– Spoiler Review –
As the Resistance recovers from their deadly losses on Crait and the galaxy struggles with the First Order’s swift expansion, one Jedi-to-be and her reluctant Master that never was a Jedi must find a way forward from pasts that haunt them both. Star Wars: Legacy by Madeleine Roux doesn’t hold back on exploring the traumas Rey and Leia have faced, and what lays before them still, resulting in an emotional, stunning, and deep character exploration also packing in plenty of heart, humor, and comments on the world we face today. Plus, there’s the added bonus it stitches up more of the sequel trilogy era to make it feel fuller than ever before.
Legacy is highly focused on Rey and Leia in this time between* The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker, concerning itself with their emotional journeys first and foremost, as well as some new characters I didn’t quite gel with at first but was invested in before long. It comes with a sneaky bonus feature too, connecting lingering threads in the sequel era. Yet Legacy also concerns itself with what comes next, after the Resistance and the First Order make their final confrontation, offering some glimpses and hints at what could be, making Legacy a fulfilling book for fans who want both more time with the characters and exciting/interesting lore. Fans who have read Adam Christopher’s Shadow of the Sith will find a very similar experience in Legacy, as they both effortlessly make the sequel trilogy feel even more cohesive than it might first appear while telling an engaging story focused on its characters, which makes the connections between the two books all the more thrilling and gratifying.
As for what exactly Legacy is all about, Rey is struggling with being the Jedi everyone, from her friends, the Resistance, to the galaxy, needs her to be against what she wants and her own self doubts, which had only compounded after the events of The Last Jedi. This inner journey takes shape in a quest, which Leia decides to join, to repair the Skywalker lightsaber, shattered in the aftermath of the battle in Snoke’s throne room. The General has her own struggles to deal with, as her closest family is all dead, her son is still lost, and nothing quite turned out the way she ever could’ve wanted or hoped. She knows Rey needs someone, but doesn’t believe she’s going to be much help, yet she tags along for the journey to try. They head to Tython, a planet steeped in the Jedi Order’s history, to explore a rumored forge to help repair the saber, though the temple they uncover, and the refugees who’ve made camp nearby, bring even more obstacles to hurdle. Amongst the group on Tython are two individuals wanted by the First Order for the attempted murder of Major Wolstenholme on Hays Minor (Rose Tico’s homeworld!), who represent the larger galaxy’s attempts to fight against the First Order’s encroaching rule as those who normally save the day, like the Resistance, New Republic, and Jedi, are gone or licking their wounds. Once they realize who Rey and Leia are, tensions run high as questions fly, not helping Rey or Leia with how they feel about their choices so far. We also follow the very Major who survived the assassination attempt (thanks to Supreme Leader Kylo Ren of al people…), as she quests to find those responsible and stumbles into a much larger reality the blinders of the First Order haven’t quite prepared her for. Thankfully, the cast of characters amongst the refugees offers some fun and humor along the way too, with the number one star Meepka stealing the show. As I said earlier, I wasn’t initially a fan of the new characters like Gav and Ziff, as I really was hyped for focusing on Rey and Leia and was surprised how much we followed the other point-of-views, but they grew on me by the end and I appreciate the way Roux makes them both complex on their own, but vital to help us see the two main characters in a different light, all while talking about the world around us readers as well. In short, I loved this book more than I expected, even though I was very damn hyped!
Books with Rey as a point-of-view have been limited, especially when you take out the film adaptations, so between the handful of books and comics out there and Daisey Ridley’s portrayal so far, writer Madeleine Roux had both plenty of room to build it as she pleased and a lot of pressure to get it right. With Legacy, it felt to me Roux set the gold standard for Rey’s internal dialogue, but should anyone really be surprised?! It helps Roux has such a lush tapestry of emotions to pull from due to all the recent events and what she can foreshadow, and while Justina Ireland did more than fantastic in Spark of the Resistance, Legacy has the ability to look back, to the very near future, and explore what lies even beyond what we already know. Mixing those things together offers Roux the space she needs to properly explore Rey’s journey so far, and even though it takes place before TRoS, it’s easy to see how Rey might be feeling and dealing with those events afterwards upon reading Legacy. Roux accomplishes this by focusing on Rey’s sense of loneliness and the mounting pressure to bring light back to the galaxy, but as far as she’s come, she feels like she’s back in the AT-AT on Jakku, alone with no one to guide her but herself and the darkness inside. Han Solo, who first took a liking to her and offered her a place with him exploring the galaxy, is dead. Luke Skywalker, who was dealing with his own struggles ended up not being the Jedi Master she hoped for, is dead too. And Kylo Ren, or better yet the Ben Solo inside, who offered her a hand, who listened to her when no one else would, betrayed her trust for his own wants and gains. She she has Finn, Poe, Rose, and even Leia, but in her mind, none of them can offer her what she needs, to show her her place in all this. Yet it’s Leia who steps up, even as she faces her own doubts, to try and offer what she can, but with her limited knowledge and her connection to the boy who hurt Rey when she was her most vulnerable, something they haven’t yet discussed, the Master and Apprentice pairing goes worse than even a grumpy Luke managed. Rey dives into the mystery of the temple they discover on Tython instead, and the lives of those who once called it home before something tragically went awry, rather than force Leia to focus on training her or talk about the masked man in the room. Through Rey and Leia’s journey of learning how to trust and rely on one another, and the story of Tython’s temple’s past, Roux digs into Rey’s complicated and looming goal of rebuilding the Jedi Order and being the hero she thinks the galaxy wants from her, plus also confronting the darkness she harbors inside, the part of her which gives into anger, to the promises of a broken young man, and pushes out of hiding all her doubts. While Rey deals with this darkness internally, her mind revisiting her time on Jakku in intriguing ways, but also in conversations with Leia and the others around them, and learning about the story of Tython’s past, Roux adds a nice, short, yet absolutely sweet surprise to the mix for helping Rey confront her darkness. It’s in a chapter about just over halfway through the book, as Rey climbs her way alone through Tython’s cold mountains, and it left me sobbing in the happiest way possible. I had to keep putting Legacy down just to get through the chapter, wiping away all the happy sobbing tears, as while there are some similar tear-inducing moments with Leia’s sections, Roux’s choice to help Rey see what ignoring the darkness inside can lead to was stunning and perfect. Damn, I need to stop thinking about it before I sob more! Needless to say, one can see how Rey, despite what she’ll learn about her heritage by TRoS, will make the right choice and not falter when she needs to.
Already feeling like she’s on her heels, defensive on all fronts and incapable of living up to all the expectations, the exploits of the two would-be assassins Gav and Ziff, trying to do anything as the galaxy crumbles before the rise of the First Order, puts Rey even further back in a corner. Not only does she doubt herself, but now here are two people she’s just met who doubt in her too, seeing her exploration of the temple as an excuse to hide rather than fight or do anything. But there’s also the friendly group they are with, led by Gav’s estranged father, who is a member of the Church of the Force, and made up of individuals fleeing the First Order, representing Rey and Leia’s self-perceived failures. Yet putting Rey in conflict with and amongst denizens of the galaxy, we get to see how far her capacity for kindness really goes, while it also helps her mull on the Jedi Order’s future in unexpected ways that I really hope to see in the post-TRoS galaxy. In fact, I’ve made it a personal head-canon Roux was given a sneak peek at what stories they have in store for Starfighter and beyond, that’s how badly I want Rey’s revelations and ideas to come true. Overall, the story about what happened to the temple and those in it, which is played out via recovered holo logs, what darkness Rey and team find inside amongst its ruins, and how she comes away from the experience is an exceptional journey Roux takes the character on. I really hope she’ll get a chance to return and write more Rey, whether it’s to bring us up to speed on some of the happenings ahead of her (still hopefully happening) New Jedi Order film, something during the timeframe after TRoS, or even if that Hunt of Ben Solo story still needs to be told at one point, Roux has my vote as best fitted for the job!
With such a great journey for Rey, can Roux pull off the same for Leia in Legacy, too? It’s almost hard to believe, though not really, but what Roux does for Rey, she does for Leia as well, handily, diving as deep as fans could hope, and then some. Leia has seen and been through a lot, but it’s been one big loss after another lately, with the peace she worked so hard to maintain shattered and her only resistance to the new order struggling to survive, her husband dead, her brother passed, and her son lost and feeling even more so with every day. And yet she’s still here, fighting through it all, exhausted as she may be as the final Skywalker, with a young Jedi searching for guidance and Leia all fresh out of confidence she’s worthy of the job, as her choice not to be a Jedi and her son’s own fall remaining looming specters. Roux manages to unpack these heartbreaking things and, just like with Rey, show promises of the future, of what could be if Leia finds her own hope again along the way in Legacy, a bittersweetness with the knowledge of both of the character and real-life figure’s passing which makes appearances in TRoS work even better. Much of what troubles Leia takes the form of a reoccurring dream, an alternate series of events which prevents all the terrible things she’s recently dealt with from happening, and the first time we see it I was almost tricked into believing it, it’s such a compelling and exciting thing to see. Yet what type of danger it holds, of focusing on the road not taken, on what could’ve been, rather than what has happened, and what’s still in front of you, is the more thrilling part Roux takes advantage of and uses to really capture Leia in a fresh and emotional way. It’s a very relatable feeling, to wonder what could’ve been, and Leia’s own temptations with it and how she comes around to be what Rey and the galaxy once again needs is almost worth the price of admission alone. We also get to see some vital moments and expansions on stuff only hinted at, be it Leia and Luke training on Ajan Kloss, her learning some important details about Rey, and even a talk her and Rey have desperately needed to have, yet these big moments work so well in Legacy because they serve the character more than just to mark off some checklists, as they help her deal with all that’s happened and how to push forward. And like I said, while a moment in Rey’s story left me sobbing, there are several instances throughout Leia’s which had me tearing up, a little at first, then leading into full on crying, as Roux captures a certain dynamic so damn well, it left me unbelievably happy we got these scenes finally. So many happy tears! While it’s understandable The Rise of Skywalker couldn’t provide more for Leia, anyone who has wanted more for her in the sequel era, in the vein of Bloodline but for all the new things uncovered since The Force Awakens, Legacy is all that and more, giving the character a fitting big showcase that makes her final bow all the more poetic.
Through the new characters like Gav, Ziff, the group of refugees, and Major Wolstenholme, connotations to the world around us abounds in Legacy. For starters, Major Wolstenholme (who briefly appears in Age of Resistance: Rose Tico) was probably the most surprisingly interesting character of Legacy for me. As I said before, it took me a moment to warm up to Gav and Ziff’s side of things, more due to my expectations, but I was eager for more of Brilla Wolstenholme’s chapters right away. It’s not only due to the wild journey she goes on, but also what her choices and story seem to say about fascism and what it does to the individuals inside its talons. After the failed assassination attempt, interrupted by Supreme Leader Kylo Ren, Wolstenholme is feverish to find the remaining responsible individuals, but the First Order seems eager for her to move on, posting her on a planet (first mentioned in the High Republic initiative) that leads to probably the most haunting part of Legacy written in a such a drawling yet manic way that what happens there seeps into readers’ bones. As we learn more about what transpired with the assassination attempt, Wolstenholme’s own past, and how she ended up with the First Order, while I never felt any sympathy for her choices, it paints a fully dimensional picture of the character that’s hard to look away from. Especially with how her story delves into the horrifying machine that is fascism, how it alienates its members from a normal society and the truth, projecting strength that’s only meant for a few not the many, its brittle foundations, and how and why people within its grasps might still pick it despite the veil being lifted. There hasn’t been a ton of time spent on the First Order and its Empire 2.0 aspects, nor from stories from individuals inside its cause, though The Last Order did some intriguing leg-work recently, so this helped flesh out the concepts of its rise and the contemporary political inspirations leading it to be part of the sequel trilogy’s story.
For Gav and Ziff, we get two different sides to the same coin, those who fight what they hate and those who save what they love, as Rose so wonderfully put it in The Last Jedi. They both start on the same side of the coin, relishing the anger over what Wolstenholme and the First Order did to their home, and relying on the grief over those who died in their attempt to kill her to sustain vengeance, but the presence of Rey and Leia changes everything. As one doubles down on fighting what they hate, growing angrier and more caustic the longer they’re all on Tython together, the other begins to wonder how he can save what he loves, understanding how important what Rey and Leia are doing can be, even if it’s not immediate action and vengeance like they so first desired. At the end of their tales in Legacy lies both a cautionary one regarding overzealous hatred of any enemy, even if they deserve it, and how important it is to share the message of resistance, to share the truth, no matter how prevalent or overwhelming the voices of tyranny and fascism can seem. I also found it very well done how Gav, Ziff, Wolstenholme, Rey, and Leia have and deal with their own unique trauma from Kylo Ren, sometimes bonding or growing from it, other times floundering and fracturing, and it shows how difficult and potentially fascinating a journey it would’ve been (or could still be…) for Ben Solo to make amends to the galaxy for his actions. As for how much or how little Kylo plays into the events of Legacy beyond a source of shared trauma, you’ll have to read it to find out, but fans of the character won’t be disappointed regardless.
Here are a few other things:
- I also was able to enjoy the audiobook version of Legacy, performed by Saskia Maarleveld! Maarleveld has played some smaller roles in recent full cast audiobook productions, leading to her biggest yet as Jedi Master Avar Kriss in Tempest Breaker, but now it’s all on her for Legacy. She really rises to the challenge, channeling a rather eerie, in a good way, take on Daisy Ridley’s voice for Rey, used only as when the character is speaking of course, but it gels well with her narration too. Her time as Leia works great too, and really makes certain banter-filled scenes hit with more laughs. Brilla is hoity-toity as you’d imagine a First Order truther would be, but I like how that sort of adjusts as her story waxes and wanes. And Meepka, she really makes it as cute as one imagines! Other aspects I liked about the production include: the screeching on a certain planet is thankfully not happening as much as it’s mentioned in the book, as it’s spooky here; exploration of the temple is very mythical and has a great sense of history with various music choices and echo-y voices, and a certain encounter inside plays and sounds as unsettling and as interesting as I imagined it; Chapter 47 is far more haunting in audio form. And remember the scene I mentioned where I sobbed, well, it doesn’t get any easier NOT to sob during the audiobook version, as the production’s choice for when a certain song kicks in during it, just as the chapter is coming to an end, is another doozy for the scene.
- *As for exactly where it takes place, it appears Legacy is set at least after Rebecca Roanhorse’s Resistance Reborn, which told the story of the Resistance’s struggles rebuilding its forces after Crait.
- It was nice to have little flashback moments to Rey interacting with Finn and Rose, though I still certainly missed the opportunity to have more time with them, but this was a nice consolation prize.
- Chewbacca, R2-D2, and C-3PO are all along for the ride, getting varying levels of involvement, and it felt like just enough.
- As of this posting, the gorgeous Inkstone version of the novel has yet to sell-out, so don’t forget to pre-order soon if you’re interested!
- If you’re wondering how Kylo’s been doing during this similar timeframe between films, look no further than the Legacy of Vader comic maxiseries and the upcoming The Fall of Kylo Ren miniseries!
- When Doctor Aphra visited Tython, using an ancient Jedi installation there to get out from under the thumb of Vader, we saw the snowy mountains, and when Din Djarin and Grogu visited, we saw the grassy plains and rocky hills, so I appreciated Legacy getting to show both aspects of the planet.
Madeleine Roux’s Star Wars: Legacy was easily my most anticipated release of the year and it handily lives up to and jaunts past those expectations, providing the sequel era with more context, taking Rey on an exceptional journey, handling Leia as absolutely needed for this timeframe, and imparting wisdom about the world around us that feels both very topical yet timeless.
+ Rey’s internal journey, from dealing with the darkness inside to the expectations of others, and teasing what could come next
+ Unpacking all that’s happened to Leia in a way the movies couldn’t, giving her final moments even more gravitas and heart
+ Exposing additional ways the First Order is topical to our world, and the dueling fates of Gav and Ziff with fighting what one hates and saving what one loves
+ All the damn happy tears from some unforgettable scenes
+ Tython and its mysteries
– Can take a moment to warm up to some of the new characters
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him and the website on Bluesky.
DISCLOSURE: I received a copy of this book from the publisher at no charge in order to provide an early review. However, this did not affect the overall review content. All opinions are my own.
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