Maybe you’d prefer a earlier time point to jump in? Well then, the free webcomic The Old Republic: Blood of the Empire might be right up your alley. Witness the internal struggles of the Sith Order! Years before the events in Sean William’s Fatal Alliance, the Sith Emperor’s apprentice all but openly declares war against her master and the rest of her fellow Sith. And if you really enjoyed Fatal Alliance, then you’ll also enjoy The Old Republic: Threat of Peace #3 (of 3). This comic is also one of the free webcomics offered by SWTOR.com. With Threat of Peace finally reaching its end in print form, make way for Blood of the Empire as it will continue where Threat of Peace ended in print. Just be sure to remember that Blood of the Empire comes first chronologically!

Also out this week we had the junior reader novels The Clone Wars: Jedi Heroes and The Clone Wars: Planets in Peril, as well as the Clone Wars Digest Clone Wars: Hero of the Confederacy. So jump up and go place an order, or find a friend who has more Star Wars books and comics then you and catch up!

Don’t have your copy yet? Click the link below.

Blood of the Empire #10 (free webcomic)
Star Wars: Clone Wars: Jedi Heroes
Star Wars: Clone Wars: Planets in Peril
The Old Republic: The Threat of Peace #3 (of 3)
Star Wars: Legacy #1 (Reprint “1 for $1″ promo)
Star Wars: Clone Wars: Hero of the Confederacy

Teneb Kel is looking more and more like the Sith we can all love. Last issue he teams with a Jedi Master to save trapped citizens in exchange for more information on Exal. This issue we see him tell his “slave”, Maggot, that he has never seen him as a slave, but more as a loyal companion, and that if he dies while facing Kressh Maggot is to take the ship and live his life free. (Not something I expected the young Sith to say.)

And Maggot gets a turn at some extra character development too! Last issue while Kel was partnering with the Jedi Master, Maggot was engaging the Jedi’s Padawan in conversation on Kel’s ship. This issue once more makes good use of the side characters to further the over all story and plot. When things seemed to grow more mysterious in the last arc, arc 3 is all about answers. Stay tuned to this series, because I have a feeling this arc will be one heck of a blow out for the Sith!

Source: SWTOR.com

This week, I’ll be discussing James Luceno’s recently announced Darth Plagueis novel that is due to hit bookshelves in 2012.

By the time Palpatine had finished retelling “The Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise” in Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Anakin Skywalker wasn’t the only person successfully seduced to the dark side. In fact, I’d bet that almost every Star Wars EU fan sank deep into their chair when the scene concluded, knuckles white with anticipation. It was a story that was scant on the details, but dense in its implications for the future of the EU. We all knew that, one day, we’d get the story in a book. Preferably told in a fat hardcover, adorned with beautiful cover art. And although there is that hesitation that comes with finally getting something you’ve been waiting for - namely, not living up to expectations - the basic premise holds too much promise to not excite even the most indifferent of fans.

Darth Plagueis

The biggest shock, however, may have been the speed at which the novel was announced. It was as if the release of Revenge of the Sith had lifted the moratorium on all the previously untouchable stories. It was scheduled for an October 2008 release, and the author of choice was announced to be James Luceno. But it didn’t take long for the book to get canceled, to the disappointment of many. The reasons, to little surprise, revolved around EU continuity and an overall decision to hold off on revealing Palpatine’s backstory. Unfortunately, Luceno was instead tapped to write Millennium Falcon, the bridge novel to the Fate of the Jedi series. The story, expected to be a proper epilogue to the short and not-so-sweet Invincible, instead served as a lighthearted adventure that, to be frank, wasn’t that great. Like the story, Luceno faded from the forefront of my mind.

By the time the Darth Plagueis novel is released, it will be the first Star Wars book by James Luceno in four years. Will this mark a glorious return for the author, or do we all have our expectations set so high that he is bound to fail?

What We Know About Darth Plagueis

“Tell me what you regard as your greatest strength, so I will know how best to undermine you; tell me of your greatest fear, so I will know which I must force you to face; tell me what you cherish most, so I will know what to take from you; and tell me what you crave, so that I might deny you.”

The above quotation, found in Luceno’s Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader, is one of the only quotations and insights that we have into just who Darth Plagueis was. Obviously, he sounds like a pretty nasty Muun. Yes, I said Muun. The original announcement of the Darth Plagueis book confirmed that Palpatine’s master was not human, which definitely came as a shock to me. But the more I thought about it, the more I loved the idea. We know that the Empire was mired in anti-alien sentiment, courtesy of the bigoted Palpatine. What we don’t know, though, is why. Given that Darth Plagueis has been revealed as a Muun, I suspect that the answer may very well be provided soon.

Darth Plagueis Concept Art from The Force Unleashed

Sadly, we have learned the vast majority of the information concerning Darth Plagueis through the most untrustworthy of sources. Of course, I’m referring to Palpatine (or Darth Sidious, if you prefer). Although it is greatly hinted at in the film, Darth Plagueis is confirmed as being Palpatine’s former master in the novels. But already, we see that the storyteller leaves out bits and pieces of the story to fit his own agenda. I wouldn’t claim that it casts suspicion over his entire tale, but it certainly should make one stop and wonder just where the truth blends into fiction.

In fact, let’s take a closer look at this Sith Lord. We don’t know much of his life story, aside from how it ends. Palpatine claimed that his master was “so powerful and so wise” that he could use the Force to influence midi-chlorians and create life. This knowledge of the dark side allowed him to keep the ones he cared about from dying, even though some considered the methods to be unnatural. The only thing he feared, Palpatine claimed, was losing his power. After teaching his apprentice all he knew, Plagueis was killed in his sleep by the very student he taught. Ironically, he could save others from death - but not himself.

When I first contemplated the story, following the end of Revenge of the Sith, I took Palpatine’s word on all of the details except the ending. Surely the Jedi would have found Darth Plagueis’s methods of defying death to be “unnatural,” but Palpatine still needed an apprentice strong in the Force. In fact, he later tells his new apprentice, “To cheat death is a power only one has achieved, but if we work together… I know we can discover the secret.” I viewed it simply as a case of misdirection. Palpatine must have murdered his master after being denied the one secret he longed for most, deciding that the secret to immortality couldn’t be so complicated if he had a powerful and malleable apprentice.

But on further review, there’s a much more insidious story being told by Palpatine. There is little doubt that Darth Plagueis was powerful and wise, given the levels of success his apprentice reached. But the ability to influence midi-chlorians and create life, a trait that is decidedly not Sith, does not necessarily mean that he could sustain life in the same method. Perhaps his way of saving those he loved from death was similar to Darth Andeddu’s triumph over mortality or the machinations found in the life-sustaining suits that Darth Vader and Darth Malgus wore. No matter what Plagueis’s methods were, I have the distinct feeling that it was not the Jedi that would have found it to be unnatural. I propose to you, dear readers, that it was Palpatine who was disgusted at how his master used the Force to defy death. And after learning the secret, which his master gave up quite willingly, Palpatine killed him to end such heresy. One must remember that Palpatine would never have given Anakin the secret to immortality, even if he knew it. In order to gain complete control over Anakin, he needed Padme and her children dead. And given that Palpatine used clones to advance his own life, he clearly knew more than he ever let on.

In the end, we know precious little about Darth Plagueis. Luckily, we know a great deal more about the author of his first appearance.

What We Know About James Luceno

James Luceno has clearly been something of a champion regarding Darth Plagueis, first revealing his name to the EU in Labyrinth of Evil and then providing a quotation from the Sith in Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader. It shows a passion and commitment to the character, which further explains why Luceno is still at the helm of this book. Although we do not yet know if the proposed story differs from the original, we at least know that the character has been on the author’s mind for several years. He’s also been compared, rather reverently among some fans, to an encyclopedia. Indeed, his ability to include forgotten bits of EU lore into his stories has become legend. One could easily suspect that a book featuring Darth Plagueis would be rife with such inclusions, making him the best author for the job.

James Luceno

Luceno got his start in the Star Wars EU during the New Jedi Order series. Although I didn’t know it at the time, he was in charge of the story bible and outline for the NJO. Like most readers, my first impression of Luceno came from the Agents of Chaos duology. Despite the addition of characters that would become important as the series progressed, like Vergere and Droma, I thought the books were rather average. They heavily focused on a Han Solo so angst-ridden that he was almost a complete stranger, and it didn’t sit comfortably with me. His next book, the prequel political thriller Cloak of Deception, was one that I enjoyed even less. Even with the inclusion of Vergere, I found the book to be slow and with no sense of raised stakes. The reader knew who would live and who would not, making the whole premise rather shallow. It was a rocky start to my Luceno experience, to be sure.

So imagine my surprise when the next book of Luceno’s I read was The Unifying Force. Even today, it stands as one of my all-time favorite Star Wars books. For me, it was the perfect ending to a series that I spent some of my most impressionable years reading. Luceno immediately catapulted to the top of my list of favorite Star Wars authors. First impressions be damned, his book was that good. He only continued to impress with Labyrinth of Evil, the prequel to Revenge of the Sith. It was a pulse-pounding read, and I found myself turning the pages faster and faster as the story continued. Today, it stands as my favorite prequel book.

But sadly, what comes up must go down. Luceno’s next release, Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader, just didn’t strike my fancy. I thought it was a good read, maybe even a little better than average, but I was hoping for a more detailed look into Darth Vader following the events of Revenge of the Sith. What I got instead was a run-of-the-mill Order 66 survivor story, with a predictably pedestrian Darth Vader serving as the villain. But even with that slight setback, Luceno’s EU reputation was hardly tarnished. Fan faith in him was further solidified when it was revealed that he would write Millennium Falcon, the novel that would bridge the Legacy of the Force series with the Fate of the Jedi series. There were large expectations, given how turbulent fan emotions were after reading Troy Denning’s Invincible. Many felt that they were robbed an epilogue, and looked to this new addition with stacked hopes. I’ll admit it, I was one of those fans. What we got instead was a typical adventure novel, not unlike those found in the earlier Bantam novels. And though the novel continued the tradition of encyclopedic references, it simply wasn’t what I wanted or expected. For the first time in a long time, I found myself hating a book Luceno had written.

That was two years ago, and it will be another two years before we get our hands on the Darth Plagueis novel. But even now, I think I know how this book is going to turn out.

So What Can We Expect?

I think it’s important that we shouldn’t have expectations for this book that are going to be impossible to satisfy. Every fan I’ve talked to has has admitted to looking forward to the book with interest, but not everyone is going to be pleased with the final version. Luceno does have a few things in his favor, though. This is a subject that he’s been tooling for years, much like he knew the basic ending for the New Jedi Order series. He’s also about due to write a truly fantastic book, and I am really pulling for it to happen with this book.

Darth Plagueis watches Palpatine train

I think it’s pretty much a given that we’ll see a young Palpatine in the book, given that it was one of the reasons the book was originally canceled. In the novels, that will mark his earliest appearance to date. And let’s face it, the reason we want to read this book isn’t to learn about Darth Plagueis. It’s to learn what made Palpatine such an evil character, and to see the great Sith in his prime. Whether or not this particular book will satisfy that requirement, however, remains to be seen.

I don’t expect this book to be strictly a Sith affair either, although Drew Karpyshyn proved with his brilliant Darth Bane books that all a story really needs is varying degrees of evil. Before the book was canceled, Luceno revealed that his novel would detail the search for immortality by both Darth Plagueis and Qui-Gon Jinn. It makes sense to offer a glimpse into another part of Star Wars lore that fans have craved. It also allows the story to play the two sides off each other, especially if they both look to achieve immortality through very different means. I wouldn’t put it past Luceno to include Qui-Gon in the final product, especially given his cameo in the epilogue of Dark Lord. Looking back, it seems he may have been planting the seeds to this novel well in advance. It’s also worth noting that I always imagined that Darth Plagueis had been long dead before Qui-Gon was a young man. If that turns out to not be the case, I wonder how that will change the way Palpatine’s character is perceived in regards to being the grand mastermind behind the fall of the Republic and the destruction of the Jedi Order. And if Qui-Gon is not yet a Jedi Master in this story, will we see him under the tutelage of Dooku? It’s definitely a possibility.

But what do I expect most? I wrote earlier that we should question the truth of Palpatine’s words regarding his former master. The Tragedy of Darth Plagueis, he called it. I don’t know about you, but I’m certainly not going to expect a tragedy.

- Chris

Check out the rest of EUCantina’s Weekly Columns.
If you’d like to see a specific topic discussed, email Chris!

SoloSound is PROUD to announce the newest in Star Wars podcasts: The Bothan Report! What is this Bothan Report you ask? Well The Bothan Report is a monthly podcast dedicated to covering the biggest and most significant Star Wars news. From the Expanded Universe to The Clone Wars and from the live action series to The Old Republic, The Bothan Report is your source for news from the galaxy far, far away. Many Bothans died to bring you this podcast plug so check it out! (Let them die not in vain!) Listen in as hosts Riley and Bethany Blanton give you an interesting sibling point of view on the major news events dealing with your favorite imaginary universe!

EUCast episode 99 was their Celebration Five spectacular!  In this fun episode hosts Mark, Austin, and William, along with forum member Elyse a.k.a. “Mara” discuss the latest news and the top highlights from Celebration Five (CV).  There was so much information, in fact, that they had to do a double feature! Look for part 2 of Episode #99 to come out this Monday on SoloSound.net!

So click a link and come on over to SoloSound to check out the Star Wars podcast action!

This week covers August 20th- 27th:

The Bothan Report Episode #1
EUCast Episode #99 [Part 1] - Our CV Episode

Source: SoloSound.net

“This was going to be a one-off miniseries about Jango and Boba Fett, but after working together for just one issue, writer Tom Taylor and artist Chris Scalf decided decided they wanted to continue the collaboration. So, next year you can look forward to another Blood Ties miniseries featuring another set of famous (or infamous!) Star Wars characters who share a blood bond.”

The Jango and Boba series is set to run through November 24th. Writer Tom Taylor and artist Chris Scalf will work on all four issues.

During the San Diego Comic-Con earlier this year, Randy Stradley announced that eight new Star Wars comic series would be released in 2011. Up to this point 6 series that have yet to see a published issue will appear next year. Invasion and Dark Times could be included in Randy’s lineup. There will also be a special edition of Dark Empire, which will help raise money for artist Cam Kennedy, who is sadly losing his eyesight.

• Knight Errant (Written by John Jackson Miller).
• Legacy-War (Written by John Ostrander, 6 issues).
• Darth Vader and the Lost Command (Written by Hayden Blackman, 5 issues).
• Crimson Empire III (Written by Randy Stradley and Mike Richardson, 6 issues).
• The Old Republic: Blood of the Empire (Written by Alexander Freed, web comic).
• Unnamed Blood Ties series (Written by Tom Taylor)

Source: Star Wars: Blood Ties: Jango and Boba Fett, Part 1

Well EU fans, are you excited? You should be! The first issue of the soon-to-be-hit comic Star Wars: Blood Ties: Jango and Boba Fett is now within your reach at a local book or comic store near you. And if having tales of the Fetts in print again wasn’t sweet enough, this issue’s Letter from the Editor, fittingly titled “Written in Blood” by Randy Stradley quickly discusses the next Blood Ties miniseries! Here’s what he said:

Hit the jump and check it out! 

(Caution mild spoilers ahead)

“This was going to be a one-off miniseries about Jango and Boba Fett, but after working together for just one issue, writer Tom Taylor and artist Chris Scalf decided decided they wanted to continue the collaboration. So, next year you can look forward to another Blood Ties miniseries featuring another set of famous (or infamous!) Star Wars characters who share a blood bond.”

Blood Ties: Jango and Boba Fett 1 (of 4) starts out from Boba Fett’s point of veiw, some time in his future. He’s clad in the green Mandalorian gear we all know and love from the classic trilogy and in a bit of a spot with some very bad people. He reflects how as a child his father Jango had banished all fear from him by making him retrieve a tooth from a Balyeg, a beast that makes a Rancor look like a toy nerf (see picture below). The best part - Jango ups the ante by spraying young Boba in prey scent, making Boba a tasty smelling treat!

With a father like this, who needs enemies?

Though when it all is said and done, perhaps Jango was right; maybe Boba had faced the most terrifying thing in the galaxy that day, the experience hardening him like tempered Beskar’gam. The comic sets up a great ending which will have you crying for more! While the story for the most part remains in the “past”, the mission will obviously have ramifications for Boba later in the issues to come. The Fetts get an assignment from Lord Tyranus to take out a target with sensitive information about the operations at Kamino, and must be removed from the galactic playing field. The mysterious target’s identity is revealed on the last page with a continued bar interrupting all the excitement! (I can’t spoil everything after all.) Head out and get yours or click the link below and order yours! You won’t regret it.

Also out later this week, Blood of the Empire, SWTOR.com’s second free webcomic series set in The Old Republic [TOR] era, continues with issue #10, which should be released this Friday. It is also the second issue of the Burn the Future arc. Can’t remember what issue #9 was about? Here, check it out our last post about it.

Don’t have your copy yet? Click the link below.

Star Wars: Blood Ties — A Tale of Jango and Boba Fett #1 (of 4)
Blood of the Empire #10 (free webcomic) [out this Friday]

Source: swtor.com

Welcome to the first edition of the new weekly opinion column, EU Action/Reaction! Each week, I’ll be looking at various Star Wars EU events that have garnered a significant reaction from Star Wars fans and offer my own view to further the discussion. So once you read the article, feel free to leave a comment or hop on the forums and offer your own point of view! Also, please remember that these are just my personal opinions, not that of EUCantina as a whole.

This week, I’ll be discussing the major reveals at Celebration V for the upcoming third season of The Clone Wars.

There’s little doubt that The Clone Wars had some of the most explosive announcements of Celebration V. I’ll let you decide which way to interpret “explosive,” of course, since online fans seem to be completely split on the news. For some, these announcements have been just another nail in the coffin for Star Wars. Continuity buffs have taken the news the hardest, seeing each new addition as another mountain that needs to be climbed. But even fans who gravitate to a particular character, like Aurra Sing or General Grievous, have been miffed when the portrayal of that character turns out to be very different from other EU material. For others, though, the inclusion of more EU elements has been a huge blessing. In fact, I’d wager that most fans, regardless of their stance on The Clone Wars, have looked forward to seeing EU material reach the television screen.

So let me tell you a little about myself, in the hope that you’ll understand where my opinions are coming from. I’m a huge fan of the EU. I’ve read every single book, and a lot of the comics (including Republic’s Clone Wars run). I’ve also only watched the first season of The Clone Wars, and the first Mandalorian episode of Season Two. I’m well-versed with what happens in the television show, I just greatly prefer to watch the series on DVD. You know, so I don’t have to sit through those dreadful commercials found on Cartoon Network. I’ll be honest too, I didn’t much care for The Clone Wars when I first started watching it. It wasn’t until I watched the first season on DVD that I really appreciated the show. I consider myself a pretty big continuity buff, as I suppose most are when a large amount of time is invested in a franchise, but I have greatly enjoyed The Clone Wars so far, even with Ahsoka and all the problems she brings. And the Mandalorians? Well, perhaps that’s best left for another column.

But now, there are new announcements for the new season. New worries for fans and haters alike! Like last year, we are once again faced with the age-old (and rather tired) question: Will this season be the end of Star Wars as we know it?

In a word: no.

Savage Oppress, Brother of Darth Maul

Savage Oppress

I’ll admit it: I love Darth Maul. I don’t know if it was the horns, the tattoos or the beauty found in that double-bladed lightsaber battle, but whatever the reason, Darth Maul was damn cool. I always hoped for a sweet resurrection in one of the later prequel movies, which is perhaps why I’m an unabashed lover of both Resurrection (the Tales story where Darth Vader duels Maul) and Old Wounds (which involves Darth Maul, wearing a prosthetic lower body, hunting down Obi-Wan on Tatooine).

The cynic inside of me hates this news. Not just that fans of Darth Maul are being obviously pandered to with the ridiculous “long lost brother” scenario to get a Darth Maul fix, but because his introduction was so cheesy. And don’t get me started on that awful name. I’m surprised they didn’t just call him “Evil McBadGuy.”

Darth Maul concept art

The Star Wars fan inside of me, however, absolutely loves this news. I know it isn’t Darth Maul, but it’s close enough. He may have yellow skin and a long staff instead of a lightsaber, but he’s still a Zabrak. He’s still going to kick butt, and it’s pretty much guaranteed that we’ll see beautiful choreography in his fight sequences. But perhaps the best part is that Darth Maul has long been an unknown quantity. Extremely little is known about his backstory, so the addition of a brother isn’t going to suddenly weaken his character or throw entire portions of the EU to waste. No, this is a good thing. Sure, he could be just a random Zabrak. But this is Star Wars, and we need emotional connections to characters. It might be a cheap way to do it, but suspend your disbelief. And with a name like Savage, you know this guy is going to be ruthless.

And as a slight aside, Savage wears armor that is very similar to what Darth Maul wore in his Episode I concept art. Despite what some think, these guys really do their homework.

Asajj Ventress and the Dathomir Nightsisters

Another big announcement was that the Dathomir Nightsisters would appear in the upcoming season. Long an EU darling of the books and comics, the Nightsisters are essentially witches. They aren’t exactly Force users per se, but they are clearly able to tap into some portion of it to fuel their abilities. Filoni also said that Ventress’s backstory would be explored during the season, and the clip certainly implies that Ventress has a history with Dathomir.

Ventress goes to Dathomir

Rather surprisingly, those who are disgruntled at this news seem more worried about the backstory of Asajj Ventress than the inclusion of the Nightsisters. At this point, EU fans should be pretty used to a bipolar (or perhaps tripolar?) Ventress. Although usually a background figure in the novels, Ventress was introduced in the Republic comics and quickly grew to be the nemesis of Obi-Wan Kenobi. The original Clone Wars micro-series, however, had Ventress as a silent assassin that took an interest in hunting Anakin Skywalker. Even now, her character on The Clone Wars is different from previous depictions. Heck, even her physical appearance has changed with each medium. Now, fans are worried that the homeworld (and backstory) of this character will be completely changed with revelations that she is from Dathomir. As fans may know, Ventress has a detailed history as being from the planet Rattatak. I don’t really see a reason to worry. Most likely, this sort of information will be hinted at and fans will be able to make up their own minds as to whether or not Ventress is actually from Dathomir. Remember, this show exists to continue the great experience that is Star Wars. It doesn’t exist to destroy previous materials and give uptight fans headaches. Sometimes, for the sake of telling a good story, things get changed or rewritten. But following the Mandalorian episodes of season two, brilliant retcons were created to explain the difference between Mandalore and the Mandalorians of the television show with that of preexisting EU material. If a retcon of that magnitude could work, and be absolutely plausible, fans have little to worry about with Ventress and her adventures on Dathomir.

Aurra Sing, We Hardly Knew Ye

Of all the news that came out of CV, the news surrounding Aurra Sing was easily what shocked me most. I’m a big fan of the character, having followed her exploits in great comic arcs like Outlander and The Hunt for Aurra Sing. She even showed up in Legacy of the Force: Tempest. As EU fans know, she was once a Jedi padawan under the tutelage of the Dark Woman. But even as a bounty hunter, she remained a formidable foe and crossed paths with A’Sharad Hett several times. Frankly, she was one of the best recurring villains in Republic, or at least until the Clone Wars offered new villains.

It was at CV that Dave Filoni told fans that Aurra Sing would not use the Force in any future appearances on the show. In essence, he was invalidating her entire backstory. At first, I was really peeved. Aurra Sing is a fantastic character, with a tortured background and unique appearance. Well, except that I can understand some of the hesitance to showcase her in full glory - after all, Asajj Ventress is another pale, bald woman with lightsabers and a bad attitude. Are two really needed? The answer, quite simply, is no. It’s also important to understand that it’s extremely unlikely that the show will ever blatantly say that Aurra cannot use the Force. Instead, she will simply never use it. Like the General Grievous backstory found in the first season, it will ultimately be left vague and open to interpretation. You know what? I’m fine with Aurra Sing not using the Force. As long as her background remains intact, and there’s no reason to believe it won’t continue to hold up, fans simply get the added bonus of seeing a great character on the show.

Republic Commandos, Now With 100% More Sev!

Sev with blood streaks

The Republic Commandos have been a part of the Clone Wars EU almost since the very beginning. Not only did they get a great video game to star in, they’ve also had considerable appearances in all of the Republic/Imperial Commando books by Karen Traviss (minus the first book, Hard Contact). Honestly, I don’t understand the reason to dislike this inclusion. One of my own complaints from the first season was that there simply wasn’t enough variety among the clone troopers, and I really hoped that the Republic Commandos would eventually get to show up. When it was revealed that it would be Delta Squad in action, I got really excited. It’s a great group of characters that some fans will already know well, and an appearance won’t destroy continuity because their exploits have not been fully covered from beginning to end. I suppose that some could worry that the Commandos might be in danger of being turning into kid fodder, but did you see the CV footage? Notice Sev’s helmet? Yeah, it still has the giant blood streaks on it. Something tells me that they will be as vicious as ever.

Quinlan Vos

Ok, I cheated. The inclusion of Quinlan Vos was not announced at CV. In fact, it still hasn’t officially been announced. But based on the upcoming Hasbro action figure, which includes a picture of Quinlan Vos as he would appear in The Clone Wars, I knew it was too big an issue to avoid discussing. But since there’s nothing official as of yet, we’ll simply discuss a Quinlan Vos appearance in the third season as a What If? scenario.

Quinlan Vos action figure

Quinlan Vos is, without a doubt, one of the most popular EU characters around. In fact, most of the Republic Clone War issues centered around Quinlan and his constant battle with the dark side of the Force. He was a very complex character, and George Lucas liked him enough to consider adding him in Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. He also liked him enough to request that he survive Order 66. What many might not realize is that Quinlan was originally supposed to appear in the first season of The Clone Wars. In the “Bombad Jedi” episode, he was going to be an undercover Jedi that used the Force to make it appear as though Jar Jar Binks was actually a Jedi. Due to technical restraints, though, the idea never made it out of the planning stage.

I can understand some of the unease toward Quinlan appearing in the show, especially given that he’s a large EU character. Will his character be true to the tortured soul found in the comics? I can’t say, but I have my doubts given the short amount of time each episode has. Still, he was originally going to be written into the show as an undercover Jedi. That alone gives me hope for his eventual appearance, because Quinlan Vos has always been an undercover Jedi of sorts - from his first appearance in Emissaries to Malastare to his infiltration of Count Dooku’s inner circle.

You Kids Need to Calm Down… or Get Off My Lawn!

These days, I feel like fans are too quick to announce their disappointment and frustration - especially when they don’t have a grasp on the final product. With The Clone Wars, it seems that ideas are introduced and then nitpicked to death before they even come to fruition. Maybe we’ve all grown into cynics with age, or maybe we feel like we’ve devoted too much time and energy into the franchise to accept any changes. I know that I was guilty of it during season two. I was one of the outspoken critics against the portrayal of Mandalore, and I felt very foolish after I watched the episode in question. Star Wars didn’t implode, it moved on. And perhaps even worse, I enjoyed the episode. Because as much as I bristled at the idea of something different, the Star Wars fan in me still loved seeing those Mandalorians on the screen.

We all need to calm down when it comes to The Clone Wars. Let’s reach into our hearts and pull out a little optimism. It’s a great show, even with its faults. If you don’t believe me, watch it with a little kid. Watch the excitement that lights up the face of that next generation of fans. Star Wars was never about following strict rules and guidelines. It takes all the fun out of it. Because at the end of the day, none of this is real. Rather than complain about the retcons that will be needed when old information is contradicted on the show, we should be ready to face the challenge of explaining it in a way that makes sense. We’re diehard EU fans! We should embrace our role and help continuity when needed, not sit around and complain. And believe it or not, we’ll feel better about ourselves too.

So no, the third season of The Clone Wars will not bring about the end of Star Wars as we know it. From the looks of it, we’re in for an exciting (and gorgeous) ride.

- Chris

Check out the rest of EUCantina’s Weekly Columns.

“Jedi and Sith fight side by side against an even greater foe. But how long can enemies remain allies? And how high is the price of betrayal?”

Starwars.com also includes the text from the hardcover jacket. It does contain spoilers! Click the jump to read the summary and see a larger view of the cover.

Vortex will be released on December 7, 2010. It is written by Troy Denning.

Spoilers!

In a stunning turn of events, Luke Skywalker and his son, Ben, joined forces with members of the Sith armada sent to kill them — and turned their combined might against the monstrous being Abeloth, whose power was causing young Jedi Knights to go seemingly insane. But with Abeloth gone and the Knights sane again, the Sith reverted to form, making a treacherous attempt on Luke’s life.

Luke and Ben have no time for retaliation. A new and even more insidious threat is rising, one that endangers not only the Jedi but the entire Galactic Alliance. Unless the Skywalkers survive to sound the alarm — and to pass along the secrets they have learned about Abeloth and the Sith — the galaxy will suffer as it has never suffered before. But the reinforcements they need remain grounded on Coruscant, where the political battle of wills between the Jedi Council and Galactic Alliance Chief of State Natasi Daala has reached a boiling point.

Now Luke and Ben must go on the run, taking along the inscrutable — and dangerous — Sith apprentice Vestara Khai. With a host of Sith warriors in hot pursuit, the Skywalkers soon find themselves trapped on the moon Pydyr, caught between their former allies and a mob of angry Fallanassi. A new truce may be their only hope. But can a Sith ever be trusted?

With the Jedi’s most famous father-and-son team outnumbered and outgunned, the countdown to galactic disaster has begun — and time is running out!

The front cover of Vortex features Han Solo.

Source: Starwars.com

Quinlan Vos was originally slated to appear in the episode “Bombad Jedi” from Season 1 of The Clone Wars, but at the time his character model was not possible for several reasons. This was not the first time the famous Star Wars comic book Jedi was cut from a script; George Lucas originally included Vos in Episode III, but the scene was never filmed, and an actor was never cast. Lucas has a major influence on The Clone Wars, and is likely taking the opportunity to explore the character he was fascinated with.

The addition of Vos to The Clone Wars is just one of the many EU influences that will play a part in season 3. At Celebration V it was announced that Delta Squad, Dathomir, and the Nightsisters will all appear, and the backstory of Asajj Ventress will be explored. Vos can be added to the list of Jedi known to be getting their first screen time on the show in the upcoming season, including Shaak Ti and Saesee Tiin.

Source: Yakface.com (via @avgoins)

Greetings EUCantina and Star Wars fans around the globe! Once more, SoloSound.net proudly presents this week’s new releases for your listening pleasure.

EUCast episode 98 was a fun filled show! In this fun episode hosts Mark, Austin, and William look at The Sith’s pawn Asajj Ventress, and her training. (Or lack thereof), and Forum Member Elyse (You know, Mara. We had to have her back on!) comes on for another Character Corner segment covering Etain Tur-Mukan, and helps us discuss and speculate on another fan favorite; K’kruhk!

Nathan’s had some time on his hands this month and busted out his 3rd edition of The EU Review: The Obscure Side. This time he addresses Star Wars: Ewoks! (You’ve got to remember those fluffy lovable carnivorous Ewoks!)  Nathan once more brings it to light. Come listen as the EU Guru once more blows your mind.

The EU Review released their August 2010 episode where they discussed Fatal Alliance, Legacy Volumes 1 & 2, and more!

And not wanting left out on all the Star Wars action, We Talk Clones recorded their Celebration Five episode! They were so amped to get the word out they did it live at CV!

So click a link and come on over to SoloSound to check out the Star Wars podcast action!

This week covers August 12th- 20th:

The EU Review: Episode 8- August 2010
We Talk Clones: Celebration Five Recap
The EU Review: The Obscure Side 3
EUCast #98 - The Calm Before the Storm

Source: SoloSound.net