Thrawn in Darkforce rising

full comic audio book found on youtube by uploader nathans6486

PART 1/2.

Luke and Mara’s relationship is SO FUNNY. Literally everyone else is like: “What are you doing? Why are you concerned? Luke, she threatens to kill you every time you speak with each other, please-“

I love the Luke was so concerned when he sensed that Mara’s ship lost power in the second book. Han describes it as Luke acting like Mara is his best friend rather than the woman who has repeatedly threatened him with murder. And after it’s all over, he does save her! He gets them to pick her up and they take her to Coruscant to heal and none of that would have happened without Luke’s influence.

Luke is so fond of Mara, despite having met her all of three months ago. All of their interactions involve murder threats and dangerous situations, literally none of them have been postive interactions, but Luke is so pleased to see her! Just! All the time!

Luke agrees to break Karrde off of Thrawn’s ship because Mara asks (no further requesting necessary). Luke breaks Mara out of her house arrest on Coruscant because he wants her to go to Wayland with them. Luke defends Mara constantly whenever Han (very reasonably) questions whether or not they should trust her. Han and Mara and Luke himself all ask “What if this ends in Luke’s death?” and Luke’s answer is always “¯\ _(ツ)_/¯ Guess I’ll die then.”

(Luke is basically like “If I die, I die. The Force wills it.” I think he and Qui-Gon were soulmates-)

I like that Luke finds out about Mara’s past in the first book but only ever brings it up in the third. And Han is like “She was the EMPEROR’S HAND, and you didn’t think that was worth mentioning???” and Luke just: “The past is in the past.”

Leia and Mara also have a fun relationship though. Leia speaks to Mara for the first time and Mara, right as Leia is leaving, is like “I’m going to kill your brother. Did he tell you that?” and Leia just: “No, he didn’t mention that. May I ask why?”

Leia consistently is like “Well. Luke trusts this person. I trust her too.” Which is almost exactly like Wedge “Luke vouched for them so I trust them with my life” Antilles.

Leia 🤝 Wedge

“If Luke trusts them, I trust them.”

Leia is always like “I know you’ve said you want to kill my brother. But, from what he’s said, you had a lot of opportunities to kill him. And he’s still alive. Are you sure you want to kill him?”

And Mara is just like: “Shut up.”

Han is the only one who is like “I don’t think we should trust this person who wants to kill Luke” and Luke is always like “Why not?”

But really what gets me is the final scene SPOILERS when Luke gives Mara Anakin’s lightsaber. And I know Mara thinks it’s him not-so-subtly telling her that they can both move on from the past, but all I can see it as is Luke seeing Mara like he saw Anakin. He sees them both enslaved to the Emperor and brainwashed and hurting and he ultimately saves both of them. But, Anakin never got to use his lightsaber again, after he came back to the light. So, giving it to Mara, who was in a very similar situation as Vader was, is such a good way to honour Anakin’s memory and every time I think about it - two people manipulated by Palpatine who find their way back after years and years of abuse, both using the same lightsaber at opposite ends of their life - I kind of want to cry.

And maybe I’m looking too deeply into it, but I love this scene. I love Mara asking why Luke is giving it to her and Luke saying “I want you to have it.” I love Anakin’s lightsaber finally being used in the light again, I love it I love it I love it- I’m crying again

Look call me crazy but there is something so ridiculously sexy about Warlord Thrawn™️

This line right here?

Powerful. Evil. Sexy.

Dark Force Rising rant incoming

So I’m open to the possibility that I am Enjoying the Media Incorrectly buuuuuuuuuuuuut Dark Force Rising is a comedy, right? Like, approaching a farce? If I were in charge of turning this into a movie my first step would be to get Chuck Jones on the line. But in that way I think it captures the OT energy perfectly because, like, the OT is very campy. I’d low-key started to forget that. Hey Disney I just remembered this is supposed to be fun

Come to Dark Force Rises we have:

Mara “No Really I’m Still Going to Kill Luke Skywalker” Jade. Mara “Imperial Policymaker” Jade. Mara “But I Thought I Was the Emperor’s Special-est Killing Machine” Jade. Mara “The Problem With the Modern Empire Is No One Trusts Each Other Anymore :’(” Jade. Mara “Exotic Dancer???” Jade. Mara “Has a Backdoor Access Code to All Imperial Star Destroyers and Is Somehow Still Bitter About Losing Her Position” Jade. She is nothing like what I expected and I love her

Luke “Lesbian Energy” Skywalker [Stand aside, Multiday Character Bonding Hiking Trip – Multiday Character Bonding Road Trip (in what I’m picturing as a Toyota Corolla) is coming]

Leia “What to Expect When You’re Expecting Everyone Else to Get on Your Motherfucking Level” Organa Solo

Han “The Clever One” Solo

Wedge “Fundamentally Just Some Guy” Antilles

Lando “Please Let This Be a Normal Field Trip” Calrissian

Taron “Work Friend Accidentally Becomes Real Friend” Karrde. Unfortunately he’s the only killable protag currently on the field soooooo

And then we have Thrawn. Poor sweet Thrawn. My guy. He’s playing 3D chess and everyone else – they’re not just eating the pieces, they’re losing the pieces entirely on accident. He’s always two steps ahead, but the protags have wandered off the trail because they saw something shiny. He sees the other characters start acting more and more erratic and he’s like “at last! My adversaries have developed a more intricate strategy!” and goes veering off in a different direction, and then smash cut to the protags being like “…wait he literally had us that time where did he go?” He’s flying circles around a New Republic plot that straight up doesn’t exist. He manages to capture the Falcon but ends up handing it to Luke as a gift-wrapped getaway car because of shenanigans he simply had no way to predict. He just wants an int-build playmate and every other character min/maxed charisma. He’s rapidly becoming my scrunkly meow meow

«“(...) I don’t care who C’baoth is or whether he felt justified or not. What he did constitutes mutiny.” “It did indeed,” Thrawn agreed calmly. “Shall I throw him out of the Imperial service altogether, or simply demote him in rank?” Pellaeon glared at the other. “I’m serious, Admiral.”»

Timothy Zahn, Dark Force Rising (1992)

I really love how there is a niche in the older Star Wars fandom that basically is just “Timothy Zahn was the best writer for Star Wars and we’re gonna WILLFULLY disregard everything made by Disney”

Han Solo in Star Wars: Dark Force Rising by Timothy Zahn

Dark Force Rising - Timothy Zahn

4/5 - Crazy Jedi, Luke being too nice for his own good, Leia with some killer diplomacy skills

Leia works to get the Noghri to join the Republic, Luke is insecure about his use of the Force, Mara is still weirdly attached the the Emperor, and Han is a worrywart. <3 love him <3

Solid second installment as well! I liked Luke's internal battle in this novel, his worries about his capability to teach and understand the Force were very real and grounding and I felt they added some depth to the character. It also made it all the more satisfying when Luke tells C'Baoth to fuck off, for all intents and purposes.

The realization that the Noghri were kept in their subservience by force by the Empire is a really good example of giving a tangible evil that the Empire has an active hand in. Like obviously we all know that the Empire is a fascist evil overlord state, but seeing the cost of it in people and welfare makes the whole situation that much more hard-hitting.

As with any good trilogy, the second book ends on a loss. They've won the battle but lost the necessary ships and supplies. They've fended off the Empire, but the Thrawn has other tricks up his sleeve. All stands on the precipice!

River Song is just like Mara Jade River Song is just like Mara Jade River Song is just like Mara Jade River Song is just like Mara Jade River Song is just like Mara Jade River Song is just like Mara Jade River Song is just like Ma-

Thrawns nose in dark force rising

Luke Skywalker and his endless well of patience vs Mara Jade and her need to see him reach the end of his patience is a primary example of an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object-

I love Talon Karrde. He's that perfect combination of self-serving and loyal.

I hope one day you'll be canon again my sweet prince 🥲

May 1st is a popular day for Expanded Universe book releases including: Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising (book), Dark Force Rising #1 (comic), Last of the Jedi: The Desperate Mission, Jedi Quest: The Shadow Trap, Young Jedi Knights: Return to Ord Mantell, Dark Empire (TPB), Rebel Force: Renegade and several more!

Love the EU? Join us for Legends Con in Burbank, CA on September 9th-10th!

YES! Got my hands on the Sperling & Kupfer edition of the Thrawn trilogy, which is in fact the first italian edition of Zahn's books:

(Actually, what you see here is the 1997 2nd printing of "Heir to the Empire", the 1997 3rd printing of "Dark Force Rising" and the very first edition of "The Last Command". "Heir to the Empire" was first published in Italy in 1992.)

Second book's title's been adapted in italian as "Challenge to the New Republic" which, I'm honest here, I really like ^^ Looks like "Dark Force Rising" is a challenge in itself to get translated... I don't think it ever got translated literally in any language.

Plus, I also got the 2012 italian edition of "Heir to the Empire", that prints the 20th Anniversary Special Edition:

So I can finally say I've got all the 2012 Multiplayer edition of the trilogy. "Heir to the Empire" was the only one I was missing, and now it's not missing anymore!

And my Empire shelf's getting more and more crowded... ❤️

Mara Jade, deadly at every scale