The Empire is on its last legs, but the New Republic faces major challenges when a specter of the past – Grand Admiral Thrawn himself – and clone armies rise against them. Join the Legendary Adventures today as we read the Hand of Thrawn duology!
Somehow, Grand Admiral Thrawn has returned.
Or, at least, that’s the word around town. The news could not have come at a worse time for the New Republic, who have recently become embroiled within their own conflicts. The Bothans, a species that pledged itself to the Rebellion and became instrumental in stopping the second Death Star, have been implicated in Imperial atrocities. Apparently, a few Bothans helped the Empire commit war crimes on a planet called Caamas. Leia Organa, recently stepping down from the position of Chief of State after the Centerpoint Crisis, finds partial evidence of this in the Caamasi Documents. Though she does not have the complete set, she does seek to find them all.
In other parts of the galaxy, the Imperial Remnant considers their fate, as well. Hampered by recent loses in campaigns led by Admirals Thrawn and Daala, and Warlords like Zsinj, Grand Admiral Pallaeon brings together a Mofference to decide whether or not to sign a peace treaty with the New Republic. Even old Imperial projects, like the Eye of Palpatine, were discovered and destroyed. It seems as if the best the Remnant can hope for is a treaty that allows them to exist as they are now, bringing an end to the Galactic Civil War. One Moff, Vilim Disra, refuses to go along with Pallaeon’s plan and hatches one of his own. First, he would use the legacy of Thrawn to their advantage. Disra’s plan starts with documents held by Thrawn that ensured the loyalty of key parts of the Empire. He then dresses a man named Flim as Thrawn, a convincing double that makes the galaxy believe the Chiss is still alive. Second, he fans the flame of controversy that embroils the New Republic with the Bothans, hopefully weakening both.
But, as it turns out, Thrawn’s legacy has survived on its own, apart from Vilim. Luke tracks down a pirate gang which he senses to be Spaarti-technology clones, which are the very same type of clone as Joruus C’baoth, the crazed-clone of a dead Jedi Master. Luke winds up with Talon Karrde and Mara Jade again, Mara and Luke working together, almost against her will. Almost. As Mara picks up transmissions from strange TIE fighters that broadcast the name of Thrawn, Luke has visions of Mara in grave danger. The two, along with R2-D2, wind up on a planet called Nirauan. There, they found a palace run by Chiss warriors. As more and more remote species groups find their way into the known galaxy (like the Hapans), the New Republic’s safety is threatened more and more. Concurrently, Leia and Han Solo come across Spaarti clones working as farmers. These clones would prefer to be left to their farming, and not brought back into the war they were created for, so Leia offers them relief if they would give up the location of Bastion.
These events lead to two unlikely partnerships being brought together. The search for the Caamasi documents and the revelation of Bastion finally bring the Empire and the New Republic to negotiations. Leia offers the location of Bastion while Pallaeon offers to help find the entirety of the Caamasi documents. As the Bothan world of Bothuwai is bombarded by Imperial off-shoots, the Empire led by Pallaeon and the New Republic work together to save the Bothans. Han accidentally destroys Vilim, and the treaty is signed. This type of treaty, quite unlike the one signed at Bakura, offers a new hope for a galaxy completely ravaged by war. The search for the pirates leads Luke and Mara closer, both realizing how well they work together and how much they care for one another. As Luke and Mara face death, Luke does the unthinkable: he proposes to Mara! Mara agrees, provided they survive. Together, they discover a surviving clone of Thrawn, who threatens the pair just as Disra’s false Thrawn is exposed.
The timing of these pairs couldn’t have come at a better time. Luke and Mara uncover a bit of what led Thrawn to his massive campaign against the New Republic. Back in the waning days of the Old Republic, the Republic authorized a trip to Wild Space led by a ship called Outbound Flight. The ship was destroyed by Chiss forces as it threatened to bring an extra-galactic force into the Core worlds, unknown by name at the time, but sensed by Chancellor Palpatine. Palpatine, when he became Emperor, tasked Thrawn with creating a joint-Chiss and Imperial force to fight these invaders. When Thrawn died, and the Death Stars were destroyed, the Sith Lord’s plan to fight the invaders was destroyed. So, too, do Luke and Mara destroy the clone of Thrawn, potentially destroying the last person with upfront knowledge about these invaders.
Mara and Luke return to the New Republic with the Caamasi documents; the treaty between the New Republic and Empire is signed and put into motion. This is good: Mara and Luke have one more mission together before a unknown planet becomes vector prime for an invasion force….
You can follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisWerms, and of course, you can follow the Manor on Twitter @MynockManor and Instagram @mynockmanor!
Legendary Travel Tips:
-This review collects the story of two novels: Specter of the Past and Vision of the Future.
-This series is followed by the last pre-NJO book, Survivor’s Quest. It also sets the stage for both the Young Jedi Knights series and the Junior Jedi Knights series.
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