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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Lit Eleven-ThirtyEight and stuff

Discussion in 'Literature' started by CooperTFN, Jul 8, 2013.

?

Well?

  1. I don't care

    20 vote(s)
    17.7%
  2. Hm, neat

    49 vote(s)
    43.4%
  3. OMG COOPER IS MY HERO

    44 vote(s)
    38.9%
  1. CooperTFN

    CooperTFN TFN EU Staff Emeritus star 7 VIP

    Registered:
    Jul 8, 1999
  2. Iron_lord

    Iron_lord Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    I think Luke's more forgiving and constructive attitude is healthier overall - so, call it compliment.
     
  3. CooperTFN

    CooperTFN TFN EU Staff Emeritus star 7 VIP

    Registered:
    Jul 8, 1999
  4. Iron_lord

    Iron_lord Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    Interesting. One that wasn't mentioned: A. C. Crispin's The Hutt Gambit- in which Han proves he has Generalling skills, even while still a smuggler. Admittedly the enemy fleet commander was under orders to lose- but Han didn't know that.
     
  5. The Loyal Imperial

    The Loyal Imperial Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 19, 2007
    Well. There goes one third of my final Starting Over.
     
  6. Gorefiend

    Gorefiend Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 23, 2004

    Thing is there, he is planning and fighting, whilst Mako is the one actually commanding the battle. Like I commented on 1138, there really was never any reason why Han needs to be general, other then to get a quick chuckle for the audience, very much like the Jar Jar is made a General scene.
     
  7. Iron_lord

    Iron_lord Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    Crimson Empire III also makes a point of putting Han back on the bridge of a ship.
     
  8. Gorefiend

    Gorefiend Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 23, 2004

    Yeah and like a lot of Crimson Empire III, there is no real reason why. ;)
     
  9. Iron_lord

    Iron_lord Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    It is sometimes odd. Still, it brought Vima back for the first time in ages.
     
  10. instantdeath

    instantdeath Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 22, 2010
    I wouldn't at all agree that having Han as a general is comparable to making Jar-Jar a diplomat. The former is the culmination of a character arc, and a ripe opportunity for future stories. The latter is a deliberate attempt to get the character out of all of our lives.

    Something that I've always loved about Han, something that I feel should be explored more in the EU, is that he is quite possibly the most multi-talented character in the EU, and that includes Jedi, who in recent years have basically gone from highly specialized space monks to wizards who are good at everything because magic. He's not truly the master of one particular field (save perhaps piloting, though I'd imagine both Luke and Wedge would give him a run for his money), but it seems like he's got his hand in anything; in separate times, he's been a commander of a small armed force (Renegade Squadron), a general of a large fleet, the head of a spur-of-the-moment fighter squadron (Han Solo at Star's End), an expert gunslinger, a pilot, a swoop racer... the list of talents is pretty crazy. So on one end, it almost makes since for being a general to almost be a quick hobby.

    My problem with him resigning his commission, though, is that he never seems to actually replace it with anything. From what Bantam I've read, as well as what I've heard from the NJO, he seems to almost regress to his wandering rogue days, except this time on a salary. I think Havac hit the nail on the head on why the EU would be a more interesting place if Han grappling with responsibility were to be a long-running character arc. We see shades of Han's great insight and intelligence in virtually every job he's ever done- taking a leadership role in Scoundrels showed his ability to plan and adapt, for instance, and I'm sure smuggling requires more intricate planning than most in the GFFA would like to give it credit for- so its a shame that this experience doesn't get to build into a more permanent role. Personally, I would have liked it if Han had become Ackbar's official replacement after his death.

    I realize that Zahn had certain needs for his story, and one of those needs was a Han who was free to run around the galaxy; I'd submit that there was a way for the authors to have their cake and eat it too. I have not read the NJO, so for all I know Han was handled perfectly there, but they could have just easily let Han be the taxi service in the Bantam books, but have him step up to a leader role in the NJO. Let him have his James Luceno Daley flashback duology sure; but after the grieving is done, use that character development and channel it into future development. The necessity was absolutely there, and he had a personal stake in it. At the very least he could have settled into a more permanent role after the Vong War, instead of having him do... whatever it is that he does.

    As for Lando, I actually think I would have preferred it if he went into politics.
     
    Gamiel likes this.
  11. Gorefiend

    Gorefiend Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 23, 2004
    He doesn't need to be a General to lead his 20+ Strike Team to Endor, a Strike Team from which he btw. splits almost instantly. He was already an Officer of the Alliance in ESB and there really is no reason why that is not sufficient for his Endor Mission.

    Zahn at least made him a Merchant Liaison and that they did not actually make him a Business man of some kind (yes like Lando) based on Coruscant always surprised me.
     
  12. CooperTFN

    CooperTFN TFN EU Staff Emeritus star 7 VIP

    Registered:
    Jul 8, 1999
    You have a fair point about the Endor ground mission, but that's a totally separate issue from whether he should have stayed in the military.
     
  13. instantdeath

    instantdeath Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 22, 2010
    I could have lived with Han serving as more of a Junter Page esque commander than a general, as either could have been interesting (the latter in particular I could see adding some interesting characters; you'd essentially be giving Han his own Wraith squadron, just without the fighter pilots). I do think Han has shown an aptitude for both in past stories, but he would undoubtedly prefer a more hands-on approach. I still prefer becoming a general as the "endpoing", though; possibly a "go big or go home" mentality, but it would have served a nice contrast to Luke becoming Grand Master of the Jedi order.
     
  14. CooperTFN

    CooperTFN TFN EU Staff Emeritus star 7 VIP

    Registered:
    Jul 8, 1999
    Some things bear repeating. ;)
     
  15. Gorefiend

    Gorefiend Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 23, 2004
    Really no good reason for it either, as despite what popular fiction might like to tell people, military assignments and postings are a rather rigid thing and if Han was still meant to stick around with Leia the only way is either he becomes her official Body Guard, which is kind of silly and would properly bore him out of his mind or some kind of military attaché to the Senate, which really is not better. Him doing his own thing (be it business, charity, politics, or a mix of these), whilst stilling being Coruscant based would really have been the easiest and the one where he can also still easily get dragged into the stories.
     
    Gamiel likes this.
  16. Iron_lord

    Iron_lord Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    Lando in ESB didn't seem all that happy in his job as Administrator- and sound somewhat wistful about the old days: "Yeah, I'm respectable these days. It's the price you pay for being successful".

    And in Ambush at Corellia, we find he's gone into community-building again- on a much smaller scale- and has gotten bored with the day to day minutiae.

    Maybe it's just me- but I thought Lando's quest for an heiress was interesting, because he doesn't keep on with it- instead he ends up falling in love.
     
  17. Force Smuggler

    Force Smuggler Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    Him almost getting married to that witch or whatever she was was hilarious.
     
  18. Iron_lord

    Iron_lord Chosen One star 10

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    Sep 2, 2012
    I wonder how her powers would be rationalized in the modern EU- The Force, or something alien?
     
  19. Force Smuggler

    Force Smuggler Force Ghost star 7

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    Sep 2, 2012
    Voodoo magic
     
  20. Iron_lord

    Iron_lord Chosen One star 10

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    Sep 2, 2012
    A TCW Witches of Dathomir reference?

    The wookieepedia description does make it seem semimagical:

    http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Life-bearer
     
  21. Force Smuggler

    Force Smuggler Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    Maybe. Going to have to go back and read the trilogy now. So many books to reread.
     
  22. Iron_lord

    Iron_lord Chosen One star 10

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    Sep 2, 2012
    I've began another reread of the Bantam era. I, Jedi still feels somewhat better-written than JAT. And it's interesting to see Han through Corran's eyes.
     
  23. Force Smuggler

    Force Smuggler Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    From the Bantam era SOTE, X-Wing, JAT, I, Jedi, The New Rebellion, The Corellian trilogy, HOT, SQ I need to read again. I love JAT, first series I read. I, Jedi was better though.
     
  24. Iron_lord

    Iron_lord Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    Indeed. JAT's fun though, it must be said.
     
    Force Smuggler likes this.
  25. Force Smuggler

    Force Smuggler Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    Exactly. I will always have a soft spot for that trilogy.