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fandom4ever's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Star Wars Omnibus: Rise of the Sith collects six different stories that take place 38-33 BBY, six years to one year prior to Episode I: The Phantom Menace. A seventh story, Republic: Vow of Justice, takes place 88 and 67 BBY. It was really great to experience some stories that take place prior to the Sith revealing themselves. The Jedi are beginning to be pulled into battles that will lead into the greater war but they have yet to understand their meaning.
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan: The Aurorient Express (2002) (38 BBY: 6 years prior): 3/5 The art isn’t the greatest, it’s too cartoonish, but doesn’t completely remove you from the story. There were also quite a few too many Earth terms in this story which were very jarring; I have no idea why they were allowed. But overall, this is a fun little adventure with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan.
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan: Last Stand on Ord Mantell (2000-2001) (37 BBY: 5 years prior): 4/5 This was quite an interesting story with the Republic wanting the planet Vena to join them. Qui-Gon is caught in the middle of things when it turns out he has a history with the Baroness Omnino. There’s some humor between Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon that I appreciated, as it totally fits with the characters’ personalities as witnessed in the Jedi Apprentice series. I wish there had been a bit more to the background of the imposter, but overall the moral questions the story asked were powerful.
Aurra’s Song (2000) (36 BBY, with flashbacks: 4 years prior): 5/5 A short piece on the bounty hunter, Aurra Sing’s background. An interesting first look that is expanded upon in a few other comics and a book.
Jedi Council: Acts of War (2000) (33 BBY: 1 year prior): 5/5 This really starts getting into the behind the scenes machinations of Darth Sidious and thus leads into one of the first real battles the Jedi enter into prior to the Clone Wars. It’s really interesting to see the Council have to make decisions that involve possibly losing Jedi and maybe, just maybe, these conflicts are something larger at work. This story also has Ki-Adi-Mundi being considered as a candidate for the Jedi Council.
Star Wars 1-6 (1998) (33 BBY: 1 year prior): 5/5 I took this story as pretty much happening concurrently with the Acts of War storyline. It takes place on Ki-Adi-Mundi’s homeworld of Cerea where they are having problems with Republic representatives trying to insist on Cerea joining the rest of the galaxy. They try to say that the people of Cerea are backwards for not embracing all the technology that could be at their disposal but read further and there is something darker at work. It’s an interesting game of politics that Ki finds himself right in the center of. I found myself feeling with Ki’s predicament and wondering how the story would play out!
Republic: Vow of Justice (1998) (88 and 67 BBY): 5/5 The backstory of Ki-Adi-Mundi; how he became a Jedi and his first real mission as a Jedi Knight. A shorter story but a good one that shows Ki learning a lesson about the difference between revenge and justice.
Darth Maul 1-4 (2000) (33 BBY: 1 year prior): 5/5 Darth Sidious is beginning to put into motion the blockade of Naboo and doesn’t wish to have interference so he sends Darth Maul to cause chaos amongst the crime syndicate of Black Sun. This story is mostly action-focused but you really get to see Darth Maul’s viciousness and his complete dedication to Sidious. Plus, the end battle Maul has with Black Sun’s leader’s bodyguard is great!
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book if you can get your hands on it. These stories do a wonderful job of expanding the story leading up to Episode I: The Phantom Menace.
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan: The Aurorient Express (2002) (38 BBY: 6 years prior): 3/5 The art isn’t the greatest, it’s too cartoonish, but doesn’t completely remove you from the story. There were also quite a few too many Earth terms in this story which were very jarring; I have no idea why they were allowed. But overall, this is a fun little adventure with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan.
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan: Last Stand on Ord Mantell (2000-2001) (37 BBY: 5 years prior): 4/5 This was quite an interesting story with the Republic wanting the planet Vena to join them. Qui-Gon is caught in the middle of things when it turns out he has a history with the Baroness Omnino. There’s some humor between Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon that I appreciated, as it totally fits with the characters’ personalities as witnessed in the Jedi Apprentice series. I wish there had been a bit more to the background of the imposter, but overall the moral questions the story asked were powerful.
Aurra’s Song (2000) (36 BBY, with flashbacks: 4 years prior): 5/5 A short piece on the bounty hunter, Aurra Sing’s background. An interesting first look that is expanded upon in a few other comics and a book.
Jedi Council: Acts of War (2000) (33 BBY: 1 year prior): 5/5 This really starts getting into the behind the scenes machinations of Darth Sidious and thus leads into one of the first real battles the Jedi enter into prior to the Clone Wars. It’s really interesting to see the Council have to make decisions that involve possibly losing Jedi and maybe, just maybe, these conflicts are something larger at work. This story also has Ki-Adi-Mundi being considered as a candidate for the Jedi Council.
Star Wars 1-6 (1998) (33 BBY: 1 year prior): 5/5 I took this story as pretty much happening concurrently with the Acts of War storyline. It takes place on Ki-Adi-Mundi’s homeworld of Cerea where they are having problems with Republic representatives trying to insist on Cerea joining the rest of the galaxy. They try to say that the people of Cerea are backwards for not embracing all the technology that could be at their disposal but read further and there is something darker at work. It’s an interesting game of politics that Ki finds himself right in the center of. I found myself feeling with Ki’s predicament and wondering how the story would play out!
Republic: Vow of Justice (1998) (88 and 67 BBY): 5/5 The backstory of Ki-Adi-Mundi; how he became a Jedi and his first real mission as a Jedi Knight. A shorter story but a good one that shows Ki learning a lesson about the difference between revenge and justice.
Darth Maul 1-4 (2000) (33 BBY: 1 year prior): 5/5 Darth Sidious is beginning to put into motion the blockade of Naboo and doesn’t wish to have interference so he sends Darth Maul to cause chaos amongst the crime syndicate of Black Sun. This story is mostly action-focused but you really get to see Darth Maul’s viciousness and his complete dedication to Sidious. Plus, the end battle Maul has with Black Sun’s leader’s bodyguard is great!
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book if you can get your hands on it. These stories do a wonderful job of expanding the story leading up to Episode I: The Phantom Menace.
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