Saturday 13 March 2010

Star Wars Legacy: Rogue's End + Stormtroopers















Still a bit of catching up to do on Legacy. With the current four part arc on it's penultimate issue I want to get these done so I can post these at least vaguely current in the future. I have this and another stand-alone to cover, and I'm also going to carry on looking at different parts of the Sith Empire while I do so.

Story Review

The story begins during the Sith-Imperial War that shook the galaxy and brought Darth Krayt to power. On the planet Botajef the Mandalorians, hired by the Galactic Alliance, fight a brutal war against the Empire, which they are slowly losing due to the lack of GA reinforcements. Hondo Karr, confidant to Mandalore himself investigates the problem to find that Yaga Auchs, a leading Mandalorian, has betrayed them, sabotaging the communication centre on the order of his 'master'.
Karr is knocked out and wakes up to find the battle lost, Mandalore dead and Auchs leading their forces in retreat. Karr gets into stormtrooper armour to survive and Vevec, his friend, sacrifices his life to give him a convincing alibi. Karr is recruited into Joker Squad.

As we know from previous stories Karr left Joker Squad and joined Rogue Squadron. The squad prepare for their latest mission, rescuing Mon Calamari refugees in hiding on the Hutt world of Napdu. Karr and new squad leader Anj Dahl land on the planet disguised as traders. They meet up with Azzim the Hutt who is actually an ally of theirs and hatch a plan to evacuate the refugees.
Since bounty hunters know about the refugees and plan to use them to find the GA fleet Rogue Squadron go to defend the decoy freighters, drawing the attention of the hunters. All goes to plan until Tes Vevec, daughter of Karr's friend (and also his wife!) crashes the party seeking to avenge the apparent murder of her father. Eventually Karr convinces her that Auchs is a traitor and the mission is a success, but Karr leaves to restore justice to the Mandalorians.

My Two Credits

This was always a bit of a fan-pleaser as is anything involving the Mandalorians. But it was good to get a bit of insight into the Sith-Imperial war, which we haven't seen too much of. The issue was very fast-paced, almost too much so with so much to cram in, but this is fairly inevitable with one-parters. Still it accomplished what it set out to do, a daring mission for the GA, good backstory and development of one of the more interesting side characters.

There was also a triumph in Azzim, the Legacy team have created likeable and 'good' Hutt characters and not just a bunch of Jabba clones.

Map

Again my new venture thanks to the essential atlas - showing where things go on in the galaxy.





















Stormtroopers

It would be logical, I suppose, to cover the Mandalorians in conjuncture with this post, but I'm a methodical man and so I'm going to continue highlighting personalities of the Sith Empire. This post it's stormtroopers, who have been the backbone of the Empire since it's founding. While the Sith takeover has caused tensions and divisions that vast majority of the men in white are loyal to the throne, these are some of the ones who have featured so far.

Kiefer

Species: Human
Position: Lieutenant (Stormtrooper Corps)
First Appearance: Legacy #3 (Broken, part 3)






This lieutenant served Lord Krayt's forces on Bastion. Unbeknown to him, a large number of forces still loyal to Roan Fel had been secretly rotated to Bastion. When Fel arrived with his Imperial Knights to claim the world Kiefer resisted, trying to incite the stormtroopers to be loyal to the throne, but was instead shot and killed when attempting to arrest the former emperor.

Ran Harkas
Species: Human
Position: Sergeant (407th Division)
First Appearance: Legacy #4 (Noob)






Nicknamed 'Hardcase' by his men, Ran Harkas was a long-serving stormtrooper known for his demanding nature, but more for his determination to get his men trough battle alive. He was in command of 'Joker Squad' and had good relations with the lieutenant in charge of their unit. He served in the battle of Botajef, surviving against the Mandalorians and recruiting ex-Mandalorian Hondo Karr into his squad. He faced his toughest trial when ordered to Borosk to fight the 908th division who were loyal to Fel, the difficult battle made harder by their leader Darth Maleval. Despite questioning their orders he has stayed loyal to the Empire and was assigned to investigate Ossus by Darth Stryfe.

Gil Cassel
Species: Human
Position: Lieutenant (407th Division)
First Appearance: Legacy#4 (Noob)





Cassel was a leading officer in the battle of Borosk, which pitted stormtrooper against stormtrooper in a bid to stop force loyal to Fel. The lieutenant was brave and led from the front, though his option of accepting surrender drew negative attention from Darth Maleval and caused them to question their orders. Maleval ordered him to execute his own brother, an officer in the renegade forces. He refused and was executed by the Sith.

Anson Trask
Species: Human
Position: Stormtrooper (407th Division)
First Appearance: Legacy#4 (Noob)






Trask joined through 'continuity of service' which allowed him to join his father's unit. His first combat was the tragic battle of Borosk which forced him to fight other stormtroopers. He struggled with this until he found purpose in defending his squad. This continued when he shot and killed Darth Maleval who killed Cassel and was attacking Hondo Karr. Despite his actions he has remained in the Empire and was in the scouting mission on Ossus.

Jes Gistang
Species: Human
Position: Stormtrooper (407th Division)
First Appearance: Legacy#4 (Noob)






Gistang was recruited through the Imperial Mission on Corellia, who offered her better choices than she had on her own. She was the squad's heavy weapon specialist and closest friend of Anson Trask during the battle, helping him get settled. She was killed when a stray blaster bolt hit the power paks for her heavy weapon.

Vax Potorr
Species: Human
Position: Stormtrooper (40th Division)
First Appearance: Legacy#4 (Noob)






Potorr joined the Empire early on in the war because of his hate of the Yuuzhan Vong. Formerly an underdweller on Coruscant where the effects of the invaders are felt most strongly he found his skills worked well in the forces, he was able to trade supplies within the division to get the best gear and was nimble and good at evading danger. He served in the Battle of Botajef where he killed Vevec and later fought in the Borosk encounter. He was killed when he stepped on a mine while taking out a turret.

Well that's pretty much it - Armang and Kniffler were part of Joker Squad during the battle of Botajef and either transferred or died after the war. Orland was a new recruit to the squad, present during the search on Ossus.

As you've seen most of the corps are still human, but aliens can serve in the Stormtroopers and a few have been spotted here and there, including this guy...














Well that's it for now - expect more Legacy this month.

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