions his motives, asking what the point of the assassination attempt is if he won't be around to spend the money. Venco responds that he has changed from just simply a "get rich quick" guy to something honorable. He wants to end the hopelessly corrupt Republic and make it right. Pointing his gun at the senator he has been payed to kill, Venco yells at his brother, "Look at him! This maggot sold himself to me and then tried to resell himself to a higher bidder! and they're all like that in this chamber! And that's what you would die to protect?! That's what you will kill your own brother to defend!" Saguro replies, "No. Not him. Not any of these scum. You never got it, Venco. It's the principles of the Republic I defend. The institution is all we have between us and chaos. Individuals come and go, but the principles remain. And those I'll kill--or die--for." And then Saguro shoots his brother in the chest. Probably the mist moved I was by a comic ever. 1. The Dark Woman- Drawing and writing come together perfectly in this story of Vader hunting down one of the old Jedi at the Emperor's wishes. In the battle of taunts and ideals, the Dark Woman is victorious. As Vader tells all the Jedi at their end, "Only now, at the end can you see the power of the dark side." The Dark Woman replies, "Yes...the power to destroy...just as it destroyed Anakin Skywalker." Even the end is amazing as the Dark Woman appears to Vader in spirit form. "Anakin...I see within you the power to release yourself from the Dark Side." Vader cuts through her shadowy form, "NO! I seek no release! Anakin no longer exists!" The final scene, the most powerful in any comic, the evil visage of the Emperor looks over his most faithful disciple as the crushed remnants of the Dark Woman's plants lay broken and destroyed. This had even more power with the end of the Jedi in RotS. -----signature----- Remember when you were making that building out of popsicle sticks, but then a breath of fresh air came in and destroyed everything? Man I hate when that happens. Watch out for the...something.
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Thanos6 Registered: Apr '99	Date Posted: 11/19/05 3:23pm Subject: RE: Mike's 20 Most Memorable EU Moments
	Cull_Tremayne posted: To see his fate dealt with so unsympathetically was really refreshing and showed that the author held more importance for the story than he did for his characters. Ah, it was a her. -----signature----- New Spoiler Policy--TFN's All Time 2nd Dumbest Rule Jag/Zekk shipper...yes, seriously Anakin Skywalker-- not redeemed In my canon, EU trumps the prequels... And GL has no control over SW anymore
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Cull_Tremayne Registered: Jun '05	Date Posted: 11/19/05 3:37pm Subject: RE: Mike's 20 Most Memorable EU Moments
	Thanos6 posted: Ah, it was a her. So sue me And in case your wondering, I wasn't trying to be a male chauvinist pig, it just slipped my mind. -----signature----- Remember when you were making that building out of popsicle sticks, but then a breath of fresh air came in and destroyed everything? Man I hate when that happens. Watch out for the...something.
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Thanos6 Registered: Apr '99	Date Posted: 11/19/05 3:59pm Subject: RE: Mike's 20 Most Memorable EU Moments
	Heh heh, I know. I'm just obsessive that way. /is male himself -----signature----- New Spoiler Policy--TFN's All Time 2nd Dumbest Rule Jag/Zekk shipper...yes, seriously Anakin Skywalker-- not redeemed In my canon, EU trumps the prequels... And GL has no control over SW anymore
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Rogue1-and-a-half Title: Manager: Amphitheatre Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 11/21/05 2:47pm Subject: RE: Mike's 20 Most Memorable EU Moments
	11. This was how it was, how it felt, to have the heart of a master – Rogue Planet, Greg Bear It’s one of the Star Wars books that stretched the genre boundaries and for that alone I loved it. But there was more here. Obi-Wan Kenobi has had more written about him than almost any other prequel character. He’s headlined at least three series from Jude Watson and the adult writers are equally fond of him. But this book, in my opinion, still remains the only one to make me feel like he was a living, breathing person, made me feel what he must have felt and sympathize with him. Throughout this book, Obi-Wan wrestles with the position he has been thrust into. A master? He doesn’t know how to be a master. He barely knew how to be a student. But now he’s expected to master one of the most promising recruits ever. And the specter of Qui-Gon hangs over everything Obi-Wan does. Would Qui-Gon have done it this way? What would he think? Can I ever even begin to measure up? As Obi-Wan wrestles with this dilemma he wonders what it is exactly that makes the heart of a master. And then, in the final chapter (save for a brief and unnecessary coda), he finds out. As Anakin is taken away to be grilled by the Jedi Council, Obi-Wan feels a sincere burst of concern and compassion. And as the two part, he realizes it suddenly: he has found the heart of a master and it is forged through pain. It’s the perfect mature and thought provoking ending to a mature and thought provoking book. At the time, and still really, this is the one moment when we really understand Obi-Wan Kenobi. A gorgeous, bittersweet moment. -----signature----- Don't be a fool, don't be blind Heart of mine If you can't do the time, don't do the crime Heart of mine
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Rogue1-and-a-half Title: Manager: Amphitheatre Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 11/29/05 8:07am Subject: RE: Mike's 20 Most Memorable EU Moments
	10. Honor above all – Solo Command, Aaron Allston To say this is a stunning moment is to under sell it criminally. Like some others on this list, I place this moment here for two reasons: because it works so incredibly well as a scene and also because it is indicative of one of the great things about Allston’s work as a whole. The New Republic, in this book, finds themselves battling brainwashed double agents. And in the book’s most shocking twist, heroic Twi’lek Tal’dira reveals himself to be one of them. Activated via a code phrase (Wedge Antilles hops on one transparisteel leg) Tal’Dira hops into his A-Wing and flies into combat, knowing that when the moment presents itself, he will attack Wedge from behind and kill him. And in the ensuing fracas, Tal’Dira is himself killed after the inherent contradiction behind his mission fries his orderly Twi’lek brain. It’s a shocking moment and that telegraphs us miles beyond the sanitized Shadows of the Empire, where a similar situation is defused by simply ‘disabling’ the attacker’s ship. Not so here . . . here people die. As great a moment as it is on its own terms, it also illustrates why Allston is still one of my favorite, perhaps my very favorite, EU authors. This isn’t the fantasy world of Stackpole where the only characters who die are those you don’t know very well (Andoorni Hui? More like Andoorni Who?), and if your friends die, they’ll be back (Bror Jace, anyone . . . Corran Horn?). I still remember Wraith Squadron and how the deaths in that book shocked my system. Falynn Sandskimmer? But, wait, wasn’t she supposed to be the romantic interest for Myn? Well, yeah, she was, but now she’s dead. That’s war. Grinder . . . wait, wait, wait, this guy was the freaking comic relief, the hilarious prankster. Yeah, exactly, he WAS. Now he’s dead. Get used to it. And then in Iron Fist, it kept happening: Who will ever forget Ton’s death? Or Castin’s redemption? Wedge knocking everything off his desk? These are like crystal moments in my mind. And for all Allston’s humor, and the man is indeed hilarious when he wants to be, it was that dangerous disregard for plotting and character that led the man to knock people off when their time came. No easy outs for any characters with this guy. You could die. You could freaking die. Allston will make another appearance on this list and we’ll talk more about him then, but for now, I’ll say that this was endearing to me to see an author this courageous. His books, for all their implicit humor, were greatly tragic and beautiful. But this one was even more twisted somehow and that’s why its here instead of Sandskimmer’s or Grinder’s or Ton’s. This was a good guy, pre-existing from the previous works of Stackpole who died a VILLAIN. Again, this is what Allston was about: subverting your expectations. A great moment, indicative of one of the greatest EU authors ever. -----signature----- Don't be a fool, don't be blind Heart of mine If you can't do the time, don't do the crime Heart of mine
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