Story arcs
Betrayal
Betrayal consists of issues 1 to 4.
On Coruscant, Darth Vader, Grand Moff Trachta and Moff Kadir test the blaster accuracy of a battalion of a newly trained stormtroopers. Vader is so impressed by their skill that he orders them sent to escort Governor Wilhuff Tarkin to the Death Star. Kadir objects, as the men were assigned to his Coruscant City Guard. Vader threatens him that the previous commander of Coruscant Security also made demands for more soldiers, and that Kadir should be silent if he doesn't wish to share his predecessor's fate. As Vader leaves, Kadir and Trachta express their annoyance with the Sith. Trachta hints that there might be a solution to the Sith problem, and tells Kadir that he'll be sent for.
Emperor Palpatine and Trachta meet. Palpatine asks Trachta to provide a skilled detachment of stormtroopers for his escort to the Death Star. He then says that he would have assigned Trachta to oversee the construction of the Death Star instead of Tarkin, if only Trachta wasn't necessary for the Emperor's operations on Coruscant. Meanwhile, Darth Vader thinks back to a conversation he had with Qui-Gon Jinn before he was introduced to the Jedi Council. He then meets with Palpatine, who gives him a mission to hunt down a lightsaber-wielding criminal on the planet Dargulli. They both suspect it could be one of Vader's children.
Sacrifice
Sacrifice is the 7th issue of the Star Wars: Empire comic book series, featuring Boba Fett. It was originally published on 9 April 2003, and later collected in the Boba Fett: Man with a Mission trade paperback.
Darklighter
Darklighter is a four-part story arc written by Paul Chadwick. The first issue was published on 21 May 2003. The story is set shortly before, and during the Battle of Yavin.
The Short, Happy Life of Roons Sewell
The Short, Happy Life of Roons Sewell is a two-part story arc written by Paul Chadwick. The first issue was published on 23 July 2003. Shortly before the Battle of Yavin, General Jan Dodonna speaks at the funeral of his predecessor, Roons Sewell. He first tells of how Sewell became a disaffected actor after the Empire killed his love interest. Then, he tells of Sewell's days with the Rebellion and how he died in battle.
What Sin Loyalty?
What Sin Loyalty? is the 13th issue of the series. It was originally published on 26 November 2003, and later collected in The Imperial Perspective trade paperback.
4 days BBY, the planet Ralltiir. What was supposed to be a small rebel cell turned out to be a planetwide rebellion. Commander Akobi led Imperial forces. In some cases, the Rebels used women and children to defend themselves. The Rebels jammed communications and disrupted sensors. During an Imperial bombing run on a Rebel supply depot, the TIE bomber sensors failed. Akobi ordered them to go on anyway. The Bombers bombed a Med Center by accident, killing scores of civilians. The Imperials covered it up, and made Akobi into a hero. While he was trying to get power back up, the Rebels tried to bomb him. His friend and bodyguard, a Stormtrooper, TK-622 saved him. The Commander believed it to be an accident. Akobi and 622 were then assigned to the Death Star. During a meeting of officers, a RA-7 Death Star Droid opened fire, killing some of the officers. 622 shot it down before it could do more harm. The remains of the droid was brought to a Technician. While he was scanning it 622 came across an explicit order to kill Commander Akobi. Just then, the droid's memory banks exploded. While TK-622 was escorting Commander Akobi to a medals ceremony for his actions on Ralltiir, an errant probe droid attacked them. It severely wounded Akobi. While medtechs were fighting to save Akobi's life, 622 tried to track any leads. He did not find anything that could help. At this time, the Millennium Falcon was brought on board, eventually escaping with Princess Leia. Akobi died, but not before telling 622 about what really happened on Ralltiir. TK-622 went to the tech's station, where he was attacked by the Technician. They begin to fight, as the Battle of Yavin rages. A nearby surface impact caused debris to fall on the Technician, killing him. Before his death though, the traitor confessed to the attacks on Akobi from the power generator bomb on Ralltiir, to the probe droid's attack. The Technician was from Ralltiir, and was a Rebel agent. TK-622 watched as Luke Skywalker's X-wing starfighter fired into the Thermal Exhaust Port. He knew the station was about to explode, and in his last seconds, he reflected on his life.
The Savage Heart
The Savage Heart is the 14th issue of the series. It was originally published on 10 December 2003, and later collected in The Imperial Perspective trade paperback.
Escaping from the Battle of Yavin in his Advanced TIE fighter, Darth Vader crash lands on the planet Vaal. The only Imperial presence on the planet is a small Imperial communications outpost, led by the lazy Sergeant Reybn and two other men. They prefer to relax and have fun, rather than doing actual work, reasoning that they're on one of the Empire's most distant outposts. Meanwhile, Vader encounters a pack of canine creatures, who attempt to kill him. After slaying the pack leader, Vader is regarded as the new leader by the hounds. He helps them kill a large, horned mammal, then walks to the Imperial outpost, with the pack following him. The outpost crew is shocked over seeing Vader suddenly arrive, and are petrified as they watch him enter their Lambda-class shuttle. As Vader blasts off, the hounds kill Reybn and the two other men. Later, Vader arrives on Coruscant, and informs a commander that the communications outpost on Vaal will need a new crew.
To the Last Man
To the Last Man is a three-part story arc written by Welles Hartley. The first issue was published on 28 January 2004. The story is set during the same time period as the events in A New Hope.
Target: Vader
Target: Vader is the 19th issue of the series. It was originally published on May 12, 2004, and later collected in The Imperial Perspective trade paperback. The events in this story take place approximately five months after the events in A New Hope.
Darth Vader arrives on Void Station, an asteroid city, seeking the Bothan information broker Jib Kopatha. Vader complains that Kopatha has not provided the Empire with any information other than speculations for several months. To re-establish the Empire's faith in him, Vader says, Kopatha must provide him with information regarding the Rebel Alliance. Kopatha complies, and tries to persuade Vader to stay in the city for a few days, offering him various delicate foods and women, but is turned down. As Vader walks back to the hangar to leave, A Falleen woman named Xora approaches him, promising him information about the Rebels. Vader follows her into a seemingly empty room, where he is attacked by several Falleen, seeking revenge for his massacre of an entire city on the planet Falleen. Despite there being many of them and one landing a blow on him, he manages to kill them all. Vader grabs Xora by the throat says he doesn’t like to be reminded of his past and chokes her to death before leaving.
A Little Piece of Home
A Little Piece of Home is a two-part story arc written by Ron Marz. The first issue was published on 26 May 2004. About six months after the Battle of Yavin, Princess Leia visits Raal Panteer, a childhood love interest, on a moon of Ryloth, which she hopes could serve as the new Rebel base. While there, Panteer shows Leia the natural wonders of the moon's jungle, but they are attacked by the creatures that inhabit it. Panteer dies, and Leia leaves regretting putting another society into danger.
Alone Together
Alone Together is the 22nd issue of the series. It was originally published on 14 July 2004, and later collected in the Allies and Adversaries trade paperback. The events in this story take place approximately six months after the events in A New Hope. Supply Officer Deena Shan goes along on a mission with Han, Chewie, and Leia when they are forced to evacuate the Rebel fleet. She learns how dedicated the Rebel heroes are to each other despite the dangers they face.
The Bravery of Being Out of Range
The Bravery of Being Out of Range is the 23rd issue of the series. It was originally published on 18 August 2004, and later collected in the Allies and Adversaries trade paperback. The events in this story take place approximately six months after the events in A New Hope.
Idiot's Array
Idiot's Array is a two-part story arc written by Ron Marz. The first issue was published on 8 September 2004. Approximately six months after the Battle of Yavin, Han reveals his Rebel involvement to Sheel Odala, an old acquaintance. He is betrayed by Odala and tortured for information on the Rebellion's whereabouts. Odala has a change of heart and asks Chewie to help her save Han.
"General" Skywalker
"General" Skywalker is a two-part story arc written by Ron Marz. The first issue was published on 10 November 2004. The story is set approximately seven months after the Battle of Yavin.
Wreckage
Wreckage is the 28th issue of the series. It was originally published on 29 December 2004 The events in this story take place approximately seven months after the events in A New Hope.
In the Shadows of Their Fathers
In the Shadows of Their Fathers is a two-part story arc written by Thomas Andrews. The first issue was published on 23 February 2005. The story is set approximately eight months after the Battle of Yavin.
The Price of Power
The Price of Power is the 31st issue of the series. It was originally published on 18 May 2005, and in October 2006, it was collected in the In the Footsteps of Their Fathers trade paperback. The events in this story take place approximately eight months after the events in A New Hope.
A Model Officer
A Model Officer is the 35th issue of the series. It was originally published on 21 September 2005, and in January 2007, it was collected in The Wrong Side of the War trade paperback. The events in this story take place approximately eight months after the events in A New Hope.
The Wrong Side of the War
The Wrong Side of the War is a five-part story arc written by Welles Hartley. The first issue was published on 12 October 2005. The story is set approximately eight months after the Battle of Yavin.
A squad of Rebel soldiers, led by Luke Skywalker, infiltrate an Empire-run fueling depot in an attempt to steal much-needed fuel and rescue a valuable prisoner.
The Rebels are accepted as Imperial officers and allowed to on base under restrictions. The mission is also complicated by the revelation of prisoners from a planet, Jabiim, that the Rebels had lost to the Imperials very recently.
The focus of previous stories, Lt. Sunber, had been on Jabim just recently. The loss of many of his men against the Rebels and the disheartening way the prisoners are treated make him question his role in the Imperial army.
Princess Leia Organa is a fictional character and one of the main characters in the Star Wars franchise, portrayed by Carrie Fisher. Introduced in the original Star Wars film in 1977, Leia is princess of the planet Alderaan, a member of the Imperial Senate and an agent of the Rebel Alliance. She thwarts the sinister Sith Lord Darth Vader and helps bring about the destruction of the Empire's cataclysmic superweapon, the Death Star. In The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Leia commands a Rebel base and evades Vader as she falls in love with the smuggler Han Solo. In Return of the Jedi (1983), Leia helps in the operation to rescue Han from the crime lord Jabba the Hutt and is revealed to be Vader's daughter and the twin sister of Luke Skywalker.
Obi-Wan Kenobi is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise. Within the original trilogy, Obi-Wan is a Jedi Master as a supporting character and is portrayed by English actor Alec Guinness. In the later-released prequel trilogy, a younger version of the character serves as one of the two main protagonists, alongside Anakin Skywalker, and is portrayed by Scottish actor Ewan McGregor. In the original trilogy he is introduced as Ben Kenobi, an alias he uses while in hiding from the Empire. He is a mentor to Luke Skywalker, to whom he introduces the ways of the Jedi. After sacrificing himself in a duel against Darth Vader, Obi-Wan guides Luke through the Force in his fight against the Galactic Empire. In the prequel trilogy, set two decades earlier, he is initially a Padawan (apprentice) to Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, and later mentor and friend of Luke's father Anakin, who falls to the dark side of the Force and becomes Vader. The character briefly appears in the sequel trilogy as a disembodied voice, speaking to protagonist Rey, and serving as the namesake of Ben Solo. He is frequently featured as a main character in various other Star Wars media, including the streaming television miniseries Obi-Wan Kenobi, in which McGregor reprised the role.
C-3PO or See Threepio is a humanoid robot character in the Star Wars franchise who appears in all nine films of the Skywalker Saga, which includes the original trilogy, the prequel trilogy and the sequel trilogy. Built by Anakin Skywalker, C-3PO is a protocol droid designed to assist in etiquette and translation, and is fluent in over six million forms of communication. Along with his companion R2-D2, C-3PO provides comic relief within the narrative structure of the films, and serves as a foil. Anthony Daniels has portrayed the character in eleven of the twelve theatrically-released Star Wars films.
The evil Galactic Empire, otherwise known as the Galactic Empire or simply as the Empire, is a fictional autocracy featured in the Star Wars franchise. It was first introduced in the 1977 film Star Wars and appears in its two sequels: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983). It is the main antagonistic faction of the original trilogy. An oppressive, autocratic regime with a complicated bureaucracy, the Galactic Empire seeks to ensure singular rule and social control over every planet and civilization within the galaxy.
The Rebel Alliance is a fictional organization in the Star Wars franchise. The Alliance is portrayed as a stateless coalition of rebel dissidents and defectors who oppose the Galactic Empire and its authoritarian rule. Its stated goal is to restore the liberal governance of the previous Galactic Republic, which had been dissolved after its leader Palpatine seized absolute power and declared himself emperor. It is the main protagonistic faction of the original Star Wars trilogy, along with the mostly fallen Jedi Order.
The Battle of Yavin takes place in the fictional universe of Star Wars. It pits the Galactic Empire against the Rebel Alliance around the gas giant planet Yavin and its fourth moon.
Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire is a 1996 multimedia project created by Lucasfilm. The idea was to create a story set between the films The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, and to explore all commercial possibilities of a full motion picture release without actually making a film. The venture was intended to reinvigorate interest in the franchise ahead of the theatrical Special Editions of the Star Wars trilogy released the following year.
Jedi Prince is a series of science fiction young-reader novels set in the Star Wars universe, written by Paul and Hollace Davids. They were published by Bantam Skylark between 1992 and 1993. The series takes place about a year after Return of the Jedi, between the events of the books The Truce at Bakura (1993) and Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor (2008).
Dark Empire is a Star Wars comic book metaseries produced by Dark Horse Comics. It consists of a six-issue limited series written by Tom Veitch and drawn by Cam Kennedy, followed by a second six-issue limited series by Veitch and Kennedy, followed in turn by a two-issue limited series written by Veitch and drawn by Jim Baikie. The initial series is notable for being one of the first Star Wars comics to be produced by Dark Horse, which retained the comic rights to the franchise for over two decades.
Star Wars Infinities is a graphic novel trilogy published by Dark Horse Comics from 2002 to 2004. It tells a non-canon alternate version of each film in the original Star Wars trilogy in which a point of divergence occurs and changes the outcome of the story. Each individual Infinities story is unrelated to the others and is set within the timeline of their original film.
Young Jedi Knights is a Star Wars young adult fiction series by science fiction writer Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta. It was published from 1995 to 1998. It covers the Jedi training of Jacen and Jaina Solo, the twin children of Han Solo and Leia Organa Solo. The series begins 23 years ABY, when the twins are fourteen years old.
Star Wars: Rebellion is a Star Wars comic written by Rob Williams and published by Dark Horse Comics. The first issue was published on April 12, 2006. The story is set in the Star Wars galaxy nine months after the Battle of Yavin depicted in the original Star Wars film, and continues some plot threads begun in Star Wars: Empire.
"It's a Trap!" is a direct-to-video special of the animated series Family Guy which later served as the double-episode season finale of the ninth season and is the final part of the series' Star Wars parody trilogy Laugh It Up, Fuzzball. It is named after the phrase uttered by Admiral Ackbar in the Star Wars film Return of the Jedi. The home video was first released on December 21, 2010, and the episode later aired on Fox in the United States on May 22, 2011.
Star Wars is an ongoing Star Wars comic series published by Marvel Comics since January 14, 2015. Originally written by Jason Aaron with art by John Cassaday, it is set between the 1977 film Star Wars and its 1980 sequel, The Empire Strikes Back, much like the previous comic published in 2013 by Dark Horse Comics. The series features classic Star Wars characters Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2-D2. It was one of three new Star Wars comics by Marvel announced in July 2014, along with Darth Vader and the limited series Princess Leia.
Star Wars is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics from April 12, 1977 to May 27, 1986. Featuring classic Star Wars characters Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2-D2, the first six issues adapt the May 1977 film Star Wars. The series chronicled their subsequent adventures for 107 issues and three annuals, including a six-issue adaptation of the 1980 sequel film The Empire Strikes Back in 1980–1981. In 2019, the series was revived for a single issue.
A Star Warscomic strip ran in both daily strips and Sunday strips, originally distributed between 1979 and 1984 by two American newspaper publishers, the Los Angeles Times Syndicate and Watertown Daily Times.
Star Wars is a Star Wars comic book series published by Dark Horse Comics between 2013 and 2014. The series was written by Brian Wood, and follows the main characters of the original Star Wars trilogy soon after the events of the original film. It ended after a 20-issue run, largely due to the Star Wars comics license being transferred to Marvel as part of Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm.
