Star Wars Legacy #23-24: Updates and Review

Star Wars Legacy 23-24 (Loyalties)

I bought these two issues together and since they form a two part story I'll review them together also. The issues actually feature the Imperial Knights a lot, but I'll skim over those bits and go into more detail when I do the second Imperial Knight post a bit later. These issues return to the story of Cade Skywalker after a brief sojourn to look at the Galactic Alliance, and they take place during and after the time of Darth Krayt's retribution. But first - some updates...

Sith Updates

Darth Maladi

While Lord Krayt is away on "business" at Dac, she is keeping the fort at the Sith temple and continuing the hunt for Skywalker as well as supervising the recovery of injured Sith. She contacted and recruited Rav, Cade's former boss, who gave her a report of a sighting and promised to give her more information.

Darth Talon and Darth Nihl

Both are alive and undergoing Bacta treatment at the Sith Temple. Nihl appears to be regenerating his arm, whether this is Nagai physiology or some new technology is unclear.

Jedi Updates

No word still on Cade's friends, but a new ally has shown up in a surprising place, and with an even more surprising name!!

Nat Skywalker

Species: Human
Sex: Male
Homeworld: Unknown
Position: Jedi Knight, Chief Mechanic, Selonian Shipyards
First Appearance: Legacy #23 (Loyalties, part 1)







Older brother to Kol Skywalker and uncle to Cade, Nat left the order for reasons he hasn't decided to share with anyone. He accepted that his brother was more poweful and a better leader and was confident to leave the Skywalker name on his shoulders. He was aware of Kol's relationship with Imperial spy Morrigan Corde and helped rasie Cade while Kol was away on missions. He settled for an ordinary life, being a skilled mechanic and weapons maker. He married and became father to three children, including a disabled Cathar he rescued from slavers and brought into his home, building cybernetic legs for him. Keeping his powers a secret from his children, but not his wife, he still managed to stay strong in the force though some skills, such as mind tricks, faded over time. But things were going to change when Cade came crashing at his door once again.

Ok I'll now move on to the story - I guess technically I should to a Cade update, but that pretty much is the story so I'll just get on and tell it shall I?!

Review

Cade shows up at Rav's, his former Pirate master's stronghold. Rav sold his crew out to the Sith and impounded the ship of Chak and Kee, friends who had lent their ship to Cade's crew when he took the Mynock. Cade fought down Rav's guards and crew and demanded that he release the ship and swear loyalty to him. This Rav did, though he quickly passed the news on to Sith Lord Darth Maladi. After making up with Blue, who was still angry with him for his pseudo-relationship with Darth Talon, they decided to head for "Rawk's Nest" home to Bantha Rawk and family, who had always given them safe harbour. On arrival they encountered crime syndicate Black Sun, who were trying to extort protection money from Rawk. The crew helped fight off Black Sun's fighters and speeders before joining their friends. In the action they missed a ship landing not far away, a bounty hunter's ship that had followed them from Rav's.
The crew relaxed, enjoying good food and good company. But Cade had things to talk about with Rawk, who confronted him about his raid on the Sith temple and other events. Cade bit back by mentioning his mother and asking Rawk for what he knew...back when he bore the name Skywalker. They were interrupted by the news of the slaughter on Dac and a terrorist alert put out for a man named Cade Skywalker. Cade was grieved at the danger he'd put his friends in and even resorted to using deathsticks to sleep, much to the annoyance of his force ghost anscestors. In his drugged stupour he was ambushed by the masked bounty hunter, who was in turn attacked by Rawk, both of them manifesting force powers. When the conflict was over the hunter revealed herself to be Azlyn Rae, who knew Cade form the Jedi temple when they were apprentices together. But their reunion was shortlived when the Imperials attacked. They were tricked into leaving, but the situation was dark - Cade decided the only solution would be to kill Darth Krayt and collapse the Sith order - to do that he'd need help, and a secret temple of the Jedi would be just the place to get it, and Rawk just happened to know the way. They got some reast after the events, apart from Azlyn Rae - who had her own agenda.

Want to find out more - keep reading the blog...please!

My Two Credits

Well this has been quite a long post, but the double issue excuses me I hope. These were really good issues and a welcome return for series artist Jan Duursema who did a great job of illustrating all the new characters and ships that appeared in this story. This was a fantastic piece with plenty of twists and surprises to keep the reader's attention the whole way through. Legacy is always great, but these issues were particularly good I thought. The new characters were easy to get to know over only a few pages and the dramatic consequences of a short trip home were brilliant. I can't wait for the next issue - with a hidden temple there's bound to be plenty of new Jedi for me to ramble on about! More on the Imperial Knights soon, but I'll try and slot in a power trip as well - variety's the spice of life eh?