Books STAR WARS: AFTERMATH

Spoiler

I much prefer he just tells the story differently to omit that bit. Now that he's the Marshal of Mos Pelgo he doesn't want it known he got his armor by murdering someone for it.

 

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The Mining Collective murdered plenty of townspeople, though, so I doubt any of the citizens would care he killed one of them in turn. Especially considering their initial views on the Tuskens.

 

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We don't know what he told the townspeople. In the episode he's telling Din.

 

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Sure. I just don't think they'd be up in arms if he did tell them.

 

Rather than discuss the topic in the spoilers, what I keep thinking about with Aftermath is Palpatine’s search for the dark signal. I realized that it could easily be connected to another SW story that we know Chuck Wendig was not only a fan of but included references to in his books: KOTOR.

In Aftermath, we have ancient, pre-Republic computers that map the unknown areas of the galaxy. In KOTOR, there are the star maps, created by the precursor Rakatan Empire and leading the way to forgotten worlds.

Then again in Aftermath, we hear that Palpatine was trying to map the unknown to track down a dark signal in the Force, an origin for his dark power and knowledge. In KOTOR II, we are told that Revan had discovered that the true Sith Empire, the source of all dark-side teachings, was still alive out there in unknown space. The Trayus Academy held some of their ancient knowedge, but Revan was determined to build up strength and track down the Sith to destroy them.

I’m not saying Wendig was necessarily trying to bring that into canon, but the dark signal bit could easily have been a reference to Revan’s search for the True Sith. It’s a vague enough reference that the Publishing group could do whatever they want with it. After TROS, for example, they could just link it to Exegol. Or it could be an entirely different thing.

 

I'd like if a lot of it is a callback to Revan and his signals and search. It fits too well. We know canon uses Rakatan-like technology with solar energy collection for Starkiller Base and the likes and even the Xyxston Stardestroyers.

Complete Vehicles spoilers:

Spoiler

Palpatine knew of Exegol and build it up ever since his rise as Darth Sidious, which could mean TPM 31BBY or 19BBY his Emperorship. Quite early actually. So any dark signal I originally thought belonged to Exegol or Snoke now can't and has to be something else entirely.

So where and what might it be and when will stories finally cover that?

Even if the ST chickened out of making Snoke Plagueis or somesuch. Maybe some other source still can do a Plagueis gambit with this signal? Or is it another signal of a Dark Force in the Unknown... the Vong? Or the original concept for them as extragalactic Dark Side Forceusers or even as the original Sith or Sith Gods of old returning?

 

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We don't know when he sensed the signal, though, as far as I recall. Tashu just refers to it in the past tense. And if Palpatine recruits Rax circa 30 BBY to build Super Secret Stuff on Jakku, then that could tie in reasonably well. The Observatories were intended to seek out the signal, no?

 

@Sauron_18

Part of me wonders what Wendig's whole idea with the contigency was in his own head with things like Gallius Rax and sending those forces into the UR which would eventually become the First Order?

Obviously again Palpatine being in the cards wasn't a thing until October of 2017.

The Contingency (To me at least) really only makes sense if Palpatine knew he wasn't going to die on Endor or at least his sprit wouldn't die. The whole rebirth of the Empire thing doesn't seem like his M.O without him in charge.

So i'm curious what Wendig's thoughts where when writing it.

I mean hey Rey needs more baddies to fight post Ep 9



Also on a third topic it's kinda surprising just how conistent the immediate "Aftermath" of Endor has more or less remained consistent despite the books controversial nature and how they've stuck with what Aftermath has given us more or less. Although some things have been smoothed over by other post Endor sources.

 

I think in the context of an Emperor permadeath post-ROTJ, the Contingency and refoeming of the Empire could be seen as the Emperor's final "**** you" to the galaxy. A way to indefinitely screw with the New Republic and our heroes well after he was gone. Palpatine would be so petty.

 

The original contingency was threefold: (1) Burn it all (2) In case I didn't die and the contingency started anyway leave me something to work with hidden (3) In case I did die, whatever I hid for myself won't make it without me anyway

I miss Wendig loved his books and style. Same for Denning. But hey, I know I love unpopular stuff. Be it Crystal Star, Jedi Prince, YJK or else...

 

Interesting! I’m curious about what the book says regarding that. The whole timeline around that is a bit muddled ij my head. That’s one of those cases where I felt like following the expanded story of the books and comics made it more confusing for me than it probably was for a more casual moviegoer.

As for the signal, I had started rewatching the Yoda arc and noticed a parallel in how Qui-Gon seems to be doing something similar to Yoda, to draw him to the Force planet. And I wondered, if Plagueis could have reached a similar half-immortal state, whether he could have been the source of the signal. But unlike Qui-Gon, he would not have wanted Sidious to prevail, he would have done it to cloud his judgment and make him vulnerable to Vader’s betrayal. Thus the Sith would even more have destroyed each other.

But I think we tend to give Plagueis too much thought. So that theory’s too convoluted to be remotely likely. And I would love for it to be something new and cool.

 

Maybe Palpatine knew that if he managed to cheat death he would be in a weakened state anyway so Operation Cinder in his Contingency (and the establishment of the First Order) is basically a stalling tactic while he recuperates and builds the Final Order. Also, y'know, Petty Palpy.

 

Still kinda amazing how much of Aftermath has stuck and been expanded on since it was first written.