Star Wars Insider - Issue 214, 2022 UK

ORIGINAL STORIES FROM
THE GALACTIC FRONTIER
Step aboard the Starlight Beacon and join Administrator Velko Jahen, Chief Ghal
Tarpfen, and Jedi from the High Republic Era as they face a mysterious assassination
attempt, a threat from the carnivorous Drengir, an ominous message... and more!
Featuring tales by New York Times bestselling authors

Justina Ireland, Cavan Scott, and Charles Soule.
FIND OUT MORE AT

TITAN-COMICS.COM © 2022 Lucasfilm Ltd & TM. All rights reserved.
A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR T H E O F F I C I A L M A G A Z I N E
ISSUE 214
“Hello There!” TITAN EDITORIAL

Editor / Christopher Cooper
Group Editor / Jake Devine
Editorial Assistant / Calum Collins
Art Director / Oz Browne
Designer / David Colderley
Darth Vader is, by my reckoning, probably the angriest character
in any science fiction and fantasy franchise (and that’s including LUCASFILM
whatever gamma-irradiated individuals you might care to Senior Editor / Brett Rector
Art Director / Troy Alders
mention from another movie series!). The armor-clad villain Creative Director / Michael Siglain
stands out within the Star Wars pantheon for his surliness and Asset Management /
ill-temper, even among other Sith Lords, who always seemed to Chris Argyropoulos, Gabrielle Levenson,
Bryce Pinkos, Sarah Williams, Jackey Cabrera,
take great glee in their malevolent acts—Palpatine was always Shahana Alam, and Elinor De La Torre
chuckling away to himself, usually as he was committing some Story Group / Pablo Hidalgo,
Leland Chee, Emily Shkoukani,
heinous act with bolts of Force energy! Not Vader. Nope, he’s Phil Szostak, and Kate Izquierdo
just pure grumpiness, as we witnessed in the Disney+ series
Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022). CONTRIBUTORS
Megan Crouse, Richard Dinnick, Mary Fan,
Would a few anger management sessions have helped? James Floyd, Patrick Jankiewicz, George Mann,
Too little, too late, I think. After all, the flaws in his temperament Mark Newbold, Amy Richau, Jay Stobie,
were brewing even when he was going by the name of Anakin Brandon Wainerdi, and Dan Wallace.
Skywalker and getting into fights with young Rodians on SPECIAL THANKS TO
Tatooine. In this issue of Star Wars Insider, we’ll examine what Lucy Goldsmith, Erich Schoeneweiss
we thought we knew about Darth Vader through the lens of the at Random House, Holly McIntosh, Joseph
Taraborrelli, Andrea Towers and Jim Nausedas
character’s deeds in the Kenobi series, take a wider look at the at Marvel Comics, Lizzy Draeger,
events of the show in general, and discuss the perils of being and Tracy Cannobbio at Lucasfilm.
Kevin P. Pearl, Samantha Keane,
chosen to train as a Jedi in the first place. and Eugene Paraszczuk at Disney.
On a lighter note, we discover how much fun it can be to play
a Jawa in a Star Wars production; speak to Jim Swearingen, the TITAN MAGAZINES
Production Controllers /
design guru behind Kenner’s original toy range; and return to Caterina Falqui & Kelly Fenton
The High Republic with all-new short fiction from author George Production Manager / Jackie Flook
Mann. If that’s not enough brightness to chill-out a Dark Lord, Sales & Circulation Manager / Steve Tothill
Marketing Coordinator / Lauren Noding
I don’t know what is! Publicity & Sales Coordinator / Alexandra Iciek
May the Force be with you. Publicity Manager / Will O’Mullane
Digital & Marketing Manager / Jo Teather
Head of Rights / Jenny Boyce
Acquisitions Editor / Duncan Baizley
Publishing Director / Ricky Claydon
Publishing Director / John Dziewiatkowski
Group Operations Director / Alex Ruthen
Executive Vice President / Andrew Sumner
Publishers / Vivian Cheung & Nick Landau
DISTRIBUTION
Christopher Cooper U.S. Newsstand / Total Publisher Services, Inc.
John Dziewiatkowski 630-851-7683
Editor U.S. Newsstand Distribution /
Curtis Circulation Company
U.S. Bookstore Distribution / The News Group
U.S. Direct Sales / Diamond Comic Distributors
U.K. Distribution / Marketforce
SUBSCRIPTIONS
MEET THE CONTRIBUTORS... U.S. subscriptions / 1-800-261-6502,
email: [email protected]
Canada subscriptions / 818-487-4575
U.K. subscriptions / 01778 392085
email: [email protected]
For more info on advertising contact

[email protected]
(USPS 003-027) (ISSN 1041-5122)
James Floyd Amy Richau Jay Stobie George Mann Megan Crouse Brandon Wainerdi
@JamesJawa @amyrichau @StobiesGalaxy @George_Mann @blogfullofwords @ActuallyBrandon Star Wars Insider is published eight times per year
(January, Feb/Mar, April/May, Jun/July, August, September,
James is a writer Amy is a regular Writer, media A Sunday Times Megan is a regular Brandon is a October, November/December) by Titan Magazines,
for StarWars.com contributor to consultant, and bestselling novelist contributor to writer, digital a division of Titan Publishing Group Limited,
144 Southwark Street, London SE1 0UP.
and assorted StarWars.com, Wookiee fan, Jay and scriptwriter, StarWars.com and strategist, and Contents © 2021 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved,
online geek sites, and is the author is a regular Star George has written also writes for podcaster, with Titan Authorized User. TMN14211
and enjoys trips of Star Wars: I Wars Insider several Star Wars sci-fi and movie a talent for PUBLISHER’S U.S. AGENT
around the world Love You, I Know: contributor, and books and comics, website Den of crossword puzzles 2819 Rosehall Lane, Aurora, IL 60503. Periodicals
Postage Paid at Aurora IL and at additional
to visit Star Wars Lessons in Love commentator for including The High Geek and The and a love of the mailing offices.
filming spots. and Friendship. many sci-fi outlets. Republic. Mary Sue. Star Wars galaxy.
POSTMASTER
Send address changes to Titan Publishing,
Star Wars Insider, PO Box 147, Lincolnshire, IL 60069
Email us:
CONTACT US [email protected] Star Wars Insider
is also available online.
U.S. subscriptions $49.99 per year; Canada $64.99 and U.K. £31.99.
U.S. edition printed by Quad.
Write to us Call us Find us To download, visit: © 2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. and ™ All Rights Reserved.
UNITED STATES UNITED KINGDOM To subscribe in the U.S. please WWW www.titanmagazines.com/ Used Under Authorization.
WWW.TITANMAGAZINES.COM
Star Wars Insider, Star Wars Insider, call toll free on 800-261-6502. digitial
Titan Magazines, 144 Southwark For U.K. and all other
FACEBOOK.COM/STARWARSINSIDER
2819 Rosehall Street, London destinations please call
Lane, Aurora, IL, SE1 0UP, 01778 392085 or @SW_INSIDER Visit www.starwars.com
60503, U.S.A. U.K. +44 (0) 1778 392085
CONTENTS
I S S U E 2 1 4
20
Master of Evil
Having witnessed the rage of Darth Vader in the Disney+
series Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022), Star Wars Insider reassesses
what we thought we new about the Dark Lord of the Sith!
4 / STAR WARS INSIDER

NEWSSTAND COMIC STORE SUBSCRIBER
EDITION EXCLUSIVE EXCLUSIVE
Subscribe
to Star Wars
Insider
Page 62
06 64
Launchpad 40 On Set with the Jawas
Insider’s roundup of the latest To Train or Not To Train? Actors from A New Hope to The
news from the Star Wars galaxy. A look at the potential Padawans Mandalorian on the fun of playing a Jawa.
who may or may not have been ready
20 to train in the ways of the Force.

64
Decoding Darth Vader
How deep was the rage that fueled
48 Way of the Jedi
Our favorite Jedi moments from
Darth Vader? Insider investigates! Beth Revis Interview all nine Skywalker saga movies.
The author of Star Wars novel
28 The Princess and the Scoundrel
on planning the galaxy’s most
76
Silas Carson Interview anticipated wedding! A Certain Point of View
The prequel actor on the challenges Apart from Anakin Skywalker, were there
of performing under layers of makeup.
54 others who abandoned the Jedi way?
32 Obi-Wan Kenobi Companion

Insider revisits the six-part Disney+
90
All Figured Out series that gave us a new point of view Exclusive Fiction
Designer Jim Swearingen reveals how on the Jedi Knight’s exile on Tatooine. The High Republic: “New Prospects”
the classic Kenner toy line was created. Part 2 by George Mann.
INCOMING TRANSMISSIONS
47 80 86 96
Prize Giveaway! Worldwide The Star Wars Archive Jedi Master’s Quiz
Win a Kotobukiya 1/7 scale model kit “Mermando” cosplay, fan art, and cakes, Our visual history visits the set of Jedha Test your memory of the Disney+
of Wrecker from The Bad Batch! plus TK-101 draws a Darth doodle. from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. series The Book of Boba Fett !
STAR WARS INSIDER / 5

LAUNCHPAD
N E W S / B O O K S / C O M I C S / T O Y S / G A M E S / FA S H I O N
Time for New Tales

Disney+ Premiere Dates Announced!
ucasfilm unveiled a host journey trying to find their way home,
L of first looks and premiere

dates for imminent Star
while Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau were
on hand to share new production stills
Wars releases at Disney’s from the set of Star Wars: Ahsoka. Both
D23 Expo 2022 this September. new series will arrive on Disney+ in
Leading the showcase event was 2023. Cast members from Star Wars:
Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, The Mandalorian (2019 - ), including
joined on stage by filmmakers and cast Pedro Pascal, Katee Sackhoff, Emily
from several productions—including Swallow, Giancarlo Esposito, and Amy
Star Wars: Andor star Diego Luna, who Sedaris, were also at show with director
introduced a new trailer for the series, and executive producer Rick Famuyiwa
now streaming on Disney+. Jude Law to drop a new Season 3 trailer.
appeared with Star Wars: Skeleton But the biggest Star Wars news was
Crew creators Jon Watts and Chris Ford the announcement of premiere dates
to talk about their new show centered for two Lucasfilm Animation series.
around four children who become lost Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi, a six-part
in the vastness of the galaxy and their anthology of shorts telling untold

LAUNCHPAD
stories of Jedi Knights including

Ahsoka Tano, Count Dooku, and Qui-
Gon Jinn, will debut on the streaming
platform on October 26, just as this
The Story
Behind the Story
edition of Insider arrives in stores.
Then, on January 4, 2023, Star Wars:
The Bad Batch (2020 - ) will make its
long-awaited return with
a double-bill of Season 2 episodes.
At another D23 Expo panel, further Disney+ reveals how Obi-Wan Kenobi was made
details—including character designs
(see above)—were revealed for Star he Disney+ limited series takes audiences behind the scenes to
Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, an
all-new animated series set during the T Star Wars: Obi-Wan
Kenobi (2022) has left fans
explore the series’ production. Featuring
exclusive footage from the set and
High Republic era that will stream crying out for more from interviews with stars Ewan McGregor
exclusively on Disney+ in 2023. Ewan McGregor’s heroic Jedi. With (Obi-Wan Kenobi), Hayden Christensen
Jamaal Avery Jr. was announced a new documentary available since (Anakin Skywalker), and director
as the voice of Kai Brightsar, a Jedi September on the streaming platform, Deborah Chow, among others, the
youngling who dreams of following those wishes have been fulfilled— documentary offers an enthralling look
in the footsteps of Master Yoda. from a certain point of view! at how the filmmakers took characters
Emma Berman will co-star as pilot Released on September 8, Obi-Wan created four decades ago into a new age,
Nash Durango, who joins Kai and Kenobi: A Jedi’s Return is an original and how friendships were reforged in
friends on their exciting adventures. documentary special from Lucasfilm that the process.

LAUNCHPAD
Saturn
Awards
Disney+ Star Wars
shows nominated
he winners of the
T 2022 Saturn Awards were

announced on October 25,
and the nominees included
ten shows and actors from popular
Disney+ Star Wars series.
The Mandalorian was once again
recognized with a nomination for Best
Science Fiction Series (Streaming), while
Rosario Dawson—star of the upcoming
series Ahsoka—picked up a nomination
for Guest Performance in a Streaming
Series for her appearance in Season
Two. Ming-Na Wen was nominated
for Actress in a Streaming Series for
her role as Fennec Shand in The Book
of Boba Fett (2021), and the series
joined Obi-Wan Kenobi as a nominee
in the Limited Event Series (Streaming)
category. The Bad Batch secured a
nomination for Animated Series.
Ewan McGregor was nominated for by a Younger Actor. Also nominated awards, which follow Industrial Light
Actor in a Streaming Series for his starring in the Guest Performance category was & Magic’s success in winning an Emmy
role in Obi-Wan Kenobi, with co-stars Hayden Christensen, for his role as for Outstanding Special Visual Effects
Moses Ingram (Reva) up for Supporting Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker in in a Season or Movie for the legendary
Actress, and Vivien Lyra Blair (Leia the show. Our congratulations to all company’s exemplary work on The Book
Organa) in the frame for Performance those nominated for these prestigious of Boba Fett.
Aiming High
Star Wars prop hits the bullseye at auction
he last remaining blaster prop used by Han Solo
T in Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) raised an eye-

watering $1,057,500 at auction in August.
The price paid for the iconic blaster, known by Star
Wars aficionados as a modified BlasTech DL-44, set a new record
for such a prop when it went under the hammer at Rock Island
Auctions, reaching almost twice the bounty that another Han Solo
blaster bagged when it was sold in 2018 for $562,500!
The original prop, based on a German Mauser C96 firearm
designed in the 1890s, was adapted by Oscar-winning set decorator
Roger Christian as Solo’s signature blaster, and it has gone on to
become one of the most recognizable Star Wars weapons.

LAUNCHPAD
PRODUCTION
DIARY
Our regular summary of
Star Wars movies and television
series currently filming:
IN PRODUCTION
Starring Rosario Dawson

as Ahsoka Tano
Cast Includes: Natasha Liu
Bordizzo as Sabine Wren
Disney+
Under Seige Starring Jude law

Disney+
Star Wars miniature games expand

tomic Mass has released conflict, with 23 ship cards, 3 upgrade
COMING SOON
a new expansion pack cards, and a set of rules for this thrilling
A for the second edition
of Star Wars: X-Wing
playable scenario.
Also available for pre-order is the
that pits Republic forces Star Wars: Legion Din Djarin and
against the might of the Separatists Grogu Operation Expansion, which
as they attempt to rescue Supreme features paintable plastic miniatures Cast includes: Ashley Eckstein as
Chancellor Palpatine from the grasp of The Mandalorian duo along with Ahsoka Tano and Corey Burton
of General Grievous. unit, command, and upgrade cards to as Count Dooku.
The Siege of Coruscant Battle Pack enhance player’s armies. Premiere date: October 26, 2022
gives players the chance to take part in Priced $24.99, both are available Disney+
this pivotal encounter in the galactic to order now at shop.asmodee.com.
Season Two
Starring Dee Bradley Baker
and Michelle Ang
Premiere date: January 4, 2023
Disney+
Season Three
Starring Pedro Pascal
as Din Djarin
Disney+

LAUNCHPAD
Only Vader
Remains
)NWZUQLIJTMÅO]ZMNZWU
Obi-Wan Kenobi’s past
arth Vader thought he had
D buried Obi-Wan Kenobi for

good under a pile of rocks
and boulders on a barren
moon in Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022), but
his former master managed a dramatic
comeback in which he bested Vader
and slashed open the Sith Lord’s
helmet. Standing approximately 13
3/4-inches tall, the Darth Vader Sixth
Scale Figure by Hot Toys presents
the battle damaged Sith Lord with
breathtaking accuracy.
The collectible figure’s broken helmet
reveals Anakin Skywalker’s lava-scarred
visage and a glaring red eye. Vader’s
body boasts 30 points of articulation,
a battle-damaged chest control panel,
LED light-up belt boxes, LED light-up
lightsaber, and more! Retailing for
$295 (with layaway plans starting at
$53.10 per month) and expected to ship
between October 2023 and March 2024,
this Darth Vader figure can be preordered
at sideshow.com.
THE LIGHT SIDE By Jamie Cosley

LAUNCHPAD
The
StarWars
Happy Howl-o-ween! DotColumn
Fascinating features and
articles from the digital vaults of
Creatures of the StarWars.com
VQOP\\ISMÆQOP\
Add StarWars.com/Insider to
asbro’s Star Wars: The your browser bookmarks to enjoy
H Black Series is adding

some delightfully
frightful figures to its
Insider’s pick of the best of the
official Star Wars website.
Vacation Planning
premium line of 6-inch action
The creators of LEGO® Star
figures. The werewolf-inspired
Wars Summer Vacation take
Wookiee (Halloween Edition) StarWars.com inside the
and skeleton-deco Clone Trooper making of the sizzling Disney+
(Halloween Edition) provide the animated special.
perfect treat for the spookiest
evening of the year. The Wookiee
(available exclusively at Walmart)
is accompanied by a bogling and
a pumpkin-themed camtono,
while the clone trooper (available
exclusively at Target) has been
paired with a vampire porg and
ghostly chest. Both figures retail
for $27.99 each.
Lawrence Kasdan
The director of Disney+
documentary series Light &
Magic talks about his respect
for the special effects artists of
Industrial Light & Magic.
Duel for the Lord was armed

with a red lightsaber
Dark Side reflecting his allegiance to

the dark side. Hasbro Pulse’s
Star Wars: The Black Series A Star Wars Tattoo Story
Darth Vader Force FX Elite StarWars.com writer Kristen
A top-grade blade comes Lightsaber replicates Vader’s Bates tells the story of how
to a Sith Lord’s aid weapon with intricate she gained some galactic
inks at Star Wars Celebration
details ranging from a
Anaheim 2022.
n a clash that rivaled their removable kyber crystal
epic battle on Mustafar, and realistic hilt to
I Darth Vader and Obi-Wan
Kenobi faced
advanced LED lighting
and entertainment-
off once again inspired sound effects.
following the latter’s escape Priced at $278.99,
from Jabiim in the hit you can acquire this
Disney+ series Obi-Wan remarkable recreation
Kenobi. As always, the Sith at HasbroPulse.com.

LAUNCHPAD
Tasty Tikis
<1-Åghter
Defend the Death Star with
this stylized take on a classic
Imperial starship.
eeline Creative has taken the
B iconic TIE fighter design, a

longtime symbol of the might
of the Galactic Empire and
the First Order, and transformed it into
a fresh, fun design as part of its growing
range of Geeki Tiki mugs.
Standing at 6 1/4-inches tall and
capable of holding 24-ounces of your
favorite beverage, the imposing TIE
Fighter Geeki Tikis lidded ceramic mug
is now the galaxy’s coolest drinking
vessel. Add one to your personal fleet by
ordering yours now at GeekiTikis.com,
priced $99.99!
A Bounty
Hunter Build
Bringing Cad Bane’s starship
to life, brick-by-brick
ad Bane’s reign as one of the
galaxy’s most ruthless bounty
C hunters encompassed the years
prior to the Clone Wars through
the post-Imperial era. In Star
Wars: The Bad Batch (2021-present), Bane
cruelly stole young Omega away from her
Clone Force 99 brethren in his personal
starship, the Justifier. LEGO’s incredible
model of Bane’s fearsome ride allows fans
to recreate the bounty hunter’s adventures.
Measuring an astounding 19 1/2-inches
wide, the Justifier features a foldable rear
engine for flight and landing modes,
spring-loaded shooters on the wingtips,
a ‘laser’ jail cell to imprison Omega, a
Todo 360 LEGO droid figure, and LEGO
minifigures of Cad Bane, Omega, Fennec
Shand, and Hunter. Priced at $169.99, the
ship is available now at LEGO.com.

LAUNCHPAD
‘Shoes’ Your
Destiny Mando
Footwear and fashion
ready for any trench run
Merch
The latest bounty on which
to blow your beskar
he magic of the original Star Wars
T trilogy is captured in the new

Galactic Rewind collection from
DC Shoes. The line focuses on five
character-themed capsule collections based on
the iconic figures Darth Vader, Boba Fett, Luke Skywalker,
Stormtroopers, and an X-wing capsule. From 100-percent cotton fabric class
T-shirts ($34.00 each) adorned with catchy yearbook-style sayings to the Kalis
MID Mid-Top Shoes ($85.00) sporting a Rebel Alliance logo and secret zipper
stash pocket for a collectible Death Star keychain, each collection features hats,
apparel, and footwear that will have you covered from head-to-toe in Star Wars
lore. Visit DCshoes.com to browse the entire collection.
A Hovering Home
This foundling can fly!
Grogu regularly kept pace with
Din Djarin by gliding through
the air in his hover pram. Hasbro
Pulse’s Wild Ridin’ Grogu pairs
Cruising the Outer Rim

a figure of the Force-sensitive
foundling with a model of his
beloved pram. Accompanied
by more than 25 sound and
4QOP\_MQOP\[XWZ\[_MIZLM[QOVMLNWZÅ[PQVOIVLN]V movement combinations, such as
Grogu’s signature giggles and cute
head turns, Wild Ridin’ Grogu has
he Columbia PFG Outer Rim
a soft-touch head and ears, fuzzy
T Collection is expanding faster than
a Death Star shockwave! Say
collar, and stand to place the pram
upon. Priced at $59.99, you can
“Hello there” to the Cantina catch this animatronic figure at
II Super Tamiami shirt, a special-edition HasbroPulse.com.
short-sleeve shirt covered in comic scenes
depicting Chewbacca, R2-D2, Han Solo,
and more memorable characters. Overlaid
with sportfish silhouettes, the breezy shirts are
made from an ultralight recycled fabric with
back venting, wicking, built-in UPF 40 sun
protection, and rod holder. Whether you want
to beat the heat on Jakku or sail the oceans of
Mon Cala, this is the style for you. Available
in Men’s, Women’s and Kid’s variants, add to
your wardrobe by visiting columbia.com.

LAUNCHPAD
Book Club
Histories uncovered in the latest Star Wars book releases.
An Artful New Era

The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic Unveiled!
Set centuries before the Star Written by Kristin Baver, with a writers charged with telling these
Wars saga we’re familiar with from new cover by Grant Griffin, and a tales, including Claudia Gray (Star
the movies, Star Wars: The High foreword from Lucasfilm president Wars The High Republic: Into the
Republic has opened up a whole Kathleen Kennedy, this heavyweight, Dark), Justina Ireland (Star Wars The
new era of adventures for writers 224-page tome takes an in-depth High Republic: A Test of Courage),
and artists to explore. The gestation look at Phase I of the initiative, and Daniel José Older (Star Wars The
of Lucasfilm’s ambitious publishing is packed with exclusive concept High Republic: Race to Crashpoint
initiative was every bit as involved art, vehicle and creature designs, Tower), Cavan Scott (Marvel Comics’
and creative as the production of any and character and costume sketches The High Republic), and Charles
film or TV series, and the full story of designed by visualists at Lucasfilm Soule (Star Wars The High Republic:
its creation is revealed in The Art of and a host of respected comic book Light of the Jedi).
Star Wars: The High Republic, fully and Star Wars artists such as Phil Published by Abrams Books, The
exploring how this new chapter in Noto, Iain McCaig, and Ryan Church. Art of Star Wars: The High Republic
galactic history was developed. There are also interviews with the is on sale November 8.

LAUNCHPAD
02
03
01
01 02 03
Star Wars: Obi-Wan Star Wars: The Secrets Star Wars: Revan
Jedi Master Colortivity of the Bounty Hunters Part of The Old Republic: The
This new coloring and activity book From Boba Fett to Cad Bane, get Essential Legends Collection, Star
comes bundled with four twist-up the scoop on the galaxy’s most Wars: Revan resurfaces a tale from
crayons, allowing young fans to infamous bounty hunters in this fully the Star Wars Legends continuity
bring Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Clone Wars illustrated volume aimed at readers starring a fan-favorite character.
adventures to colorful life. of all ages. Written by Drew Karpyshyn, this
The Jedi Knight faces adversaries Written by Marc Sumerak with 336-page softcover features Revan
including Count Dooku, General artwork by Sergio Gómez Silvan,
—a Jedi who became a Sith disciple
Grievous, Chancellor Palpatine, and Star Wars: The Secrets of the
some 4,000 years before the events
Darth Sidious in this action-packed Bounty Hunters has wily pirate
of the Star Wars films—and reprints
activity book, filled with mazes, Hondo Ohnaka shining a light
the 2011 novel in its entirety while
codes, word searches, and even a into the workings of the galaxy’s
boasting all-new cover art. Fans of
cut-out R2-D2 frame on the back shadowy underworld. Uncover
Bioware’s Star Wars: Knights of the
cover! The book’s perforated pages shocking truths about its most
are easy to remove and display, infamous scum and villains through Old Republic game won’t want to
encouraging artistic play and creative the book’s numerous interactive miss this look into the backstory of
crafting to get kids thinking and features, including booklets, pop- the game’s memorable, conflicted
doing. Color the galaxy with this 48- ups, and inserts. This hardcover protagonist. Star Wars: Revan,
page softcover from Dreamtivity, on book from Insight Kids is on sale published by Random House
sale September 27. November 22. Worlds, is on sale November 1.

LAUNCHPAD
Comics Roundup
This month’s Star Wars KWUQK[W‫ٺ‬MZIOTQUX[MWN \PM[IOI¼[VM`\[\MX[
You Seek
Yoda!
Seeking wisdom
through the ages in
Star Wars: Yoda #1
A teacher, a guardian, a legend—
the great Jedi Master Yoda was all
these things during the height of
the Jedi Order. Now living in exile
on Dagobah and haunted by ghosts
of the past, he is all but forgotten.
But when a strangely familiar voice
echoes through the swamps, Yoda
must revisit the lessons he has given
from the age of the High Republic
to the chaos of the Clone Wars in
this all-new, 10-part comics series.
Although this story opens
before Luke Skywalker crash-
lands on Dagobah in The Empire
Strikes Back (1980), Star Wars:
Yoda features three story arcs
that flashback to pivotal moments
in the Jedi Master’s life. Issue #1
focuses on a youthful Yoda on
Coruscant, when a desperate cry
for help reaches the Jedi Council.
As the adventure unfolds, writer
Cavan Scott and artist Nico Leon
explore just how far Yoda is willing
to go to protect a community from
aggression.
“We see Yoda as part of a
new community, interacting in a
way that I don’t think we’ve seen
before,” Scott told StarWars.com.
“One of the things I love about the of finding a new home. Yoda casts Guggenheim, as well as a crew
High Republic is that it shows the a long shadow over anything he of artists including Luke Ross,
Jedi living alongside the people appears in. Writing him is a privilege Nico Leon, and Alessandro
of the galaxy rather than locked and a responsibility I take seriously.” Miracolo. On sale November
away in their temples. This story is Subsequent story arcs in Star 23, issue #1 of Star Wars: Yoda
all about Yoda making himself part Wars: Yoda will feature the talents features a striking cover by
of a community that is not his own, of writers Jody Houser and Marc Phil Noto.

LAUNCHPAD
Incoming
Don’t Miss These
Upcoming Releases
Star Wars: Hidden
Empire #1 (of 5)
Lady Qi’ra, the Crimson Dawn crime
boss who made her debut in Solo: A
Star Wars Story (2018), has been central
to Marvel Comics’ recent epics War of
the Bounty Hunters and Crimson Reign. NOVEMBER
The new Hidden Empire miniseries Hyperspace Stories #3
brings this “trilogy” of stories to their Dark Horse Comics
conclusion, with the development that Writer: Cecil Castellucci
Emperor Palpatine has targeted Qi’ra Artist and Cover Artist:
for elimination. But she isn’t about to French Carlomagno
go down without a fight, and her allies
include the enigmatic Knights of Ren! Bounty Hunters #28
Star Wars: Hidden Empire #1, written by Marvel Comics
Writer: Ethan Sacks
Charles Soule and illustrated by Steven
Artist: Paolo Villanelli
Cummings, is on sale November 16 and Cover Artist: Giuseppe Camuncoli
features a cover by Paulo Siqueira.
The Mandalorian #5
Marvel Comics
Writer: Rodney Barnes
Star Wars: Revelations #1 Artist: Georges Jeanty
Star Wars: Revelations is a special one- Cover Artist: Stephanie Hans
shot issue available November 9, which
Doctor Aphra #26
offers fans an exclusive sneak peek into
Marvel Comics
Marvel’s 2023 Star Wars publishing
Writers: Alyssa Wong
plans. Written by Marc Guggenheim Artists: Minkyu Jung
with art by Salvador Larroca, Paco Cover Artist: W. Scott Forbes
Medina, and others, this can’t-miss issue
shakes out the aftermath of recent story Han Solo & Chewbacca #7
arcs and examines the fates of Qi’ra, Marvel Comics
Doctor Aphra, and other key players in Writers: Marc Guggenheim
the underworld, Empire, and Rebellion. Artists: Paul Fry
Cover Artist: Pasqual Ferry
When Darth Vader travels to Mustafar
to seek out the Eye of Webbish Bog, the
Darth Vader #29
mysterious creature uses the Force to Marvel Comics
explore the past, the present, and many Writer: Greg Pak
possible futures. The next phase of Star Artist: Luke Ross
Wars comics starts here! Cover Artist: Salvador Larroca
Star Wars #29

The latest installment of the ongoing
Marvel series sheds new light on how
the Rebel Alliance fought to survive
during the dark days of the Empire’s
dominance. With the Alliance’s supply
lines in jeopardy thanks to unfulfilled
promises offered by Crimson Dawn,
General Leia Organa knows it is just a
matter of time until her troops run out
of resources, but fortunately her ally
Amilyn Holdo has a solution! It’s time
for a treasure hunt, with a vast hoard of
centuries-old fuel as the prize! Star Wars
#29, from writer Charles Soule and artist
Ramon Rosanas, featuring a cover by
E.M. Gist, is on sale November 2.
STAR WARS INSIDER /

/ 17
Luminous Lore
Shining a light on Star Wars: The High Republic. Republic Roundup
AVAILABLE NOW
Better PHASE I
Together?
Light of the Jedi
Writer: Charles Soule
Del Rey, Adult novel
A Test of Courage
A complex conspiracy Writer: Justina Ireland
threatens regional peace! Disney Lucasfilm Press, Middle Grade novel
The Great Jedi Rescue
The first full-length adult novel in Writer: Cavan Scott
Artist: Petur Antonsson
The High Republic’s second wave,
Disney Lucasfilm Press, 8x8 storybook
Convergence by Zoraida Córdova
arrives in bookstores on November 22. Into the Dark
Writer: Claudia Gray
Set generations prior to the events of Disney Lucasfilm Press, Young Adult novel
Phase I, the novel takes place during
an age of exploration, in which the
The Rising Storm
Writer: Cavan Scott
Republic seeks to unite its burgeoning Del Rey, Adult novel
galactic community while the Jedi
Race to Crashpoint Tower
attempt to learn more about the Force
Writer: Daniel José Older
that connects all living things. Disney Lucasfilm Press, Middle Grade novel
Despite the noble aims and
Out of the Shadows
ambitions of the times, local conflicts the attack. However, her inquiries are
Writer: Justina Ireland
that have long simmered begin to hampered by Chancellor Kyong’s son, Disney Lucasfilm Press, Young Adult novel
escalate, and orbiting planets Eiram Axel Greylark, appointed to represent
Tempest Runner
and E’ronoh stand on the brink of all the Republic during the investigation.
Writer: Cavan Scott
out war. Following an attempted As the shadows of a conspiracy gather Del Rey, Audio original novel
assassination that threatens the last around them, is it possible that this
Showdown at the Fair
hope for peace in the region, Jedi mismatched duo can put aside their
Writer: George Mann
Knight Gella Nattai takes it upon differences and bring the truth to light Artist: Petur Antonsson
herself to discover who was behind in the battle to save both worlds? Disney Lucasfilm Press, 8x8 storybook
Mission to Disaster
Incoming Comics
Disney Lucasfilm Press, Middle Grade novel
The Fallen Star
Writer: Claudia Gray
Del Rey, Adult novel
The Battle for Starlight
Writer: George Mann
Artist: Petur Antonsson
Disney Lucasfilm Press, 8x8 storybook
Midnight Horizon
Writer: Daniel José Older
Disney Lucasfilm Press, Young Adult novel
PHASE II
Path of Deceit
and Tessa Gratton
Disney Lucasfilm Press, Young Adult novel
The Blade #1 The High Republic #2 The High Republic
Writer: Charles Soule Writer: Cavan Scott Adventures #1 Quest for the Hidden City
Artist: Marco Castiello Artist and Cover: Ario Anindito Writer: Daniel José Older Writer: George Mann
Cover: Giuseppe Camuncoli Marvel Comics Artist and Cover: Tony Bruno Disney Lucasfilm Press, Middle Grade novel
Marvel Comics On sale November 9 Dark Horse Comics
On sale November 2 On sale November 30 (Excluding Comics & Manga)
THE MOST CELEBRATED
HEROES AND THE VILEST
OF VILLAINS!
SOFTBACK | $24.99 EACH
Discover the iconic heroes of the light side and villains of the dark side in these
lavishly illustrated volumes. Including classic interviews with the key players behind
the characters including, Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), David Prowse (Darth Vader),
Carrie Fisher (Leia Organa), Ray Park (Darth Maul), Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Ian
McDiarmid (Emperor Palpatine), and more.
AVAILABLE IN ALL GOOD STORES AND ONLINE

TITAN-COMICS.COM © 2022 Lucasfilm Ltd & TM. All rights reserved.
DECODING
DARTH
VADER
Following the rage-fueled appearance of Darth V Vaderr in the
Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi, Star Wars Insider re-examines
e
what we thought we knew about the Dark Lord do of the Sith.
WORDS: MEGAN CROUSE
bi-Wan Kenobi
(2022) changed
“Mustafar including
never
uding the reason why Vader
er traced his former master
O our perspective
on some aspects
was where to Tatooine—Palpatine
atooine—Palpatine himself
forbade
bade Vader from pursuing
of the saga that
had previously we found this Obi-Wan,
i-Wan, ironically protecting the
existence
istence of his future nemesis,
remained unquestioned, while
adding new layers to familiar Star seething mass Luke
uke Skywalker, from discovery. It
also
so brought closure to one of the
Wars characters—not least of these
being Darth Vader, the former Jedi of broiling most important relationships in
the
he Skywalker saga: that of Anakin
whose turn to the dark side ran Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
parallel to the fall of the Republic. discontent at
The series brought to the fore Harnessing Hate
many of the things we already the beginning Vader was shaped in the metaphorical
knew about Vader: his vengeful fires of the Clone Wars as well as
anger, his deep well of injured of Obi-Wan in the physical flames that burned
pride, and his belief in his own him on Mustafar. As a young
power. It also revealed new insights, Kenobi .” man, Anakin had clashed against

DECODING DARTH VADER
01 of broiling discontent at the

beginning of Obi-Wan Kenobi, a
figure clearly under the complete
control of both his Emperor and
his own hatred. It is from this
baseline that we can reassess the
Vader we know from later in the
Skywalker saga timeline.
The Rematch: Round 1

The brutal, unrelenting hate we
saw emanating from Vader during
Obi-Wan Kenobi highlighted just
how much he would change over
01 More machine time. It’s all too easy to think of
02 than man,
Darth Vader’s Darth Vader as purely evil from
reliance on his the moment he donned the black
life-supporting armor to when he turned against
armor and
cybernetic the Emperor to save his son,
additions was but the character underwent a
equal to the
gradual, if self-interested evolution
rage that
sustained him. throughout the original trilogy.
02 When the Empire was on
the rise, Vader’s rage was all-
injustices, perceived or actual, such his anger. In the aftermath of encompassing, exemplified when
as the reality that slavery and cruelty Revenge of the Sith (2005), as told he choked Admiral Motti for
still existed in the galaxy, and the in issue #21 of Marvel Comics’ doubting the power the Force
Jedi Council’s refusal to confer the Darth Vader series, Palpatine’s plan in A New Hope (1977). After his
rank of Jedi Master upon him. His had come to fruition: Vader was duel with Luke Skywalker on
craving for justice twisted into an fully loyal to the dark side, but the Cloud City in The Empire Strikes
evil desire for control. Emperor continued to stoke the Back (1980), Vader became more
These facets in Anakin’s makeup flames of Vader’s rage to ensure he contemplative, open to the
can be traced to events during remained so. Exploiting Vader’s possibility of a different path now
the Clone Wars. His marriage to emotional turmoil as the Dark Lord that Luke knew who he was. By
Padmé Amidala, for example, was settled into his castle on Mustafar, Return of the Jedi (1983), it was
pivotal in illustrating how his love the planet where he had nearly lost clear he was beginning to question
descended into possessiveness and his life, Palpatine planted an idea whether he truly belonged to the
anger. Anakin’s summary execution in Vader’s mind that would ensure dark side. Turning the clock back
of the treacherous senator Tal Merrik his protégé would not stray far. to the time of Obi-Wan Kenobi,
also demonstrated how his moral “Perhaps your Padmé does await however, Vader was still consumed
03 Vader’s calm
compass sometimes went awry. you on Mustafar,” Palpatine by fury, emanating an aura of
use of the Force
Having already adopted the suggested. “Perhaps the dark to choke Admiral overt, intimidating anger, as we
identity of Darth Vader, Anakin’s side will bring her to you.” Motti was a saw when he and Obi-Wan were
hint at the
physical transformation into the Thus, Mustafar was where anger burning reunited in battle on Mapuzo.
cybernetic Dark Lord only magnified we found this seething mass within him. Faced with the unrecognizable
silhouette of his former friend,
03
Obi-Wan’s response was to evade
a confrontation with Vader for
as long as possible, partly to give
Tala time to get Leia to safety, but
largely because he was horrified
by what he beheld. “What have
you become?” Kenobi uttered,
his shock and confusion palpable.
For his part, Vader seemed more
interested in inflicting the same
suffering upon Obi-Wan that
he had experienced himself
on Mustafar. “I am what you

04 Vader’s true face
revealed: a twisted
remnant of Anakin
Skywalker.
“When the Empire was on the rise,

Vader’s rage was all-encompassing.”

06
05 Darth Vader,
Dark Lord of
the Sith.
“Vader showed
no mercy,
leaving the
scene certain
that he had
finished Kenobi
for good. That
he had won.”
made me,” Vader replied, adding,

“You should have killed me
when you had the chance.” The
ultimate expression of this was
when Vader dragged Obi-Wan
into a fire he had ignited from
flammable rocks, intent on
watching Kenobi burn as Vader
had been burned a decade before.
This cruel, eye-for-an-eye act
of vengeance was one of several
mirrors between the two men in
the series (note the reflective floor
during their Coruscant training
flashback). Vader recognized that
the two were eternally tied, and, in
his twisted way, wanted to make
that comparison literal. Vader had
consistently had the upper hand
during the fight, almost toying
with his opponent. The next
time they clashed, in “Part VI,”
Obi-Wan needed to up his game.
Fortunately, the Jedi Knight had
changed over the course of the
series, while Vader had not.

DECODING DARTH VADER
07
REVA:
A TWIST IN
THE TALE
Although Obi-Wan was
the central figure in Darth
Vader’s life, Obi-Wan Kenobi
added another character to
the mix, further illuminating
who he was: Reva Sevander,
the Third Sister.
Vader had the power of
life and death over each of
the Inquisitors. That wasn’t
unusual for the Sith Lord, but
The Rematch: Round 2 06 Darth Vader taken his master’s lesson to heart, what was unusual was that he
Any illusion that Darth Vader was
attempted to
the scene gave us leave to wonder had the power to promote
exact revenge
masking some internal conflict whether Anakin ever really become or demote them, fostering
on Obi-Wan
through fiery a competitiveness amongst
was dispelled when he and much more than a Padawan?
torture on them. Vader essentially
Obi-Wan fought again among What we learned from those
Mapuzo. behaved as a manager. It
the rocky spires of a barren moon. scenes was that Anakin remained was a microcosm of how
During the fight, Vader almost 07 A flashback a part of Vader, whatever the latter he handled the Empire as
to a training
killed Obi-Wan, attempting to session claimed. Vader fought in the same a whole, controlling people
crush his former master under a between style in both eras, with forceful through fear.
Obi-Wan
barrage of rocks from a position swipes of his lightsaber. Obi-Wan, This led to one of the
and Anakin
on higher ground, a reversal of revealed the on the other hand, knew that even most dramatic revelations of
fortunes compared to their fateful fundamental in a practice bout a Jedi always the series: how close Darth
battle on Mustafar. On that
differences
needed to remember that their goal Vader could have been to
between them.
finding Luke on Tatooine,
occasion, the victorious Obi-Wan was “to defend life, not to take it.”
and closer still to capturing
had left Vader to die in a pool of Anakin’s response? “Mercy doesn’t
Leia and learning of her true
molten lava. Here, Vader showed defeat an enemy, Master.” Clearly, lineage. If Reva had been
no mercy, leaving the scene certain Vader held tight to this belief. Note as loyal to Vader as she
that he had finished Kenobi for that even when they were on the had been pretending for so
good. That he had won. same side, brothers in arms, Anakin long, the fate of the galaxy
This was not the end of the still viewed Kenobi as an “enemy” could have moved in a very
fight, however, and its climax had during their training bout. different direction.
been foreshadowed in “Part V,” in On Jabiim, Obi-Wan took
a sequence that took us back to advantage of Vader’s juggernaut
happier times. attitude, to defend the lives of the
During a sparring session in Force-sensitive refugees and the
the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, Path rebels helping them. The need
Anakin and Obi-Wan’s practice duel for victory linked Vader to Anakin
neatly revealed their strengths in a very literal way. His eagerness to
and weaknesses. It essayed 08 Did Anakin destroy the escaping ship meant he
Skywalker
the complexity of Anakin’s never considered it was a decoy. In
learn anything
character—calm yet impatient, from his the flashback, Obi-Wan snatched his
motivated by the deep well of master? friend’s lightsaber, literally using
emotion that seethed within him,
and his capacity for both good 08
and evil. Obi-Wan observed that
Anakin was too eager to win. “Your
need for victory, Anakin, blinds
you,” he observed. The same flaw
continued to blind Vader years later.
Even as the Emperor’s right-hand
man, he still suffered from the same
egotistical need to win that Obi-Wan
had noted. Having seemingly not

09 Darth Vader’s Star
Destroyer pursued
Obi-Wan Kenobi
to a barren moon
where the former
friends would fight
once again.
Anakin’s weapon against him. The he came to that realization.

literal move became metaphorical. Given how the scene played out,
One of the weightiest moments we can understand why the Jedi
in the scene was when Obi-Wan was so reluctant to tell Luke the
handed Anakin’s lightsaber back to whole truth about his father. The of tragic
him. It was an action of mercy and horror of what Anakin had become events, the final
power—Obi-Wan could have won was too appalling to admit. The fact chapter in a once close
but chose not to. It is an echo of that he referred to Vader as “Darth” relationship that carries
another moment in the Skywalker during their exchanges in A New the weight not just of the duel
saga, when Luke Skywalker Hope reads like a choice now, too. on Mustafar, but now of the two
discarded his own lightsaber to It was a decision, to deemphasize previously unknown encounters
stand before Vader and the Emperor his relationship with Vader, and an in Obi-Wan Kenobi. Vader had
without a weapon. More often than acknowledgement that Anakin was the upper hand on Mapuzo, as
not, a Jedi’s strength comes from long gone. When Vader declared ultimately Obi-Wan did in the
deciding not to fight. that he himself killed Anakin following fight. At the end of the
Skywalker, Obi-Wan could series, the two were evenly matched,
Through Tragedy, literally see it was the truth. almost mirror images of each other
A New Hope, Their duel in A New 10 The final duel in outlook and deed, with the result
between Kenobi
Vader’s sense of victory was Hope can now be seen as the and Vader in
that their duel on the Death Star has
premature, as Obi-Wan not culmination of a sequence A New Hope. more resonance than ever.
only extricated himself from his
predicament, but turned his full
10
power on the Dark Lord, smashing
his life support system and cleaving
a gash in Vader’s helmet and mask.
The face revealed beneath was an
abomination of the good man that
Anakin had once been: Scarred,
distorted by rage, and unrepentant.
In Return of the Jedi, Obi-Wan
described Vader as “More machine
now than man. Twisted and evil,”
and it was at this moment, during
their fight on a barren moon, that

COMPLETE YOUR STAR WARS:
THE MANDALORIAN COLLECTION
Go behind the scenes of the hit live-action series, streaming now on Disney+, with episode
guides, character profiles, rare photographs, and art from fan favorite artists including Nick
Gindraux, Ryan Church, John Park, Doug Chiang, Christian Alzmann and more!
AVAILABLE IN ALL GOOD STORES AND ONLINE
© & TM 2022 Lucasfilm Ltd.

01 Silas Carson’s most
prominent Star Wars
role was as Jedi
Council member
Ki-Adi-Mundi.
02 As Nute Gunray,
Carson performed
beneath a heavy
animatronic mask
HEROES &
VILLAINS
Actor Silas Carson tells Star Wars Insider
how he fought for both sides in the
Clone Wars of the prequel trilogy.
WORDS: MARK NEWBOLD

01 INTERVIEW: SILAS CARSON 02
lmost a quarter of done before. Even though I was

a century after he watching the film decades later,
A played the roles

of Ki-Adi-Mundi,
Nute Gunray,
the opening scene still had that
power. It made me very excited
to know I was about to be a part
Lott Dod and of Star Wars, and it opened a
Lieutenant Antidar Williams in whole new world to me. It sounds
The Phantom Menace (1999), Star daft, doesn’t it? That somebody
Wars Insider spoke to British actor who is now so embroiled in the
Silas Carson about the challenges Star Wars galaxy wasn’t for such
of performing under layers of a long time. I think George Lucas
makeup and animatronics in the probably liked having someone
Star Wars prequels. on set who wasn’t overawed or
overwhelmed by it all.
Star Wars Insider: Is it true The most exciting thing for
that you weren’t particularly me, though, was that I got to
familiar with Star Wars when work alongside Frank Oz. Like so
you were first cast in The many of us, I grew up watching
Phantom Menace? the Muppets, so getting to meet
Silas Carson: I’d never watched and talk to him was big. My first
Star Wars when I was a kid. I grew few days of filming was all the Jedi
up in Eastbourne (on the south Council stuff, playing Ki-Adi-Mundi.
coast of England), where we only For that initial film, Frank was
had one cinema that I never used performing with a puppet Yoda, so
to go to, so the original films totally he was down underneath the stage
passed me by. I didn’t get into with his hand inside the puppet,
acting until much later when doing the voice in real time. And
I was about 17 years old. there was Samuel L. Jackson sitting
I remember when Robin to my right and Liam Neeson and
Gurland (the casting director on Ewan McGregor in front of me, so
the prequels) auditioned me for the it was quite an introduction.
film, she said, “So, you know all
about Star Wars?” I replied, “Well, Ki-Adi-Mundi’s head looks like
I’ve heard the name before, but I quite a top-heavy piece. Was it
have no idea what you’re talking difficult to work in it?
about.” She thought I was joking, The prosthetics were incredible,
but I was like “No, really, I’ve even though the makeup took
never seen them. Are you doing four-and-a-half hours to apply. It
a remake?” was made from a very, very thin
So, my first memory of seeing foam that skin could breathe
Star Wars was when they released through, and it moved with me,
the Special Editions, maybe two so after a few minutes of it all “My first memory
days before I started filming The
Phantom Menace. I went out and
being on I really didn’t notice it,
apart from the fact that everybody of seeing Star
saw all three in one day to educate
myself on what it was all about.
was looking at me weirdly. The
mask elements were blended
Wars was when
And what did you think of
around my mouth and eyes with
regular makeup, so that helped
they released
them, seeing as you were
about to film one?
make it comfortable and easy to
work with, and I was able to be
the Special
I watched the films in the context a lot more naturalistic with my Editions, maybe
of knowing that A New Hope
had come out in 1977, and it was
performance.
two days before
easy to imagine the incredible
experience everybody had when
Where did Ki-Adi-Mundi’s
gentle voice come from?
I started filming
that ship boomed in over their
heads. You could see it was
The design inspired the voice.
The look of him is of a kindly old
The Phantom
something that had never been man, which made me think of the Menace.”
INTERVIEW: SILAS CARSON
03
gentility of a Native American; Everything will be added in later.

very noble, very peaceful, but All you’ve got to do is have some “I wanted
warriors when called upon to fun fighting, falling over, getting
defend themselves. I wanted to find hit in different ways, and dying!” to find
a voice that was avuncular, older,
and kinder, but that also had that
We filmed for about an hour and
a half, with me doing all these a voice
theatrical English tone to it. different moves. The rest was
created after I had done the
that was
After playing the character
for six years, you filmed
movements on set. avuncular,
Ki-Adi-Mundi’s death scene We see your face in an early older, and
in Revenge of the Sith. How
did you feel about it?
scene as Lieutenant Antidar
Williams, one of the two 03 The Jedi
kinder.”
Nick Gillard, who was the stunt pilots of the doomed council
scenes in
coordinator and swordsmaster, Radiant VII. Was that fun? The Phantom
said, “This is where you die!” We had quite a small set for Menace (1999) later. We did all the Jedi Council
It all looked incredibly dramatic that, with me and Bronagh were the first stuff first, then the Lieutenant
that Carson
on screen, but basically it was just Gallagher (as Captain Maoi filmed as Williams shots, and on to my
me in front of a green screen, and Madakor) in the cockpit. Ki-Adi-Mundi. Nute Gunray scenes.
nothing else. Famously I’m talking to myself 04 Carson played
I said to Nick, “What direction in that scene. As Lieutenant Nute Gunray From a performance point
do the bullets come from, and Williams I ask Nute Gunray for (middle) in of view, Nute Gunray
all three
who’s firing at me?” and he just permission to land, but we shot prequel must have been your most
told me, “Don’t worry about it. the Nute Gunray stuff much movies. challenging character?
Yes, it was hot, airless work. His
head was basically a big helmet
that went over my head, with
lots of electronics inside. I had to
have earphones, a battery pack,
and a microphone, and there
were wires going past my ears, so
that was quite claustrophobic and
unpleasant. It took a lot of getting
used to. The actors could only be
in those costumes for about half-
an-hour, forty minutes max, and
then we had to get out of them for
a breather. It took twenty minutes
04 to get into the outfit and another

05
twenty minutes to remove it, 05 Carson (left) London Symphony Orchestra play,
as the
which caused complications in ill-fated which was extraordinary.
terms of scheduling. Lt. Antidar When we shot Attack of the
It took a while to get the Williams in
The Phantom
Clones (2002), puppeteers off-set THE CARSON
technology right on Nute, could hear what I was saying and
which progressed as we moved
Menace.
control Nute’s mouth in real time
CURSE
into the second and third using remote controls, but there How each of Silas Carson’s
films, and what changed mostly was always a slight delay so it Star Wars characters met
was how the mouth moved. In didn’t quite work. For Revenge their grizzly end:
The Phantom Menace, I said my of the Sith (2005) we rehearsed like
lines in real time on set with a we were doing a bit of theatre and Lieutenant
microphone and earpiece under pre-recorded the lines, then I’d say Antidar Williams
Republic pilot.
the helmet, and the mouth moved. my lines in real time on set and
Killed in an explosion during
I would then lip-synch to those the mouth would move in sync
a Neimoidian ambush.
movements when we re-recorded with the pre-recorded dialogue,
the dialogue later at Abbey Road so it all looked more realistic. Ki-Adi-Mundi
Studios. Those sessions were Jedi Master and member
amazing, because by that point Did you see a lot of advancement of the Jedi Council.
06 Silas Carson
John Williams was recording as Nute in technology during the course Shot by clone troopers on
the music down in the Gunray in of making those films? Mygeeto during Order 66.
Revenge of
orchestra room, so I got to go the Sith I loved being on set to experience
and meet him and listen to the (2005). the evolution in filmmaking Nute Gunray
Viceroy of the Trade
Federation and a high-
ranking Separatist.
Executed by Darth Vader
on Mustafar.
technology while we were working

on the prequels. George Lucas was
constantly pushing movie-making
boundaries, so there was tech on set
that we’d never seen before. This
will sound strange, but in those
days people didn’t have flatscreen
televisions. During filming, George
had this huge flatscreen monitor,
with small screens along the
bottom, and they were in color,
which was remarkable. If you saw
that stuff now it wouldn’t seem so
advanced, but this was 24 years ago.
06 It was remarkable.

ALL
01 Kenner’s
Landspeeder toy
was released in
1978, action
figures not
included!
OUT
Kenner product photographs reprinted with the permission of Kim Simmons.

A long time ago, at a toy company f you’ve ever
grabbed a toy
based in Cincinnati, Ohio, a team
of talented designers led by Jim I X-wing and
imagined it
embroiled
Swearingen started work on a line in a galactic
of toys that has become iconic. dogfight, in many ways you have
a man named Jim Swearingen to
Insider takes you back to when thank. As a designer at Kenner
and where it all began. Toys in the 1970s, Swearingen
helped to bring the company’s
original line of Star Wars toys
WORDS: BRANDON WAINERDI into being. He is responsible for
11 of those iconic first “12-back”
3 ¾-inch action figures, as well
as the initial sculpt of a certain
bounty hunter that would later
be introduced in Star Wars: The
Empire Strikes Back (1980).
The master toymaker, who was
inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame
in 2007, tells Star Wars Insider about
the early days of the franchise, when
it was hard to believe that anyone
would want an action figure from
a galaxy far, far away.
Star Wars Insider: How did

you get into the business of
designing toys?
Jim Swearingen: I grew up as an
artsy kid in Cleveland, Ohio, and
went to the art museum every
Saturday, from five years old until
high school. As I got older, my art
teacher said that, if I wanted to
make a living with my creativity,
I should consider doing industrial
design. I ended up going to the
University of Cincinnati on their
co-op program, where I would
alternate between 10 weeks of
school and 10 weeks of work. As a
result, I was able to work at General
Motors and Philips Norelco and,
eventually, a little company called
Rainbow Crafts, which was where
Play-Doh was invented. I was able
to get my first professional toy
experience, right before they were
bought by General Mills, which also
then purchased Kenner Toys and
merged the two companies.

02
How did you get involved at Kenner at licensing opportunities. 02 The

Millennium
Toys? What were your first projects? The first big, licensed project Falcon became
My boss at Rainbow Crafts ended that I worked on was The Six a centerpiece
up working for Kenner after the Million Dollar Man (1974- of the original
Kenner line.
merger and wanted me to come 1978), starting in 1975, along
and work for him, after I finished with a team of incredibly 03 The Creature
Cantina Action
school. I started at Kenner in the talented people. I gave him
Playset had
summer of 1972, continuing to his bionic eye, which was a opening doors,
work on Play-Doh, as well as the telescopic eyepiece that kids a bar, and
a cardboard
Spirograph toy. could look through, in the back backdrop.
In 1974, Kenner started the of the figure’s head.
Preliminary Design department, 04 Kenner’s
TIE Fighter is
pulling in the designers, model Were you much of a science- one of the toy
makers, and engineers who they fiction fan before The Six designs Jim
Swearingen is
felt were the more creative people Million Dollar Man?
most proud of.
at the company. I was lucky to be My first experience with
one of those chosen. They wanted science fiction was the movie
us to come in and invent new Forbidden Planet (1956), which
things, and they started looking actually scared me to death, even

03
once again, with another cool What were the biggest challenges
film. My first brush with Star Wars in getting behind the Star Wars
was in November 1976, reading a brand so early on?
four-paragraph article tucked away At that point, all the other toy
inside Starlog magazine. It briefly companies had turned down Star
mentioned that George Lucas and Wars. In those days, movies were
20th Century Fox were working not great for toys. We usually
on some new project called Star made toys for TV shows, because
Wars. Then, in February of 1977 they premiered in September, ran
20th Century Fox came and through Christmas, and had a
pitched Star Wars to Kenner. long shelf life. Movies could be
The script for the movie and a in theaters for just a few weeks.
book of black-and-white stills were Another major issue was that
sent to the office shortly after that, it was marketed as a science-
and Dave Okada, my boss and the fiction property. In the recent past,
VP of preliminary design, came Paramount had done a terrible job of
in and said, “Who wants to look licensing their first Star Trek products,
at this thing called Star Wars?” I and toy buyers had decided that
was the first one to raise his hand, sci-fi was dead. And then, of course,
because I remembered that little we were looking at a movie that was
blurb in Starlog. It was kismet. opening in just a couple of months.
I felt like I was meant to be there We knew it would take at least a
at that point. year to get product manufactured
I took the script home with me and out the door. However, the
that night and read through it all, Preliminary Design department kept
and the next day I gave it back to putting together ideas to present
David and said, “Go in your office, to management every week, to
shut the door for a couple hours, show what we could do with Star
though afterwards I replayed and read this. There is a toy on Wars. And, fortunately, they kept
its storyline in my sandbox, every page.” tolerating us.
making the monster from the
Id’s footprints with my palm and 04
a thumb. It stuck with me and
inspired a ton of creativity.
Had you seen any of George

Lucas’ previous movies when
the Star Wars project was
initially brought to Kenner?
I saw THX 1138 in 1971, when
they played it as part of our
University of Cincinnati film
society. It got stuck in the back of
my head, and I registered the name
“George Lucas.” And then, when
American Graffiti (1973) came
out, there was that same name
PROTOTYPING We did our first presentation 05 A packaging The original Star Wars action
shot for
Jim Swearingen reveals of ideas to 20th Century Fox in figures were also some of the
the X-wing
how the infamous missile- March [of 1977], to convince fighter toy. first that were scaled at the
firing Boba Fett action them that Kenner was the right 3 ¾-inch scale. How much did
figure prototype was 06 Not seen in A
home for the project. David and New Hope, the the playability of the toys factor
originally pieced together.
I went out to California, got off Imperial Troop into that decision?
“I took some 360-degree Transporter toy
the airplane with giant shipping After reading the script, it was
photographs of the Boba was designed
Fett costume during our boxes full of prototypes, which specifically for obvious that the vehicles were going
visit to Lucasfilm, as well we piled on top of a rented the Kenner line. to be the heroes of the toy line, for
as some pictures of the station wagon. And Fox signed play purposes. The X-wings and
07 Darth Vader’s
up-close details, and took off on it. TIE Fighter. TIE fighters were going to be the
them back with me to Ohio,” That April, I went out to centerpieces of the collection.
Swearingen recalls when Industrial Light & Magic, I thought back to my childhood
asked about the genesis of and the Lucasfilm bungalow at days, and gravitated towards my
perhaps the most famous Universal Studios. That’s where I old Roy Rogers Stagecoach, which,
Star Wars figure ever made.
met Charlie Lippincott (Lucasfilm’s when I was growing up, was my
“I made that first mock-
vice president of merchandising) X-wing. I took it over cliffs and
up of the Boba Fett figure
using parts from action and Carol Titelman, who brought through rivers and was able to
figures that already existed, out even more incredible photos imagine entire adventures with it.
which made the job so much and drawings for us. I spent the At the time, The Six Million Dollar
easier! It was basically a entire morning going through Man and G.I. Joe figures were both
C-3PO body, and I carved all of it, and then they said, “Do 12 inches tall, which would make
the first head out of a Darth you want to go and see dailies?” a similarly scaled X-wing end up
Vader helmet, as that had I got to see the cameras and the at nearly 4 feet long, which would
the most plastic that I could TIE fighter models, and it was just have been… impractical! So, we
shape with an X-ACTO
a magical time. targeted a smaller figure.
knife. Then I sacrificed a
When we began working In terms of the 3 ¾-inch scale,
Japanese robot from my
personal collection for the on the toys, I’d send faxes to there are two stories. The first is
missile-firing rocket. They Ben Burtt, asking for certain that the president of Kenner, Bernie
used that initial prototype sound effects. I’d say, “I need a Loomis, put his hand up and
model to display at that ‘pew, pew’ and the sound of the said, “Make them this tall.” David
year’s Toy Fair, as well as Millennium Falcon.” It was such Okada then measured that gap and
for product photography.” an exciting time for me, being able said it was exactly 3 ¾ inches tall.
to just fall into Star Wars. The other story is that, when we

INTERVIEW: JIM SWEARINGEN
05
decided that we needed to mock-

up the figures, I was out at a toy
store and came across the Fisher-
Price Adventure People and, lo and
behold, they were 3 ¾ inches tall.
In any case, we needed to mock-
up characters, and so I used my
X-ACTO knife and body puddy and
whipped up a bunch of them. The
Kenner model shop helped build
R2-D2. The original lightsaber was
going to be a monofilament line
that would pull out of the hilt,
which didn’t work very well, but it
helped us to get the point across.
The first presentation included
basic renderings of 11 characters,
just black-and-white pen drawings
with colors added with markers.
It was here that we put across same poster in my office, and there
the idea for the main line, which he had the real thing!
included Luke, Leia, Han, Ben But it was just two guys talking
Kenobi, Darth Vader, a Sand about nerdy things they loved
Person, and a stormtrooper. for an hour. I always say that
I should have asked him, “Hey
The original Boba Fett George, you should hire an in-
06 action figure has become house toy designer to work here at
one of the most legendary Lucasfilm.” But I never did. That’s
Star Wars toys of them all. still the one regret that I have!
You must have been among
the first people to see the Which of the figures and toys you
character in the flesh? designed are you proudest of?
It was top secret. George I love them all. They’re like my
Lucas did not want too children. See-Threepio is my favorite
many people knowing what character because I think he’s a little
was going on. like me: a bit timid about everything
David and I went out to but sometimes saves the day.
San Anselmo to see this new Because it all happened so
character that they wanted early in the history of Star Wars,
us to make a toy out of, Lucasfilm wasn’t really prepared
and someone came out, for what a toy company was
dressed in that first actually going to need, so we
Boba Fett costume. made a lot of the stuff up. All
Not only did I get to see the original drawings were
this exciting new character, done from that black-and-white
I got to meet George Lucas book of movie stills that we had
and have lunch with him received from them, but a lot
and his dog. I sat for an hour of the time we didn’t have the
with George in his office detail we needed. I’m particularly
while David Okada and Gary proud of the final X-wing and TIE
Kurtz went off somewhere fighter vehicles. The end result
to talk about the business that arrived on toy store shelves
aspects of everything. It was were very close to my original
just me and him, talking concepts, my original layout
about the Buck Rogers ray drawings and model shots.
gun he had on display, and It is wonderful to me that so
his original painting of the many people grew up playing with
“Death Dealer” by Frank these toys, and still cherish those
Frazetta that he had hanging designs. I was just 27 at the time
07 on his wall—I had the exact and living the dream.

THE ART OF TOYS
Photographer Kim Simmons on creating

classic Kenner Star Wars imagery.
WORDS: CHRISTOPHER COOPER
The colorful photographs I told him I’d work for $75.00 a

that graced the packaging of week sweeping the floors, but that
Kenner’s original Star Wars line night Roy called and said he’d
for many years were the work give me a trial run and pay me
of Frankenfield & Associates, a $100.00 a week.
Cincinnati photographic studio I reported to the studio the
established by Roy Frankenfield. next day and was immediately told
Ohio University graduate Kim to climb up a ladder as we were
Simmons joined Frankenfield shooting a bunch of action figures
in 1981, and the two worked on a yellow background. I was up
together to create the numerous about 6 feet or so, looking down
evocative images that made Star at what was eventually to become
Wars toys stand out on store the Darth Vader Collector Case.
shelves across the world. Simmons It should be remembered that it
eventually bought the business was Roy who shot those first iconic
08 Roy from his mentor and continued photographs everyone loved from
Frankenfield to photograph Star Wars toys for the original Star Wars packaging,
adding final
touches to the Kenner until 2001. and documenting Roy working on
Snowspeeder the sets was very important to me.
set, ready for
photographing
Star Wars Insider : How did I still needed to complete my thesis,
by Kim you first become involved with so when I was working on a few
Simmons. photographing Kenner’s Star different sets I’d ask Roy to come
09 The Hoth Wars toys? out of his office and pose for photos
Battle scene Kim Simmons: I’d graduated but like he was working on them.
Point of I still had to complete my thesis
Purchase
display, and needed a job, so I was showing What was the process behind
created by my portfolio around at different photographing the range?
Kim Simmons.
design and photo studios. At the We would get a toy from Kenner,
10 Kim Simmons time, Roy Frankenfield was in dire usually a hard copy or first shot,
carefully need of help. He gave me a tour of and a verbal brief of the angles
rigging vehicles
for the Hoth his studio, but to be honest I was and detail they were looking for.
Battle scene. more interested in getting a job. We’d go back to the studio and
shoot 35mm black and 09
white negatives (and

later Polaroids), then would fit inside. It was about
create a contact sheet teaching kids the basics of playing
of those images to send with that specific toy.
back to the designer. As the packaging evolved
They needed images that from having primary-colored
were as close as possible backgrounds to more complex
to what the final image setups, they’d ask me to create
would be so they could them. Backgrounds like the scene
begin working out a on the speeder bike packaging was
packaging layout. a day’s work, including building the
We were always given set and shooting it. It could become
a brief that told us what somewhat expensive, and with
they needed to convey— the advent of Photoshop, movie
what the toy was capable stills were used as backgrounds for
of, how it worked, and the Power of the Force 2 and The
08 most of all how a figure Phantom Menace (1999) lines.

What makes for the perfect
image to represent a product?
The perfect image would show all
the ways a toy could be played
with, but no single image could 10
really do that. That’s why we

would shoot multiple images from Your Star Wars images are than 6 years old, wanted to look at
different angles and positions, so remembered as fondly as the the books of photos I was selling. He
that each package could show the toys themselves. Why do you stood there for over an hour, slowly
best of what the toy was capable of. think that is? going over each page, examining
Our images showed the play value They appeal to a vast number each image. When he’d finished,
in the different toys and gave a of people, young and old. I was before his mother dragged him off
child an idea as to where and how sitting at my table at a toy show to another booth, he told me he’d
the toys could be played with, and convention and a young family loved the pictures. That exemplifies
then the children’s imaginations came by to look at what I had to in my mind that the images Roy
would take it from there. offer. The young son, no more and I created are timeless.

01 Rey’s urgent entreaty to train
as a Jedi was initially denied
Which potential by Luke Skywalker.
Padawans were
really ready to
train in the ways
of the Force, and
why might they not
have been? Insider
examines the
Force trainees for
whom this decision
had broader
consequences
for the Star Wars
galaxy, and the
reasons that their
masters took
them on.
WORDS: RICHARD DINNICK
iven the galactic

upheaval caused
G by some who had

been trained in
the Jedi arts before
taking a different
path, it’s worth asking the question:
should they have been given the
opportunity in the first place?
Did they possess the requisite
characteristics, temperament,
and skill to undergo the rigors of
training? And were members of the
Jedi Council mistaken in accepting
some of those potential Padawans
into their Order?
One objection raised about the
suitability of a person did not concern
an individual’s character, but their age:
the belief that to give oneself fully to
the Force—at least according to the
traditions of the Jedi—you needed
to be very young. Certainly, during
the period that led up to the fall of
the Republic and the issuing of Order
66, it seemed to be the case that all
younglings were below the age Anakin
Skywalker had been when
Qui-Gon Jinn found him on Tatooine.
Back then, most Jedi began their
training as initiates at a similar age, as
TO
TRAIN
OR
NOT
TO
TRAIN?

TO TRAIN OR NOT TO TRAIN?
an infant or very young child, as part of a clan

with several masters instructing them. In this way
the initial training offered a similar experience
to every youngling. The necessity that those
02 Members of the
Jedi council, would-be Knights were so young was to ensure
including Mace they would find it easier to adjust to another
Windu and Yoda, benchmark of the Jedi Code—the edict that they
denied Anakin
Skywalker the become detached from personal relationships and
chance to train find companionship in the Force alone.
as a Jedi.
It was only once a youngling was chosen
03 Younglings by a master to become their Padawan that
tended to be of a more intimate training could begin, and a far
similar age when
they began their deeper affinity often formed. This may have been
training. because at this stage a Padawan’s training became
02
“Qui-Gon was
determined to see
Anakin trained in the
03
more personal, a unique reflection of both master ways of the Jedi and
and apprentice, which by its nature would have
varied quite considerably from master to master,
was prepared to do it
and from Padawan to Padawan. In short, in place
of a blood family the bond between master and
himself if the Council
04 Anakin
apprentice could become as close as the familial didn’t agree.”
Skywalker in his ties that were denied by the Jedi Code.
Padawan robes. Indeed, Anakin Skywalker would once
admit that Obi-Wan Kenobi was the
05 Obi-Wan Kenobi
undertook the closest thing he had to a father.
mentorship of That connection saw some Jedi
Anakin following
Masters almost dote on their Padawan
the Battle of
Naboo. learner—especially as the time came for
them to undertake the Jedi Trials. We
saw this with Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-
Wan Kenobi, Obi-Wan and Anakin
Skywalker, and Anakin with young
Ahsoka Tano.
The Right Choice 05

Qui-Gon Jinn was a very highly Council. His rebellious streak was highlighted
regarded member of the Jedi Order—and was by his decision to take Anakin Skywalker to
even offered a seat on the Jedi Council. The Coruscant, believing him to be the Chosen
fact that he refused the honor was testament One spoken of in prophecy, after discovering
to his unorthodox nature, partly engendered by his incredibly high midi-chlorian count. Qui-
04
the training of Dooku, who certainly Gon was determined to see Anakin trained in
took pride in how much of a the ways of the Jedi and was prepared to do
maverick his apprentice became. it himself if the Council didn’t agree, despite
Jinn followed his own path already having Obi-Wan Kenobi as a Padawan.
and was more concerned with Certain that Anakin would ultimately restore
the will of the living Force balance to the Force, a dying Jinn placed the
than he was the edicts of the burden of training the boy on Kenobi, who
was close to completing the trials to become a
Jedi Knight himself. This raised two questions:
Whether or not it was the correct decision to
train Anakin, and did the task fall upon the best
person for the job?
Perhaps it was rash of Obi-Wan to agree
to Qui-Gon’s dying wish—and Yoda was
definitely against the idea—but the Council
decreed that Anakin would become the young
Jedi’s apprentice. Years later, Kenobi confessed
to Anakin’s son, Luke, that he’d mistakenly
believed he could instruct his Padawan as well
as Master Yoda. “I was wrong,” he admitted.
Troubled as he was by Anakin’s eventual fall 06
to the dark side and his failure in not being
06 Mace Windu’s
able to help his friend, perhaps Yoda’s opinion A Code to Live By constant
had weighed upon Kenobi. But was Obi-Wan’s The Jedi Council appeared to have become quite mistrust of
Anakin may
true failure in framing later events from that rigid in their decision making right before the
have unwittingly
point of view? The Force moves in mysterious Republic fell and Palpatine declared himself helped fuel the
ways, often obscure to even the greatest of Jedi Emperor, and their attitude was exemplified Jedi’s fall to
the dark side.
Masters. For if Yoda had had his way and Anakin by Mace Windu, who had objected to allowing
been sent packing to Tatooine, then Palpatine Anakin to train as a Jedi, refusing to agree 07 When Skywalker
might never have been defeated. No Padawan with Qui-Gon’s view regarding the Chosen revealed to
Windu his
Anakin would have meant no conflicted Darth One prophecy. Later, Windu refused to grant knowledge that
Vader, and no Luke or Leia either. The prospect Anakin the status of Jedi Master, and found it Palpatine was a
secret Sith Lord,
of balance being returned to the Force could difficult to believe the younger man’s revelation
the Jedi Master’s
have remained a prophecy unfulfilled. that Palpatine was secretly a Sith Lord. This doubts about the
longstanding mistrust of Anakin, and by younger man
proved pivotal.
association the prophecy, could be seen as a
personal weakness. It suggests that the Jedi
Order relied more on adherence to orthodoxy
rather than being open to the cosmic Force
and different perspectives. Although it could
be argued that subsequent events meant the
Jedi Council’s decision to train Anakin resulted
in failure, as Luke Skywalker would learn from
Master Yoda decades after the Jedi had become
one with the Force: failure is a great teacher.
07

TO TRAIN OR NOT TO TRAIN?
LEAVING
THE ORDER
To be considered worthy of
joining the Jedi Order is one
08
thing, but what if a Jedi decides
that Order is not worthy of their
continued membership?
“Luke displayed how unready he
Ahsoka Tano was forced to
ask herself that very question
was to become a Jedi through his
after being accused, falsely, of
conspiring to bomb the Jedi
fear for his friends.Yet that empathy
Temple on Coruscant. Despite
Anakin Skywalker discovering
was what made Luke a hero, and
Ahsoka’s friend and fellow Jedi
Barriss Offee was behind the
eventually a better Jedi. ”
heinous act, thereby exonerating
his former Padawan in the eyes of
the Jedi Council, a disillusioned Which brings us to Luke, destroy all that which his friends had fought for.
Tano chose to leave the Order with Obi-Wan Kenobi once In that moment, Luke displayed how unready
and become an outcast.
again imploring a reluctant he was to become a Jedi through his fear for his
Yoda to take on a Skywalker as friends. Yet that empathy was what made Luke a
a Padawan. Perhaps Yoda was hero, and eventually a better Jedi.
08 Luke Skywalker merely testing Luke’s resolve in questioning his One aspect of Luke’s training we never saw were
accepted Obi-Wan
age as an obstacle, but one thing was certain— his Jedi Trails, unless maybe we did? When they
Kenobi’s offer to
train in the ways both Obi-Wan and Yoda knew they had no other met in Cloud City’s carbon freezing chamber, Darth
of the Force after option. The boy from Tatooine had to be trained. Vader praised Luke for controlling his fear, but it
his aunt and uncle
were killed by the One immutable fact had, of course, made it was his ability to reject anger and the darkness that
Empire. impossible for Luke to be trained any sooner— comes with it that won the day during their next
the dominance of the Empire from the moment encounter on the second Death Star, where Luke
09 Luke’s battle with
the Emperor on he’d been born, and the danger that such refused to succumb to Palpatine’s exhortations to
the second Death training would have alerted both the Emperor strike down his father. This could be interpreted
Star led to the
and his father to his existence (not to mention as Luke’s final trial in his journey to becoming a
redemption of his
father, Anakin. that of Yoda and Kenobi!). Jedi, and he passed with flying colors. Anakin was
But Luke’s age was a problem. He had formed redeemed and balance achieved. But even a master
attachments, with Leia Organa, Han Solo, and has more to learn, and lessons to teach.
even a pair of droids. He had a mission, to
assist the Rebel Alliance in overthrowing the
Empire. And he had experienced great loss,
with the murder of his aunt and uncle and the
death of his mentor. Under the rules of the
old Jedi Order, with all that baggage he should
have been out of the picture. Despite Yoda’s
declaration that he shouldn’t, Luke rushed to
Cloud City and an inevitable confrontation with
Vader, despite a warning that such action could
09

10 Yoda was as
reluctant to
train Luke as
he had been to
train Anakin,
but he relented
after Obi-Wan
reminded him of
their desperate
situation.
“Luke
understood
that training
Rey was a
necessity
—a last
hope.”
11
11 Disillusioned by The Force Awakens opportunity to join his new academy, although
Ben Solo’s turn
to the dark side In the years following the establishment of the foundling turned down the offer in favor of
while under his the New Republic, Luke Skywalker set about his Mandalorian clan.
training, Luke
rebuilding the Jedi Order. In addition to other Given his own experience, Luke did not appear
Skywalker was
at first reticent younglings, he also trained his nephew, Ben to see age as a barrier to Jedi training, although
about taking on Solo, and his sister. Leia was probably the later in life he had other reasons for rejecting a
Rey as a student
of the Force. oldest of all the students of the Force we have potential Jedi. Skywalker never mentioned Rey’s
encountered, but her age mattered not. age when she arrived on Ahch-To demanding to
Although Leia abandoned her Jedi training be trained, but instead cited the failure of his own
when she became pregnant with Ben, she Jedi temple and the hubris of the generation of
evidently learned enough from Luke to use Jedi that preceded him as reason enough, but was
the Force effectively. Able to sense others over there more to it? Was he already aware of Rey’s
great distances, she was even strong enough to lineage as a Palpatine, and if so should that have
utilize its power to survive for a short time in tempered his eventual decision to train her?
the vacuum of space. Furthermore, there can be Despite Uncle Owen fearing there was too
little argument that it was right for Luke to have much of his father in him, Luke did not turn to
trained Leia, even without her becoming a fully evil as Anakin had. The same was true of Rey,
fledged Jedi, as through her connection with the and it’s unlikely Luke believed in the idea of an
Force she was able to reach out across the galaxy inherited destiny. As with Obi-Wan and Yoda
to redeem her lost son. before him, Luke understood that training Rey was
In fact, Luke seemed to have a habit of taking a necessity—a last hope. Indeed, it is fascinating
on older students. Although Grogu had been to consider how training in the Jedi arts for some
12 Luke began a youngling at the Jedi Temple when Order 66 people was a “necessity” for the galaxy, especially
training his had been initiated, he escaped and remained when one thinks about those whose unquestioned
sister, Leia, not
alone, receiving no training in the Jedi arts acceptance by the Jedi Order followed all the rules
long after the fall
of the Empire. for years. Despite this, Luke offered Grogu the and regulations, yet they still fell to the dark side,
like Count Dooku.
Although they served the Jedi well over the
millennia, those rules were rigid and inflexible.
They posed questions such as “is this person too
old,” or “is this person too fearful,” and only
seemed to accept binary answers whereas life
is more nuanced.
So, when asking the question “to train or
not to train,” we must understand that not
everything in the galaxy far, far away is simply
black and white, and exceptions can be made.
Indeed, as Obi-Wan Kenobi once said: only
a Sith deals in absolutes.
12

GIVEAWAY
Three
model kits
to give
away!
It’s Wreckin’ Time!

Win The Bad Batch Wrecker 1/7 scale model from Kotobukiya
The Bad Batch (2021-present) is on its wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side What was the name that Wrecker
way back to Disney+, and the team of. Kotobukiya’s detailed Wrecker 1/7 gave to his stuffed tooka doll?
of ex-clone troopers will need all of scale snap-fix model kit features his
their skills to survive as the Empire iconic fanged skull design and unit A) Lola
tightens its grip on the galaxy. To number on the helmet’s brow. An B) Leela
celebrate, Insider has teamed up with interchangeable head part without C) Lula
our friends at Kotobukiya to give the helmet is also included.
away one Wrecker 1/7 scale model Founded in 1953, Kotobukiya has Send your entry marked
kit to three lucky readers. a long history of providing the highest “WRECKIN’ TIME!” via email
Wrecker stands out among the quality collectibles to fans throughout to [email protected]
Bad Batch, not least because he the world, including an extensive range (or by mail to the address printed
towers above his comrades due to his of Star Wars characters. on page 3) by January 5, 2023.
genetic mutations added by Kaminoan To be in with a chance of winning Remember to include your mailing
cloners, but he isn’t just the muscle one of these fantastic Kotobukiya address. Terms and conditions are
of the operation. Loyal to his friends, Wrecker model kits, just send us the available at titan-comics.com.
with a unique sense of humor and a correct answer to the following tricky
kind heart, Wrecker is one clone you Star Wars trivia question: May the Force be with you!
http://en.kotobukiya.co.jp
© and TM 2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

THE PRINCESS,
THE SCOUNDREL,
AND
THE AUTHOR
INTERVIEW: BETH REVIS
Star Wars Insider speaks to Beth Revis, author of

The Princess and the Scoundrel, the new novel from Del Rey that
follows Leia Organa and Han Solo’s first star-crossed adventure
together after Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.
W O R D S : B R A N D O N WA I N E R D I
eth Revis is The real question is, how

no stranger to difficult was it to write new
B the worlds of
Star Wars, but
this year the
banter between Han and Leia?
I wrote most of that on my couch,
with my husband on the chair
author faced across from me. So, whenever
her greatest galactic challenge Han and Leia would talk back and
yet—telling the story of Princess forth, I would just start feeding
Leia and Han Solo’s wedding him lines. It was like I was writing
and eventful honeymoon. The a script for us to play with. He
Princess and the Scoundrel takes was my Han Solo, and we kept
the newlyweds from an Ewok- bantering until we got it right.
filled marriage ceremony on
Endor to the sleek hallways of The book connects closely
the Starship Halcyon, known with Disney World’s Star Wars:
to fans as the setting of the new Galactic Starcruiser experience.
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Did you work with Walt Disney
experience in Orlando, Florida. Imagineering to help define your
Insider asked Revis what it was depiction of the Halcyon starship?
like to be charged with planning I actually had the whole draft
the wedding of the century. written before the first guests were
“Claudia Gray’s allowed onto the starcruiser, which
Star Wars Insider: How did you Bloodline is one made it even more intimidating.
get into the mindsets of both Fortunately, I had time to make
Han and Leia, as they were of my favorite edits, so, if you were somebody
immediately after the events books of all time. who put anything on YouTube
of Return of the Jedi (1983)? about Galactic Starcruiser in
Beth Revis: The research I had I had that novel those first three weeks, I probably
to do for The Princess and the as the end goal watched it multiple times.
Scoundrel was just the best possible When I was researching the
research ever. All I did was rewatch of where Leia novel, it was incredibly cool to
the original trilogy, back-to-back-
to-back, for several weeks straight.
was going to have access to all the background
information, including all the
It was fantastic. But every time I end up, in terms development files and concept art.
watched it, I watched it for different
things. For instance, I would watch
of her attitude I was blown away by the attention
to detail that Imagineering
the trilogy once and would only towards Anakin had put into everything: each
look at what Han was doing. Then scuffmark on the wall had a
I would start over again, and I would
and Vader” backstory. It was also incredibly
only observe Leia. intimidating because I wasn’t
I knew that this book was going whereas Leia has had time to grow actually there to see the real
to pick up immediately after Jedi. and think. I really had to blend thing. I remember being under
But what really surprised me was those two movies strongly in my the impression that the floors
how much I relied on The Empire mind and understand that Leia were going to be tiled in the
Strikes Back (1980) to inform the was coming from a different point engineering room, so I wrote this
writing of these characters. When in time to Han. Once that clicked, whole thing about hearing boots
Han is frozen in carbonite, there’s it was easier to understand them on the tiles until the Imagineering
a time leap of about a year, so both as characters moving past team told me the deck was going
his mentality is still in Empire, Return of the Jedi. to be all metal grate!

One of the most fascinating become the person in the movie,

aspects of the novel deals with from where she started? That’s how
Leia coming to terms with I approached writing Leia for this
Darth Vader being her father. book, as well. I knew who she was
How did you approach that? in the original trilogy, and I knew
It helped that Claudia Gray’s how she was going to end up in the
Bloodline is one of my favorite sequel trilogy. But, on an emotional
books of all time. I had that
novel as the end goal of where
Leia was going to end up, in “I always
terms of her attitude towards
Anakin and Vader. start a Star
In a lot of ways, it reminded
me of writing Rebel Rising. I Wars project
knew that Rogue One: A Star
Wars Story (2016) was going to from the
show Jyn Erso both as a child and
as an adult, but my book was a perspective of
bridge between the two during
her teenage years. How did she being a fan.”
02
01 The Princess level, how did she get from one

and the
Scoundrel point to the other? Of course, it’s
Cover art not the complete bridge, but it is
by Oliver
the first few steps. And I had to
Cuthbertson.
make sure that it had heart.
02 Beth Revis’
Star Wars
debut, Rebel This book draws from previous
Rising. books and comics, like Shattered
Cover art by Empire, Crimson Reign, and
Brian Rood.
many more. How did you make
sure that your story was its own
thing but also tied in with those
stories that had come before?
Again, I always start a Star Wars
project from the perspective of
being a fan, from loving the
stories that are already there,
and then my nerdiness takes
over. For this book, it was almost
like seeing the different puzzle
pieces, and figuring out ways to
fit them together.
I didn’t want to reinvent the
wheel, but I wanted references
to sit within the story. Some
of them, of course, are tiny
references that most people
won’t recognize. I lived off a
preemptive high while writing,
and I hope people will notice
these details and piece them
01 all together.

03
BETH REVIS’
STAR WARS
STORIES
Rebel Rising
Disney Lucasfilm Press
First Published: May 2, 2017
The wedding, and its associated 03 Beth Revis That was the end goal for me: “Fully Operational”
festivities (including Han’s drew heavily to show that they are different From A Certain Point
on Han and Of View
bachelor party thrown by Leia’s people who come from different
Lando Calrissian), is incredible. relationship in backgrounds. They are cognizant Del Rey
What were the most important The Empire that this might not work, but they First Published:
Strikes Back October 3, 2017
elements to you? (1980) when see the joy that they have in front of
I wanted to show that both Han writing The them right now. And they are going
and Leia were on a different path Princess and to take it and seize every moment of
Forces Of Destiny
the Scoundrel. IDW Publishing
in the lead up to the wedding. it. I wanted to show how different
First Published:
For Han, it was a joyous, Han and Leia are, but how they still
January 24, 2018
boisterous, chaotic party. Anything choose each other.
that could go wrong, went wrong, “For The Last Time”
and I wanted to make the bachelor Was there a challenge in writing From A Certain Point
party be a source of fun and hilarity. a love story when we know Of View: The Empire
At the same time, I wanted to that darker times lay ahead for Strikes Back
share that Leia was going in a very this couple? Del Rey
different direction. While Han is The rings were the one thing that First Published:
surrounded by all his friends, Leia got rewritten and redone the most. November 10, 2020
is by herself, having an emotional They went through a lot of different
reaction to all these things that iterations: at one point they were The Princess
have transpired. going to be rings made from the and The Scoundrel
Del Rey
I wanted to emphasize that they spare parts of the Millennium Falcon,
First Published:
were two very different people or a part of R2-D2 and C-3PO that
August 16, 2022
that are both, ultimately, walking they donated. It took a lot of time
towards each other. to figure that part out, but when I

“I was born
04
after the
settled on Endor as the “home” of What other types of art or 04 Not even
being frozen
original films
these rings, everything fell into place.
Endor is very organic. Everything
film did you gravitate towards
early on?
in carbonite
could stand
came out,
organic will eventually fall apart
and dissolve into chaos and break.
I was a true child of the 1980s
and early ‘90s. Saturday
in the way
of true love. so I’ve never
That became the idea of where the
rings would come from, and where
morning cartoons were a
sacred ritual with X-Men: The
known a life
they would end up. As soon as
those rings go around their fingers,
Animated Series (1992-1997)
and She-Ra: Princess of Power (1985-
without Star
you know what’s going to happen 1987). It was a great time to grow Wars.”
to them. We’ve all seen the sequel up. My father never really liked Star
trilogy. But it was still important Wars, but he loved Star Trek, and
for them to be beautiful in the really latched on to the character
time that they were there. And to of Picard. And so, I got both sides
recognize the beauty, power, and of the fandom: I watched Star Wars
symbolism of what happened. In with my brother and Star Trek with
that moment, they had each other. my dad. It was great.
As a kid, my interests were a
What was your first experience very private experience, simply
with the Star Wars saga? because I didn’t know many people
Some of my earliest childhood who liked the same things as me.
memories are Star Wars-related. I had one friend, who is actually
When I was growing up, I had credited in the acknowledgments
extremely long hair, and I braided of The Princess and the Scoundrel,
it into Princess Leia buns as soon that I would swap books with back
as I was able to do so. I even have and forth. It was just Jennifer and
a brother named Luke! We had me on the bus, trading copies of
these PVC pipes that we would the Young Jedi Knights series.
pretend were lightsabers, and we However, once I went to
would go into the backyard and college, and once I went on the
whack each other with them. It internet, I realized there was a
became my childhood, really. huge fanbase out there. There is

something to be said for enjoying to make it big. I wanted to send it a pie-in-the-sky dream. That was
things by yourself but, when your to an agent, and I wanted to get a something for real authors, and I
passions lead you to a community, really big book deal. still didn’t feel quite “real.”
it becomes much more joyous. So, I sent it out and was roundly I remember when Lucasfilm
That feeling and experience led rejected. I repeated that process approached my agent, she rang me
directly to my writing; I would try with a book a year for 10 years. And up to tell me the news. She said,
to translate the things I loved into all of them were rejected. I racked “You like Star Wars, right?” And I
my own work. I was not necessarily up about a thousand rejections started shaking. When she told me
trying to copy the characters and from literary agents, magazines, what the project was (the book that
the stories but trying to emulate the publishers. would eventually become the Rogue
emotions that I felt around me. I finally got my eleventh book One tie-in novel, Rebel Rising), I
05 Leia and
accepted, in my eleventh year of Han’s happy screamed for half an hour. I scared
How did you transition from that trying. It was called Across the ending in the dog. Eventually I managed to
Return of
into being a professional writer? Universe and it was a science- the Jedi
get out, “Yes, I would love to do it.”
Books were always my safe space. fiction book. That was the one (1983). And the rest was history.
I wanted to be a writer, but I that changed everything for me.
didn’t know if I could actually cut Across the Universe enabled
it. I wrote my first novel when I me to become a full-time writer,
was a sophomore in college, and and really focus on my career. But
promptly I decided that I wanted writing for Star Wars was still just
05
Has writing Star Wars stories
changed how you feel about
the saga in any way?
In a lot of ways, it was eye-opening:
Star Wars wasn’t just mine. It’s easy
to become possessive of something
you love that much. I felt very
possessive about Star Wars.
It was an interesting experience
to take something that is so deeply
loved and a part of my whole life
and turn it into something new.
I was born after the original films
came out, so I’ve never known a
life without Star Wars. The more
I’ve worked within the worlds of
06 Princess
Leia (Carrie Star Wars, the more my eyes have
Fisher) and been opened to how Star Wars is
Han Solo
for everyone. In some ways, that
(Harrison
Ford) enter has added a lot more pressure to
the Imperial the process because now I’m like,
bunker in
Return of “Oh, no. If I mess this up, I mess
the Jedi. this up for the entire galaxy!”
06

COMPANION
Set between the prequel and original Star Wars trilogies, the
Disney+ limited series Obi-Wan Kenobi followed the lost Jedi as he
risked all in a dangerous quest across the galaxy. Insider’s series
companion revisits the key moments in this epic story.
WORDS: CHRISTOPHER COOPER

A D D I T I O N A L M AT E R I A L : TA R A B E N N E T T
he Jedi we met in an ever-present constant in the McGregor’s publicly warm

the first episode of actor’s orbit that would reappear feelings were not lost on Lucasfilm
T Obi-Wan Kenobi
(2022) was a man
far removed from
through tireless press and fan
questions asking if he would ever be
tempted to return to the role.
executives who eventually asked
McGregor to come in for a meeting
to gauge his interest in playing
the heroic Clone “At the end of every interview Obi-Wan Kenobi again. “They asked
Wars general of old, a shadow of his I ever did, for years, I was asked me if I meant it and I said, ‘I would
former self, less connected to the two things; would I do the sequel love to play him again. But there’s
Force, and emotionally damaged to Trainspotting (1996), and got to be a good story.’”
by the events of Revenge of the Sith would I ever play Obi-Wan Kenobi Those conversations initiated a
(2005). This “Ben” Kenobi was also again?” McGregor told Star Wars period of developing storylines for
barely recognizable as the man he Insider during the international where Obi-Wan might be in that
would become by the events of A press tour for the series. “I just time period of self-isolation in the
New Hope (1977): a wise teacher at started answering it honestly, as I wake of his failure with Anakin’s
ease with his destiny and the will was becoming more aware of the fall to the dark side. “He can’t
of the Force. How Obi-Wan made fondness that the generation we communicate with any of his old
that transition was the question at made the prequels for have for those comrades and he’s living a pretty
the heart of the series, which saw films. That meant a lot to me, and solitary life,” McGregor mused on his
Ewan McGregor reprise his role as it’s one of the reasons why I wanted character’s predicament at the start
the lost Jedi. to do this again. Fans of Star Wars of the series. “He’s not able to use the
Aside from a line reading or two are amazingly passionate. To be able Force, so, in a way, he’s lost his faith.
for the sequel trilogy films, McGregor to give them an Obi-Wan series— It’s like somebody who’s stepped
had moved on from playing Kenobi which it seems that there’s been a away from their religion, if you like.
upon completion of the prequel hunger for, for some time—was really The only responsibility to his past life
trilogy. However, Star Wars remained exciting to me.” is looking over Luke Skywalker.”

“Part I”
Directed by Deborah Chow
Written by Joby Harold, Hossein Amini,
and Stuart Beattie
Premiered on May 26, 2022
Imperial Inquisitors—a group of

Force-sensitive Jedi-hunters under
the command of Darth Vader—arrive
on Tatooine, searching for a Jedi-in-
hiding on the planet. They find Nari
in a saloon but the desperate fugitive
escapes into the desert. However, the
Third Sister, Reva Sevander, is obsessed
with finding a different Jedi entirely:
Obi-Wan Kenobi!
Elsewhere on the desert planet,
Obi-Wan (now going by the name of
Ben) is laying low, living in a cave as
he keeps a protective watch over Luke
Skywalker from afar. Owen Lars is
equally determined to keep Luke safe,
as much from Kenobi and the Force as
from the Empire. While the pair meet in
Anchorhead, Reva threatens the locals
with violence unless they give up the
location of the Jedi. Obi-Wan, hiding
nearby, watches on in fear and horror.
On Alderaan, the headstrong and

opinionated young Princess Leia Organa
gets herself into trouble when she stands
up to her bullying cousin at the royal
palace. After being chastised, Leia runs
off into the woods, but mercenaries
are lying in wait and they kidnap the
princess. Bail and Breha Organa contact
Obi-Wan with a desperate plea for him
REDISCOVERING OBI-WAN to rescue their daughter, but the jaded
Ewan McGregor revealed that playing an older Obi-Wan as a lost man who comes and unsure Jedi refuses. After learning
to find himself was the bridge chapter of his character’s story that always piqued his that the Inquisitors have found and
imagination. “It was interesting to take this character that we know and love from Alec
killed their Jedi and left his body as a
Guinness’ wise, sage-like, spiritual man and the work that I did in the prequels, and
bring him to this more broken place.” warning to others, Obi-Wan returns to
Finding Obi-Wan’s voice again posed its own challenges for McGregor. “When we his cave where Bail Organa is waiting
came to do the actual scenes with the other actors, I was doing a sort of vague English with details of where Leia has been
accent, and it wasn’t really Obi-Wan’s voice at all. I was like, ‘Oh dear. That’s not very taken, desperate for the Jedi’s help.
good,’” he laughed. “Luckily, we had months before we actually started shooting. What neither realize is that Reva is
So, I went back and did some homework on Alec Guinness’ performance and what I’d
using Leia as bait to draw Kenobi out.
done before in the prequels. Playing him again felt like he’d always been in there,
ready and waiting, but his voice just needed a bit of work.”

“Part II”
Written by Joby Harold, Hossein Amini,
and Stuart Beattie
Premiered on May 26, 2022
Having agreed to search for Leia,

Obi-Wan travels to Daiyu, the
dangerous and densely populated
planet where Bail Organa’s intel
suggests she can be found. He soon
learns of a local Jedi, Haja Estree, gang, Obi-Wan locates Leia in a nearby bounty hunters lurking on Daiyu
who helps people in need. cell and they escape into the streets of immediately join the search. Under fire
Obi-Wan quickly recognizes Haja Daiyu. But the Grand Inquisitor and his and after being briefly separated, the
as a fraudster, who uses magnets cohorts are also on the planet, angry that fugitives make their way to the spaceport
and remotes to imitate Force Reva has disobeyed orders and taken where Haja has promised they will find
powers that he doesn’t have. matters into her own hands. Relieved a cargo shuttle waiting. However, Reva
But while Haja admits he’s of her duties, Reva puts a price on follows them and reveals a shocking truth
been turning a profit from Obi-Wan’s head, and numerous to Obi-Wan—Anakin Skywalker lives!
other’s misfortunes, he has
genuinely been leading
them to safety, and offers
to help Kenobi locate the
missing girl. Under
Haja’s directions,
Obi-Wan makes
his way into a
criminal hideout
where rumors
suggest Leia is
being held, but
the mercenary
Vect Nokru has
been waiting
for him—it’s a
trap, laid
by Reva!
Having
fought off the

officer who uses her position to aid Jedi
and other Force-sensitives on the run
from the Empire.
As Tala sets the next leg of an escape
plan in motion, Obi-Wan senses a
disturbance in the Force. Darth Vader,
accompanied by three Inquisitors,
including Reva, has arrived on Mapuzo.
“Part III”
En route to Mapuzo, Obi-Wan digests While Tala leads Leia to safety through a
the news that his former Padawan and network of secret tunnels, Obi-Wan must
friend survived their deadly duel on confront Vader once again, only he is not
Mustafar years earlier. When the cargo the Jedi Master he once was.
shuttle arrives on the planet, he and
Directed by Deborah Chow Leia pose as father and daughter while
Written by Joby Harold, Hannah Friedman,
Hossein Amini, and Stuart Beattie they make their way to the rendezvous
Premiered on June 1, 2022 point provided by Haja Estree, but the
contact they were supposed to meet is
not there. Taking a ride aboard a passing
Reporting the apparent death of the vehicle, they learn that the Empire is
Grand Inquisitor to Darth Vader, searching the galaxy for Kenobi, and at
Reva informs the Sith Lord that an Imperial checkpoint the driver reports
Obi-Wan Kenobi is alive. Vader offers his suspicions about the pair to the
to promote the Third Sister to the troops on guard. After a firefight and the
now vacant position if she can prove arrival of more troops, Obi-Wan and Leia
herself capable of finding Kenobi. are rescued by Tala Durith, an Imperial
WE MEET AGAIN,
AT LAST
One of the great gifts that Ewan
McGregor says Obi-Wan Kenobi afforded
him was the opportunity to reconnect and
work with his friend Hayden Christensen
again. “We were so close when we made
the prequels together in Australia,” he
shares. “We spent so much time training
together for the fights and being on set
together, and because we were so far
from home we spent a lot of time outside
of work together as well. When we were
acting together again, it was like we’d
gone through some sort of time warp.
Looking across at him on set was like the
previous 17 years hadn’t happened at all.
It was peculiar but great.”

OBI-WAN KENOBI COMPANION
“Part IV”
Written by Joby Harold and
Hannah Friedman
Premiered on June 8, 2022
Badly burned during his fight with

Darth Vader, Obi-Wan awakes in a
bacta tank on the planet Jabiim, having
been rescued by Tala and her droid,
NED-B. Concerned for Leia’s safely, the
Jedi is devastated to learn that she has
fallen into the hands of the Empire.
Leia has been taken to Fortress
Inquisitorius on the ocean moon
of Nur. There, Reva interrogates the
princess, telling her that Kenobi is dead
and that no one is coming to rescue
her this time. Despite hearing this, Leia in danger he rushes to the princess’s
determines to make things difficult for aid, asking Tala to cause a distraction.
Reva, refusing to cooperate even in the With alarms ringing, Obi-Wan, Leia,
face of imminent torture. and Tala evade Imperial pursuit in an
With the help of Kawlan Roken, attempt to reach their shuttle in the
a freedom fighter who operates an hangar bay, but Reva is not far behind.
underground network known as the With nowhere left to run, the trio
Path, Obi-Wan and Tala travel to Nur appear to be out of luck until Roken’s
and infiltrate Fortress Inquisitorius. comrades arrive in modified T-47
Tala guides Obi-Wan from a console in airspeeders and rescue them, although
a control room, while the Jedi heads to one of the vehicles is brought down by
where they believe Leia is being held. Reva during the escape.
Along the way, Kenobi is sickened Darth Vader arrives and is about
when he discovers a vault filled with to kill Reva when she reveals she has
fallen Jedi, but when he senses Leia is placed a tracker on the fleeing ship.

“Part V”
Written by Joby Harold and Andrew Stanton
Premiered on June 15, 2022
Aboard Darth Vader’s Star Destroyer,

Reva reveals that Obi-Wan and his
allies have been tracked to the planet
Jabiim. Satisfied with the success of
Reva’s plan, Vader promotes the Third
Sister to Grand Inquisitor, and orders
his crew to set a course for the planet.
The situation is already desperate Stormtroopers enter the base, and from taking off, tearing it apart in
on Jabiim. Roken’s people delayed their a battle ensues in which Tala is slain. the process—but it’s a decoy. The real
departure to help Kenobi rescue Leia, Obi-Wan attempts to bargain with freighter, filled with refugees including
and now they are running out of time. Reva—if they work together, then they Obi-Wan and Leia, blasts off to safety.
When the base suffers a mysterious power can destroy Vader. Reva appears to refuse. Reva attempts to kill Vader, but
outage and its hangar doors close and Meanwhile, Leia finds Lola and they he always knew her plan and strikes
lock, Tala is convinced that Reva was fix the roof mechanism, allowing the her down with her own blade. After
tracking their ship. In fact, Leia’s personal hangar doors to open, but Darth Vader the Dark Lord leaves, Reva finds Bail
droid LO-LA59 (Lola) was reprogrammed has landed and is closing in. He arrives Organa’s message to Obi-Wan about
by the Third Sister during the princess’ and uses the Force to stop the transport the boy on Tatooine.
incarceration, and it sabotaged the doors.
After Leia offers to help fix the problem,
Obi-Wan receives a message from Bail
Organa, offering to travel to Tatooine
himself to protect Luke.
Reva leads the Imperial forces in a
ground assault on the Path’s base, and
Obi-Wan offers to negotiate a ceasefire.
As they talk, Kenobi finally understands
what drives Reva—she was in the Jedi
Temple on Coruscant when Order
66 was carried out and has vowed to
avenge the deaths of her Jedi family at
the hands of Anakin Skywalker.

“Part VI” PREPARING FOR BATTLE
“The fight scenes are always something extra when you’re doing something like
this because they require such a lot of preparation,” Ewan McGregor explains.
Directed by Deborah Chow “There’s a real nervousness when you walk on set to do a fight that you’ve been
Written by Joby Harold, Andrew Stanton, training for and learning for months. Sometimes you’re shooting two, three days in
Hossein Amini, and Stuart Beattie a row. It requires an enormous amount of stamina. We did a lot of lightsaber drills
Premiered on June 22, 2022 with Jonathan ‘Jojo’ Eusebio, our fight coordinator and his team. He’d taken the
fights that we did in the original three films and studied and developed them with
his stunt crew. He’s really a thoughtful fight arranger.”
Reva has made her way to Tatooine,
and is searching for a farmer named
Owen. When they realize that the
day they have long feared is finally
upon them, Owen and Beru Lars Leaving Leia under the protection
are determined to protect Luke, of Haja, who promises to get her to
whatever the cost. Alderaan, Kenobi departs in a small
In the depths of space, Darth Vader’s shuttle, certain that Vader will follow.
Star Destroyer is closing in on Roken’s Before long, the Sith Lord orders his
transport ship, fleeing at sublight speed crew to change course.
because its hyperdrive motivator is badly Landing on the rocky surface of a
damaged. Obi-Wan realizes that the barren moon, Obi-Wan is waiting for
only hope for the fugitives is if he draws Vader when he arrives in his shuttle, and a
Vader’s attention away from them. bitter lightsaber duel begins. Their powers
equally matched, each gains the upper
hand until Vader leaves Obi-Wan for dead
after burying him under tons of rock.
Fighting not to be crushed, Kenobi focuses
on Leia and Luke, and the memories give
him the strength to escape and overpower
Vader. However, he also witnesses the hate
that has consumed his former friend, and
finally understands that Anakin is truly
dead, killed by Darth Vader. Obi-Wan realize they are free from the
On Tatooine, Reva has a change of shadows of the past. His faith restored,
heart as she is about to exact revenge on Obi-Wan visits Leia on Alderaan and
Vader by killing his son and returns the Luke on Tatooine, before encountering
boy safely to the Lars. Both Reva and an old friend in the desert.

BECOME AN INSIDE R &
SAVE UP TO 40%!
YOUR
EXCLUSIVE
SUBSCRIBER
COVER
Your #1 source for EVERYTHING Star Wars !

• SAVE $30! 8 issues just $49.99 Newsstand price: $79.92
• EXCLUSIVE subscriber cover!
• FREE home delivery!
• Become an INSIDER – never miss an issue!
GET THE BEST PRICE – SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
TITAN-COMICS.COM/INSIDER
U.S. 1 800 261 6502 or 847 559 7339 • Canada & ROW 847 559 7339 • U.K. & Europe +44 (0)1778 392085
EXPLORE THE
STAR WARS INSIDER
ARCHIVES Seeking more Sith?
Check out these Star Wars Insider back issues...
Complete your collection, buy a gift,

pick up a rare cover!
FIND THESE ISSUES AND MANY, MANY MORE AT

TITAN-COMICS.COM/INSIDER
ON SET WITH
THE
JAWA S
From Tatooine to Arvala-7, Insider tracks down
some of the performers who have played
the galaxy’s preeminent scavengers.
awas. Described by C-3PO as “disgusting creatures,” nobody
really knows what lies beneath their dusty brown robes
J and impenetrable glowing eyes. To be fair, the protocol

droid didn’t exactly have a great experience with them, but
the reality is that the performers who’ve portrayed Jawas
in assorted Star Wars productions are far from unpleasant
people. And playing a Jawa turns out to have been a lot of fun too, as Star
Wars Insider found out when we spoke to several generations of them.
ON SET WITH THE JAWAS
FROM COW CREEK

TO THE DUNE SEA
WORDS: JAMES FLOYD
02
be chosen. We didn’t know it then,
but that was because they needed
kids who would fit into the Jawa
costumes they’d used in Tunisia.
We were the right size, so that’s
how we got the gig.”
Tim Donaldson could well
01
be the youngest cast member on
Who didn’t dream of being a movie California’s Death Valley was 01 A group of the original Star Wars film. The
local school
star when they were a child? Back a perfect match for the desert children were son of two National Park Service
in 1977, that dream came true for landscapes of North Africa, with cast as Jawas employees, the kindergartener had
a handful of elementary school twisty canyons, rocky hillsides, for filming in turned five the November before
Death Valley.
students living in one of the hottest and sand dunes big enough to (Photo: Sally the film crew arrived in Death
and driest parts of the United States. swallow a droid. Weber) Valley. While Andrea had seen a few
After Star Wars: A New Hope Needing a cast of Jawas to movies, the younger Tim had no
02 Tim
(1977) had finished principal capture R2-D2 and haul the Donaldson such experience. “I don’t think I had
photography in Tunisia, the astromech to their sandcrawler, in costume any idea about movies at that age,”
as a Jawa.
producers looked a little closer the production turned to the (Photo he admits. “There was no movie
to home for a suitable location logical source of short-statured courtesy theater in Death Valley, and I don’t
to capture additional Tatooine people in the area—the children of Tim remember if we even had a TV at
Donaldson)
shots for the film, scheduled to be at the local school in Cow Creek, that time. I don’t think I had any
released just a few months later. smack bang in the middle of the concept of what we were doing.
valley. A total of nine children It didn’t compute in my head.”
were picked, including second The shoot was scheduled to
grader Andrea Wickman Miller take place over two days, including
and five-year-old Tim Donaldson. a costume fitting on day one and
Aged seven, Andrea had only filming on the next. “My stepmom
moved to Death Valley just a few was one of the chaperones on the
years earlier with her father and first day,” says Andrea. “She was
stepmother, a schoolteacher. “A cracking up, saying ‘There is no way
couple of people came to the this movie is going to be anything.
school and asked if they could 03 The interior You should see the costumes, and
of a Jawa
use some kids for a little film there are robots, and an elephant!’”
mask from
project they were doing,” Andrea A New Hope, That was Mardji, the Asian
recalls of the casting process. complete female elephant that played the
with foam
“They measured us, and Tim and padding and bantha. She was borrowed from
I were among the lucky ones to goggles. the zoo at Marine World Africa
03

U.S.A., then located in Redwood 04 The cast of
Jawas watch
City in the San Francisco Bay
R2-D2 being
Area. Mardji made quite the local repaired at
splash, walking through Furnace Death Valley’s
Artists Drive.
Creek with her handler Alan (Photo: Sally
Hernandez, who also played the Weber)
bantha’s Tusken Raider rider.
05 Andrea
Tim recalls spotting Mardji Wickman
at the Furnace Creek Ranch Miller (right)
and Joe
hotel, but his attention was
Weber (left)
taken by Hernandez’ costume. dressed as 04
“I remember trying on the Luke and Leia
for Halloween
Tusken Raider helmet,” he says. 1977. (Photo: a hill as the toughest part of the playing hide and seek in a canyon
“That was one of my vivid Andrea Miller) shoot, for the scene where the Jawas was something we did every single
memories from that first day.” carry the droid to their sandcrawler. day. That was our life in Death
“We had to go up and down that Valley. Our parents would have
The Trials of Tatooine hill a bunch of times,” says Andrea. some get-together, a barbecue, and
Getting into costume was just the “Artoo-Detoo was so difficult to we’d go out and play hide and seek
first of the trials the youngsters carry. He was like a barrel; heavy and in the middle of the night. That
faced. “We were wearing tennis awkward. We had a really hard time was our life as kids out there.”
shoes, but they wrapped them filming that shot.” After their acting gig was
in a kind of brown gauze,” says “It was heavy, but I don’t think over, going back to normal life
Andrea of their costumes. “That any of the Artoos were especially seemed somewhat duller. Andrea
made it really hard to walk. And light. I remember thinking, ‘How are recounts, “When we got back to
the robes were so heavy, we had we kids going to carry this thing?” school, everybody was so excited,
a kind of funny run to us, like we says Tim. “And his head kept falling talking about what we’d done,
were in a gunny sack race.” off, I don’t know how many times!” that we might be in a movie. Our
The glowing Jawa eyes were “The crew were shooting from kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Prather,
lightbulbs fitted onto a pair behind us and didn’t realize what took us to one side and said, ‘Listen,
of goggles, but they weren’t was happening, so they kept yelling it was a fun thing to do, but lots of
popular with the young cast at us to ‘Keep going, keep going! movies get made and they don’t
members. “I vividly remember Don’t stop! Keep walking!’ And we always get played, so you probably
not wanting to put the eye stuff were shouting back ‘But his head fell won’t ever see this movie.’”
on my face. I was not down with off!’” laughs Andrea, adding, “Tim, That advice turned out to be
that,” Andrea says. “Johnny you’re the easiest of us to point moot, as Star Wars became an
Bushell [another classmate who out, too, because I don’t think that overnight phenomenon, with
played a Jawa] was the only one your hands were even on Artoo- seemingly everyone rushing to see
who would happily wear them.” Detoo because you were so tiny. You it. Andrea finally got her chance
“I think for the vast majority were like the tiniest one. You can during a trip to Florida that June.
of the time, we just had our hoods definitely see a little Jawa that’s sort “My mom took us to the theater
pulled up and over,” adds Tim. of just almost touching Artoo!” and the whole time she was asking,
Both Andrea and Tim clearly “What are you saying?” Tim smirks. ‘What did you do?’ The second that
recall hauling R2-D2 up and down The pair have little recollection my scene started, she shouted out,
of filming scenes in Golden ‘That’s my daughter!!!” The theater
Canyon where the Jawas spy on was busy, and that’s when I realized
R2-D2 before capturing him, but ‘Wow, this might be a big deal.”
there is a good reason for that. It took a little longer for Tim
“I remember doing some of those to see the film on the big screen.
scenes, hiding back in a hole “I was staying with my father at his
and peeking out,” says Tim. “But house at Yellowstone National Park
the summer that the film came out.
I’ve seen it a million times on VHS,
“Playing hide and but I didn’t see A New Hope in
the theater until 2018, when I was
seek in a canyon was overseas in the military,” he laughs.
Miller recognizes the magic
something we did that Jawas continue to hold over
every single day.” audiences, “I love seeing kids
dressed up as Jawas at Halloween.
Tim Donaldson There’s always a Jawa.”
05

06
“I didn’t know
that Jawas had
so many fans!”
Ariel Shiu
she took a seemingly routine

call from the agency. “I didn’t have
to audition or anything, just show
up,” she remembers. “None of us
knew anything about who or what
we were going to be playing until
our first day on set. We had no
idea! When I realized that I was
going to be playing a Jawa—one
of the most famous Star Wars
species—I was dumbstruck! As
someone who grew up loving the
saga, I just couldn’t believe it. My
first experience of going to the
movies was to see Return Of The
Jedi (1983). Ironically, Ariel and
I are now friends with a lot
of the Ewoks!”
Leilani found herself clad in
Jawa robes scurrying around the
FROM NEVARRO Nevarro set for the debut episode

of The Mandalorian. Much like
TO TATOOINE her predecessors, getting used

to the costume was challenging.
“The Jawa costumes have several
W O R D S : PAT R I C K J A N K I E W I C Z
layers and are really thick, so they
can be a little warm, but I’m not
complaining. It was fun being
Jawas have continued to be a acting after legendary little 06 Jawa actors, dressed up as a Jawa, kind of like
presence in the Star Wars galaxy person, actor, and activist including wearing a gunny sack, and the
Ariel and
ever since the resourceful recyclers Billy Barty suggested I sign Leilani Shiu costume was quite comfortable,”
made their first appearance in A up with Central Casting, as (middle left), she says.
New Hope, most recently turning he thought it was important pose with
director Rick
up in the new era of Star Wars that little people like us Famuyiwa. Arrival on Arvala-7
storytelling on Disney+, in both should be represented on Another bonus of being cast in
The Mandalorian (2019 - ) and screen,” says Leilani. 07 Full Jawa The Mandalorian was that Leilani
costumes
The Book of Boba Fett (2021). Her journey to the galaxy can get “a
was able to work alongside her
While time and technology have far, far away came about when little warm.” daughter, Ariel. “After I was hired
moved on since schoolmates and the producers found out I
Andrea and Tim lugged R2-D2 had a daughter who was a little
across Death Valley, the rewarding shorter than me, they said, ‘Wait,
experience of playing a Jawa has you have a daughter?! Have her
remained much the same, as come down!’ And that’s how Ariel
mother and daughter Jawa duo became a Jawa too.”
Leilani and Ariel Shiu can attest. “I didn’t know that Jawas had so
Away from her regular day job many fans!” Ariel enthuses.
promoting hip-hop tracks released “It’s great being a Jawa. People
by her record label, Leilani Shiu love droids, Ewoks, and Wookiees,
indulges her passion for movies but Jawas are cool because they
and television through her side take parts and resell them, they
gig as a part-time actor. “I started recycle! Little kids who go to comic
07

ON SET WITH THE JAWAS
DECLOAKED
Leilani Shiu also had the
opportunity to become
another classic Star Wars
creature in Episode 6 of
The Book of Boba Fett.
“My friend Pamm Riddle
and I are two of the gamblers
at the card table in Garsa
Fwip’s Sanctuary. She plays
the Snivvian and I’m the
Chadra-Fan beside her. That’s
the same species as Kabe in
A New Hope.”
Mother and daughter
also got to show their real
faces in Chapter 12 of The
Mandalorian, “The Seige,”
08 directed by Carl Weathers.
“Rather than Jawas, Ariel
conventions dress like Jawas and 08 Ariel and armor for some crystals Cobb
Leilani Shiu and I played villagers in that
get so excited when they get to Vanth had. So, viewers learned episode,” says Leilani. “It was
(left and
meet the real thing! center) in the that Boba Fett might still be alive Jon Favreau’s idea to give us
“My favorite episode was sandcrawler through that transaction!” those roles, which was very
cockpit set
when we were with the Frog from The The Shius also got to work cool of him. Our friends were
Lady,” she continues. “Misty Mandalorian. alongside Grogu, the cute cohort so excited to spot us!”
Rosas is cool and a friend of of Din Djarin that captured the
09 Ariel (left)
ours, and we enjoyed working with mom world’s imagination. “Grogu was
with her. We’re also the Jawas Leilani fun to work with,” says Leilani. thought he was cute but didn’t
(Right).
in the scene that teased the “There’s a scene in the cockpit of know what he was because no one
reintroduction of Boba Fett in 10 Leilani Shiu the sandcrawler with me, Ariel, told us, and we were right there
[The Mandalorian, Season Two, as a Jawa Mando, and another Jawa, with next to him!” Leilani laughs.
in Chapter
Episode One,] Chapter 9: ‘The One of The Grogu sitting in the middle. That “On set, they always called him
Marshal,’ where we traded his Mandalorian. made it onto a trading card. We ‘Baby,’” Leilani continues. “They
didn’t call him ‘Yoda’ or ‘Baby
Yoda,’ like the public did—just
Baby. ‘Bring in Baby!’ they’d say.”
“The highlight of portraying a
Jawa for me was being in scenes
with Amy Sedaris, whose character,
Peli Motto, claimed to have even
dated one!” says Leilani. “Acting
with Amy was a dream come true
and I laughed a lot. She’s very
funny. Working on these shows can
be tough, but it was never really
‘work,’ because we always had a
good time. It’s fun to be part of Star
Wars. People get so excited when
they find out you were a Jawa!”
09 10

Star Wars Insider’s Top 10 Jedi moments from the Skywalker saga!
W O R D S : J AY S T O B I E
he Jedi Knights others from those who sought own. Each executed their duties
dedicated to do harm and create havoc. and upheld their values in their
T themselves to
serving the
galaxy, utilizing
Throughout the Skywalker saga,
we watched as various Jedi
intervened in everything from
own unique fashion, creating
standout moments in the nine-
movie cinematic epic. Here are
their connection trade disputes to interstellar 10 of Star Wars Insider’s favorite
with the Force as a means of conflicts, always placing the occasions that revealed the best
upholding justice and protecting welfare of innocents above their of the Jedi way.

WAY OF THE JEDI
10
A MOMENT
OF MEDITATION
In the midst of a climactic clash with

Darth Maul on Naboo, Qui-Gon Jinn
became separated from his opponent
by a force field, causing a pause in this
duel of fates. As the Sith paced back
and forth in anticipation of the battle’s
resumption, Qui-Gon calmly knelt and
focused his thoughts inward. Rather than
allow his emotions to overcome him, the
Jedi let go of his feelings and meditated Jedi to have patience in full view of his
in the face of mortal danger. While Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi, who would
Qui-Gon went on to lose the fight, his later attempt to pass this lesson on to his
actions demonstrated the need for a own Padawan, Anakin Skywalker.
09
a Jedi and a key element for any Good
Samaritan who wishes to help others,
turned out to be one of Leia’s most
important talents.
Leia exemplified this quality on
numerous occasions throughout her
ENDLESS life, such as the kindness she showed

to Wicket the Ewok on the Forest Moon
EMPATHY of Endor, but also in the compassion
she showed to Rey, which stands out as
a particularly noteworthy instance of
We are going to cheat here, because empathy. Recognizing that Rey had no
this next “moment” actually spanned home or family and was burdened by the
the entirety of the sequel trilogy, though
its true depth did not reveal itself until
after Leia Organa’s death in The Rise of uncertainty surrounding her newfound
Skywalker (2019). sensitivity to the Force, Leia immediately
When one imagines the life of became a mentor to the scavenger, first
a Jedi, the first things that spring to as a friendly face on D’Qar and later as
mind are more than likely visions of a teacher on Ajan Kloss. Luke Skywalker
lightsabers and moving objects with unmasked the magnitude of his sister’s
the Force. Leia proved capable in both benevolence when he told Rey that
skills, but she understood that she Leia had known the girl was a Palpatine.
could best defend the galaxy’s citizens Leia had cast aside any preconceptions
with her diplomatic and interpersonal to see Rey’s virtuous heart, not the evil
skills. Empathy, a valuable attribute for of her ancestor.

08
JOINING THE JEDI
Much like his grandfather Anakin choices. Instead, Ben set out to begin
Skywalker, Ben Solo committed horrific atoning for his mistakes and traveled
crimes under his dark-side alias, Kylo to Exegol in an effort to aid Rey in
Ren. In his final battle on Kef Bir, Kylo her standoff with Emperor Palpatine.
heard Leia Organa’s compassionate call Although Rey found the power to defeat
and experienced Rey’s merciful healing, Palpatine within herself, Ben provided a
two acts that combined to cause him reassuring presence and gave his life to
to cast off the mantle of Kylo Ren. heal Rey’s wounds. This selfless moment
Having become Ben Solo once again, reflected Ben’s reunion with the light
the reformed Jedi could have opted to side and represented the completion of
retreat into solitude and reexamine his his turbulent journey.
07
FOLLOWING
THE LIGHT
Having failed to recruit Luke Skywalker
to assist in the Resistance’s struggle
against the First Order, Rey believed that
turning Kylo Ren back to the light was
the only option left to pursue. With this her values and the lives of her friends,
in mind, Rey willingly went to meet Ren initiating a fateful tug-of-war over
aboard the Supremacy, although her the Skywalker lightsaber and taking
plan went somewhat off course when the advantage of Vice Admiral Amilyn
son of Solo brought her before Supreme Holdo’s sacrifice to make her escape.
Leader Snoke. However, Rey’s faith was This critical moment enabled Rey to
rewarded when Kylo struck Snoke down Kylo may have cast his allegiance to regroup with Chewbacca and save
and fought alongside her in a melee with Snoke aside, but he also wished to see the remaining Resistance troops from
the elite Praetorian Guards. Rey’s vision of Luke, the Jedi, and the Resistance fall annihilation. Rey would herself go on
Kylo Ren’s redemption had come to pass! as well. Kylo tempted Rey by asking her to provide the Resistance with the very
Or had it? to join him, but she remained true to hope she had looked for from others.

06
TAKING THE
“Yoda knew that,
of the two, only
he was powerful
enough to fight
HIGH GROUND Sidious, which
left Kenobi
facing an awful,
Upon learning that Anakin Skywalker
had become Darth Sidious’ apprentice inevitable truth.
and helped slaughtered numerous Jedi
at the Temple on Coruscant during
Order 66, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda honestly and that he alone had to stop
realized that they needed to prevent the Anakin, now known as Darth Vader.
two Sith from doing even more harm to The clash between Kenobi and
the galaxy. Skywalker on Mustafar is widely
Yoda knew that, of the two, only he considered to be one of Star Wars’ most
was powerful enough to fight Sidious, epic, but the duel was underscored by
which left Kenobi facing an awful, the tragic circumstances surrounding
inevitable truth—he must face Anakin, the broken bond between master and
a friend he considered to be as close as a apprentice. As painful as it was for
brother. Kenobi reached for any excuse Obi-Wan to confront his former student, the lava planet. Unable to kill his friend
he could muster to defer the dreaded he did his duty as a Jedi and defeated in cold blood, Kenobi’s decision to walk
task of confronting his former Padawan, Anakin, leaving the badly burnt Sith away had consequences for the galaxy
but he was aware that Yoda had spoken apprentice to die on the fiery slopes of that he could not have forseen.
05
Yoda’s wisdom was initially lost on
Skywalker, who believed the feat to be an
impossible one. Nonetheless, as any good
teacher would do, the Jedi Master drove
the lesson home and illustrated that all
was possible by calling upon the Force
SIZE MATTERS NOT to lift the submerged fighter from the

swamp. This miraculous sight bewildered
Luke, initially stirring even more doubts
within him. Yet Skywalker persisted and
While training Luke Skywalker during continued his training, freshly reminded
the young man’s first excursion to by Yoda’s words and deeds that the Force
Dagobah, Jedi Master Yoda witnessed his surrounded him and could be his ally in
new apprentice experiencing self-doubt accomplishing anything. In a poetic twist
when his X-wing sank below the swamp’s of fate, Luke would go on to lift Red 5
murky waters. Yoda encouraged Luke from the seas of Ahch-To to inspire Rey
to lift the starfighter from the depths, several decades later.
but Skywalker maintained an uncertain
demeanor that prevented him from
successfully harnessing the Force and
raising the ship. It was at this moment that
Yoda imparted one of his most valuable
lessons, namely that one must cast aside
their perceptions and understand that no
difference existed between picking up a
small rock or a massive X-wing.

WAY OF THE JEDI
04
LEADING BY
EXAMPLE
As Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin
Skywalker, and Padmé Amidala found
themselves held prisoner and about to
be executed by Count Dooku and the
Separatists on Geonosis, Mace Windu
arrived with a large contingent of Jedi
and mounted a daring rescue. Instead
of keeping a safe distance from the fight
and commanding the Jedi from afar,
Mace led by example and personally
confronted Dooku on the ledge of the
Geonosian arena. The Sith Lord did not
relent, which sparked a fierce battle.
Mace stood side by side with his cohorts,
proving that all Jedi needed to serve the
Republic equally, regardless of their rank
or experience. As numerous battle droids
squared off against the other Jedi, Mace
resolved to bear the burden alongside
them, placing himself in harm’s way and
ultimately beheading Jango Fett with
one swipe of his purple blade.
03
During Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin
Skywalker’s mission to save Supreme
Chancellor Palpatine from the Separatist
flagship above Coruscant, the elder
Jedi was incapacitated, leaving Anakin
to face Count Dooku alone. Skywalker
A FRIEND’S FATE defeated Dooku, but he soon gave into

temptation as Palpatine urged the young
man to mercilessly execute the Sith. This
momentous event solidified Palpatine’s
influence on Anakin and propelled
Skywalker even further toward the dark
side. However, Anakin did not heed
Palpatine’s call to leave an unconscious
Kenobi behind, defiantly declaring that his significant step away from the Jedi path
master’s fate would be the same as theirs. as one where he displayed an admirable
This selfless loyalty was a hallmark of Jedi quality, but Skywalker’s journey was
the Jedi, as well as a trait Anakin exhibited often clouded with contradictions. Saving
when he offered to help Qui-Gon Jinn Kenobi’s life was a natural instinct for
on Tatooine in his youth. It might seem Anakin, a fact which highlighted just how
counterintuitive to point to a scene far Skywalker had fallen by the time he
that occurred right after Anakin took a tried to kill Kenobi on Mustafar.

02
DUEL ON THE
Chewbacca raced to rescue Princess Leia
Organa, Kenobi headed off to deactivate
the tractor beam, which would allow
them to escape aboard the Millennium
to escape, he distracted Vader by
permitting the Dark Lord to deal
a death blow, echoing Qui-Gon’s
moment of meditation towards the
DEATH STAR Falcon. His destiny, however, would lead

him to a final confrontation with Darth
end of his fight with Maul on Naboo.
Kenobi willingly sacrificed himself in
Vader, his former friend and apprentice. a peaceful manner that served as a message
As the duel raged on, Kenobi to both Skywalkers. Kenobi’s demise
Though he had only recently begun warned Vader that he would become showed Luke that a Jedi must put the
to train Luke Skywalker, Kenobi sensed more powerful than the Sith Lord well-being of others before their own,
that their paths had diverged when could possibly imagine if he struck the and served as a final lesson and reminder
they became trapped aboard the Death Jedi down. When Obi-Wan noticed for what remained of Anakin Skywalker:
Star. While Skywalker, Han Solo, and that Luke and his allies were poised do not give in to hatred and anger.
01
With Emperor Palpatine urging them
on, Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader
engaged in a vicious battle aboard the
second Death Star. Vader tried to stoke
the flames of the dark side within his
son, claiming that he would turn Luke’s
LIKE MY FATHER sister, Leia, if Luke could not be coaxed
BEFORE ME
into joining him. The threat worked,
temporarily pushing Luke to breaking
point and giving him enough of an edge
to be able to knock his father down and
sever one of his mechanical hands. Upon
seeing Vader’s wires exposed, Luke could
not help but think of the hand he himself
had lost on Cloud City.
Young Skywalker regained his
composure and defiantly declared he
would not succumb to the dark side
or join Palpatine. Just as Qui-Gon Jinn
and Obi-Wan Kenobi before him had
placed their faith in the will of the Force “Luke turned off his
as they faced death, Luke turned off his
lightsaber and tossed it aside, prepared
lightsaber and tossed
to accept whatever the Emperor threw at it aside, prepared to
him. In doing so he rejected the darkness
and avoided the painful path that had
accept whatever the
consumed his father, Anakin Skywalker. Emperor threw at him.”

Our resident Star Wars expert, Jay Stobie, consults
his library of holocrons and ancient Jedi texts to
answer your questions about the events, people,
and places of the galaxy far, far away….
Concept art by Ryan Church.
“Anakin Skywalker’s downfall is Order as a rejection of the Jedi’s principles.

well-documented, but were there others However, to answer your question, quite a
who also abandoned the Jedi way?” few individual Jedi lost their way in the era
Josiah Brown encompassed by the Skywalker saga.
Qui-Gon Jinn often disobeyed the Jedi
The Jedi Order’s selfless approach to act as Council, viewing his allegiance as something
peacekeepers, seek calm through meditation, that was owed only to the Force. While still
and utilize their connection with the Force respected, the Council never appointed him to
to benefit others was not an easy lifestyle, their ranks, a snub which never concerned
particularly when you factor in their choice Qui-Gon. Jinn’s willingness to bump heads with
to abstain from attachments. Considering the Jedi Masters, including the occasion where he
original Sith were former Jedi who elected to sought to train Anakin Skywalker, led Count
align with the dark side in ancient times, one Dooku to believe that Qui-Gon could have
might even view the foundation of the Sith become a Separatist. However, this opinion
Lonely Knights
Mustafar Tatooine Dagobah
The site of Darth Vader’s defeat A desert world that was home to A swampy planet filled with an
at the hands of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Owen and Beru Lars, Obi-Wan abundance of life, Dagobah served as
Mustafar became a key location Kenobi elected to take baby Luke the perfect place for Yoda to conceal
for the Sith Lord to use to harness there to live with his relatives. himself from the Empire, meditate, and
his hatred. Vader had his own private Kenobi established a home for himself connect with the Force. Yoda’s patience
castle constructed on this lava planet, a site that on the planet so that he could watch and paid off, as Obi-Wan Kenobi eventually guided Luke
acted as his personal fortress when he was not protect young Skywalker from afar, though to these wetlands so that Yoda could complete the
out doing his master’s bidding. tales about ‘Old Ben’ did reach Luke’s ears. former farm boy’s Jedi training.

was probably a ruse on Dooku’s part as he
attempted to sway a captured Obi-Wan
Kenobi to his way of thinking on Geonisis.
Framed for the bombing of the Jedi
Temple, Ahsoka Tano was expelled from the
Jedi Order by the Council. Once acquitted,
Tano nevertheless chose to walk her own
path and abandon her ties to the Jedi. For
a time, Caleb Dume also hid his Jedi nature,
becoming known as Kanan Jarrus and
trading his lightsaber in for a blaster. Tano
and Jarrus eventually found purpose in
opposing the Galactic Empire and, like
Qui-Gon, they did not stray from the light.
Corvus Ahch-To
Din Djarin found Ahsoka Tano waging Disillusioned by Ben Solo’s fall and the
a one-person war on Corvus, a forest destruction of his Jedi temple, Luke
world that was overseen by Magistrate Skywalker retreated to the site where
Morgan Elsbeth. The Mandalorian the Jedi Order was founded, and its first
allied with Tano, who bested Elsbeth in temple built. Despite his desire to cut
a fierce duel in order pose one important himself off from the Force, Skywalker
question to the magistrate: “Where is Grand watched over the sacred Jedi texts that had
Admiral Thrawn?” been left behind all those generations ago.

JADED JEDI
32 BSW4:
Believing that Anakin
Skywalker was the Chosen
One, Qui-Gon Jinn brought
the boy before the Jedi
Council so that he could be
trained as a Jedi. The Council
refused, which prompted
Qui-Gon to claim he would
take Skywalker as his
apprentice anyway.
22 BSW4:
Under orders from Darth
Sidious, Count Dooku
imprisoned Obi-Wan Kenobi
on Geonosis, an act which
compelled the Jedi Council
to send a rescue team and
ignited the Clone War.
Stepping into the Dark the crime. Luckily, Krell and Offee’s plots
Qui-Gon, Ahsoka, and Caleb may have were eventually uncovered by the Council.
19 BSW4:
been independently minded, but much Though she served Count Dooku, Asajj Having been acquitted of
like Anakin Skywalker, this next group Ventress fell in love with Jedi Quinlan any involvement in the Jedi
Temple bombing, Ahsoka
found itself fully enveloped in evil. As Vos, bringing an attachment into Vos’
Tano nevertheless rejected
with many Sith, a search for power led life that swayed him to the dark side. the Jedi Council’s offer to
Count Dooku to follow Darth Sidious This same passion provided an avenue rejoin the Jedi Order and
into deception and darkness. The former for Ventress and Vos to once again find chose to follow her own path.
Jedi helped orchestrate the Clone Wars, the light within themselves. Just like his
19 BSW4:
setting the stage for Sidious to execute grandfather before him, Ben Solo also fell Anakin Skywalker betrayed
Order 66 and demolish the Jedi Order. to the darkness, committing unspeakable the Jedi, killing Mace Windu
After the death of Jedi Master Ky Narec, acts under the guise of Kylo Ren, and to save his soon-to-be Sith
master, Darth Sidious. This
Asajj Ventress (above) gave into anguish unknowingly furthering the goals of the decision led Skywalker
and anger, finding a home as Dooku’s Emperor. As with Ventress, Vos, and Darth to become Darth Vader,
apprentice and fighting against the Jedi. Vader, Ben was redeemed, joining Rey to Sidious’ new apprentice.
Meanwhile, Jedi Master Pong Krell finally defeat Palpatine on Exegol.
3 BSW4:
predicted the Jedi Order’s fall and aimed So, Jedi did go ‘rogue’ to varying The Seventh Sister, Fifth
to ally with Count Dooku, demonstrating degrees over the years. One might even Brother, and Eighth Brother
a willingness to murder his own clone view Luke Skywalker’s self-imposed clashed with Maul, Ezra
Bridger, Kanan Jarrus, and
troopers in the process. Similarly, disconnection from the Force as straying
Ahsoka Tano on Malachor.
Padawan Barriss Offee saw the Jedi leading from the Jedi way. However, much like The three Inquisitors were
armies during the Clone Wars as being Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda, Skywalker defeated, leaving Ahsoka to
face off against Darth Vader.
antithetical to peace, yet she bombed the ultimately chose against exile, tapping
Jedi Temple and framed Ahsoka Tano for into the Force again to aid the galaxy.
28 ASW4:
Ben Solo awakens to see
his master and uncle,
Luke Skywalker, standing
over him with an ingnited
lightsaber. This is the final
push that sends Ben on his
The Infamous path to the dark side.
Inquisitorius
In an effort to track down the Jedi who escaped
Order 66, Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader
assembled former Jedi who had been corrupted or
tortured into serving the dark side. Led by a former
Jedi Temple Guard known as the Grand Inquisitor,
these Force-sensitive lightsaber wielders hunted WHAT DO YOU
Jedi for a living.
The Grand Inquisitor, as well as the Inquisitors
NEED TO KNOW?
known as the Seventh Sister, Fifth Brother, Send your in-galaxy queries to
and Eighth Brother, pursued Kanan Jarrus and [email protected]
with the subject header,
Ezra Bridger. The ex-Jedi Trilla Suduri (Second
“A Certain Point of View.”
Sister) and Masana Tide (Ninth Sister) were the
Inquisitors assigned to find Cal Kestis, while
Reva (Third Sister) had her own axes to grind
with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader.

TM
T H E O F F I C I A L M A G A Z I N E
WHEREVER YOU ARE...
www.pktmags.com/swi214
Whatever your device there’s an edition for you.
Search ‘Star Wars Insider ’ on these platforms
© & TM 2022 Lucasfilm Ltd.

WORLDWIDE C E L E B R AT I N G T H E S A G A
MERMANDO
Giving armor an aquatic twist
C
osplayer Caleb S. Knight became hooked on
Star Wars after watching the original trilogy
on VHS as a kid. “I was so fascinated by the
entire lore of the galaxy that George Lucas brought
to life on the silver screen,” he says.
Knight attended his first comic convention in
Indianapolis In 2014. As someone who loved telling
stories through sketches and fan fiction, Knight
found himself at home in the world of cosplay and
began creating backstories for each of his original
characters, which included a Republic Commando
of his own devising.
Knight’s most unique cosplay to date has been a
character he has nicknamed “Mermando,” which he
created after being introduced to the “mermaiding”

INSIDER NEEDS YOU!
We want to hear from you! Tell us about your
Star Wars experience. What made you want
to become a fan? What have you done in the
name of Star Wars? Tell us your Star Wars
story by sending your photos, art, and
letters here:
[email protected]
ARTISTS’ ALLEY
Talented Star Wars fans share their amazing
Or via regular post:
UNITED STATES
Star Wars Worldwide,
UNITED KINGDOM
Star Wars Worldwide,
drawings inspired by the galaxy far, far away....
Star Wars Insider, Star Wars Insider,
Titan Magazines, 144 Southwark
2819 Rosehall Lane, Street, London, 01 “BOBA
Aurora, IL, 60503, SE1 0UP,
U.S.A. U.K.
AND TUSKEN
WARRIOR”
AND “HAN AND
CHEWBACCA”
hobby, where people dress up and BY JUNCHAN
go swimming wearing merpeople
tails. While visiting an aquarium, Fan artist Junchan
one of his mermaiding friends enjoyed seeing
suggested it would be cool if they Boba Fett and the
were a mermaid Jedi and Knight Tusken Warrior
was an aquatic bounty hunter! bond in The Book
of Boba Fett
Knight thought it was a fun idea
(2021). “It was
and began exploring how he might
beautiful to see the
combine the two distinct fandoms
trust grow between
while ensuring his outfit would be
them, and how
approved by the Mandalorian Mercs
they accepted one
Costume Club. another as friends,”
The character that eventually says Junchan,
inspired his Mermando costume who compares
was Riff Tamson from The Clone that relationship
Wars (2008–2020) animated series. to Han Solo and
“The most prominent feature of the Chewbacca’s.
entire costume is the dorsal fin on “I was moved
the helmet,” says Knight. “A friend by Han and
of mine constructed and painted Chewie’s friendship
the custom-roto cast helmet, and throughout the
the armor breastplate and back movies. I decided
plate were made from vacuum- to paint them with
formed ABS plastic.” Knight their backs towards
combined 3D-printed parts and each other, to
pieces from various sources, then show the trust
between them.”
used Chicago screws and posts to
create the armor’s bolted and
layered look.
02 “RODIAN
PRISONER” BY
NAOMI LINCOLN
Shortly after being

captured by a Tusken
tribe in The Book of
Boba Fett, the bounty
hunter attempted to
escape and offered to
help his fellow Rodian
prisoner do the same.
Photographed by Kyle Morrow
“I was really drawn to

that Rodian by his huge
eyes,” proclaims fan
artist Naomi Lincoln. “I
just loved the expression
on his face, so I had to
have a go at drawing
him. I really enjoyed
making this piece!”

BOUNTY HUNTERS
Scouring the galaxy for the
stars of Star Wars...
Meet the stars, show the evidence,

win the bounty! Bounty Hunters is
sponsored by Kotobukiya.
Each issue's winner will receive
a fantastic Kotobukiya Star Wars
statue kit! To see more, visit
www.facebook.com/kotobukiyaofficial.
HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN
“Meet Anakin Skywalker”
I HAVE THE ‘PIE’ GROUND

Baking delicious Star Wars treats
T
here isn’t a galactic citizen featured two characters who
who wouldn’t hate to find recently made their return in The
the Death Star looming Book of Boba Fett (2021): the
over their planet, unless the Sarlacc and Fett himself. While the
technological terror took the form Sarlacc clearly found Jabba’s
of a scrumpcious pie, of course! henchman a little too spicy, Erin’s
For Erin, a Star Wars fan who enjoys cake flipped the narrative by turning
baking, creating unique treats based the Sarlacc into a savory snack.
on infamous moments from the saga Another one of Erin’s favorite
has become a delightful hobby. bakes was based on Luke
“I remember watching Star Wars Skywalker’s icy experience in
for the first time in middle school the wastes of Hoth. The clever
Maureen Doherty poses with Hayden Christensen, best around 1995,” reflects Erin. “I was fan crafted a wampa arm cake as
known for playing Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader. Princess Leia for Halloween that a nod to the appendage lost by
year, and I’ve loved it ever since.” the creature that attempted to
M
eeting Hayden Christensen was Her connection to the legendary eat Skywalker for supper.
“ everything and nothing like I’d
imagined it would be,” says
Alderaanian would later be
reflected in one of Erin’s culinary
Maureen Doherty, following a convention projects: a cake decorated with the
encounter with the Anakin Skywalker actor. Rebel Alliance’s distinctive symbol.
“I’d gone over what I’d wanted to say to him “It wasn’t until I had kids of my
in my mind, but everything went out of the own with a Star Wars-loving
window as soon as it was my turn.” husband that I began to have fun
Dressed as Padmé Amidala, Doherty had with Star Wars-themed bakes,” says
intended to greet the Anakin Skywalker Erin. The fan’s first noteworthy dish
actor at the photo opportunity with a line of
dialogue from Attack of the Clones (2002):
“I was going to say ‘Ani?! My goodness,
you’ve grown!’ But all I managed to say was,
‘Hi!’” Doherty laughs. Ever the gentleman,
Christensen praised Maureen’s cosplay and
remembered the fan when she returned later
for an autograph. “I was finally able to
express how much Anakin has meant to me
growing up, and how his role as Anakin had
an influence on my love for film and,
therefore, acting,” she says. “He was so kind
and genuinely happy to be there, which
made it that much more special.”

WORLDWIDE
A REBEL’S RESOLVE
Finding inspiration and resilience in Star Wars
“S
tar Wars plays a huge role favorite character for as long as I Star Wars are the incredible female
in my life,” begins the can remember,” says Ladykatbat. characters,” she adds.
cosplayer known as “Her medal ceremony outfit in the Ladykatbat has also crafted a
Ladykatbat. “It never fails to make final scene of A New Hope has stunning dress that incorporates
me feel like everything can and will always been my favorite of her the iconic Star Wars opening
be okay and reminds me of the costumes. I’ve also cosplayed as crawl that opens each of the
resilience of people in the face of Mon Mothma because I adore her Skywalker Saga movies. “That
evil or oppression. Star Wars simple regal look, and I always introduction always fills me with
definitely inspires me to be a rebel in loved that the Rebellion’s leader such excitement,” the cosplayer
the face of things I think are wrong.” was a woman!” Ladykatbat has says. “My opening-crawl dress was
A New Hope (1977) served as cosplayed as other characters, a dream I’d had for years. I wanted
the costumer’s introduction to the including Qi’ra, Rey, Padmé to cosplay something unique
saga, and she instantly related to Amidala, Bo-Katan Kryze, and Hera from Star Wars that I hadn’t
Leia Organa. “Leia has been my Syndulla. “One thing I love about seen anyone else do.”

TK-101
HINTS, TIPS, AND IDEAS FOR CRAFTING
Y O U R O W N S TA R WA R S G A L A X Y
DARTH DOODLES
In this edition of TK-101,
we find out how Star Wars
Insider cartoonist Jamie
Cosley draws Darth Vader,
and he shows us how
you can too.
WORDS:
CHRISTOPHER COOPER
S
tar Wars Insider wouldn’t
be the same without Jamie
Cosley’s “The Light Side”
cartoon, nestled in its regular corner 01 Jamie Cosley at work on his Darth
in the news section of every issue. It Vader cartoon (see facing page).
never fails to bring a smile
to TK-101’s face, not least because
working with Jamie is a lot of fun. Jedi-like wisdom. “The process can and it just isn't working, I'll take a
As TK-101’s remit is to encourage be a struggle a times, but drawing walk, eat a sandwich, or maybe even
our readers to get creative, we asked is and always should be so much try again the next day. Usually, things
the artist to offer his advice on how fun. Artists can be very critical of will come together easier after some
best to start drawing your own Star themselves, so I work extra hard to time away from the drawing board.
Wars cartoons. extend myself some grace. If I'm “I go through dozens of sketches
“Try to smile while you're trying to capture something fun with before settling on one,” he adds.
drawing,” is Jamie’s first piece of a particular character or creature “The toughest character for me was
HOW TO DRAW THE JAMIE COSLEY WAY

3. Draw a yo-yo
1. Draw a bird.
hanging from the 4
2 bird’s belly, and two
lines connecting with
the line beneath.
1
3
2. Draw a bridge 4. Add the

over the bird then eyeballs and
half of a triangle cheeks as final
beneath it. Darth details.

WORLDWIDE
i usually start with Sometimes i'll revise a

a simple sketch. drawing a dozen times
or more.
Then i lay a sheet of paper

over my drawing and make
slight adjustments.
Kylo Ren, who took the most work. a marker or a pen that you can't
Having said that, after Vader he's erase or alter— you can always
probably my favorite to draw. I trace your drawing later to make
mean, in addition to cuties, like revisions. Maybe draw with a friend,
porgs, Ewoks, and Grogu.” so you can challenge and inspire
Jamie also notes that enjoying each other. And of course, make
the work of other artists really helps sure to watch Star Wars while
when you’re trying to establish your you sketch!”
own style. “My all-time favorite
cartoonist is Sergio Aragonés of Duel of the Darths
Mad magazine and Groo the As a fan of Star Wars and
Wanderer fame,” Jamie says of the a keen convention-goer,
artists that have inspired him. “I also Jamie has had the chance
love old-school cartoonists from to meet other artists known
the newspaper comic strip days, for their work in the galaxy
folks like Mort Walker, Jim Davis far, far away. “I recently met
and, of course, Charles Schulz Jeffrey Brown (author of Darth
of Peanuts fame! My biggest Vader and Son, among other
contemporary influences would be books) at Heroes Con in Charlotte,
my friends, Mike Kunkel (HeroBear) NC, and suggested we should have until i get it "just right."
and Art Baltazar (Superman).” a ‘Darth-Off,’ with me drawing my
His biggest piece of advice is to version of Vader next to his. He's
03
be bold and brave. “Doodle without such an awesome cartoonist,” says that separates your
a pencil,” he suggests. “Try to Jamie. “I'd love to have the drawing from other
capture a shape or a silly look with opportunity to draw Darth alongside artist’s interpretations,”
other artists, like Jake, the Illustrator he tells us. “Instead of
02
of How to Speak Like a Wookiee. sharp angles and harsh
So many artists I love and admire! triangles for his mask,
Imagine what they could do with I decided to soften
Darth Vader?” those features and
This observation caught TK-101’s give him cheerful
imagination. A challenge! Just the round cheeks. As
kind of thing we thrive on. With our a look, it’s not quite
mind set on drawing our own as menacing!
version of Vader (see right), we Oh, and you
asked Jamie where we should begin. can't forget the
02 Jamie (left) with Darth Vader and Son “For an iconic character like Darth googly eyes!
author Jeffrey Brown. Vader, you should try to capture his Very important
03 TK-101's "Darth Vader Wardrobe
Malfunction" cartoon. essence but also create something to my style.”
/
The
Star Wars
Archive
The behind-the-scenes
story of a galaxy far,
far away....
ONE WITH
THE FORCE
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
(2016) moved away from the
epic Skywalker saga to explore
the adventures of other characters
living in the galaxy far, far away.
Some of the most compelling
themes and ideas introduced in the
film were those situated around the
moon of Jedha, where we learned
of worshippers of the Force beyond
the Jedi and Sith, including former
Guardians of the Whills Chirrut
Îmwe (Donnie Yen) and Baze Malbus
(Jiang Wen). We also discovered that,
before an alliance was formed, the
Rebellion against the Empire was a
factional and disparate opposition
to the galactic oppressors, with
characters such as Saw Gerrera and
Cassian Andor operating at the
margins of morality. In short, the
film added layers of gray to the
previously black and white tales of
good versus evil.
01
01 Jiang Wen (left, back
to camera) and
Donnie Yen (center)
surrounded by prone
stormtrooper extras
during filming of
Rogue One: A Star
Wars Story.
02 Director Gareth
Edwards (left) with
Diego Luna as Cassian
Andor (right) on the
set of Rogue One.
02
THE STAR WARS ARCHIVE
03
03 First assistant director

Toby Hefferman (left)
with Warwick Davis
(right) in the partial
costume of Weeteef
Cyu-Bee, a member of
Saw Gerrera’s partisans.
04 Davis (left) in the full

Cyu-Bee costume, with
creature FX animatronic
designer Jessie Hinton
(right) on the set of
Rogue One.
05 Saw Gerrera costume

concept art by Adam
Brockbank.
06 Felicity Jones as Jyn Erso

and Forest Whitaker as
Saw Gerrera filming the
hologram scene in the
partisan hideout.
04
THE STAR WARS ARCHIVE
05
SPACE
CHESS
The holochess sequence in
A New Hope (1977) was one
of those small scenes that lent the
fantasy adventure movie its sense
of grounded reality.
Tasked by George Lucas with
creating the VFX for the game, Phil
Tippett and Jon Berg constructed ten
creatures that they then brought to
life using stop-motion animation.
Two decades later, the original
models were scanned and 3D printed
for a brief cameo in The Force
Awakens (2015), again animated by
Tippett. A physical version of the
game (known as dejarik), can be seen
in Rogue One (pictured above), using
carved recreations of Tippett and
Berg’s original pieces from A New
Hope (see below).
06
TA LES OF
EN LIGHTEN M ENT
“New
Prospects”
PA R T T W O
By George Mann

Concept art by Will Htay

STAR WARS: THE HIGH REPUBLIC
Previously, in a galaxy “So, after escaping the pirates, even

far, far away…. though they’d stolen most of your credits,
you took Jedi Knight Lee Harro to the
A prospector taking refreshment planet he’d been trying to reach?” said
at the Enlightenment cantina Keth, prompting Saretha to continue.
regales the regulars with a tale “That’s right. A place called Vexos.”
of a deadly encounter with space She shrugged. “It seemed the right thing
pirates, a mysterious Jedi, and to do, after the guy had just saved my
being eaten by a monster. life and gotten me my ship back. And
besides, he asked nicely.”
omewhat “Probably one of those Jedi mind
inebriated tricks,” said Moona, waving her hand
S
from the before her face, “forcing you to do stuff
amount you didn’t really want to do.”
of blue Saretha laughed. “Harro isn’t like
mappa he’d that. I knew what I was doing. But I had
consumed, no idea what I was getting myself into.”
Piralli blurted She took a swig of her drink. “I guess
out, “What I’d imagined there’d be some sort of
you are saying doesn’t make any sense. settlement. A city, maybe. An outpost.
You can’t be eaten by a monster and But Vexos was just an uninhabited
then live to tell the tale.” wilderness. Completely empty.”
She glanced at her glass as if to
Saretha von Beel fixed him with a wry underline her words, and then placed it
smile and reached for her own freshly on the bar. Old Chantho reached over
charged glass of retsa. “And you know and refilled it, as if on reflex.
this because you’ve been up close and “We touched down on a large, jagged
personal with a monster’s insides before?” outcropping of black rock, so slick
“Well, no. Of course not,” retorted Piralli. and shiny you’d have thought it was
“That’s kind of my point.” He shrugged glass. The whole place was covered in
and glanced to Keth as if looking for these immense stone cliffs, like spines
support, but Keth could tell from the big emerging from the back of some gigantic
grin the Sullustan was wearing that he beast. Not a glimpse of civilization in
was as taken in by Saretha’s tale as the sight—no buildings, ships, campsites…
rest of them. No habitation of any kind. The air
The prospector nodded. “Well, then. outside was thick and rancid with the
Allow me to enlighten you. But I’d better smell of decaying vegetation, drifting up
warn you—it’s not for the faint hearted.” from the steaming valleys below.”
“Kradon finds none of the best tales “What did a Jedi want with a place
are.” Keth turned in his stool to see the like that?” said Piralli.
Villarandi owner of Enlightenment had “Maybe he was looking for an old Jedi
surreptitiously found himself a position temple?” ventured Keth.
behind the bar, edging closer to better Saretha shot him an impressed look.
enjoy Saretha’s story. He was making a “Not quite. But you’re close. Harro told
show of wiping an empty glass, while old me there’d once been a sect of Force-
Chantho, the Ithorian barkeep, was busy users who’d lived on Vexos, millennia
fixing a steady flow of fresh drinks nearby. ago. Or so his research had led him to
It was busy tonight. In fact, now that believe. He was there to see if any trace
Keth was paying attention, he realized of them still existed.”
that others from around the bar had “And you decided to stick around,”
abandoned their seats and begun to said Moona, “just in case there was a
gather in a loose circle around Saretha, profit to be turned?”
all hanging intently off the prospector’s Saretha nodded, unashamed. “Like
every word. I said, I’d lost everything but my ship.
Keth shot Moona a glance and she If there were relics on Vexos that could
raised her glass in salute, before knocking help me recover some of what I’d lost—
back the cloudy contents. Cynical as she well, it seemed like fate. And besides,
was, even the Twi’lek was enraptured by when I’d agreed to take Harro there,
Saretha’s story. I’d assumed there’d be some sort of

EXCLUSIVE FICTION
“Handy thing about having a

Jedi around—they’ve got a
built-in early warning system.”
inhabited outpost or station. But given having a Jedi around—they’ve got a
the place was a complete wilderness, I built-in early warning system.” She
figured I couldn’t just leave him stranded pushed her stool back and got to her feet,
there, with no way off world again.” smoothing the front of her tunic. “But
“So, you went with him to explore?” in this case, it wasn’t early enough. The
said Keth. strostodons burst out of the tree cover.
“Explore might be too strong a word Five, maybe six of them. Screeching so
for it,” said Saretha. “Harro seemed to loud I swear you could have heard them
know exactly where he was going. He on Coruscant.”
led us down into one of the gullies, and Piralli was leaning forward on his
from there, deeper into the wilderness stool. “What did you do?”
below. It was dark and overgrown. The Saretha cocked a smile. “I didn’t even
vegetation was thick and pervasive, have a blaster, not after the pirates had
and even the rocks were covered in taken all my stuff. I just grabbed one of
a deep, purple moss. We used ropey the hanging vines and started climbing.
vines to swing even lower, to where a Quickly.” She frowned, as if recalling
fast-flowing river slashed through the something unpleasant. “Now, like I said,
base of the valley. It was raining, but these creatures were big, and while they
we were sheltered by a canopy of leaves couldn’t fly, they could jump and glide.”
and branches that clung to the cliff She reached down, rolling up the leg
walls.” She rubbed the back of her neck, of her coveralls. Keth looked down in
her expression pained. “It was a perfect astonishment at the lurid pink scar that
hunting ground.” curled around the base of her calf. “One
“So, this is when you got eaten?” of them caught me by the leg as I tried to
murmured Keth, wide-eyed. swing into the trees for cover.”
“Nope. This is when we nearly got “Ouch,” said Moona.
eaten. When the strostodons came for us.” Saretha nodded. “I thought I was
“What the hell is a strostathon?” going to lose my leg. Probably bleed
bungled Piralli. to death there and then in the bottom
“Something you never, ever want to of that stinking valley. But that’s when
meet,” said Saretha. “A giant bird, about Harro did his Jedi thing.”
three meters tall, that walks on two legs “He used his lightsaber?”
and has a beak that could take your head Saretha shook her head. “No. He
off in one snap.” hadn’t even drawn that. He just stood
Moona blew a long, low whistle. “I there as the creatures converged on
don’t envy you, facing off against one of him, eyes closed, hands outstretched.
those things.” For a moment I thought he’d simply
Saretha shook her head. “Oh, no. reconciled himself to death, but then
Not one. They hunt in packs.” something weird happened.”
Keth shuddered. “What?” said Moona.
“Harro was poking around in the “The strostodons just stopped.”
undergrowth,” Saretha continued, “Stopped?” echoed Keth.
“looking for the entrance to an old Saretha nodded. “They just hung
cave system—or so I realized later. their heads and began making trilling
Like I said, he rarely spoke, so it was sounds. As if they were placid, peaceful
something of a surprise when he creatures that had never had any
told me to ‘edge back slowly without intention of eating us.”
making any sudden movements’”. “The wound on your leg suggests
“He’d sensed them coming, otherwise,” said Piralli.
hadn’t he? He knew you were in “It does, at that,” agreed Saretha.
danger,” said Keth. “Harro told me later that he’d reached
Saretha nodded. “Handy thing about out through the Force to commune

STAR WARS: THE HIGH REPUBLIC
with them. To help them to see us as residence in the cave tunnels, blocking
friends, rather than food.” She rolled the way in and out of the underground
her trouser leg back down over her boot. warren. And of course, the warren was
“I only wish he’d done it a bit sooner.” exactly where he wanted to go.”
“See,” said Moona, wagging her “So, you had to kill one of the worms,
finger. “Jedi mind tricks.” right?” offered Piralli.
“I suppose it was, in a way,” Saretha shook her head. “Harro is
said Saretha. “But however he did it, a Jedi. The idea of killing an innocent
I was grateful to Harro. He’d saved my creature was anathema to him. No,
life. Again.” his plan was far worse. He planned to
“So, the strostodons just… left?” encourage the worm to eat us.”
asked Keth. “That’s insane!” said Piralli.
“Yes and no,” said Saretha. “You see, it “Exactly what I said,” agreed Saretha.
turns out Vexos was a pretty hostile place, “But Harro was adamant. The best way
and they weren’t the only predators down down to the caves was to allow the worm
there in the gully. Harro had pacified the to swallow us. You see, the worm was just
strostodons, and with a flick of his wrist, one appendage of a much larger creature,
he sent the entire pack on its way. As we like an esophagus leading down to the
watched them thunder off through the stomach below. Harro’s plan was to use
undergrowth, though, that’s when the it like a tunnel—to let it swallow us, and
real danger presented itself.” then find a way to avoid the pools of
“So, this is when you got eaten?” said digestive acid awaiting us below, before
Piralli. exiting through the, well, you know…”
“I’m getting there,” said Saretha, “In the name of the Force,”
rolling her eyes. “There was a massive muttered Keth.
rumbling sound, and then the ground Saretha shrugged. “I have to hand
nearby just erupted. The head of an it to him—it worked. I’ll spare you the
immense worm burst out from the worst of the details, but when that fleshy
undergrowth, its pale flesh rippling as throat closed around our bodies and
its fanged maw gaped wide. It grabbed dragged us in… let’s just say I’m still not
one of the trailing strostodons and sure I’ve got the stink out of my hair. The
swallowed it whole. Then it simply slime…” She pulled a face. “The muscles
slithered back into whatever ‘home’ it rippled and propelled us down the chute
had crept from, disappearing almost as of its throat at some speed.
quickly as it had arrived. “Thankfully, Harro was able to slow
“I stood there, speechless and our descent with the Force, and we
trembling. And that was when Harro narrowly avoided the rancid pools of
walked over to stand beside me. ‘Ah,’ he stomach juice, where our friend the
said, with a broad grin. ‘Looks like we’ve strostodon was already in the process
found the way into the caves.’” of being digested.”
“What about your leg?” asked Keth. Beside him, Keth noticed Piralli
“Harro helped me bind it. Thankfully shudder.
the wound wasn’t too severe, although I “It was then that I realized several
wasn’t going to be running anywhere for other worm-like throats all led down to
a while. He explained that the worm was the same place. It was as if the creature
a parasite, one of dozens of them down had grown inside the rock, filling the
there in the valley, that had taken up available space. We skirted around the
“There was a massive rumbling

sound, and then the ground
nearby just erupted. The head
of an immense worm burst out
of the undergrowth.”

EXCLUSIVE FICTION
acid, along another stinking tunnel here, to Jedha.” She pulled a fist-sized
where the walls quivered nervously at hunk of rock from her pocket and tossed
our presence, and eventually found our it in the air, before catching it again. It
way out of the thing’s insides.” seemed to sparkle as it caught the low
“Into the cave system?” said Keth. lights of the bar.
Saretha nodded. “Harro was delighted, “Harro gave me the hunk of rock he’d
of course. Personally, I couldn’t see found in the caves as a souvenir.” She
what all the fuss was about. The caves grinned. “I hope I’ll run into him again
showed signs that they had once been someday, but somehow I doubt it. People
inhabited—a few primitive paintings like Lee Harro—they’re a once-in-a-
smeared on the walls, the remains of a lifetime sort of encounter.”
bunch of old pots, and a small chunk “So, now you’re stranded here on
of rock that Harro seemed particularly Jedha, until you can figure out how to
enamored with. He told me that he was pay for repairs and fuel,” said Piralli.
on a quest, like Barnabus Vim and others “That’s about the size of it,” said
of his Order, venturing out into the Saretha. “Although it doesn’t seem like
frontier to search for new ways to learn such a bad place.”
about the Force. Although, if truth be “Can I take a look at that rock?”
told, I had no idea what anyone could said Keth.
learn from a few musty old caves like that. “Sure.” Saretha tossed it over to him
We were down there for a couple of hours with a quizzical expression. “Although
while he recorded his findings before he it’s nothing special. I figured I’d mount it
finally managed to find us another way in my cockpit, as a reminder of Harro.”
out. This time, via an old set of carved Keth turned the rock over in his
steps in the rock, because I swore that hands. A broad smile crept onto his face.
there was no way I was venturing back “This is pure kyber,” he said, holding the
the same way we’d come. rock up so it caught the light. “It’s worth
“We emerged into the light, covered a small fortune.”
in mucus and other unmentionable dirt, “It is?” said Saretha.
only to find there was someone waiting “This’ll more than pay for your
for us, blasters held at the ready.” repairs,” said Keth. “And Jedha is just
“The pirates!” Blurted Keth, on the the place to sell it, too. I can show
edge of his stool. you where.”
“They’d followed us to Vexos, Saretha reached over and took the
looking for revenge on Harro for ruining rock back from Keth, regarding it in a
their haul.” new light as she weighed it up in her
“What did you do?” gasped Moona. hand. “The old dog. He knew exactly
“Me? Oh, I just put up my hands, what he was giving me, didn’t he?”
closed my eyes, waiting for the Keth laughed. “I guess he did.”
inevitable,” Saretha laughed. “Some Saretha patted Keth on the shoulder.
people never learn, me included.” “Thanks for the drinks, kid,” she said,
She took another sip of her drink, as she returned to her stool. Behind
leaving her audience hanging. her, the small audience was peeling
“And…?!” Piralli demanded, away as the other patrons went back
impatiently. to their own seats.
“Harro whistled,” Saretha smiled. “Well, seems you can survive being
“And a moment later, that flock eaten by a monster,” said Piralli.
of strostodons burst out of the “And being kidnapped by a Jedi,”
undergrowth. Those pirates didn’t know said Moona.
which way to turn.” Keth shook his head. “It was a good
“What happened to them?” said story. Thank you.”
Keth, scandalized. Saretha tossed the hunk of kyber
“They took off, in every direction. into the air, catching it again in
NEXT ISSUE:
If they didn’t end up as worm food, one hand. She turned back to Keth, A new Tale of
they’re probably still there now,” Piralli and Moona, and smiled. “Well, Enlightenment,
Saretha shrugged. “Harro took their friends,” she said. “Looks like the
ship, headed off to continue his next round’s on me.”
exclusively in
explorations elsewhere on the frontier, Star Wars
and I had just enough fuel to make it THE END. Insider !
STAR WARS
STA RS INSIDER
I R / 95
The Book of
Boba Fett (2021) took
the bounty hunter on a
journey from the belly of the
Sarlacc to the top of Tatooine’s
underworld. Test your memory of
the exploits of Boba Fett in this
issue’s crime-infested quiz.
Compiled by
Jay Stobie
“I INTEND TO RULE WITH RESPECT.”
THE TRIBES RETURN OF THE MANDALORIAN IN THE NAME OF HONOR

OF TATOOINE 11: Where did Boba Fett and
1: Which creature emerged from Din Djarin decide to make
the ground while their last stand?
Boba Fett was A/ Mos Espa City Hall
hunting for B/ Garsa Fwip’s Sanctuary
water? C/ Jabba the Hutt’s palace
A/ B’omarr D/ Mos Eisley mod parlor
monk spider
B/ Krayt dragon 12: Who delivered Boba
C/ Sand beast Fett’s terms of surrender
D/ Dewback to the Pyke Syndicate?
A/ Fennec Shand
2: Assassins from which B/ 8D8
organization attacked Boba Fett C/ Peli Motto
near Garsa Fwip’s Sanctuary? 6: Where did Din Djarin find 9: Which species did Peli Motto D/ Twi’lek majordomo
A/ Crimson Dawn his Klatooinian bounty? maintain strong business ties with?
B/ Imperial Intelligence A/ Tatooine A/ Tuskens 13: How did Cad Bane
C/ Order of the Night Wind B/ Glavis Ringworld B/ Pykes antagonize Boba Fett?
D/ Black Sun C/ Klatooine C/ Jawas A/ Mocked the legacy
D/ Arvala-7 D/ Gamorreans of Jango Fett
B/ Stole Fett’s rancor
C/ Destroyed
Fett’s gunship
D/ Revealed who
3: Why did Boba Fett steal speeder killed his Tusken
bikes from the Kintan Striders? family
A/ To travel to Mos Eisley
B/ To stop a Pyke repulsor train 7: Who helped Djarin learn 14: What was the new name for
C/ To sell them for parts to wield the Darksaber? the Mos Pelgo settlement?
D/ To protect Tosche Station A/ The Armorer A/ Freetown
B/ Koska Reeves B/ Sand City
4: Who tried to murder Boba C/ Ahsoka Tano 10: Whose lightsaber did Luke C/ Banthaville
Fett while he was healing in D/ Greef Karga Skywalker offer to Grogu? D/ Mos Krayt
his bacta tank? A/ Yoda’s lightsaber
A/ Krrsantan 8: Why did Din Djarin travel B/ Obi-Wan Kenobi’s lightsaber
B/ The rancor to Tatooine? C/ Leia Organa’s lightsaber
keeper A/ To find Grogu D/ Mace Windu’s lightsaber
C/ Drash B/ To track down a bounty
D/ The Modifier C/ To obtain a new starship
D/ To hire mercenaries
5: What did Boba Fett and Fennec 15: Who occupied Boba Fett’s bacta
Shand use to kill the Sarlacc? tank after the battle with the Pykes?
A/ Ion cannon A/ Taanti
B/ Thermal detonator B/ Garfalaquox
C/ Turbolaser C/ Cobb Vanth
D/ Seismic charge D/ Paz Vizsla

“LIKE A BANTHA.”
1.
“IF YOU WISH TO CONTINUE BREATHING, I ADVISE
YOU TO WEIGH YOUR NEXT WORDS CAREFULLY.”
“WIZARD.” “SO MUCH LIKE

2. 4.
YOUR FATHER.”
3.
“Running a family is 5.
“YOU CAN ONLY
more complicated than GET SO FAR WITHOUT
bounty hunting.” A TRIBE.”
“I’M THE CRIME LORD.”
1
3
2 4
“I’M THE CRIME LORD.” 1. Lortha Peel, 2. Kaba Baiz, 3. The Twins, 4. Cad Bane.
5. Boba Fett.
HOW DID YOU DO?
Were you able to acquire power and prestige just as Boba Fett did?
“LIKE A BANTHA.” 1. Fennec Shand, 2. Din Djarin, 3. Mok Shaiz, 4. Ahsoka Tano,
0-9: Sorry, we’re still tired of dying because of the idiocy of others.
13. D, 14. A, 15. C.
10-19: Not bad, but on Tatooine, things would go a lot smoother if you accepted their ways.
ANSWERS QUIZ: 1. C, 2. C, 3. B, 4. A, 5. D, 6. B, 7. A, 8. C, 9. C, 10. A, 11. B, 12. D,
20-24: Excellent! You’re now the head of a family, enjoy the trappings!
STAR WARS INSIDER /

/ 97
NEXT ISSUE
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE | ISSUE 215
215
-
Making
Tracks for
Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi
nobi
composer Natalie
talie Holt
Exclusive interview!
erview!
Exclusive FICTION:
All-new
Star Wars:
The High
Republic !
Guy Henry
Rogue One: A Star Wars
Story’s Grand Moff Tarkin
rkin
Talking Tusken
n
Troy Kotsur on creating
ng the
nomadic people’s signgn language
Artists’ Alley
Behind the scenes at the
Star Wars Celebration
n art show!
Subscribe today at www.titanmagazines.com

U.S. 800 261 6502 | U.K. 01778 392085
MAKE MINE MARVEL
PERFECT GIFTS FOR MARVEL FANS ON SALE
NOW!
DISCOVER THE AMAZING HISTORY OF MARVEL COMICS AND THEIR
ICONIC CHARACTERS WITH THESE DELUXE BOOKS!
GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES OF YOUR FAVORITE MARVEL STUDIOS AND DISNEY+ SHOWS!
AVAILABLE FROM ALL GOOD BOOK STORES AND ONLINE

© 2022 MARVEL TITAN-COMICS.COM

Star Wars Insider - Issue 214, 2022 UK

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Star Wars Insider - Issue 214, 2022 UK

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Star Wars Insider - Issue 214, 2022 UK

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

What are some of the contributors mentioned in the document and what do they do?

What are some of the contributors mentioned in the document and what do they do?

What details are provided about contacting or subscribing to Star Wars Insider magazine?

What details are provided about contacting or subscribing to Star Wars Insider magazine?

ORIGINAL STORIES FROM

THE GALACTIC FRONTIER

Featuring tales by New York Times bestselling authors

FIND OUT MORE AT

“Hello There!” TITAN EDITORIAL

For more info on advertising contact

4 / STAR WARS INSIDER

20 to train in the ways of the Force.

32 Obi-Wan Kenobi Companion

STAR WARS INSIDER / 5

Time for New Tales

ucasfilm unveiled a host journey trying to find their way home,

L of first looks and premiere

6 / STAR WARS INSIDER

stories of Jedi Knights including

STAR WARS INSIDER / 7

T 2022 Saturn Awards were

T in Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) raised an eye-

8 / STAR WARS INSIDER

Starring Rosario Dawson

Under Seige Starring Jude law

Star Wars miniature games expand

STAR WARS INSIDER / 9

arth Vader thought he had

D buried Obi-Wan Kenobi for

THE LIGHT SIDE By Jamie Cosley

10 / STAR WARS INSIDER

H Black Series is adding

Duel for the Lord was armed

Dark Side reﬂecting his allegiance to

STAR WARS INSIDER / 11

eeline Creative has taken the

B iconic TIE ﬁghter design, a

12 / STAR WARS INSIDER

T trilogy is captured in the new

Cruising the Outer Rim

STAR WARS INSIDER / 13

An Artful New Era

14 / STAR WARS INSIDER

STAR WARS INSIDER / 15

16 / STAR WARS INSIDER

Star Wars #29

STAR WARS INSIDER /

SOFTBACK | $24.99 EACH

AVAILABLE IN ALL GOOD STORES AND ONLINE

20 / STAR WARS INSIDER

01 of broiling discontent at the

The Rematch: Round 1

22 / STAR WARS INSIDER

“When the Empire was on the rise,

STAR WARS INSIDER / 23

made me,” Vader replied, adding,

24 / STAR WARS INSIDER

STAR WARS INSIDER / 25

Anakin’s weapon against him. The he came to that realization.

26 / STAR WARS INSIDER