In Memoriam: A Discussion of the Dead Characters in the EU

the topic is Anakin Solo, so....here's my take.

i have to say i think that star by star was one of those books that are great until you get to one, terrible part, and it ruins the entire book.

of course it's no fault of troy denning's that anakin solo was killed. but i think it's sad that he could write such a great book...and then have it ruined.

anakin's death destroyed the book in a thousand ways, but here are just a few....

*Tahiri's character becomes nearly pointless the rest of the book...without anakin, tahiri was never too popular.

*The authors of the NJO can no longer make it realistic that the New Republic wins this war with their best Jedi Knight dead.

*Killing a character like Anakin hurts a little too much for many star wars fans tastes.

*Name one good reason that he had to be killed. I've been thinking and searching for quite some time, and haven't found a thing. Why not Jacen? He wasn't half as popular. Or Mara? She was dying anyway.


Star by Star had the makings to be the greatest Star Wars book ever. I usually read all spoilers, but when i heard rumours that anakin may die in star by star, i stopped reading all the spoilers. Star by Star was getting better each page - that long, driving quest through the yuuzhan vong worldship to kill the voxyn queen (notice that books and movies that revolve around one central task like lord of the rings are more popular)- until anakin died. That ruined it for me, and a million other star wars fans. one would hope in the future that when the authors of a star wars series come up with such a popular character that they don't kill him off mercilessly.

Anyway, that's all i have to say about that.



-Anakin_Solo02

 

Anakin Solo died like the hero he truly was. No doubt about it, he was very powerful Jedi. I'm not so sure he was THE greatest or most powerful, but he was extremely powerful. However, I disagree with you when you say his death was a waste. It was anything but a waste. He died in service to life, which a Jedi has sworn to protect. He died defending his fellow Jedi. He enabled the rest of the Jedi left alive on the strike team to survive. He gave the ultimate, selfless sacrifice. How can someone not appreciate that? Ok, yes, granted he is dead. However this is war. People died in war. Especially reckless people who act before thinking, and Anakin was very rash, and reckless to a fault. As for Del-Rey's reasons for building up and then killing off Anakin, I believe I understand that too. They built up his character so his death would hit us as readers that much more. They killed him because they were being realistic. I understand the reason many people read Star Wars is to get away from realism, and escape, but if you know throughout the entire book that the hero will survive, that he won't die, that he'll always come through in the end, well, where's the fun in that? In life the real heroes are on the front lines and in life the real heroes die. Just like Anakin died. I say that Del-Rey and Troy Denning did an excellent job on the death of Anakin. It was just beautiful. How could someone not appreciate a sacrifice like that?

 

I Appreciate it!!WOW!!! Jacen Solo!!!
I was going to post my opinion on Anakin's Death, But You said Just about Everything Beautifully
I would add I loved Anakin, And it was Sooo sad when he died, But like JS, I think it was a noble sacrifice, And has a Huge Impact on all the other characters. Especially Jaina & Jacen and how they deal with it. I'm saddened he died, But I don't think it's a waste. And I think we'll hear more about Anakin someday, Like how he was used in Traitor Also, About Anakin dying making Chewie's death less important, To me that doesn't make sense. Anakin Did A Lot of Good for the New Republic up until His Last Breath, Again sacrificing himself for his fellow Jedi, Perfect if you ask me.

I Loved that. I'm really Never very critical of the writers personally, They don't exactly have an Easy job. I've enjoyed EVERY NJO book, Whether a Major Character died or not

Just wanted to add something, I didn't get to talk about Chewie...

I could Not believe it when he died, But like Anakin, It was Beautifully done, So bittersweet, and horribly sad. He sacrificed himself, I appreciated that to. I was a little Mad for a while, But I have recovered.
NJO is an Excellent series, And really, I don't want Anyone to die!! None that have been listed!! I don't think Jacen or Jaina will die, I think Jacen After Traitor is Ready for his destiny

Gannner's death was also Very well done, Again Very sad sacrifice, But Excellent storytelling. I really liked how Ganner had grown as a Jedi, It's too bad
Whatever Jacen did to that Yammosk, IT WAS IMPORTANT, More than we know yet, Just a hunch Ganner did that

 

Thanks LittleGreenMaster. I completely agree with you about Ganner and Chewie's deaths. Writing a death scene is so difficult. Especially when writing one for a character with such a following as Chewie had. It's a true testament to how talented the writers are that they could pull each of these off so beautifully and noblely.

 

They built up his character so his death would hit us as readers that much more. They killed him because they were being realistic. I understand the reason many people read Star Wars is to get away from realism, and escape, but if you know throughout the entire book that the hero will survive, that he won't die, that he'll always come through in the end, well, where's the fun in that?

you bring up some interesting ideas, some of what i agree wtih, but the above statement i do not.

i don't agree with the above statement because if this is true, then why aren't han or luke or leia or lando dead? or wedge? or corran?

good points, though.

 

Thanks AnakinSolo02.

The reason why Luke, Leia, and Han are in no danger of dying is simple: Lucasfilm said, "Thou shalt not kill Luke, Leia or Han."

As for Corran, Lando, and Wedge...
Well, I can't say why exactly they aren't dead...

 

that's the only reason i thought that anakin's death was a bit pointless, seeing as the great jedi he is...i think it would be amazing if wedge, lando, luke, han or leia were killed, because it would be so climatical. like if luke died killing shimmra, or something like that. or han and leia were blown up in the falcon delivering the final blow to the vong. or anything like that would be very climatical and ridiculously exciting to read. the thing is if none of the solo or skywalker family die by the end of the njo, then i'll feel even worse for anakin, since he'd be the only family member not celebrating. it's not that i want these other characters to die, it's just that i think there deaths could be turned into something amazing.

 

I sympathize with you on that point. So far Anakin is the only Solo to die. However, I hate to say it, but I think we'll be shocked with at least one more major character death before the NJO is done. And, as long as they are as beautifully written and meanginful as Anakin's was, I think I'll be ok with that. Obviously, Jacen is my favorite character. If he's the one to go, I won't like too much, but as long as he's true to character and his death is anything like Anakin's, I'll be ok with that. I just don't think that last big death will be Jacen, but someone else...

 

i hope it's not jacen or jaina, they're my two favorite characters now.

i would think one more death would make the series very climatic. very very very climatic.

 

The new topic is

Ganner Rhysode

ONCE an arrogant Jedi, Ganner Rhysode changed his ways after the battle of ithor, and since has become a superb jedi. From Mykr to Yuuzhan'tar, Ganner showed undoubtable bravery and leadership skill. He died a hero's death, sacrificing his life to save Jacen Solo.


Discuss!

 

I loved how he went out. "NONE SHALL PASS!"

Grinning like an idiot and laughing at the Vong.

How about Ton Phanan? He died too. WAAAHHHH

 

In regards to Anakin's death, I honestly think, other than he was told to do so, that Anakin's death was meant as symbolism. Anakin was a hero. He was a powerful Jedi. He was respected, looked up to, even by his own older siblings, and probably even the Jedi Masters. Kyp Durron even stated himself that he admired Anakin. Anakin had a power that I don't think he even realized.

Anakin's death was planned by the author because he was getting too powerful, too important, but I think in the rest of the character's eyes, striking Anakin down was like Luke seeing in A New Hope, Obi-Wan struck down. You have this very powerful person that you think is immortal in so many ways, cut down, it shows you just how vulnerable they really are, and how they must continue to fight and realize it is a fight. That the all powerful one is no longer there to save them, they must save themselves. As much as I hated to see it happen, I don't see Anakin's death as making any one character less important then before. Tahiri for example. To me, she has shown that despite losing Anakin, she's continuing to live, even if barely at times, because she knows deep in her heart that Anakin would want her to continue to live. Continue to fight for what he fought for, and died fighting for.

I also think Ganner's death is symbolic. Like someone mentioned, here was this very cocky, rather conceited man sent on a quest to find Jacen Solo, the Lost Jedi. He was threatened by Jaina with his life for the possibility of false hope to the Solo family. But yet he continued on, and he did find Jacen. And he knew he had to sacrifice himself in order for Jacen to return. He had no way of knowing that it would succeed or not, but he had to try, and in that moment, I think he became one with the Force in a way that he probably never thought possible.

My apologies if those seem like idiotic ramblings. It's late for me, and I have a broken toe that is making me not think too straight. But I wanted to give my opinion of these two deaths.

~~Jilly

 

there not idiotic rambblings at all. good points, you make .