Books Aftermath: Empire's End (book 3) by Chuck Wendig

Is it me or is Wedge being written like he's 20 years older than he actually is?

 

Oh yeah those coats where so cool. Have they sold those at all? I want Krennic's jacket thing so freaking bad!!!! That man had style. Also are those pens? I thought they where code cylinders. Maybe they are though, the pen is mightier than the sword.

Wedge's age is never consistent. he is like 16 in the script but Denis was 29 during filming. He is about 18 or 19 in Rebels so would be 20 or 21 in ANH. So by EE he is about 26 or so.

 

"The New Republic LIED and BETRAYED the First Order, claiming peace while fostering the efforts of the LOATHESOME RESISTANCE. Hosnian Prime was a target, A MILITARY TARGET with the New Republic fleet and government located there. IT HAD TO DIE FOR GALACTIC PEACE. As for the retreat at Starkiller Base, it was an order from his lawful Supreme Leader. THAT THEY SHALL RETURN TO FIGHT AGAIN."

"AND THIS DAY HENCEFORTH WILL BE KNOWN AS THE LAST OF THE REPUBLIC!"

 

What's Starkiller base? You mean freedom base?

 

As Chief Propagandist of the First Order, I am APPALLED! Yes, APPALLED by the Resistance's destruction of the Peace Moon. That was the former planet Ilum and the destroying of worlds renders their claim of moral superiority ridiculous!

Who knows how many innocent animals died on that planet!

And I should note, it is not a sneak attack since General Hux announced a state of war existing between the New Republic and First Order.

Yes, it was a minute before the detonation but that still counts.

 

Not only that but they poisoned the mind of one of our youth outreach program telling him silly things like the glorious First Order being kidnappers and not the kind orphanage we run on the side that just so happens to result in many volunteers for our army from the orphans we saved from barbaric home-worlds.

As for that attack on the Jakku village..........they shot first. Yes we may have taken ships to their town without warning but it was in order to give them supplies and help on behalf of our beloved Supreme Leader Snoke. They started a fight due to their minds being diseased by the viscous New Republic. Those warmongers have continued to ruin the galaxy and pit people against our outreach and humanitarian efforts!!!!!

 

I just finished Empire's End and loved it. I actually love all three in the trilogy. I'm glad to see Sloane survive and make it to the Unknown Regions. I hope that somehow the story about what happens next gets told. I think in a comic would be an ideal choice. It's great to see that the Eclipse is there. I'm 99.9% sure this is where Snoke has been located. I hope that Thrawn is also there assisting in the building of the First Order.

 

I do think it's interesting everyone thought Gallius Rax was answering to Snoke or might even be Snoke.

And in fact, the First Order is the opposite of what he was working toward.

 

In everyone's defense, Wendig performed a bit of misdirection between the second and third books.

 

Except for the part Rax has nothing to do with the First Order.

 

Can we say that he sparked the beginnings of the FO?

Chapter 27

• “I am intimately familiar with the sounds of violence.” – Bones …OKAY, we get it! How many times does this annoying thing need to keep saying that?
• I retract my previous statement from chapter 25: Jas can live. But just her.

Chapter 28

• Wendig DID do a good job of describing the tactical aspects of war, and of PTSD. I felt bad for (Agate) and the pressure anyone in a war—but particularly those in higher positions—have to deal with.
• There you go, Temmin; you’ve finally learned how much of an utter idiot you are. I kind of wish it was you, and not Mr. Bones, who died. Though that would be terrible for Norra and Wedge would feel incredible guilt. *sigh* Maybe you will get killed in TLJ.
• Koko is fun.
• I would find it poetic justice (that is, this is what happens when you’re manipulative and end up where you aren’t supposed to be) if Temmin shot down Norra.
  TBH though, I feel like my anger at these characters has faded.

Chapter 29

• Mon Mothma is spot-on: if you’re not military nor part of the political front in any way, a person doesn’t need permission to fly off to a planet on their own.
• Sinjir as her advisor is highly amusing, and yet perfect for a person of his caliber – as Mothma points out. That woman knows how to be manipulative as well. The problem with others is that they expect it more from her than from an advisor.

Chapter 30

• “Dengar lazes.” – for whatever reason, that line really stuck with me. I think it’s a wonderful sentence, a very good descriptor of how the bounty hunters are around each other. There is little respect, no hierarchy, and just an overall lackadaisical attitude in that place.
• We see infighting among the bounty hunters, and it’s very nice to see Swift get a bit of his comeuppance.
• Sloane’s lack of power is evident even among them.

 

Only in the same context Count Dooku is the founder of the Empire. Rax's slaughter led to the survivors forming their own group away from his madness.

 

Rax is directly responsible for creating the makeup of The First Order as we see it in The Force Awakens. Rax gathered Brendol and the child soldiers who grow up to be FO soldiers, Rax had the mission to tear down the old Empire and send the proto-FO elements into the Unknown Regions...the First Order is Rax's baby. It doesn't matter that he isn't there to lead it. It's still all his doing.

Sent from THE GARBAGE CHUTE, FLYBOY

 

Rax's mission was to destroy the Empire period. At least that was my take and leave nothing in the ashes. Rae Sloane created the First Order along with whoever was waiting for her there.

 

I think the season some folks have are not thrilled with Wedge's portrayal in the Aftermath Trilogy is because it is so different from what we had in the old EU. Not only that, but no other supporting character from the OT was more developed in the Legends EU that Wedge. Mon Mothma, for all her wonderful new exposure and development, more or less conforms to what we knew. Ackbar is still portrayed at the New Republic's warrior-statesman and top military commander.

I'll admit, I do wish Wedge was a bit more like old Wedge. I wanted him leading a squadron in battle and whipping a group of rookie pilots into a crack unit. Whether called Red or Rogue, I would have preferred him as we knew him.

I am consoled that Wedge is the head instructor (and maybe commander?) of a premier New Republic Flight School. There are some great stories that can be told post-Jakku about Wedge training new pilots, forming new squadrons, and even engaging Imperial hold outs. This is why I feel so strongly that the NEU needs an X-wing series that allows for these sorts of stories to be told!

--Adm. Nick

 

I think a major part of the issue is the fact it's going to be decades of peace. I think that's a good thing personally but it limits the story potential of those who want more of the old Expanded Universe.

 

More like Wraith - or "Phantom", as it were. The real issue there was that it was almost entirely peripheral.

Honestly, I don't think canon Wedge is ever going to really thrive until he gets to be part of an ensemble cast, not just at its outer edge.

 

He even charges her to complete what he started, hence the First Order.

Sent from THE GARBAGE CHUTE, FLYBOY

 

You are preaching to the choir Nick! Wedge being different is not much of an issue but I need them to really define who this new Wedge is. I have a vague sense but most of it comes from legends stuff which I think Wendig both relies on at times but then throws out the window in other cases. Him being scared and less of the great take control leader is ok, but I had no idea this Wedge was that way until he suddenly is and it is his arc in this book. I really think he needed more character stuff.

The SW comic has been missing a great chance to make the focus more on the entire cast of Rebel character as opposed to being just the big three and the droids and Chewie. They have all those other characters yet Wedge has shown up like twice and the other Rogues not at all. Why hasn't someone like Toryn Farr been given an issue or something?

But yeah I really want to see Wedge become the natural leader with a lot of guts sometime after EE. I love that Wendig made sure to leave his story open to other writers.

 

Wedge's biggest change is he's into older women.

 

Hey that's not true. We ALL know he had a thing for Isard. It was so obvious.

 

Overall, I'm tired of random characters, whether I knew them in Legends or not, being brought up for a snippet of time and then fading away. Are the important or not? Do they matter? Why should I care about what happens to them?

Ah, now we get to a time where there are too many interludes, IMO. More side characters. Even Lando - why should I care what he's doing? He has no bearing on the story.

Interlude: Cloud City

• Lando is written a bit too strange, IMO. But okay, he’s hilarious when it comes to needing to get a gift for Ben. [Paraphrasing]: ‘They’ve been busy too!’ hahaha Ah, but that, at least, was 100% classic Lando.
• I like how the events from comics are brought in, like people saying the Emperor was back.

Interlude: Imperialis

• Seeing the word 'chess' was quite distracting.
• Overall though, really enjoyed seeing Palpatine cull Rax to be his "contingency."

Chapter 32

• Rax mimics Palpatine in how he takes Hux as a protégée and talks to him, puts him in charge. It’s eerie.
• Armitage Hux is a total sociopath.

 

You know what, let's let JELLO be Jello - we don't need to be ripping off his shtick...