DarthMRN:

Nyah! My cheapness has finally paid off. Evil Never Dies for free! Mohahaha!

Thank you, Abel!

You rascal! Hope you like it.

the fragrant wookiee:

In fact, what prompted me to ask (and, in fact, the reason I've relapsed into my Star Wars addiction) was that I read an interview in which you said you'd been impressed with 'The Clone Wars: Wild Space' and so I decided to read it.

That's terrific. I'm glad you enjoyed that novel. Karen Miller did a fine job of creating a meaningful backstory between Obi-Wan and Bail that, IMO, satisfied expectations from that simple throwaway in A New Hope: "General Kenobi, years ago you served my father in the Clone Wars...."

I really enjoyed it and not just because I'm a big Obi-Wan fan (I still maintain that of all the major Jedi he's the one with the best character development - brash youth to earnest learner to pithy Knight to whimsical Master to cynical old man). After a bit of thought I realised that it was because in that time period, when the Sith number just two, it's actually when the Jedi are most under threat from their old enemies.

I think the "Sith are legion" motif works for the videogame medium, and they've been playing that up pretty strongly the last few years. I think it was warranted for the Legacy series too, because we hadn't seem something like that in print, and why should gamers have all the fun? But I agree with you that the Clone Wars TV series, especially as the seasons have progressed, has done a fantastic job of balancing a variety of villainy. One of my favorite examples is the episode with Ziro the Hutt and Sy Snootles.

Definitely. That's why I still love the General Grievous of the Clone Wars micro-series; the Jedi are genuinely terrified of him.

I miss that too.

darthmilo77:

Chopped Gungan heyblibber, more like.

Why, I oughta....!

Alan Skywalker V:

Got the link fixed, but now I've hit another snag. Every time I click on a story, I get a short synopsis and then the "redeem code" and "sign in" boxes below. What gives?

If you were able to see Evil Never Dies, then you should be able to view the other stories. Here, at least, are the links to my starwars.com works:

Evil Never Dies: The Sith Dynasties: http://www.starwars.com/hyperspace/member/insideronline/88/indexp2.html
The Story of General Grievous: Lord of War: http://www.starwars.com/hyperspace/member/insideronline/86/indexp2.html
Underworld Appendix: Swoops, Spice and Wretched Rogues: http://www.starwars.com/hyperspace/member/insideronline/89/indexp3.html
Droids, Technology, and the Force: A Clash of Phenomena: http://www.starwars.com/hyperspace/member/insideronline/81/indexp7.html
Aliens in the Empire Part I: http://www.starwars.com/hyperspace/member/insideronline/96/indexp2.html
Aliens in the Empire Part 2: http://www.starwars.com/hyperspace/member/insideronline/97/indexp4.html

Abel

Chopped Gungan heyblibber, more like.


Great, thanks for the link!


You have to delete the space that's somewhere in the URL. For some reason, these boards break links that way.

I agree that the Sith are good villains if used sparingly.

In fact, what prompted me to ask (and, in fact, the reason I've relapsed into my Star Wars addiction) was that I read an interview in which you said you'd been impressed with 'The Clone Wars: Wild Space' and so I decided to read it.
I really enjoyed it and not just because I'm a big Obi-Wan fan (I still maintain that of all the major Jedi he's the one with the best character development - brash youth to earnest learner to pithy Knight to whimsical Master to cynical old man). After a bit of thought I realised that it was because in that time period, when the Sith number just two, it's actually when the Jedi are most under threat from their old enemies.

Creating non-Force-sensitive villains that are a genuine threat takes more creativity, but the payoff to producing a Thrawn or Cad Bane, or the betrayal by the clones in Revenge of the Sith, is that such characters and scenes are that much more fascinating and memorable.

Definitely. That's why I still love the General Grievous of the Clone Wars micro-series; the Jedi are genuinely terrified of him.

Thanks for your thoughts Abel. Always a pleasure.

the fragrant wookiee:

*Hey Abel! Long time, no see! (Looks like we've both been away for a while).

Very glad to see that you've got another SW project in the works (I recently re-read 'Evil Never Dies' and had forgotten just how cool it is!).*

Nice hearing from you, fragrant wook! Thanks for the kind words. I think Evil Never Dies has aged reasonably well.

In fact (and I may be showing my age here), I remember when Vader was referred to as the Dark Lord of the Sith before anyone (except maybe Mr. Lucas) had any idea who or what the Sith were, let alone the fact that the Emperor was one too.

That's absolutely right. Originally, Vader was the only "Dark Lord of the Sith," and the reason why Timothy Zahn had initially planned to introduce the Noghri as the Sith.

I did have a question for you Mr. Pena, if I may... How do you feel about the recent proliferation of the Sith in Star Wars fiction?
Since the conclusion of the prequels raised the apparent embargo on using the Sith, they've been popping up everywhere in increasing numbers; the One Sith, the Lost Tribe, Knight Errant and soon TOR.
I'd like to think that we have a similar fascination for yin/yang nature of the Sith and Jedi and I can't help but feel that their overuse will only lower their impact as antagonists. Might I ask your thoughts?

Sure. I agree that the Sith are good villains if used sparingly. For that reason, I think it's important to create non-Sith villains -- like the Yuuzhan Vong, the Killiks, and Grievous -- that can represent a genuine challenge to the Jedi. Creating non-Force-sensitive villains that are a genuine threat takes more creativity, but the payoff to producing a Thrawn or Cad Bane, or the betrayal by the clones in Revenge of the Sith, is that such characters and scenes are that much more fascinating and memorable.

darthmilo77:

Welcome back, tfw!

Hey! What am I, chopped Gungan liver?

Alan Skywalker V:

I, too, hope the Hyperspace stuff will be made available to all. I came into Star Wars when I was already in my teens and never got the chance to subscribe to Hyperspace. I didn't have money to spend on it.

You might check again, Alan. I believe it is. I can currently access all the previously exclusive fiction. Try this link for Evil Never Dies and this one for other Hyperspace fiction.

Abel

Thanks!
The GFFA has changed a bit since I last looked (lots more clones, Sith, zombies and Obi-Wan's ex-girlfriends!), so a bit of catching up to do...

Hey Abel! Long time, no see! (Looks like we've both been away for a while).

Very glad to see that you've got another SW project in the works (I recently re-read 'Evil Never Dies' and had forgotten just how cool it is!).

although, it should be noted, Vader and Maul are both referred to as "Dark Lords" in expanded universe materials

In fact (and I may be showing my age here), I remember when Vader was referred to as the Dark Lord of the Sith before anyone (except maybe Mr. Lucas) had any idea who or what the Sith were, let alone the fact that the Emperor was one too.
I rather like Drew Karpyshyn's idea that the 'Darth' name/title is a statement of supremacy. That would certainly fit Bandon who is, after all, second only to the absolute ruler of the Sith Empire.

I did have a question for you Mr. Pena, if I may... How do you feel about the recent proliferation of the Sith in Star Wars fiction?
Since the conclusion of the prequels raised the apparent embargo on using the Sith, they've been popping up everywhere in increasing numbers; the One Sith, the Lost Tribe, Knight Errant and soon TOR.
I'd like to think that we have a similar fascination for yin/yang nature of the Sith and Jedi and I can't help but feel that their overuse will only lower their impact as antagonists. Might I ask your thoughts?

And one more question about Bandon, it appears that all other JCW-era Sith with the "Darth" title were Sith Lords. I noticed in the section on the Sith in the Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide that it called Bandon a Sith Lord, but it makes no mention of this in his actual entry. Is he a Sith Lord, or not? Thanks or reading as always, Mr. Peña.

Hey Mr. Peña, how've you been? There's something I've been meaning to ask you about Darth Bandon. Was "Bandon" his actual name? I was wondering about this since the other Jedi Civil War Darths--Revan, Malak, and Voren--all kept the names they went by as Jedi, so is this true in Bandon's case? Thanks in advance for your response.

I can't say much right now, but I'll be wrapping it up very soon.

Would that be the Essential Readers Guide??

And Leia's Teras Kasi staff as an electrostaff? That, sir, is one of the most ingenious uses of retcon I've EVER seen!
Glad I could help with that. One trick to good retconning is to incorporate a new source into an older source whenever possible to breathe new life into it
The old rule of thumb for a good retcon is to use something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.* At least, I think that's what it's a rule of thumb for...

Just wanted to say that I've now reread Evil Never Dies and Droids, Technology, and the Force, and they were every bit as good as I'd remembered. In all honesty, I doubt I ever would have reread them in their entirety had they remained on the site uninterrupted (though I'm certain I would have skimmed and reread parts). Very glad to have given them another full read!

*Actually, the latest Dark Times arc just might have fulfilled that....

Edited by: Master Ki-Aaron-Mundi on Jul 21, 2010 11:34 PM