An extremely violent and xenophobic race of aliens gets their hands on dangerous fleet technology; more personally, Luke and Leia’s parentage comes back to haunt them. Join this special combined edition of Legendary Adventures as we look at the Black Fleet Crisis trilogy!
The New Republic continues to gain allies and destroy the Empire’s holdouts across the galaxy. But they’re not the only force that stands against the brutality of the Empire. Just months after the Battle of Endor, and the first alliance between the New Republic and the Empire, a race of indentured people called the Yevethans rise up against the Imperials that enslaved them. They kill the Imperials that were holding them in slavery and take over their fleet, then become their own kind of slavers, unfortunately turning into conquerors themselves. They seemed to be a smaller threat for a while, but now, 12 years later, they threaten the peace of the New Republic and set their sights on Leia Organa.
But the concern about the Black Fleet isn’t what changes the galaxy, in the long term. Instead, the Black Fleet Crisis opens up opportunities for Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa to learn about themselves and their family. Unfortunately, the news that they learn and the shadows of their family history may hurt them more in the long-term, causing galaxy-shifting repercussions.
First, the shadow of Darth Vader threatens to end Leia Organa’s political career early.
Leia is rising in power in the New Republic, hoping to use her power to finally snuff out the growing threat of the Empire. Despite the fact that open war against the Empire has dwindled, and that more planets are coming to the New Republic’s aid, Leia wants more warships. This could be blamed on the return of the Katana fleet under Thrawn, but her reasoning isn’t totally clear to the entire New Republic and she begins to be doubted across the board. The Yevethans have become more shrewd, as well, and use this growing distrust of Leia to their advantage. A Yevethan leader, Nil Spaar, destroys a scout ship and blames Leia and the New Republic for inciting such a huge act of aggression. Between the calls for more warships, and the Yevethan subterfuge, political opponents of Leia seek to use this to their advantage. News that she is the daughter of Dark Lord Darth Vader start to spread in the Senate. Leia is effectively hobbled politically, and as Chief of State, is coming dangerously close to being politically useless. When the Yevethans start wiping out other civilizations, Leia can’t muster up a fleet against them.
As Leia tries to fight against the Yevethans, their trail of subterfuge continues against her. They commit two more massive attacks against her. First, they attack a planet called Doornik-319, using New Republic hostages as human shields. As New Republic citizens are put in danger, the New Republic turns more and more against Leia. Somehow, the Senate can blame Leia for this rather than the Yevethans. But it almost makes sense: as the galaxy has only recently learned of Leia’s parentage, the questions would still be fresh in their mind. How close is she to her father, Darth Vader? Would his fascistic and violent tendencies have gone to his daughter? The answer, as it seems, is growing closer and closer to yes. Second, the Yevethans take Han Solo captive. Leia cannot help him, but thankfully, Chewbacca and Lumpawumparoo and other Wookiees are able to free him from an Imperial Star Destroyer. After the Wookiees run through, the Imperials strike back and take out the remaining Yevethans.
Leia’s political career is left in a lurch and the coming crisis (so many crises and super weapons!) at Corellia might spell the end of her career. But as Leia wonders about her future, Luke looks to his past, as a race of Force sensitive people called the Fallanassi suggest they might know about Luke’s mother…
After crossing the breadth of the galaxy with his former lover, computer-brain-turned-human-again-through-the-body-of-a-student Calllista, Luke takes some time away from the Jedi Order. A Force-sensitive Fallanassi named Akanah Pell finds Luke and begs for his help. Her people have gone entirely silent, and unfortunately she is left powerless to do anything to help them. She even claims to have knowledge of Luke Skywalker’s mother, whom she claims is a Fallanassi monk named Nashira. And, no, before you ask, Padme Amidala was not secretly a member of the Fallanassi order; instead, Akanah Pell lies to Luke to secure his help in finding the missing Fallanassi. Unfortunately, Luke is none the wiser and offers to help. As they travel together, Luke starts to fall for her before realizing that she is lying to them. Thankfully, Luke is able to find a way to help the Fallanassi on a planet called Maltha Obex, leaving the lying order aside as he continues in a journey of solitude.
So, unfortunately, Luke does not learn more about his mother and Darth Vader’s specter hangs too closely to Leia. A Dark warrior soon rises to face Luke, pushing Leia to make the most difficult decision…
Legendary Travel Tips:
-I combined the entire Black Fleet Crisis, composed of Before the Storm, Shield of Lies, and Tyrant’s Test, because the Essential Reader’s Companion did, as well. For the sake of the Legends continuity, this post focused on the most important aspects and left behind the details of the trilogy.
-This book is followed by The New Rebellion.
-These books were written in 96-97, which explains why they had no information on Luke’s actual mother. These secrets were soon to be blown open in the Prequel Trilogy.
Legendary Adventures
Essential Legends Collection: Darth Bane: Path of Destruction | Darth Bane: Rule of Tw0 | Shatterpoint | Rogue Squadron | Heir to the Empire | Dark Force Rising | The Last Command
The New Republic: Heir to the Empire | Dark Force Rising | The Last Command| Isard’s Revenge | Jedi Search | Dark Apprentice | Champions of the Force | Children of the Jedi | Darksaber | Starfighters of Adumar | Planet of Twilight | The Crystal Star
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