Luke Skywalker sets off on a journey to rebuild the fallen Jedi Order, just as the Solo-Organa family finds themselves settling into their own new circumstances. Join the Legendary Adventures as we read through the Jedi Academy trilogy, starting with Jedi Search!
Luke Skywalker is the last of the Jedi. Well, for the most part. The last of the Jedi that he knows about, especially with the death of Joruus C’baoth. After his run in with Force-sensitive former assassin Mara Jade, Luke Skywalker is on the hunt to find new Jedi to rebuild the Jedi Order. Ever since it’s destruction in Operation: Knightfall, and Darth Vader’s galaxy-wide sweep for more Jedi survivors, the Jedi Order has never been able to revive itself. Sure, some Jedi survived and mounted some giant efforts against the Empire, and some Jedi were even involved in the creation of the Rebel Alliance, but never had any undertaken the incredible journey of reviving the Order as a whole.
Luke’s freedom comes due to the defeat of Grand Admiral Thrawn and Admiral Daala, alongside other Imperial warlords. Even Lando Calrissian, former administrator of Bespin, is able to help find Jedi. Lando is unsuccessful in finding any so far, but Luke meets two: Gantoris and Streen. Because Imperial persecution of the Jedi was so fresh in the collective memory of the galaxy, Luke’s search for Jedi was anything but direct. Instead, he had to follow hints, clues, and legends across the galaxy, hoping that some subjects of these galactic fables would pan out to provide Force-sensitive people who could join his Academy. For example, Gantoris was the leader of a planet named Eol Sha, who seemed to be able to predict earthquakes before they happened. Streen’s Force-attuned empathy pushed him to a life of solitude, but rumors of his powers still spread on Bespin. Both were won over to Luke’s cause, just as Luke was learning how to detect Force sensitivity in people by probing their minds.
But Streen and Gantoris aren’t the only Force sensitive individuals who join Luke’s new academy. Another man, Kyp Durron, was held as a slave on the planet Kessel. Yes, the Kessel where slaves are forced to mine for spice and usually don’t see freedom once they are imprisoned there. Thankfully, either due to dumb luck, or the will of the Force, Han Solo and Chewbacca are captured on official New Republic business. Their captor, Moruth Doole, harbors a grudge against the pair from way back in their smuggling days. (Even though he’s been a General in the Rebellion, and even led his own strike teams, Han can never quite seem to escape his past!) There, they meet Kyp, and the trio escape.
Unfortunately, they find themselves in a worse place than Kessel, if that is even possible. In their escape, they accidentally wind up in the Maw Cluster, a part of space filled with black holes, where Grand Moff Tarkin oversaw the construction of the dreaded Death Star. Turns out, the Empire had more tricks than two Death Stars up their sleeves. They also had a super weapon called the Sun Crusher, a ginormous weapon waiting for word from the Empire to be unleashed on the galaxy. Han’s quick talking actually comes in handy here, saving their butts, allowing Kyp to pilot out of the black hole cluster with his Force sensitivity.
All of this searching for Jedi affects Leia, too, who is trying to balance the life of a mother, politician, and Force-sensitive woman. Her twins, Jacen and Jaina, born just after the death of Grand Admiral Thrawn, are now toddlers, which brings its own set of challenges. But now, Leia must decide: should she and her family follow the Jedi path, or focus more on the life of the New Republic? She and Mon Mothma, in a discussion about this, settle on Yavin IV as the base for the New Jedi Order, the same Massassi Temple that once housed the Rebellion would now house the Jedi, a fitting tribute to the work done there.
Little do the Jedi know, the Sun Crusher may not be the worst threat…an ancient spirit stirs on Yavin IV, where the students head next…
Legendary Adventures
The New Republic: Heir to the Empire | Dark Force Rising| The Last Command| Isard’s Revenge
You can follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisWerms, and of course, you can follow the Manor on Twitter @MynockManor!
Click Here For More Legendary Adventures!