Lit Reading NJO...Again

Urgh.

Poor Raynar did not deserve what happened to him. Poor, terrible and rarely brought up afterwards until FOTJ.

Thank God, Raynar was one of the things I wanted to fix in my LOTF rewrite (which got rid of the awful Dark Nest trilogy).

 

Actually despite it being hard on Raynar, I liked what happened to him. He was annoying in YJK but never deserved the SBS fate, still it added to his character that we could feel for that loss despite his annoyance. Then in Dark Nest one was torn between being glad he is alive and the horror he suffered to be alive. In the end though he was a good ruler and in FOTJ later an epic and funny Jedi that had overcome his past quite well. I'd not want to loose FOTJ Raynar only because of getting rid of the harsh past he had. Same for Tahiri, poor girl and her suffering, but she grew from every bit of it.

In general, I dislike rewrites that intend to fix what isn't broken. Write missing scenes instead and add to the picture, those can even make hard to understand or accept parts more acceptable by adding relevant missing story that bridges two irreconsileable seeming elements.

 

I despised DNT Raynar but loved FOTJ Raynar.

 

He'd need at least a decade to establish his PR, and find enough allies and pawns to make a successful run at being Chief of State.

 

Nah, Stover topped it with Shatterpoint and Mindor.

 

Well he would get a lot of Vong votes and he played a key role in ending the war.


THERE IS NO DARKSIDE

THE ONLY DARKSIDE YOU NEED TO FEAR IS IN SIDE YOU


So I am at that point. Where Vergre talks about power and the force and the darkside.

She also expresses sadness at Vaders fall into the Sith. I don't see why she would if she was a Sith.

I also think her lines about the force DO sound Sith, but what she says next doesn't. She said that the darkside comes from within you. Something no Sith would say. In fact it sounds almost exactly what Yoda said in dark rendezvous, that even Yoda has darkness within him.

Jacen gives in, he embraces the darkness to save him self. He defeats but does not kill anyone. He then follow Anakins Ghost, gives into darkness and saves a girl and then does not kill anyone (even those who had been sacrificing people). This is important I feel. Even at his lowest point, he doesn't kill anyone, he does not bring harm, he helps.

His talk with Anakin is nice. It does feel like maybe it is just Jacens mind, but maybe Anakin changed after he died. I also like that winning does not mean fighting (which calls back to edge of victory 2, when Jacen wants to make peace with the Vong).

Now onto Ganner and a confusing fight.

 

what's everyone take on Cal Omas, I think he would be a cool character to return to Canon especially if the New Republic gets restored after the Events of Episode IX. he can even have his old job back as Chancellor/Chief of State.

 

Even Palpatine needed ten years to restore his power in DE, though I wonder how many YV-votes Nommie still could count on. We have seen his ambitions rising from a mere prefecture to topple Shimrra.

And I wonder, how Nom Anor would have changed the Yuuzhan Vong society given he really would have taken power from Shimrra with his Shamed Ones/Workers base. Would he have abolished the caste system or not? Would he have changed the state-run commando-economy towards more free economy?

And I still don't know what Onimi is actually thinking about Nom Anor in return.

 

Well many worked with the Vong post war on Zonama Sekot, including Tahiri and other Jedi. Pity we never got a tale set in the 5 years before Dark Nest that showed them adapting and any crisis due to the change that had to be dealt with. I am sure not all extremists were wiped out or kept fighting as leftover pockets during the cleanup operations.

Would the Vong ever join the Galactic Alliance? Who would they vote for? Did they serve in the military etc.? Were some integrated even if not more? Or did they stay on their own? By Legacy we know some deal and use Vong gear. Or use Vong healing.

Maybe they were integrated and that is by Daala was voted into office

 

*Scut


Also I have finished Traitor.

I liked how Ganner was caught and Jacens plan.

I also really enjoyed the way Jacen was hamming it up, reminded me of Zero from Code Geass.

I liked Jacen and Ganner talking.

and then, of course, it happened.

Ganner made his choice and took action.

I liked how just before he spoke Nom thought of how much a joke Ganner was (a bit unfair given that he fought in a number of engagements)

And then he comes out, this man who could barely stand a moment ago comes out to die, with no fear no doubt, just a mission and trust in the force. This is how a jedi makes war.

And on the thousands come first one at at time then all in a rush, it makes no difference, he is Ganner and none shall pass.

Jacen speaks to his friend and teaches it, compassion and love I think. It will now teach the Vong to compromise. This reminds me of the post war occupation of Japan by the allies, trying to turn the enemy into something more like them.

Jacen and Vergere steal Noms ship and they leave.

Into a galaxy full of weeds.


This a great book, a lot of depth and complex issues brought up, but not all answered. After all every answer is a lie, because the truth is bigger than any words we could use to describe it.


Now onto destinies way, a book I have heard, mixed things about.

Though from the preview it is looking up with Han shutting down the dumb idea that the Empire could have fought the Vong.

 

Ganner's last stand reminds me of 300 (Sparta and the Persians, the film about the first Marathon).

So another ship of Nom Anor was stolen. What happened to the Kssstarr/Trickster which Jaina did rob in SbS/Dark Journey btw.? Did she keep the ship and nurtered it?

Nom Anor: "My specialties are analies and propalysis!"

 

When Luke in TLJ appeared at Crait and stepped out of the base I so prayed he'd use the Ganner speach verbatim in the movie!

It would have made the movie even sweeter. Can someone edit that in via video and good voice?

Then imagine if the Resistance recorded Luke's last stand and broadcast it to the galaxy? Countless worlds watching it happen live as Resistance slicers hijacked the holonet for a few minutes.

That'd have added even to the final Broomboy scene, if he'd seen a holo of Crait Luke which would have him and others decide to no longer be small and weak but step up.



back to NJO:


Destiny's Way may have gotten some things wrong, but also many things right. As a direct sequel to Traitor it is debateable if it got Vergere, Jacen and the Force philosophy right or not. But it did a good job of showing how a deeply changed Jacen had to return to a galaxy that expected old Jacen back.

I also liked that they gave characters some new clothes like Tenel Ka's blue hapan military uniform we still need art for.

And Vergeres fate in Destinys way was interesting and nice and should confirm beyond doubt that the Sith retcons are wrong.

 

I can accept that Vergere might have dabbled with Sith teachings for a time.
In Traitor, she seemed above the whole Jedi or Sith nonsense.
Her Force-ghost ending was amazing. Her a Sith? Like Lumiya? Not buying it.

 

Headcanon: Vergere is Vongerella who wore an ooglith masquer to appear as a Fosh! *mindblown* Never underestimate the power of the "V" as in V for Vendetta. Comic and Movie so would have fit Stover and Vergere both. Always imagined V and Ivy as Vergere and Jacen.

 

And I imagine the duel of Shimrra and Luke like this:

Luke (throws his lightsaber away and hides)

Shimrra (looking for Luke): "You can't hide from me forever, Jeedai ."

Shimrra finds Luke and guts him with his amphistaff - nothing happens.
Luke (smiling): "I see you later, big guy, but the shorter half of you is just feeling up my niece and I can't let this go on."

 

Will admit Ganner´s sacrifice never gave me much of anything. He is this minor character, basically another Kyp clone for the most part. Is it noble? Yes. But I would hardly call it the greatest moment in the history of the galaxy like so many others seems to make it into.
Just feels to me as if Stover wanted to leave a mark on the EU and the fransicse as a whole so he greatly oversold this moment. Especially jarring when major characters from YJK barely appear in NJO or are killed offscreen with little fanfare at all.

 

I think that adds to the dramatic weight of the moment, more than it detracts from it.

Ganner accepts being a “sidekick” he isn’t the hero, or more generally the main character. And through playing the role of the sacrificial side kick, he achieved something glorious.

 

He is a NJO only character so I don't mind

Well it is an epic last stand and it is impressive that he fights as well as he did.

Also I like the idea of him becoming a god to the Vong, I don't know if Vergere was telling the truth or if she thought she was lying I think Ganner becomes a god.

 

So fun to lurk in this thread and re-live it all again. I haven't the patience to read it all through again, but I do remember endless discussions about it all. I had forgotten so many things. Anyway - just popping in to say I lurk and enjoy. Carry on.

 

"Besides, it's good to be remembered as a martyr without actually having to be dead, wouldn't you say?"