Books Star Wars: Catalyst (A Rogue One Story): (spoilers)

Knowing we'll be getting into the Erso family back story sold me on this novel. Cannot wait to get my hands on it.

 

I originally thought it was contradicting what we were told about Jyn being on her own since 15 but then I realised it's never stated WHEN she was 15..... so a prequel themed novel that's NOT TCW related. Disney you alright

 

So, is it safe to say that...

Spoiler

Krennic is the new Bevel Lemelisk now?

 

I got the impression from the newcanon ROTJ novelization that Jerjerrod basically was.

 

Hmmmm...I haven't gotten a chance to read that yet. Interesting.

 

That's the thing. The Empire only ruled for 24 years and a character that's older than Luke and Leia but still their contemporary was going to be around for the clone wars.

 

Spoiler

Knowing this takes place during the Clone Wars, I hope we get cameos from some PT characters. Luceno seems to like using clone troopers in his stories, so maybe we'll see some of them working alongside Krennic.

 

Does anyone else think this book may show, or at least make mention of, the cataclysmic event that shattered Anaxes? Considering Anaxes housed a major shipyard for the Republic during the Clone Wars, I've no doubt they had at least some hand in developing parts for the Death Star. My guess is they were working on the DS's superlaser on Anaxes, and encountered some sort of issue with the kyber crystals, causing them to go off and destroy Anaxes. Since Krennic seems to be the one in charge of the superlaser's construction, I think it's safe to say if he wasn't on Anaxes shortly before it's destruction, he at least received word of the test-gone-wrong and the planet's obliteration.

 

If you're interested, the book describes Jerjerrod as an architect and a starship designer whose designs for the Corellian Engineering Corporation got him a job with the Empire. He helped build the first DS, though he thought it wouldn't even need to be used. He's quite uncomfortable with his work on DS 2, and he wishes to show Vader some reports showing how awful the whole thing is (budget cuts, supply chain breakdowns, too many stormtroopers underfoot, yet never enough construction workers to get things done).

 

Could it be that...

Two death stars are were being developed at the same time during the Clone Wars? One at Geonosis by the sepratists (the one seen in ROTS) which eventually gets appropriated by the Empire and eventually becomes known as the Death Star II and the other (Death Star I) was developed by Krennic but gets finished first...

 

It would explain how they went from needing 20 years to build the first one, to being a big chunk of the way through the second one in only 3. I've always found that to be one of the goofier elements in the OT TBH.

So they're going with the old:

Spoiler

The villain and the hero's father/parents used to be friends angle are they. Hmm, makes me hope that Krennic and Jyn have some actual scenes/dialogue together in the movie as well.

 

I really hope there is a reference to the unfinished "Crystal Crisis on Utapau" arc of the TCW in this book, since I believe that was a giant kyber crystal for the Death Star that Grievous was trying to get, which I imagine is quite important.

 

This sounds quite, quite excellent.

Politically it suggests the Clone Wars may cast a bigger shadow than the Empire too.

 

Conversely, though, that once they knew what they were doing by building the first Death Star, they were able to make rapid progress on the second. Of course, Vader and the Emperor weren't pleased by their "apparent lack of progress."

 

So how old will Jyn be in this story? How old is she supposed to be in Rogue One? She would have to be no more than 5 at the end of the clone wars.

 

Spoiler

RIP Lyra

 

True, but 20 years to 3, for a BIGGER and more powerful version, is a stretch regardless.

 

Exactly how i have always felt.

 

How did the old eu explain the fact that DS II got built that fast?

 

It took them years to build the first nuclear bomb in the Manhattan Project. During the Cold War they were manufacturing new ones, bigger ones, more powerful ones then the one dropped at Trinity every week. Some people might find four years to a week a stretch, but once all the technical issues and R&D issues are solved for the development of the first model subsequent development and construction ceases to be a matter of science and engineering; instead it becomes a matter of logistics. Apply the same principle to the Death Star II.

 

Except that you can't because they're not the same. Massive moon-sized battle-station (with all of it's support systems) vs. a bomb.

 

Yes, you can. They are both machines, both manufactured products. You think size invalidates that principle, but it doesn't. You want another example, take a look at warships. HMS Lord Nelson was laid down in May 1905 and was finally finished construction in October 1908. Also laid down in 1905, in October, was a larger (21,000 ton vs. 16,000 ton), more powerful, more advanced battleship called HMS Dreadnought. It was completed in December 1906. Now according to what you are saying here that should not be possible, but it happened. As Yoda says, judge not by size. If it is a manufactured product using proven, existing technology it is just a matter of how much resources, industrial capacity and manpower you have access to (things the Empire did not lack) and how badly you want it finished. So twenty years, which includes several years of research and development, becomes 4-5 years (remember it was not complete at the time of Endor) of construction.