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

Spoiler

Yes. I have always wondered if Snoke is Rakatan.

 

In my head he looked more like Steve Buscemi.

And Yupe Tashu? Peter Lorre!

 

Something interesting this book opens up:

Spoiler

A whole new parallel setting for books, games, and television. While of course we can have stories following the NR from Aftermath to Bloodline, there's also the possibility of following the narrative of Rae Sloane in the Unknown Regions, and her tensions with the nascent (?) First Order. That's an entire 'closed' setting with TREMENDOUS storytelling potential.

 

It's true that

Spoiler

Han doesn't want to be a father? There's something negative about him or Leia/Luke?

 

Spoiler

Haven't finished reading the book yet, but from what I heard many Naboo are giving Jar Jar a hard time for proposing Palpatine get emergency powers. Is there any mention of Panaka? Wookieepedia seems to indicate that, like his EU version, Panaka is a Moff loyal to Palpatine and giving him gifts circa ROTJ. One would think the Naboo would be even harder on someone who supported Palpatine up until the Battle of Endor than on Jar Jar who probably realized his mistake circa ANH and the dissolution of the Senate.

 

I pictured Christoph Waltz as Rax. Though less the brilliant field man from his Tarantino movies, and more the ax-crazy sociopath from the last Bond movie.

 

Spoiler

The mention of Moff Panaka still appears in the canon version of Complete Locations, yes.

 

I'm going to just say it. I may be shunned for this. But...I think Gallius Rax is a better villain than Thrawn. Also, I picture Sam Witwer as Rax. Someone younger.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

So as of tomorrow, we don't have to use spoiler tags in this thread?

 

Using tags just to be safe

Spoiler

Could anyone post the excerpt with Rax feeling 'worried' about fruit leaving behind seeds? I believe it happens pretty close to when he pushes Tashu down the well. I thought the language used was interesting, to say the least.

I also wanted to point out the interesting exposition Wendig provided regarding Han and Ben. There's a section towards the end of the book (possibly the epilogue?) that describes Han feeling jealous of the force bond that Ben has with Leia. He's jealous because he'll never get to have that with Ben, and because of that, he feels like less of a father. This sounds like an extremely important point regarding how Han and Ben's relationship plays out. It basically sounds like Han never believed in his ability to become a great father because he lacked the force connection with Ben that Leia had. This adds more meaning behind his line in TFA "If Luke couldn't reach him, how could I?" He still can't get past the idea of not sharing a force connection with his son. He thinks Luke has a better chance of connecting with Ben because Luke is a powerful force user. Leia, however, has to remind him again: "Luke is a Jedi. YOU'RE his father."

I just thought that was a really intriguing piece of backstory that I wasn't expecting to see.

 

Spoiler

Based on some cut dialogue between Han and Leia in TFA, it sounds like Han may have been closer with Ben than Leia was though? Leia: "You could always see him clearer than I could." Han: "I don't know what I saw". The scene was cut, so it's technically not canon, but it raises the interesting possibility that Ben and Han were actually more closely bonded than Leia and Ben were.

 

Have to say hats off to Chuck Wendig. When I first tried to read Aftermath years ago I was so down on it and the whole direction they were taking. Life Debt and now Empire's End have really given me hope that the time period between ROTJ and TFA is going to be explored in a truly fascinating way.

In the end I have to say I'm glad we are getting a very different version of events then in the old EU. If it was the same what would be the point? Bring on Episode VIII. Bring on more books. This book excited me for the future of Star Wars in a way that I never expected. I want to see where this is all going. Is Palpatine really behind it all still? Is there something else at play? BRING IT ON.

 

Yes, it explain why Snoke wants Han's death as his test. Not Leia or Luke, but Han. And Kylo said that Ben was foolish and weak as his father, it's like Ben and Han had a lot in common and "Ben" (like Anakin to Vader) represent what Kylo was in the light side.

 

Found the Rax excerpt that I was looking for.

Spoiler

(After Rax pushes Tashu into the well starting the chain reaction that will 'destroy everything')

"Palpatine was right. The artifacts contain a great deal of energy. And now they have dropped into the core of this world. With the well open, that energy will vent. So begins the chain reaction that will destroy everything. The planet will soon begin to crack. It shall break apart. It will swallow the Empire and the New Republic's fleets and soldiers whole. When it does, it will leave this galaxy to the scavengers, and the scum, rotting like a fruit lying forgotten in the dirt. Though, an idle thought troubles him. All fruit, no matter how rotten, can leave behind seeds. It's time to leave. The Imperialis awaits."

The planet didn't break apart though... Sloane stopped the reaction from finishing. The seeds have already been thrown down the well, with the essence of life. What does this mean?

 

Also where in the universe was C-3PO? Any theories on this one?

 

Although I could be wrong, it seems to me

Spoiler

the seeds are the punk kids he's only begun to unleash; hence, their importance to his plans.

 

I don't think that's what he is referring to. In context to this thoughts, it has something to do with the well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Ooh, Watlz is a good one. I myself picture Hugo Weaving, because he was who I always saw as Thrawn, but since Rebels has made my headcanon Thrawn Lars Mikkelssen, I'll cast Hugo Weaving as Thrawn's non-union Mexican Musical Equivalent.

Very interesting... was that cut dialogue in one of the deleted scenes? Or in the script but never filmed? I don't remember ever seeing that.

 

It's in the TFA Documentary where Adam and JJ are talking about what bad parents Han and Leia were LOL.

 

Not sure if we still need spoiler tags or not. But after finishing this book I'm curious to hear other people's opinions on Rae Sloane. Does she come off as an anti-villain to anyone else?

 

Fascinated to see where she goes from here. It seemed she was a goner for sure to me. Also I kinda hope that it turns out there are other FO people already on there way to the Eclipse or something otherwise Norra letting Sloane get away inadvertently led to the rise of the First Order.