Staying at hotels, B&Bs, and even Airbnb’s there are often concierge services available about what to see and do in the area you’re visiting, so we’ve opened the concierge desk at the Manor to offer suggestions on what to read, watch, and enjoy when wanting to find out more about your favorite Star Wars characters now that you have the free time to do so! One of the break out stars from the Sequel Trilogy is Rose Tico – mechanic, hero, and a good motivator. Ever wondered what it would look like to serve behind the scenes of the Resistance? Or have you ever wondered what courage in the face of evil and hatred looks like? Look no further, as we explore the life of Rose.
Disclaimer: Since most people have likely already seen the Star Wars films, the Manor Suggests series will focus on the various publishing aspects of the GFFA. We also highly suggest, if a local comic shop or book store is still open/offering curbside service or other social-distancing options, please consider picking up many of the suggested titles below from them!
Age of Resistance – Rose Tico #1 (Comic Issue in Age of Resistance miniseries; Written by Tom Taylor; Art by Ramon Rosanas; Colors by Guru-eFX; Lettering by Travis Lanham; Marvel 2019)
If you want to read a single issue that really explains who Rose is, what she is motivated by, and shows you her heart, you can’t go wrong with looking at this one-shot in the amazing Age of Resistance miniseries. This issue shows her life unfold before us, showing her life with her family on her home system, and what happened when the First Order came calling. Featuring emotional moments of love and heartbreak, we join Rose’s life at a tumultuous time, seeing how she moves from wanting revenge on the First Order to learning how to fight the right way, for the right motivation. We also see her first interaction with General Organa, a wonderful moment that we don’t get many more of (so far) in canon.
The Last Jedi: Cobalt Squadron (Middle Grade Novel; by Elizabeth Wein; Disney-Lucasfilm Press 2017)
The first book I want to suggest to you tells us about what Rose was doing during the films; the second will get deep into what motivated her. Who was Rose before she stopped Finn from leaving the Resistance at the Evacuation of D’Qar? Turns out, Rose has a far more exciting backstory than you might have imagined. One of the earlier tie-ins for The Last Jedi did not focus on Luke, Rey, or Kylo; instead, it focused on the unsung heroes of the Resistance: the pilots and the mechanics. Under the command of Vice Admiral Holdo, Paige and Rose are given the chance to strike at the First Order as part of a bomber squadron. The mission hits close to home as they see the First Order desecrating other systems the same way that the Tico’s home system of Hays Minor was destroyed by the First Order, leading this book into an emotional and high stakes adventure that gets at the heart of why Rose and Paige are heroes. Taking place during the Battle of Starkiller Base through the Evacuation of D’Qar, the story provides important background context to the first two films of the Sequel Trilogy!
Forces of Destiny – Rose & Paige (Comic Issue in Star Wars Adventures: Forces of Destiny miniseries; Written by Delilah S. Dawson; Art and Colors by Nicoletta Baldari; Lettering by Tom B. Long; IDW 2018)
One of Rose’s greatest character motivations in the Sequel Trilogy was the love that she had for her sister. We might be tempted to think that she was more interested in doing damage to the First Order, but Rose isn’t like that. Remember, she is the very one who reminded Finn that the Resistance would not win by fighting what they hate; rather, they would win by saving what they loved. This one-shot, in IDW’s miniseries based on the Forces of Destiny animated shorts, shows us how Rose and Paige interact on a more personal level. They don’t simply tolerate each other; rather, they continually push each other to be better role models and helpers to each other, becoming the best versions of themselves that they can be. When the Resistance is plagued by mechanical problems – not just stormtroopers! – the two are able to work together in order to come up with creative solutions to their pressing issues. (I also recommend picking up the entire trade paperback for this series, featuring more female characters than you’ll find in any other graphic novel, with stories featuring Ahsoka, Leia, Rey, and more!)
Star Wars Adventures #6 {Vol.1}: “Rose Knows” (Issue in On-going Comic; Written by Delilah S. Dawson; Art by Derek Charm; Lettering by Tom B. Long; IDW 2018)
Resistance Reborn (Novel; Written by Rebecca Roanhorse; Del Rey 2019)
Now, knowing what Rose is like, what motivates her, and what she did before her premiere in The Last Jedi, we can look at what she did during the war with the First Order. When thinking about Rose Tico, you might be tempted to think of her only as a mechanic and only as someone who sits behind the scenes. This might have been her role before the Battle of Crait, but after the Resistance is almost wiped out, hidden talent starts to come to the forefront of the movement. When the Resistance is almost destroyed at the Battle of Crait, it doesn’t seem like anything will be able to stand up against the tyranny of the First Order. Thankfully, General Leia Organa, Commander Poe Dameron, mechanic Rose Tico, Rey, and Finn are scouring the galaxy for any allies that they can find. This book does not star Rose, really, but she is given plenty of pages in the book to be an instrumental help for Leia in setting up a Resistance base, for the moment, on Ryloth. The book is a celebration of canon’s Expanded Universe, bringing a lot of threads together at Ryloth. It’s fun to read all of these stories come together and know that Rose is a huge part of bringing a lot of loose threads together in a single place. Rose is still more of a secondary character in this book, but having her hang out with Rey and Leia is an absolute delight, one of many in this excellent novel.
Allegiance: Journey to The Rise Skywalker (Comic Miniseries; Written by Ethan Sacks; Art by Luke Ross; Colors by Lee Loughridge; Lettering by Clayton Cowles; Marvel 2019)
If you thought Rose needed a little more to do after the last novel featured her as a side character, these next two might be more your speed as Rose is moved closer to the center of the action. The Resistance needs ships, desperately, and Leia thinks that she can get help from the Mon Calamari people, whom Captain Raddus and Admiral Ackbar hailed from. Expecting stiff resistance (pun intended), Leia brings Rose and Rey along to garner the support of Ackbar’s son and the current king of the planet. Rose is ready to do whatever it takes to gain their support, and encourages Rey to fight for what’s right (both metaphorically, and, well, physically). The team of Rey, Leia, and Rose is a lot of fun, and it was great to see these three women not only interact, but each play important roles in bringing the Mon Cal fleet back into the fight against evil.
Spark of the Resistance (Middle Grade Novel; Written by Justina Ireland; Disney-Lucasfilm Press 2019)
One thing that is almost unusual for Rose is how many women have written her story. If you’ll notice above, this article has featured three women already, which is remarkable compared to other women in the Sequel Trilogy. (If you want a sad statistic, compare how many women have written *unique* stories for Rey, rather than simply adaptations.) This book is written by Justina Ireland, who is one of the writers spearheading the exciting High Republic publishing program. This story lets Poe, Rose, and Rey interact, with Rose challenging Poe in a lot of great ways. Remember, it was Poe’s orders to destroy the First Order Dreadnaught over D’Qar, which ended with the death of Paige Tico. The story does not spend a lot of time with this loss, as it really was written for a younger audience, but there is a lot of exciting ideas presented in this book for young and older readers alike!
As you can see, there are a lot of comics focusing on Rose that you can explore! We recommend reaching out to a local comic store to see if they can sell you some of these back issues, or buy a gift card for when they reopen! Rose really does live on the page, so we’re excited to share these with you and have you join her journey! If you have a character you’d like us to cover, please reach out in the comments or the social media options below! And mainly, I hope you found something new to enjoy in Star Wars and make sure to return to the Manor for more Suggestions on what to look into next.
You can follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisWerms, and of course, you can follow the Manor on Twitter @MynockManor!
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